Chapter 4- Elnora POV
Merrick and Talvin are refusing to speak another word until Fulton comes back with the Doctor. No matter how hard I beg them to talk to me, they will not. They are only giving me a look of pure disappointment. The look made my heart sink, wondering what I have done that hurt them so badly. What can I do to fix the situation at hand?
“Hello Elnora, my name is Doctor Kent; how are you feeling?” His voice is soothing over me. “I feel a bit drained and confused. Other than that, I think I am fine. What happened?” I watched the flash behind his eyes when he realized I had no idea what was going on. “From a medical standpoint, I will tell you what I know.” He mentions as he casually walks to the foot of my bed to keep me from straining my eyes to the side. “When you arrived, we drew your blood and did a full lab workup. Everything else was fine except for one thing.” “What was the one thing?” I interrupt him. “We needed to do an emergency blood transfusion. We are unsure why you were missing as much blood as you were, but if you waited any longer to come to the hospital, the outcome would have been much different.” “Did I get cut or something to lose that much blood?” My question sent Talvin flying to his feet. “Or something is more like it, Mom!” He barked before storming from the room, confusing me further.
“I think it would be best for your boys to explain the severity of the situation.” Doctor Kent announced. “Actually, Doc, I think it would be best if you explained it. None of us are really up for the task to announce exactly what is happening.” Merrick mumbled. “As you wish. Would you please allow me to collect Doctor Harken? She did your Mother’s Online visit this morning. She may be able to explain this from a different point of view. I will be right back.” He announces before leaving the room.
“What did I do to mess up so badly?” My desperation for an answer directed to Merrick. “I tried to get ahold of dad. I noticed that you sent him a few messages this morning about your neck and that man. I also saw that he read them and didn’t reply. I tried to call him from your phone and mine, and he ignored my calls on both. So, I called the office. I figured that his wife being taken to the hospital in an ambulance was worth the call at work. It turns out he wasn’t at work today, or the rest of the week for that matter. He has been working from home, from what they tell me. I don’t know where he is or how to get ahold of him. Any ideas?” Deflecting my original question was easy for him. The whereabouts of Brogan was a new problem for me to handle. “What do you mean he wasn’t at work and is working from home? He has been going to the office every day. That is where he said he was going anyway. If he isn’t at the office and we can’t get ahold of him, where is he?” My voice is beginning to crack as I watch Merrick shake his head in defeat. “Ok, let me know if he calls, please.” I muster, trying not to upset Merrick any further.
I close my eyes and let my thoughts drift to today’s events. I come up short time and time again as I think of what I have personally done to end up in the hospital and upset my boys. I did something that I don’t remember doing, and they refuse to tell me what it was, and now we cannot get ahold of Brogan. A thought runs through my head. “Whatever it was that upset all of you, did it happen after Officer Orion knocked on the door?” I ask. My eyes flutter to Fulton sitting in the corner sobbing. Realization hits that I must have fallen asleep again. “What is wrong? Come here.” I call. He makes his way to my bedside and leans in for a hug. “What is it? You can tell me.” I assure him as I squeeze him tightly. “This isn’t your fault, mom. I just announced to Merrick and Talvin what is really going on. Unfortunately, all of us have something to do with the man you cannot remember. You do, in fact, know who he is. Once his name has been given to you, you will know everything. Your life is going to change as much as all of ours will. I want you to know one thing, though.” “What’s that?” I ask him as I hold his face in my hands so I can see his eyes. “We all want you to be happy. Stop being unhappy and just take the facts and decide for yourself. Trust me, Mom. It will be worth it. The three of us will go with you to any depth of earth. I am going to get my brothers and the Doctors. We have much to discuss.” Leaning forward, he kisses me on the forehead before walking out of the room. “What does any depth of earth mean?” I call to him as the door behind him closes me into silence.
