I take his hand and we walk towards the front door.
“I’ll be outside – DON’T even think about following me.”
Once outside in the cool dark night, I turn to look at Jackson. His devastatingly handsome face inches from mine, but marred with worry lines.
“I want you to stay, but you have to head back to school and there’s no way traumatizing you with the psychotic drama that’ll be unleashed when my mom and dad arrive.”
“Are you sure you don’t want the backup? You seem really upset. And don’t worry about me; I’ve lived through worse trauma than crazy parents.” “I am upset, Jackson. I feel betrayed. Gotta say you don’t seem ecstatic by the turn of events either.”
“I’m not, but I’m also not the one being followed around and busted to my parents for living their life like every other twenty-two-year-old. Considering the idea of being watched sent you running from Dartmouth, and from me, I’m surprised you let the same thing happen to you here.”
I never thought about it that way. But it’s exactly the same; I’m being monitored for the benefit of others.
I’m not deluded; I know I’m not in any particular danger and don’t really need a security team. It’s my mother who benefits the most from this arrangement, from knowing my every move for her own peace of mind. Honestly, her anxiety would probably benefit from professional intervention.
“You’re right. I’ve let it go on for far too long, but I didn’t think my parents were updated on my movements to the extent they are. Tonight is a perfect example; I should’ve been able to leave my room for a night out with my girlfriends without them needing to be made aware of it. It’s not healthy, for them or me. And Tristan and Wilhelmina just indulge their paranoia because my parents are wealthy. Don’t get me wrong, I love them dearly and I know they love me, but their behavior is too much. My dad is the more relaxed of the two and it annoys me that he panders to my mom’s hysteria over my wellbeing. No one seems to give any thought to how this impacts me.”
“How you’re feeling isn’t unreasonable, Angel. So, my advice is to talk to your parents as calmly and as well reasoned as you’ve just explained things to me. If you scream and shout, they’ll just default to thinking of you as a teenager throwing a tantrum and you’re not.”
I nod in agreement, even if it would be more satisfying to shout at them.
“I have a question for you; were they aware of your heritage before you started Dartmouth?” Jackson asks.
“Yes. They did some digging into my background when I was young and turned to Wilhelmina for help when they found out things they didn’t understand. They’ve been consulting with her on my life ever since. Of course, I didn’t know any of this. I met her when my parents called her for help the day I returned from Dartmouth. I’ll be honest, I was in shock at finding out my nightmares where actually memories and that’s when they discovered I had a previous life; that was one thing their research didn’t turn up.”
“So they’re aware of our past connection,” it’s not a question.
“Yep. I doubt there’s much they don’t know about me, given their penchant for prying.”
“Then I have one last piece of advice for you, Emilia. Take it from someone who knows what it’s like to lose you, and I mean really lose you. Watching you run from me hurt like hell, but I knew where you went, I knew you were safe at Columbia and I knew that we would find each other again. But having to mourn you? That’s a pain I can’t even put into words. A loss like that can make people do crazy things and you’ve no comprehension of the lengths I would go to keep you safe. If your parents love you half as much as I do, the knowledge that you were once killed just for being what you were born to be, probably weighs heavily on their minds. Throw in the fact that you have an Avidite lover and you can understand where their panic, misplaced as it is, comes from. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with their intrusive methods, but you can’t doubt that it comes from a good place, so try to bear that in mind tomorrow.”
“Some of the worst atrocities in human history came from the ‘best intentions’, but I hear you. I also heard the part where you said you love me?”
Jackson grins at me. “Damn straight, Angel. For over a century now. Don’t panic though; I don’t expect you to say it back. And I know we still need to get to know each other better, but I’m pretty sure it’s written into our DNA.”
Hearing him talk this way makes me ache in strange places I’ve never felt before. I don’t remember the love we had – I wish I did – and I really hope my parents, my matron and my now ex-security team don’t prevent me from finding it again.
“I left a note with my cell number on your nightstand. Call me and let me know how it goes, Angel. I’ll be thinking of you.” With that, he pulls me into his arms for one last deep kiss, before heading off into the darkness.
Chapter Fourteen
After programming Jackson’s number into my phone and getting a few hours of fitful sleep – his sweater not working its usual magic – I’m rudely woken by the frantic arrival of my mother bursting into my room followed closely by my father.
I am not pleased to see them and it shows.
They talk (mom panic-shrieks) at me in unison, so my sleep-deprived brain can’t decipher anything from the cacophony.
Dee picks this moment to make the walk-of-shame past my bedroom and spotting my distress, somehow manages to wrangle my parents out of my room so that I can dress in peace and fill her in on all the night before.
“I can’t believe she walked in on you!” she gasps.
“I wish we could’ve pretended not to notice her and carry on, but she just stood there, killing the mood and demanding our attention.”
“No! Was it good, up to that point anyway?”
“Seriously good. I’m still pissed we didn’t get to finish. And then Price had the audacity to call Tristan like it’s somehow his and my parent’s business to know who I sleep with. It kicked off after that point and the icing on the cake? She interrupted us because Sophia was asking for me and with all the drama, I didn’t get a chance to check on her.”
“I saw her on my way in; she’s groggy but okay. I don’t think she remembers asking for you; she still looks pretty out of it. I can’t believe this all happened after I left. I should have been there to help protect Sophia instead of losing track of her, I’m sorry.”
“Dee, you’re not psychic. You can’t predict what’s going to happen so don’t go blaming yourself. You’re the only sane one kicking around at the moment and I’m going to need you this morning.”
“I can’t believe what a little badass you are; having a fight, exploding a roof, finally getting laid and then having a showdown with Tristan and Wilhelmina.”
“Last night was seriously fucked up and judging by my mother’s hysteria, this morning isn’t going to be any better.”
Dee takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “Do you want a wingman?”
“There’s no way in hell I’m going in Price’s office without one.”