Bound by Blood ch.9

Evie jerked up in her bed and sucked in desperate breaths. 

The nightmares. They were back. 

She rubbed her forehead and wrapped an arm around her stomach clawed in apprehension. 

It had been months since she’d last been haunted by him. By that night. She’d hoped they were finally over. But apparently she’d been wrong. 

Evie sucked in gulps of cool central air and looked around her bedroom, finding it the same as she’d left it the night before: the top white dresser drawer next to the door was still opened halfway with a plain pale pink shirt hanging out of it. The picture hanging on the wall over the dresser showed 12-year-old her and her family smiling, all wearing matching black Mickey Mouse ear hats on their first trip to Disneyland. She was home. She was safe. 

She covered her eyes with her olive skinned arm lightly dusted in freckles, and took in a steadying breath. Hatchet...why do you still haunt me? 

Her eyes pricked as the fading images of the dream landed on Hatchet’s dead body lying in her arms, his head turning to look up at her with dull grey eyes, asking her over and over- “why, Evie?” 

Her heart prickled. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to him. “It was all my fault.” She breathed in a painful gasp to stop the sudden burning in her chest. Crying wasn’t an option. Not when she shared her room with her sister and it would make both of them super uncomfortable by her emotional outburst. Remembering Terra, Evie scanned the twin bed on the other side of the room, surprised to find it empty, the dark grey comforter slumped to the floor. Distracted by her confusion of Terra missing, Evie sat up and lowered her arm, glancing at the alarm clock on her nightstand that showed it was only 8:06 am. 

Alarm flitted through her until she heard her sister’s loud voice in the kitchen, clear and strong. “Coffee’s done!”  

Evie frowned. Why is Terra making coffee? She hates it. 

Carrie, Evie’s adopted mom answered Evie’s question. “Great. Now go wake up your sister.” 

“On it.” 

Evie jumped as she heard Terra padding her way from the kitchen to their bedroom and hastily laid back down, shutting her eyes just as the door to her room creaked open. She couldn’t let Terra know she’d woken up from another nightmare or she’d insist on her returning to the grief counselor. And since Evie was not an early riser there’d be no excuse except the truth. 

After the raid it had taken Evie a long time to process what had happened. Between meeting and settling in with her new family, starting school, learning how to live among humans and not Nightrealm she’d only been able to deal with Hatchet’s death and the massacre through nightly visits to the bathroom to break down or through the nightmares.  

After the third time she’d woke up screaming, Terra had told their mom and dad. Evie had expected them to punish her for being loud- the way she’d been during her time at the mansion- but no one in her family had hit her. Just expressed loving concern. Instead of being flung into a wall her new parents had her sit between them on the beige overstuffed couch, while Everest and Terra sat on the matching one perpendicular to her. And then they’d held a family meeting. Carrie and Ed had told Evie how grief counseling might be good for her, and that seeing such a traumatic event was a lot for her to go through alone. The traumatic event her new parents spoke of was the story given to them by the police: Evie had been living with her best friend after her family died when a home invasion took place. She had been the only one to survive it. 

It wasn’t the truth by a long shot. Still, it was the story she chose to stick with since she’d had no idea how to explain Nightrealm to regular humans. And since she couldn’t tell the what had  really happened she’d reluctantly agreed to go- 

Not because they’d made her. Oh no. It was because they’d given her the choice. For the first time in her life she’d been allowed to decide something for herself. Not told. Not ordered. Not threatened-just encouraged. Supported.

The way a family should. 

Evie should have been happy, except she’d felt nothing but the looming guilt hanging over her head. Lying to them and letting them believe the trauma she was haunted by was nothing but a home invasion and not the massacre of a powerful Nightrealm clan. Even when she’d agreed to go to counseling she’d still kept the truth to herself. Continued the lie. All the while she’d wished she’d had someone to confide in. To tell them about what had really happened. 

Falling apart alone. 

I wish I didn’t know about them either. How much easier would her life be without knowing about the Nightrealm’s existence? Without remembering any of it? Remembering Hatchet and how his death was from him trying to protect her?  

