Unraveling Sarah Cresley by Marisa Maichel (best summer books .txt) 📕

"Jake, this is my son Reese," Father said, introducing me to an average-looking guy a few years older than me. We shook hands and discussed insurance. He was unhurt, as was his girlfriend and young daughter.

"What about the girl you were with?" the girlfriend, Carmen, asked.

"She has a few broken bones, but she and the baby will be okay," I said.

"She's pregnant?!" I turned around. Alicia had a horrified look on her face.

"Excuse me," I said to Jake and Carmen, and went over to Alicia. She headed toward Sarah's room.

"Are you really pregnant?" she asked Sarah. Sarah looked surprised, then sad.

"Yes, Mom, I'm pregnant." Alicia started screaming.

"It's all your fault!" she said, jabbing a finger into my chest.

"First she steals, then she gets raped, she gets into a crash, now she's pregnant! It all started when you started hanging out with her! I forbid her to see you again!"

"First of all," Father said, stepping in, "It was Michael Nales who raped Sarah, not Reese. The blame for the crash lays on both sides, and she's pregnant because of Nales. So do not blame my son."

Alicia was speechless.

"Furthermore, my son offered to pay her hospital bills. Even if he doesn't, I gladly will. I like Sarah, and I think she'll be a wonderful mate for Reese."

"Who said anything about mates?" Alicia skewered.

"Who said anything about being less than mates?" Father retorted. "None of this is Reese's fault. You just want to lay blame on somebody, and he's an easy target because they spend so much time together these days. As for the shoplifting, you can blame her old friends." Father put an arm around my shoulders. Sarah was trying not to cry.

"I need a moment with my daughter," Alicia said.

"As you wish. Come, Reese." I followed him, feeling like a dog. My stomach growled, and Father snuck me a vial of viscuous crimson blood, which I downed quickly in a restroom stall. Father sat in the waiting room. I sat beside him and leaned on him. My ribs protested when I slouched, though, so I was forced to sit up straight. Father made a noise in his throat, almost like a whine.

"Father, is she going to be okay?" I asked.

"She's fine. I can hear her speaking with Alicia now. She is not in any trouble. I...I think I know someone who might be able to take the baby if she cannot take care of it."

"Really? Who?"

"I can't tell you. He hates me, and he doesn't even know that you exist. He mustn't know that you exist, or he will try to kill you. I will have my father text or call him."

"Father," I said, "Is this man a relative?" He said nothing. "Do I know him?"

"Not personally."

"Father, I have to know."

"Hush, Reese. You'll find out in due time."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Father was sobbing and holding my lifeless body.

"Reese...my beloved Reese..." he repeated. "I'm so sorry...I should have been there for you. Now I will never see your eyes light up, or your smile, nor will I get to hold you while you cower because of self-hating thoughts. I love you. I love you." He repeated these three words over and over again.

He noticed a dagger laying right there in the middle of the forest. He lifted it up, examining it. Its hilt was encrusted with gold and rubies and emeralds and sapphires. The point was made of the finest metal in the world. Father drove it into his chest. While he died, he laid his head on my chest.

"I will be with you again," he said. "I can't live without you."

I woke up in a sweat. Father was laying beside me, breathing steadily. When I sat up, he pushed me back down again gently.

"Father, I had a strange dream," I said.

"What was it, love?" I calmly repeated everything that had happened in my dream.When I finished, he only chuckled.

"It's not funny!"

"Oh, Reese, I would never wait that long to kill myself if I lost you. I'd kill myself right away, or let Alexander kill me. It is true, however, that I can't imagine life without you. You are the jewel in my eye, the gem in my chest. You are my only weakness." He kissed my scalp.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Still in the hospital. They want you to stay overnight just in case. I'm amazed that they allowed you to walk around on your own earlier."

"And Sarah?"

"She's fine. She and your grandfather had a conversation. She agreed to give the child away to the person I know."

"Is it Alexander?" I asked. He growled.

"Do not say that name. Yes, Alexander has agreed to take the child. He wants another son. He only has Kieran, his half-human child, and Kieran doesn't even like his own father."

"Why not?"

"Alexander is a tyrant. He controlled every aspect of Kieran's life. Nothing he ever did was good enough. But Alexander loves Kieran, like I love you."

"When will I meet him?"

"Um, never. He will either kill or kidnap you. And I can't have that."

"Father, I have to know him."

"No, you don't."

"He was Mother's fiance."

"Until I stole her away."

"But if you hadn't, he would have been my father!"

Father growled at that.

"I am your father. I am your parent. Not him. I don't want to hear anymore about it. Now, go back to sleep." He looked into my eyes. "You will fall asleep, and forget about Alexander. You will not remember this conversation. You will not mention him again."

"Father, stop doing this...." I said as I drifted off.

CHAPTER TEN - RIVALS

I was able to leave the next day. I woke up naturally, forced down yucky human food, swallowed some blood, tried to keep it all down, and was joined shortly by Father. He insisted on helping me bathe and dress, until I threatened to give him the silent treatment. He sat back and sulked while I pulled my jeans on first, then my shirt, then my socks and boots.

