Blood Bound

Chapter 21: Tantrums and Surprises

I'm dreading going back.

Not because the sun is setting, casting a dark hue across the sky and making the trees around me look more eerie with each step I take.

No I'm dreading it because Sophie must be rousing from her sleep and I know she's not going to be happy to see that she's not in the car, but in a bathtub.

My stomach constricts with anxiety as I try feebly to come up with explanations of our current situation, which won't end up with me being torn apart by my best friend. But my brain simply can't stay positive for two seconds and torments me by visualizing every worst case scenario.

I rub my swollen eyes for the third time and sniffle loudly, pushing the snot back into the furthest regions of my nose. All that crying has given me a massive headache around the forehead and I'm afraid it'll only get worse once I return to the cabin and suffer the wrath that is Sophie Gardner. I haven't even began finding ways to convince her to join me and Miss Madden for dinner tonight. I don't even know that I can; Sophie's stubborness is far greater than mine.

Despite knowing it will certainly be awkward at the dinner table, I want to spend more time with Miss Madden. She's probably the only link I have concerning my parents and I want to make the most of my time with her. Maybe she'll be able to tell them something if the police catches the stench of our trail. I hope she'll tell them something good. However, it's not only her likeness to mom that draws me to her; she doesn't look down on me with contempt or pity when it comes to my mental problems. In fact, she embraced them (quite literally, I might add!) in a loving manner, in a manner only a parent or someone who's been there before could. I haven't felt that strong connection to anyone besides my parents. Well, maybe just a smidgen from Sophie, but so far she has been treating them as numbers of annoyances that are nothing but a hindrance to our current journey.

Before I know it, I'm standing in front of the cabin's entrance and I'm reminded of how I was feeling when I met up with Sophie in Hoboland. It's the same dreaded feeling, like I've signed my death contract if I step inside. But I have to bite the bullet and step up to my decision. There are no traumatizing obstacles around me now. . .Well, except for a possibly famished vampire that's waiting for my return.

. . . Thanks a lot, brain . . .

****

I open the door and notice that it's pitch black inside. Odd, considering that I had left the lamp on by the bed. I feel my way around the wall for the light switch.

"Where are we?"

I freeze in my tracks, my arm pinned to the wall. Sophie's voice is low and raspy and full of anger. I faintly see a silhouette rise from the armchair by the window and I can already picture her snarling and baring her fangs at me.

Crap.

"I asked you a question, Leia," Sophie says as she takes a measured step towards me. "Where the fuck are we?"

My fingers touch something hard and plastic on the wall and I quickly flick the lights on. Sophie is standing right in front of me, her pretty face contorted in barely suppressed rage. What's worse is that her eyes are nothing but black orbs, the eyes of a predator.

"Well?" she demands and as she opens her mouth, I can see her elongated incisors touch her bottom lip, puncturing it every so slightly and healing at the same time.

I want to take a deep breath to calm my nerves, but instead I gulp loudly. Sophie's eyes narrow to almost slits, like she can sense or even smell my guilt. "We're in a motel," I sigh in defeat and focus my eyes deliberately on the hard wood floor. Sophie says nothing but I can feel her eyes boring into me, demanding that I continue. "Look, I was tired and I couldn't find a suitable place for us to hide for the day. You wouldn't want me to crash the car as I fell asleep on the wheel?" I explain as reasonably as my shaking voice allows me. "This is as good a place as any for a quick rejuvenation." I finish, somewhat lamely.