She shivered just as the light in her room flicked on, the memory of his dead gaze frozen in her mind.

Terra's bare feet pushed into the baby blue carpet, the ghosts of Evie’s past slipping back into the shadows. Terra hovered over her. “Hey dummy, it’s time to wake up.” 

Evie faked a yawn and tried to look disoriented, hoping all traces of her sadness were gone. “Huh?” She opened her already alert gaze and locked onto the light grey eyes of her sister. “What time is it?” 

A taller, younger version of their mom Carrie, Terra was all soft curves and long limbs, her arms showing muscles when they crossed over her Pierce the Veil black t-shirt, her caramel skin highlighting her dark lips turning down at the corners. But it was the light grey eyes, the color of clouds before they withered into a rainstorm, that made her look fierce. 

Those eyes were now narrowed at Evie, and she actually looked like she was unhappy. “If you must know it’s already noon. You missed enrollment and your chance to be in every single class with Steven because you don’t. Know. How. To. Wake. Up.”

Evie knew she was lying but couldn’t stop herself from feeling impressed by her act. Two can play at this game. Gasping, Evie’s hazel eyes widened and she sat up, playing the panicky oversleeper. She saw Terra smirk when Evie demanded, “what do you mean I missed enrollment?” 

“Don’t worry,” Terra replied airily, waving a dismissive hand. “I picked your classes for you- and before you ask, yes, I made sure to enroll you in every single class without Steven.” she sighed and shook her head. “Now he’ll probably fall in love with rat-faced Alyssa, all because you couldn’t wake up on time.” 

Despite Evie knowing it was a lie she felt the punch in her gut all the same. That was definitely something Terra would have done to her. “You’re lying,” she grumbled, and finally let her facade end by looking away from her sister’s non-apologetic expression to the alarm clock. “It’s only 8:10.” She flicked a withering glare at her sister who looked downright smug. 

“Coffee’s ready,” Terra said in a sing-song voice, and sashayed from their room, her brown-black wavy hair brushing the back of her neck. She stopped at the door and gave Evie a warning look over her left shoulder. “If you even think about going back to sleep I’m going to get Everest to come and wake you up.” 

Evie was still glaring at Terra about the Steven thing when her threat made her shudder. She hopped out of bed. “I’m up, I’m up!” 

Terra grinned. “That’s what I thought.” She headed out and down the hall towards the kitchen. “Hey, Everest, you can dump the bucket. She got up.”  

Evie groaned out loud and muttered under her breath. “Whoever thought having siblings was fun were idiots.” Hatchet would have agreed with her. His brothers had driven him insane, too.

No, don’t think about him anymore. He’s gone. She gave her head a swift shake when the apprehension attempted to cover her and then straightened, the nutty scent of coffee enticing her to go to the kitchen. Evie got two steps when her reflection in the body mirror hanging on the outside of the closet door stopped her. 

Hatchet isn’t the only one who’s gone. The Evie that had existed at the Lamia mansion no longer existed. When Evie had come to the Carlans she’d been a chubby, scared little girl with frizzy loose cinnamon curls. But as Evie stared at herself now she saw someone entirely different, her long legs and soft, round face complemented by thick straight hair that fell past her shoulders made her look carefree. Happy.  

She smiled and saw her reflection do the same. 

“Nightmares or not... It’s going to be a good day.” 

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

Carrie raced back and forth around the kitchen. 

Everest, Terra, and Evie watched her from the bar table as she went from the fridge to the sink and back. Twice.

Everest cleared his throat. “Hey mom...you good?” 

Carrie clicked her tongue louder than the cream high heels she was wearing. “Of course I am.” Then brightly she asked, “why wouldn’t I be?” 

The three at the table exchanged looks, sensing the danger just on the horizon. Without saying a word Evie and Terra touched the tips of their noses before Everest could even lift his large hand. His broad shoulders heaved a defeated sigh as Terra tapped him and mouthed “good game.” 

he shot her a dark look before twisting in the black barstool and answered. “Because you look crazy right now.”

