I pried my eyes open in terror. I couldn't remember the nightmare I'd just had, but the sweat across my forehead and panic in my breath made it clear it was something awful.
I tried my best to regulate my breathing as I began remembering the events of the last couple of days. For a second, I thought it must have been a dream. But there were voices, people talking, and I was in an unfamiliar place.
"My brother can be an idiot at times, but I didn't know he'd do something so unbelievably stupid."
The deep, raspy voice reminded me of the man's, Ian's, but with a richer tone. It was darker, thicker almost, but I was more attuned to the words.
Staring at the yellowed ceiling, that may have once been white but was now stained by the smoke of cigarettes, I tried to remain as quiet as possible. The torn leather couch was uncomfortable under me, and the blanket I was under was smothering me, but I remained perfectly still.
Where am I anyway?
"An apology is fine. L-witches and redbloods have had this agreement since before I was even born. I'm not interested in letting Ian ruin it... Now, Jack, on the other hand..."
I recognized Jesse's voice immediately. His higher-pitched, yet slightly raw voice wasn't hard to pick out.
I must be at Jesse's house... How did I get here? The last thing I remember...
Where's the gun?
Where's the woman...?
And wait, did he say Jack? As in my father, Jack?
I tilted my eyes down to the nearly rotten shag carpet, trying to look inconspicuous as I searched for the two that were conversing in the next room.
My eyes caught Jesse's muddy Vans and the bottom of his torn jeans. He was sitting at the bar, his feet not nearly reaching the floor.
To his left, two big, black boots with blue laces were planted firmly on the floor. Jesse may not have been very tall, but for someone to sit in that stool and have their feet touch, in my head, seemed like a giant.
"He'd come out of retirement to kill every single one of you for getting Blair involved." Jesse continued after a brief period of silence.
My father isn't retired. And he certainly isn't a killer! What the hell is going on here?
I had so many questions, but I didn't ask. I just laid still, listening and studying the men's voices.
The man in the combat boots shifted his feet uncomfortably, the edges of his black jeans rolling up as he moved. He cleared his throat in response to Jesse's words.
"What do you suggest? Do I risk a stake through the heart if I go to apologize?"
Vampires. That's right.
"Carson, I honestly couldn't tell you. I thought he'd try and kill me when I told him she's a witch. But with the uprising across the lake, we can't have infighting... Maybe, at least for the greater good, he can understand..."
Nothing made any sense.
The frustration was worsening each second I let their conversation drag on. I picked at each sentence, recognizing Carson as Ian's brother. Rose and Ian had spoken about him.
I recognized that they considered my father a dangerous man. And that witches and vampires, he called them redbloods, had some sort of agreement.
But nothing pieced together. What uprising? My father's retirement? Whatever they were talking about, they left a lot of gaps in their paragraphs. Maybe it was intentional, or maybe it was just because they both knew enough that they didn't need to elaborate.
Either way, I finally sat up, adjusting my back to sit against the back of the couch, my feet dangling above the floor. I sighed in relief at the much more comfortable position, and pulled the blanket off of my legs.
I finally looked up at the two men in the kitchen through the battered archway.
"Finally, you're up. You have some serious explaining to do." Jesse started, jumping from the stool and making his way to me.
I gritted my teeth as he opened his mouth once more.
"Where did you get this gun? Why do you have this? And are you fucking stupid to be waving this around in people's faces? Do you wanna start a war?"
He held out the weapon as he berated me, but I rolled my eyes. I should have been scared, upset, something. I still hadn't really processed anything that had happened, at least not constructively. But I was just frustrated.
"Jesse, I find it funny that you want me to explain myself. It's almost like that's exactly what I've been asking you to do since I saw Ian almost break a woman's neck in the alley and then try and kill me in the cafe."
For some reason, it came out almost calmly. I wasn't angry necessarily, just frustrated. And after a good night's sleep for once, I was able to come at the situation rationally.
Jesse looked like he was going to retaliate, but instead, he bit his tongue and looked at the man, presumably Carson, beside him.
I followed his lead and turned my attention to him as he stood. Just as I had thought, he was incredibly tall. Not extremely built, but not extremely thin either.
His face was clean shaven, jaw sharp like Ian's. His eyes were brown, however, and his hair was a bit lighter in color. It was a bit long, covering the tops of his ears, and messily covering part of his forehead.
He smiled at me, almost awkwardly, but tried to seem charming. I knew with just one look. His aura, his face, his eyes... Even had I not known he was Ian's brother, I would have known he was a vampire.
"Why don't we talk about this outside?"
Holding my hands to my chest, I hesitated.
The air in my lungs halted all movement as I tried to tear my eyes away.
His awkward smile made me uncomfortable. But somehow, I felt that he was not the same as Ian.