Chapter 5- Fulton’s POV The moment I looked into the eyes of the man in the rain, I knew who he was and why he was here. I could feel Talvin tense up next to me, and I knew he had dealings with this man in the past. This man wasn’t here for him this time, nor was he here for Merrick. Merrick had dabbled a little more into reading than he thought. He was on the verge of finding out about the hidden side when he finally gave up. I could feel his uncertainty of the man through his stance and how the air changed around us. I, on the other hand, knew it all. For the past six months, I had been eavesdropping on my father’s late-night phone calls. He would wait until Mom was asleep before slipping from bed and making his way out onto the porch. I, on the other hand, would hear him and took to my computer. I would pull up the surveillance cameras and
Chapter 6- Fulton’s POVThe decision was easy. I knew that if anything happened to me, Mom would never forgive him. He would be done forever, and at this moment, I wanted him to be out of our lives forever. Stepping over the threshold was more complicated than it had ever been. Fear radiated from my body, and I could feel my body shaking as I took my place in front of the man. “You are a courageous young man. We need more men like you in our ranks.” “Thanks, but I don’t think I would want to do that.” My voice is betraying my emotions. He nodded curtly at my words before choosing his following words carefully. “This is simple. You will take my hand. I will give you my word. Once I finish talking, you can either accept or decline my word for any reason. You may state that you would like anythin
Chapter 7- Fulton’s POV“Go to bed, son,” Dad calls from the kitchen. His eyes are burning into me as he looks upon my skin. “I will as soon as I know that Mom is ok.” I give a half-smile in return. “I think you should go to bed now.” His voice is more eager to have me go to bed than before. His eyes are darting to the front window. “Ok, promise me you will make sure mom is, ok?” “I will.” “Night then.” “Yeah, Night.” His reply chipped as the floor creaks under his footing. I immediately open my laptop when entering my room, followed by putting on clothing. “You are late” I am just in time to see what is happening between Dad and Lawler as Dad nags at him. “I am certainly not late. You were the one who overslept. Please note the time and your attitude.” Dad opens his mouth to
Chapter 8- Elnora’s POVFulton’s words are on repeat in my mind. “We all want you to be happy. Stop being unhappy and just take the facts and decide for yourself. Trust me, Mom. It will be worth it. The three of us will go with you to any depth of earth. I am going to go get my brothers and the Doctors. We have much to discuss.” His eyes are full of understanding for the situation.Two of my children refuse to talk to me and are angry with something I do not understand. My husband is missing and unreachable. Now Fulton is giving me confusing words, and he seems hurt. What in the world is going on?Just as the idea of leaving my bed to track down my children and demand answers flutters through my mind, they walk in the door, flanked by the Doctors.“Hello, Mrs. Tuffin.” Doctor Harken addresses me formally with words of worry. “Don’t call her that,” Talvin bellows. “Call her Elnora or
Chapter 9- Elnora POVThe second the door closes, questions burst from me. “What does this have to do with your father? What lineage do you have? What Kingdom has better care? What is happening?” Pulling my feet from Fulton’s hands, I demand the answers. “We will tell you in the car,” Merrick announces, removing my shoes from my bag. “Why not tell me now?” “The walls have ears,” Talvin responds. “Promise you will tell me in the car?” I verify. “We will start the conversation in the car, yes.” Merrick agrees. “Start it?” “Yup! Get dressed,” Fulton calls as they all leave my room. They have closed me in my room with nothing but the sound of the machines beeping and my frantic nerves. I sit upon the side of the bed and look out at the darkening day. Something in the parking lot catches my eye and g
Chapter 10- Elnora POVBrogan is running full speed towards our car. I am not the only one who can see this happening. “Step on it,” My voice taking on a new tone of hatred on its own as I sit back in my chair and close my eyes to the man nearing my window. I don’t want to see him, and I don’t care to hear him. I just want to go home. Home, it is no longer home. It is the home he wanted, close enough to work yet far enough from everything important to me to stay put in the house. As we pull from the hospital parking lot and get a few blocks away, Merrick slows down. “I am so sorry, Mom. We tried not to let you see that.” His voice is caring and soft. “How long have you boys known?” I ask through my tears as I look out my window. “Fulton told Merrick and me a little while ago. I was under the impression of something else,
Chapter 11- Elnora POV“So not only do we have the fullest level of protection available, no one, including the vampire in question, will be permitted to harm us. If a breach ever were to occur, we would receive guards. The reason we must go to their Kingdom is for two reasons, they want you to gain your strength and courage to move on from Dad, and because they are going to help you support us for the next ten years.” “Why would they help us?” I ask in wonder. “He has labeled the three of us Human Prince’s, and you are the Human Princess. I don’t know what all that will mean for all of us, but it is better than him just taking us as your husband had arranged.” “That is a big honor.” “There is something else you should know.” “What is that?” “The vampire in question” “Yes?” “He is the King of Northern Vampires; his word is the law.” “You
Chapter 12- Merrick’s POV My mind has been reeling all afternoon. Everything that I had suspected and had known to be true is, in fact, true. I still remember the day my father had cornered me in my room and demanded all my books and research. I begged and bartered to the best of my ability to change his mind, and each passing word only fueled his rage and hatred. I watched in horror as my father took my items to the backyard and tossed them into our burn barrel. I thought I would rummage through and save what I could later, that was until he came out with lighter fluid and a lighter. He lit a single sheet of paper and watched it engulf in flames. His wicked eyes turned to lock on me. At that moment, I had lost all respect for this man. Everything I did became between my mother and myself. I did not need him to teach me to drive or do homework. I wanted nothing from him.That was eig