only I hadn’t kept myself closed up for so long I might not have felt so alone all my life.
“Well, where exactly?” Liz’s interest was piquing as she pulled her legs up to her chest to sit more comfortably on her chair as she hugged a pillow.
“To Naos. It’s a long story, but that’s where I live now.”
“Naos?” Her nose wrinkled as she tried to pronounce the foreign word on her tongue. “Where’s that?”
“It’s on the coast.” I said, settling back into the couch. The pillows were lumpy and uncomfortable, but the tension was breaking and I couldn’t be happier.
“Why do you live there? Because of what they said on the news?” She picked up the remote to flip on the television. Her favorite station flickered on, lighting up the living room in a flash of colors as a music video played. “They keep playing clips from the announcement.”
“Sort of.” I took a deep breath, dreading the conversation I knew was coming. I had to tell Liz the truth, I only hoped she’d come with me. It wasn’t safe for her here. Somewhere deep inside of me, I knew that the Noire region would be Baal’s first target.
Liz hugged the pillow in her arms like a life vest as I recounted the tale of my life as a vampire. Tears burned hot trails down her face when I painfully detailed Ana’s attack at the palace and the unspeakable violence of the assault by The Dark. I felt like I was forcing her to watch a scary movie as she sat, horrified by my every word.
“I don’t know what to say.” Liz had unfolded her limbs from the chair and was bouncing her feet on the floor. Her emotions buzzed with nervous energy. “Why doesn’t Nicolae just take all the vampires and go attack them?”
“Because… the dark vampires are very strong.”
“And that’s why you want me to come with you?” I nodded. “What makes Naos safer than here?”
“You can stay with me. I can watch over you and make sure you’re always protected.” I couldn’t hide the desperation in my tone. I wanted her to come to Naos so badly. “You’ll like it there, Liz. It’s beautiful.”
“What about your mom? I mean… Jacklyn, and my mom?”
“Jacklyn didn’t want to come. She said she wanted to stay behind and inspire more people to follow Nicolae; that he and the vampires needed the people’s support more than ever.” I tried to hide the disappointment in my voice. I understood Jacklyn’s reasons for staying, but they still burned like a fresh paper cut on my heart.
“Oh,” Liz exclaimed, sounding surprised. “I guess that makes sense. Ever since you left she’s been completely consumed with her work. Even more so than she ever was before.”
“Yeah…” Jacklyn was a subject I didn’t want to revisit. “Isn’t winter break coming up?”
“It’s next week. Why?”
“Tell your mom you’re going on vacation for the break with me. That’ll explain your absence and she won’t be worrying about you.”
Liz rolled her eyes. “Like she’d worry about me anyway.”
I squeezed her hand. “You know what I mean. She’s loves you, Liz. She’s just…” How could I put that her mother was a self-absorbed, gold-digger nicely?
“She has a new boyfriend; a real winner this one.” New anger fumed below the surface of her words as her eyes rolled dramatically. Liz’s mother’s boyfriends were nothing but trouble. She’d pick them up at bars or nightclubs; any guy that looked like he had some serious money. They’d have a whirlwind romance that would usually end up with the cops being called, and then Liz would stay with me for a couple weeks because she was pissed off at her mom. I was pissed off at her too. “She probably won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“That’s not true.” I don’t know why I was trying to play neutral when I knew Liz was probably right. She could tell her mother she was going to be a tree-hugger and live in the forest with the magical fairies, and her mother wouldn’t bat an eyelash. But, it was her mother, didn’t she deserve a warning too? I told my mom, it was only fair.
“And don’t even think about inviting her to come with,” Liz growled at me as if reading my mind.
“We have to at least tell her,” I pleaded with my best friend.
“What’s the point? She won’t believe us.” Liz shot up, throwing the pillow onto the chair behind her and headed to the kitchen.