Page 86 of Those That Don't Exist
AURORA
Without a window I can’t tell how long I’ve been in this bathroom, but my skin is finally dry enough to redress. I have to put on the same clothes because I have nothing else. Thankfully, the tear stains come out of the dress with a splash of water.
I rake my fingers through my hair, separating the waves. I take longer than I normally would because I don’t know how to face Ty. As much as I feel betrayed, a small voice argues I might’ve overreacted. If it was reversed, and he was in danger, I would want to protect him.
But hasn’t he been in danger this whole time? And I’ve trusted him to handle it. Was it wrong or naive of me? I literally found him beaten black and blue in my shower and let him go back. My thoughts battle and get nowhere.
What I do know is that I need some space. I need to get out of this apartment. If I can get back to my room I’ll be able to breathe, and rationalise this whole thing.
I also think I’m going to tell Claire and Bree the truth, I’m a vampire. They’re my closest friends, I should’ve trusted them from the start.
Plucking up the courage to leave this bathroom and work on finding the key to the front door, I open the door to find Ty once more on the battered sofa. It's facing the doorway so our eyes lock immediately as I pause on the threshold.
His eyes look red rimmed like he might’ve been crying too. The traitorous muscle in my chest tells me to cross the room and simply slide into his arms. A few silent seconds pass between us before I decide to do just that. If I’m going to get the key I can’t start another fight with him.
“I’m sorry I freaked out,” I whisper, knowing he’ll hear perfectly well. His arms immediately wrap my body into his as I straddle his lap.
“No, Red. I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful last night.” His sincerity makes my heart bleed a little more.
I can’t talk so I hug him instead.
It turns out I spent several hours in the tiny bathroom, so we missed the ferryboat Ty had booked us on. When he revealed its destination was the capital of the continent, West Scotia, I nearly choked. I’ve visited the sprawling city once during a high school trip. Its dense population and concentration of the most powerful supernaturals was intimidating as fuck.
Ty, however, thinks it’ll be a great place to hide as our scents will be hard to track. I quietly agree as he plans to re-book us onto the next boat in a couple of days' time. How I don’t know because we don’t have our phones. I don’t ask.
The conversation between us is fine. It's not as easy as it was before he decided to lock me in what is essentially a tower, but I make a huge effort to try.
When we finally move to the bedroom I remove my clothing but slip under the covers and lay on my side facing away from him. He snuggles close but doesn’t touch me.
My heart beats heavy in my chest, the traitorous thing, but since my breakdown I’ve fortified my mind onto getting out ofhere. I can see now I wasn’t ready for this kind of relationship. I need to heal by myself and figure out this being a vampire thing on my own before I lean so much on another person.
The following day passes relatively quickly considering everything, and the evening before we’re meant to be leaving for Scotia is on me before I’ve made any progress in finding the key to the front door.
I’m sipping some hot herbal tea I found in the cupboard whilst curled on one end of the sofa as Ty sits on the other. We’re turned towards each other and as the sofa isn’t huge so our knees are touching.
I’ve forced myself to engage in conversation. In keeping up my compliant appearance I’ve been asking questions about his plans for us once we land in Scotia.
“I think we can head to my friend’s place. He’s not associated with any pack, he keeps himself pretty private. He owes me a couple favours so I hope he’ll let us stay with him whilst we figure out the next move,” Ty tells me. I’m half listening and half calculating where I have yet to look for the damn key.
I’ve had to be stealthy of course, but this place doesn’t have many spaces to hide things. I’ve scoured the kitchen area and the bathroom thoroughly. I thought I’d given the bedroom a thorough search too. Clearly the obvious place, of hiding it under the mattress, isn’t Ty’s style.
But maybe the sofa is…I haven’t checked the sofa.Gods, I’m such an idiot at times.These cushions are moveable.
“Is there anywhere you’ve always wanted to travel?” Ty startles me from my thoughts.
“Oh, I don’t know,” I say, but thoughts of my dad, and the plans we had, decide to creep out from the box I’d locked them in. Ty seems to notice.
“Really? You never wanted to see anywhere other than Froan?” he pushes.
“I did plan to travel once.” I take a sip of tea, not wanting to share any more of my secrets with him. One look at his deep blue eyes, however, and my barriers crack enough to loosen my lips.
“Dad and I always talked about travelling the Northern Isles when I graduated. Only for a month or two, before I got tied into a job. They always look so magical with the snow and the footbridges which join them up.”
The Northern Isles are an archipelago of over two hundred islands. We’d planned a route to hit all the key ones, with several only being accessible on foot.
“Then we should do it.” Ty jumps on it. Like us talking about plans is somehow fixing the shards of our relationship. I smile even as my heart shreds a little further.
“I’d like that.” I reach for his hand, his face lighting up further as our fingers interlock. “I’d really like that.”
