tension between us where he tries his hardest to be happy every time I look his way, like he doesn’t realize how fucking weird that is. Marcus isn’t a fake smile kind of guy. He’s brooding and grumpy and sighs every time I do anything.
I yank open the closet looking for the bags we’d used to bring everything over here, but I don’t know where they are. I grab a grocery bag and try stuffing a shirt into it, but without my other arm to hold it open, it instantly collapses. Pissed, I shove it to the floor and use my foot to pin it down as I start stuffing shit into it. That’s when the door swings open and Marcus looks in.
“Finn—”
“Either help me pack or leave,” I snap.
“I think—”
I stop what I’m doing to glare at him. “You think what? My father’s right? You think I need to rot in this fucking room all day? You think you need to go punch something?” I yell. I don’t even know why I’m yelling or why I’m so angry and upset. I’m just tired of my life being ruled and controlled by a monster.
“No… I think that shirt you just stuffed in there is hideous,” Marcus says.
I stare at him for a moment, shocked he decided that that was the appropriate response to my yelling. I look down at the bag and the clothes spilling out of it and just start laughing. “Claude bought it for me. It was probably like three hundred dollars.”
“We could burn it if you want?” he says. “We’ll use it to start the fire tonight.”
I nod. “Please.”
He grabs some clothes and tosses them my way. “Ready?”
“We need dog food.”
“I’ll get it. You pack them into the car.”
I nod and hook the bag over my wrist and then pin the rest of the wadded-up clothes to my chest as I hurry through the door and down the stairs. When I reach the door, I realize I don’t have a hand to open it, so I just stare at it until Aria pulls it open without a word. I head outside and over to the waiting car that I haven’t even been inside in five days. I haven’t left this fucking house in five days because no one wants to let me leave the “safety” of this place, like a fucking wall is going to stop a vampire.
“I’m not running away, asshole,” I shout, in case my buddy Ancient Vampire Asshole is watching. “I’m going on vacation.”
The dogs dance around at my feet, ecstatic I’m finally taking them somewhere after having kept them cooped up with me for days. I open the door and send Artie in, who has to crawl in to keep from bonking his head. Hela leaps in after him, dancing around and trying her hardest to get to the front where she knows I’ll be sitting. She decides going under the seat is the best bet and is already up front before I even get in the passenger’s seat. As I’m waiting, Orin comes out and walks over to my window before gently knocking. I hesitate but take a deep breath and roll the window down. Hela stands with her front paws on the sill, wagging her tail as Orin gives me a soft smile.
“I don’t want you mad at me,” he says.
“I know.”
“I’m being a little overbearing… aren’t I?”
“Yes.” I sigh. “But I get it. I don’t blame you.”
“I’m sorry. This whole thing has been a mess.”
“It’s not your fault. Unless you’re the masked bad guy,” I say.
He snorts. “That’s not even funny. Have fun. Be good. Call me every hour, night and day.”
“I’m not calling you every hour!”
“Then I’ll call you.”
Marcus comes out, so Orin grabs me in a headlock and kisses the top of my head. “Be careful.”
“I will!”
Once Marcus gets in, we head toward the lake house.
“Is this stupid?” I ask as he pulls out onto the road.
“I don’t think it matters where we are, Finn. He’s already proven that. So just… we’re going to this fucking cabin and we’re going to enjoy ourselves.”
“It’s a cabin of fucking?”
“It is,” Marcus says.
“Sounds amazing. Fuck the worry out of me.”
“I can do that. How far away is it?”
“Like an hour. And it’s going to be dark as hell, but thank god you have cat eyes and can see in the dark.”
“I don’t have cat eyes.”
“I swear I even hear you purring some of the time.”
“I regret this trip already.”
When we pull