Vulnerable: Book 1 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

36: Still Human

Bags packed into the car, Ben and Lukas took the front seats, leaving Erica, Jayce, and myself to squish into the back. With Erica and Lukas present, the journey was far from quiet. The two spoke endlessly. And when they ran out of things to talk about, they started a car game—I went on a trip and packed in my bag, I spy with my little eye, twenty questions.

There was not much time to think or second guess the next leg of the journey, as we neared that little bit closer to Donegal. 

We pulled in at our next AirBnB halfway between Dublin and the northern parts of Ireland. After grabbing the keys from the awaiting owner, we all ran off to claim our rooms before meeting back in the living room.

As we sat down on the couch and set up a game of Cards Against Humanity, my eyes noticed a bruise on Erica's wrist—one similar to my neck. I couldn't help but turn my eyes upwards to Lukas. Yet I didn't expect him to be looking at me, assessing me.

I quickly looked down to the game. "Shotgun not being the Card Czar first," I said.

Erica and Jayce were quick to follow, then Ben. Leaving Lukas, who drifted out of his daze to realise he had pulled the short straw.

After finishing up our game, Jayce headed off to the kitchen to fix us all cups of tea (no milk or sugar for the vamps, of course), leaving us with conversation to fill the silence.

"So... Whatever happened to your uncle, Lukas?" I asked.

His lips pursed at my question, eyebrows furrowing as he turned his gaze to Ben. "You didn't tell her?" he asked.

Ben gave him a look that said 'did you have to say it like that'.

Lukas shook his head and mumbled, "Unbelievable."

"What?" I asked.

Ben went to speak, but Lukas cut him off before he could. "Ben tipped your blood out ages ago."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Careful, Ollie. One might think that's the only word you know."

Ignoring Lukas's joke, I turned to Ben. "When were you going to tell me this?" The words flew out of my mouth, slicing through the air at him. Accusing him.

"I was... going to. Eventually."

"Why did you do that?"

"It was going to go off anyway and we weren't going to Germany any time soon."

"You could have at least told me." My hands were starting to clench into fists.

"I didn't want to bring that time up again..." he trailed off.

The anger that had been building up in me suddenly disappeared in an instant, my eyes softening as I looked at him. I took a couple of deep breaths and then, with a steadier voice, said, "You need to talk to me about these things, Ben. Don't keep me in the dark."

He nodded, looking away.

I turned back to Lukas. "Let me know if you need more blood. I'll give it to you."

He grinned at me. "You're a top lad, Ollie."

I was a little taken aback by the phrasing. "Thank... you?"

But he continued to beam at me.

· · ───── ∘☽༓☾∘ ───── · ·

When Ben and I had retreated to the room that evening, I turned to him. "I'm still upset with you, by the way."

His eyes widened, confused. But then it seemed to set in as he took steps towards me, gaze turned down. "I'm sorry. I should have told you."