I let him help me pack up and get ready to go, which pleased him. I visited Sarah quickly. She would also be leaving in another day or two. Father promised to help Alicia with the bills. As we started to leave, Father paused. I looked over. Grandfather was talking with a tall, muscular vampire with shoulder-length black hair and bright blue eyes.

The vampire stopped talking and looked over at us. He glared at my father for a moment, then his eyes trailed to me. Father growled and pushed me behind him. The new vampire studied me, paying extra attention to my hair and eyes.

"How are you, Reese?" Grandfather asked.

"Better," I said.

"Your ribs still hurting?"

"A little bit."

"All right, then. I will see you later, my boy." I said goodbye to Grandfather as Father herded me out.

"That was Marina's son?" asked the new vampire.

"That was Alexander," Father said.

"Why do you hate him so much?" I asked.

"I...it's complicated. Stay away from him, Reese."

"Father, why would I go to someone who wants to kill me?" I asked. "Father?" His eyes were glazed over. He was having a vision. He growled and lifted me up bridal style.

"He wants to take you away from me," he said.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I just know!" he snapped. He put me in the back of his Rolls Royce and got into the driver's seat himself. "Buckle yourself in." And then he started driving. I sat up and buckled up.

When we got back to the house, he insisted on unbuckling me and carrying me up himself.

"How's my van?" I asked.

"It needs work. I managed to get everything out of your van, though." He kissed my hair and rubbed his nose in it. "It's my fault," he said. "I should have been more attuned to you. You needed me, and I completely ignored you. I knew something was going to happen, but I had no idea it would be you who would get hurt."

"It's not your fault," I said. He wrapped his legs around my waist, keeping me in his grip. We were sitting on the couch now. Father put his head on my shoulder.

"I promise you, I won't mess up again," he said.

"Father, you cannot stop making mistakes. Everyone does."

"Hush, Reese." He picked up a book out of the bag that had come from my van and held up it. "The Bell Jar. Interesting choice, Reese. What else...The Crimes of the Sarahs. Not as well known, but still looks okay. What drew you to this one?"

"The fact that all their names are Sarah may or may not have had something to do with it. And the fact that they are a true clique in that they have a leader and her word is law."

"Interesting."

He kept me warm and safe all night.

~~~~~~~~~

When school started again, everyone was still buzzing about the deaths of the two teachers. My ribs were quickly healing, and Father insisted on driving me everywhere. As the day wore on, my stomach became queasy. It got so bad that I actually vomited. My European History teacher Mr. Baxter heard me throwing up. When I came out of the stall, he took me to the school nurse.

"Reese here was throwing up in the bathroom," he told the nurse, a middle-aged lady with bleached blond hair and loads of blue eyeshadow. The nurse, Ms. Swanson, told me to lay on the cot. Things got worse when a girl came in complaining of menstrual cramps.

As she went into the bathroom, my stomach protested. My nose detected A positive, and my fangs started growing. I kept my arm over my mouth. When the girl finished in the bathroom and laid on one of the cots, I went into the bathroom and threw up again. I don't know how long I stayed in there, and when I came out, Ms. Swanson was on the phone with my father.

"He's been throwing up constantly for almost an hour," she said. "He just came out again. Hold on." She put one hand over the receiver. "Reese? Your dad wants to talk to you."

"Hey, Dad," I said.

"Reese, did you feel sick this morning?"

"No."

"Is anyone bothering you?"

"Just you." He ignored that jab.

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

"Please no. I'm fine." As I spoke the last word, I nearly vomited again.

"I don't believe that. I will come get you in a few minutes. Give the phone back to the nurse." I gave the phone back to Ms. Swanson and laid on the cot again.

~~~~~~~~

I was starting to fall behind on homework. I cursed myself as I frantically scratched out the wrong answer on a math assignment. My sick stomach had kept me home for almost two days. I sent Sarah countless texts and e-mails and phone calls- to no avail. I was worried and sick and it was all starting to affect my health. My father was constantly fearful. He checked on me every hour or so, even opening the door once when I was taking a bath.

After yelling at him for a minute, I nearly vomited again. I hated myself for forgetting my Mythology textbook. When I was younger, in additon to regular public schooling, my father hired a tutor during the summer, even when we vacationed in Greece for weeks at a time. He fired the tutor after I started middle school, though.

I put my head on my desk in exasperation. Father came barreling in.

"Reese!" He lifted my head up. "Baby, you look like you haven't eaten or slept. Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"Father, I'm so tired. Mostly from stress. I forgot my Mythology textbook, and I keep screwing up on this assignment, and my European History report got a lower grade than I expected, and Sarah's not answering me, and I miss Ariella."

"Oh, baby!" He hugged me tightly, being careful not to squish my ribs. "I'm going out for an hour. When I return, I want to see that you've eaten and rested. You need a break. Go to sleep and take a