The 16 Candles Vampire Hunters

Chapter 13 Secrets

10-20-05 10:07 PM

Patrick's POV

Shell shocked by what I was trying to convince myself I misheard, I set the phone down on the table. I know for a fact I heard a scream and then right after Brendon hung up. Was it Pete though? If it wasn't then telling everyone else would be pointless. Shit, what do I do?

Devin stared at me expectantly, nose wrinkled as she tried to read my thoughts, but she didn't ask. The larger side of my conscience knew it was him. What else would explain him quickly dropping the call so quickly? I took a deep breath and shook my head. "Something is up. When I asked he said, "Better now", whatever that means, and then I know I heard a scream. I don't know if it was Pete or not, but then he hung up."

Her eyes darkened and she let her head drop, resting her forehead on the palms of her hands. "What do we do?" she asked tiredly. She was blaming herself again, when it was my fault. My line of vision rested on the wall behind her. How would I feel if any of the others found this out and didn't tell us? I would be furious. We were a family after all, broken and dysfunctional, but still a family.  Not telling them would just create another crack in our already shaky foundations, yet I couldn't bring myself to suggest it. Sighing I gathered the books on the table and began putting them back on the wooden book shelf.

"I'm gonna go get Andy and Joe." Devin mumbled,  leaving the room before I could protest. Could she tell I didn't want to and just made the decision, or was it pure instinct to keep everybody included? Moments later Andy, Joe, and EJ burst in followed by Devin. "Brendon answered?" Joe asked. I nodded slowly. God, I didn't want to repeat the story again, but I did, not straying a word from the first time. I had always hated it when people told stories a little different with each retelling. Just give me the truth.

"We need to get him out." Joe said earnestly. "Duhh." Devin parried with caustic sarcasm. No, please don't start arguing, I begged without voicing my plea.  I looked around at everyone's calculated expressions. Joe looked up with a spark in his eyes, "Seriously guys, it's not like we haven't fought vampires before. One night I think we took out at least 30. Why can't we just find them and attack?" Oh, how I wanted to agree, but fear held me back. "Joe," Andy said his voice cracking slightly, "you know better than that. When we fight, vampires come to us. We just can't. They would take us all in minutes."

"What the hell is going?" said a voice from outside the room. AJ let herself in and stood defiantly, arms crossed over her chest and chin up, in the doorway. "I thought you were asleep." EJ hissed angrily. She still hadn't told her, but now it looks like she didn't have a choice in the matter. "Couldn't." she replied tersely. "I came downstairs to get a snack." Devin moved closer to me, grabbing my wrist. "Will you please explain?" AJ asked calmly.

Pacifism was a trait Andy and EJ both shared. In all the years of knowing them, they have never elevated a fight physically, even though both were aggressive hunters. EJ, falling back on her normal calm attitude, nodded her head. "Would you prefer just me to explain, or everyone?" The night AJ we made a pact that when the time came to tell her, we would all do it. Seeing that AJ was rather close to Pete, the more moral support the better. "I don't care. I just want to know what the hell is going."

"Let's go on a drive." EJ's words apparently resonated with the confused teenager. She nodded and without question they walked out without saying where they were going. Andy laughed softly. "Holy shit, that went better then I expected."  The warmth of Devin's grip left my wrist and I glanced back at her gratefully. She knew that I got uncomfortable when conflict arises. "I just hope we can work it out." Joe said.

"Yeah." I agreed, sounding much less enthusiastic than intended. Unsure of what to do with myself I suggested we work on our song with Devin on bass, but without Pete it wasn't the same. Andy and Joe went down to the basement to train and extended the offer to me, but I wasn't in the mood to be around people. I grabbed one of the old books that I haven't looked through yet and began searching, for what I didn't know. And that was the most frustrating part.