Unraveling Mathias by Marisa Maichel (reading women TXT) 📕

"Her father happened to be bringing her evening meal, and he found me holding her. He pulled out his sword, and I pulled out mine. We fought, and I used magic to get us away. But as we were riding through the forest, the local men caught us. They had been told that I had kidnapped her and was going to kill her. I killed all of them except one, who ran off.

"Sarah was distraught. She pulled a knife from one of the men's pockets, told me that I was an evil bastard who should be hanged, and then stabbed herself in the heart."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. He ignored me.

"She died instantly, and I was forced to leave. I haven't been back to Germany since."

"Germany?" I asked. He nodded.

"The reason why I'm telling you this is because one of Ambrose's men is the one who got away that night."

"How do you know about Ambrose?" I demanded.

"I know many things." I looked at him. "Okay, your father told me. He and I knew each other years ago when this happened."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I told Mason to say hello to you in high school. I remembered that you were briefly friends in your elementary days. You two may not remember it, but you met through us."

"How does Sarah come into play?"

"Sarah? Your Sarah? Or my Sarah?"

"My Sarah."

"She's just a human girl who happens to be extremely beautiful. There may also be magic in her blood."

"What? Magic? In Sarah's blood?"

Krauvas nodded. "A very minute amount. It's not that unusual for some humans to have a bit of magic in their blood. It all depends on ancestry. Both our soulmates just so happen to be named Sarah."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The real reason why Krauvas told me his story made itself clear around midnight.

"Reese!" Ambrose rushed up to me and enveloped me in a rib-crusher. "I was so worried! I'd heard that you had killed yourself, but I knew it couldn't be true!"

"Why are you not in the dungeon, Ambrose?"

"Oh, please." He scoffed. "I'm always two steps ahead of Mordecai. Your father is unbelievably stupid."

"Hey-"

"Reese," Krauvas broke in,"-that's not Ambrose. That is an illusion."

I looked up at Ambrose. Now that Krauvas mentioned it, it didn't look a thing like Ambrose. The lips were too thin, nose too small, and the accent was nonexistent. It was more like a sloppy copy of him, if I'm being honest.

"Look at me, Reese," he said. "Tell me you love me."

"Ambrose wouldn't say that," I noted. "He'd wait for me to say it." The illusion kneeled.

"Reese, look at me and say I'm not Ambrose."

"You're not. Father is keeping track of the real Ambrose's movements since the last time he tried to kidnap me."

"Reese-"

"Glen, if you say you love me, I might throw up."

He frowned and the illusion shimmered away, revealing Glen in all his glory, or lack thereof.

"I won't ask how you knew it was me," he said, still glaring.

"What do you want, boy?" This came from Krauvas.

"Sarah," Glen answered. "She will be mine, Reese."

"This is getting old," I said, leaning back and folding my arms across my chest. "First you use that dead guy, now Ambrose. What's next?"

"Oh, I was thinking of going female next," Glen retorted.

"Not my female," I told him. He looked horrified.

"What kind of boyfriend do you think I am?"

"Boyfriend?" Oh, hell no. I stood up and got in his face. "Back off! She's mine!"

"Leave her alone!" Glen snapped. "Let her choose!"

"She's already chosen me!"

"You didn't give her a choice! You probably flashed your fangs at her!" I grabbed him by the shirt.

"I will not purposely hurt Sarah," I said lowly. "She's my soulmate!"

"That's where you're wrong! She's mine!"

Livid, I threw him against the wall. He bounced off of it. Cursing, he stood up and wiped his bloody hand clean.

"Reese? What's going on?" My head snapped at her voice and I wrapped my arms around her in seconds.

"Mine," I growled. In response to her trembling, I purred in her ear. "What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I heard about Mason. I came to support him." I melted at her sweetness.

"Sarah," Glen growled. She frowned at him.

"What do you want?" she asked, voice tense.

"Your decision. Now."

"I told you, Glen, I choose Reese!" He shook his head furiously.

"Wrong answer. Choose again."

"Fine. I choose neither of you."

"Wrong again."

"What's it going to take for you to leave me alone?!"

His eyes trailed over her lechorously. "Sarah, don't be stubborn. Choose wisely."

"How's a restraining order sound?"

"A what? Sarah, you don't mean that."

"Yeah, I do."

They glared at each other for a moment, then Glen huffed and walked away.

"I really will get a restraining order," she said. "You might think about getting one, too, Reese."

"In my case, it wouldn't do any good." She looked concerned. "Because of my nature. I can handle anything." She still looked skeptical.

"Still, it might be worth a try," she said. "I should have done it a long time ago." She rubbed her belly. I rumbled and kissed her hair.

"I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you," I said.

"Date Evan?" she blurted, then blushed. "Sorry."

I chuckled. "That's probably true, hon." My stubborn angel stood on her toes and kissed me on the cheek. Then she sat down.

A few hours later, a doctor came to tell us that Mason had survived, and was being moved to a room. Krauvas wanted to talk to Mason alone, so Sarah and I stayed in the waiting room.

"Do you want to see a movie this Saturday?" I asked.

"Sure," she said. "Which one?"

"Um...how about the new superhero one?" She looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "No, you're right, we both hate those. Okay, how about the one with the aliens?"

"The one where they try to take over the Earth?"

"And one of them falls in love with a human girl."

"Sure!" I smiled. She's pudding for a love story. Her phone dinged.