Terra and Evie looked everywhere else but Everest, the dead man walking. Carrie made a low sound in her throat that sounded in between a growl and a gasp when Ed walked in. “Well, look at this. Everyone is awake!” He walked up to his wife and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, having to bend for his 6 foot height to her 5’2”. 

Everest returned just as brightly, “morning,” and hopped out of his chair. Evie watched him walk to Carrie and bend down to kiss the other cheek, who gave him one of her famous scowls. “Take it easy today, will you mom?” When they were next to each other Evie could see the strong resemblance between the two. Except where Terra had the same physique as her mom Everest had taken after his dad, tall and broad chested, and a square jaw that would put Tom Cruise to shame. She could understand why Didi, Evie’s best friend, had a major crush on him. 

What Didi didn’t know was he always had a death wish. Simmering the anger of their mom Everest pressed his luck by straightening and patting the top of Carrie’s head, frowning. “If you don’t you’ll get more grey hairs...ow!” 

He rubbed his arm as Carrie continued to play hit him. “What kind of son are you, huh?” 

Ed chuckled. “An honest one-ah, ah honey I have the coffee pot!” he cried when she turned her wrath on him. 

Terra interrupted them. “No seriously though. Why are you acting like a zombie apocalypse is about to happen?”

“The boss is coming to the office today,” explained Ed as Carrie’s mood darkened and she started muttering “Arthur”. Ed glanced at her when she slammed the cup cabinet and blocked his mouth to whisper loudly, “it stresses your mother out.”

“You stress me out,” Carrie retorted hotly. She rummaged to the back of the cabinet and lifted on her tiptoes, yelling, “who keeps putting the travel mugs on the highest shelf?” 

Evie smiled behind her large black coffee mug. This was her life now. Family arguments about cups and grey hairs and talks about work. It all felt so...normal. So calm. 

Carrie continued, her thick black hair swishing across her back like a metronome’s needle. “One of you will need to step up and make dinner tonight. Your father and I are not going to be home until late.”  

Evie nodded before remembering- “if you’re working late, does that mean I can’t go to my doctor’s appointment today?” 

Carrie stilled and looked over her shoulder, slapping a hand to her smooth forehead. “Oh honey...I completely forgot. Do you mind if we reschedule?” 

Everest’s mouth fell open. “Why are you always nice to Evie and not me?” 

“Because Evie isn’t irritating like you,” said Terra. 

Ed snorted. “You were asking for that one, bud.” 

Evie grinned and answered Carrie as Everest looked affronted. “That’s fine with me.” 

Terra shuddered. “Why would you even remind her about it, you weirdo?” Evie saw her narrow shoulders twitch as she shook her head. “Why you volunteer to give blood I will never understand.”

“What’s wrong Terra?” taunted Everest. He came up behind her and clamped down on her shoulders, making her growl at him. “Afraid of a little needle?” 

“No, I just don’t want anyone to take my blood.” 

“But it’s for a good cause,” interjected Evie. Because it was. 

Terra didn’t agree. “My blood belongs in my body. Nobody else’s.” 

Tell that to the Nightrealm. Evie sipped her coffee mixed with six sugars and extra cream and remarked, “well, I don’t agree.” 

Terra rolled her eyes at her as Carrie came over and kissed the sides of Evie and Terra’s heads, not tall enough even with the heels to reach the tops.  “Alright, we’re off. Text me when you’re done with your enrollment, okay?” 

“And stay together,” Ed added in his no-nonsense tone. He placed his mug down in the sink and grabbed the silver travel mug Carrie had filled for him. “There’s a possible serial killer on the loose and they’re attacking people that are alone, so travel in groups.” 

A chill slipped down Evie’s spine. She’d seen the news and heard her parents talking about it, especially with how it was affecting their realtor business since people didn’t want to buy properties when there were rampant kidnappings happening. But it still scared her all the same as if she’d heard it for the first time. 

When Ed and Carrie left, the quiet in the kitchen left a somber taste in Evie’s mouth. “I hope they find those girls and they’re okay...” 

Everest sighed and removed his hands from Terra’s shoulders. “One can only hope.” 

Evie gave him a grateful smile and finished her coffee. Then grabbed her stomach.

A feeling of dread tightening around her.