"Who are you texting?" I asked.

"Caden," she said, her eyes not leaving the screen.

"Cartwright?"

"How many other Cadens do we know? Well, except for Kaydon Brighton, but neither of us really talk to her."

"Why are you talking to Cartwright?"

"Because he's nice," she said. "And he offered to help form a study group for senior year."

"It's not even July yet."

"Almost. I still need to get pamphlets and stuff to apply to colleges."

"Where are you thinking?"

"Um...Los Angeles School of Fashion or cosmetology." She avoided my eyes.

"Los Angeles?"

"Yeah. I went to California a few times and loved it."

"But I can't be out in the sun for long."

"It's just a thought. I need to really study if I want good grades this year. My grades slipped last year, and I can't afford that next year."

I thought about everything she'd just told me. Los Angeles. Caden Cartwright. Both sunny and popular and golden. Caden was...well, gorgeous. If she decided he was worth it...I'd be thrown into the dust. The thought made me angry.

"I have a plan," Sarah said. "I'm going to document my story."

"How are you going to do that?" I asked her.

"First, I'll talk about my experience with Nales and post it online. I don't give a shit about the trolls, I just want it out there to warn others and to tell the truth about what happened. Even my own mistakes."

"Sarah, you're not going to talk about..."

"About my kleptomania? No. I'm not that stupid. Besides, I've paid everyone back, even though I was never caught. I typed some anonymous letters and sent the cash in envelopes. Now I'm dealing with everything with a new addiction: books. I've always liked reading, but lately, buying books has become an addiction. I don't even visit the library any more. I've got all my book reports covered. I just need to review all those Cliff's Notes and then I'll get an A."

"You're not planning on lazing off this year, are you?" I asked.

"No. I'm...I'm going to try out for cheerleading. I should have never quit, but Scarlett always said cheerleaders are shallow and stupid. She's dead wrong. Most of the cheerleaders at North Hampton are really nice. I'm always on the electric bike or the treadmill. I want to get a six-pack before graduation."

"You don't need a six-pack," I said. "I've got enough six-pack for both of us."

"True," she said. "My stomach used to be really hard; now it's really soft."

"You are soft and curved as you should be. Is this book addiction the reason why you want to keep working?"

"Partly. Also, Sabine has picked up a bad habit. She started stealing Mom's cigarettes. She tried one of Grandpa's cigars, even. Cigarettes and hookah and cigars."

"A fourteen year old who smokes cigars?" I said in disbelief.

"She tried one, but she hated it. She also went out with an older guy who goes to our high school and they tried hookah."

"Hookah I can understand. It's popular and it comes in different flavors. It also burns the back of the throat."

She looked up at me in surprise. "Did you try it, Reese?"

"Yes," I said sheepishly. "With Evan when we were still together."

"I bet it tasted bad to you."

"It was horrible. Evan hated it, too. But who is Sabine dating?"

"That Jeremy guy. The one with the twin." I froze.

"Is Jeremy blond?" I squeaked. "Does he talk?"

"Yes, and not much."

"Sarah...he's a vampire."

She picked up a magazine and slapped it against her forehead repeatedly.

"I. Am. So. Stupid!"

"You're not stupid, you just didn't know. But now you do. I have an idea. Why don't you suggest that we all get together for a date, just you, me, Sabine, and Jeremy?"

"Perfect. Do you plan to threaten him?"

"Hell, yeah. He threatens not only your welfare, but hers as well." She leaned forward and kissed me.

"You are such a good boyfriend."

"If I'd been a better boyfriend, I'd have kept a better eye on Sabine as well as you. But my mind is full of brown hair and green eyes and brown skin, not ivory skin and blue eyes and blond hair."

"It's not your fault, Reese."

"Yes, it is."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought it through carefully. Toby would be standing guard, just in case. A "chaperone" of sorts. Sarah and Sabine would go into the theater first, and I'd corner Jeremy and demand to know why he was stalking Sabine and threaten him with death if he didn't leave her alone.

The first part of the plan went through perfectly. Sabine agreed to a double date without consulting Jeremy.

So the little fucker was surprised to see me arrive to pick up him, Sarah, and Sabine. Toby was squished in the backseat, and I introduced him as a friend.

"Hi, Jeremy," I said to his shocked look. "Where's your twin, James?"

"How do you guys know each other?" Sabine asked.

"His uncle rented our guest house," I half-lied. I gave Toby a significant look.

"They really trashed the place," he added as the girls got in. Jeremy hesitated, then squeezed in next to Sabine in the back.

"I didn't know you guys were still around," I said carefully. "My father will find that interesting."

"It's just me and James," Jeremy said, speaking up for the first time since I'd known him. "Our clan broke up. It's me and James, Adam and Janna, and Justina, Jessica, and Zeke."

"Yes, we need to talk to Adam," I said. "If you see him, tell him and Janna to head back here. Or I could send some more guys up to Canada."

"I swear I don't know anything," he said in one breath.

"Reese and I were thinking about seeing that new sci-fi flick," Sarah said. "Have any of you seen it?"

"I have," Toby said. "It's really good."

I mentally sighed. This was a huge mistake. He was on his own with the rest of the coven. I wanted to turn around, but I couldn't.

I stayed silent throughout the ticket-buying process, the previews, the entire two hour movie, and then on the ride home. At the end, I told Sarah I loved her and wished Sabine and Jeremy a good day.