“I don’t know why you’re mad at me. I had nothing to do with this.”

“It’s your fault Milo’s a vampire,” I pointed out, and then instantly regretted it. He looked so wounded, and I wanted to say something to take it back.

“You’re right,” Jack replied thickly. “You’re absolutely right. This is my fault.” He lowered his eyes. “You take as much time as you need. I’ll be in the house.”

“Jack,” I said, but he just shook his head.

“Take all the time you need, Alice.” He turned and walked back to the house, his footsteps heavier and slower this time.

I stared out at the black water surrounding me. Jack almost never did anything wrong, but he and Milo got the brunt of my anger or frustration because they took it so willingly.

It wasn’t fair to them and led me to believe that I was most likely a terrible person. No wonder they didn’t want me around anymore.

It would all just be so much simpler if I had been the one that had slipped on the dock and hit my head instead of Milo. I was jealous of the fact that he had almost died.

- 8 -

Since Milo managed honor roll grades, it wasn’t a stretch to think he’d been offered a scholarship to a fancy boarding school. It wouldn’t even seem that strange that he hadn’t mentioned it to our mother. With her work schedule, they barely saw each other.

Ezra printed off documents to certify Milo would be attending Chester Arthur Preparatory School outside of Albany, New York. The semester was slated to start one week from today, and it was recommended that students get out there a week early to acclimate themselves with the school.

Or at least that’s what the letter claimed.

They had an extensive story to go with it. Milo went over it with Ezra and Mae all evening.

Jack had done his best to try to cheer me up, but there was little he could do. As time dragged on, I only got more nervous and upset as I thought about the life I’d return to.

Milo called our mother and arranged a time for them to talk. Mae helped me pack up my things, talking the entire time about how things were going to be so much more fun this way. Her reasons almost entirely depended on the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” but I nodded as if I believed everything she said.

Once Mae’s Jetta was loaded with my things, I stood in the entryway, waiting by the garage door. Jack was next to me, twirling the car keys around his fingers. We waited for Milo, but he didn’t have to pack, so I didn’t understand what could be taking him so long.

“What is he doing?” I asked, pulling at the hem of my shirt. If we were going to leave then I wanted to hurry and get it over with.

“He’ll be down in a minute.” Jack scratched the back of his neck and looked away from me, a clear sign that he didn’t want to tell me something.

“What?” I asked. “What’s he doing?”

“He’s eating.” He looked at me and shrugged. “He’s going to be out in the world with people for the first time. It’s better if he’s not hungry.”

“Do you need to eat?”

“No. I’m good. Thanks for asking, though.” His eyes inspected me, looking for revulsion or fear, but when he didn’t find any, he eventually looked away.

“Is he gonna eat my mom?” I had a serious risk of vomiting every time I thought about Milo drinking blood, but apparently, I did a good job masking it.

“That’s why he’s eating,” Jack said. “We’re hoping to avoid that entire situation.”

“Excellent,” I sighed.

“I’ll be there to bodyguard.” He flexed his muscles to prove that he was up for the job and grinned at me. “It’s gonna be fine.”

“I know,” I said grimly. “Everything’s always going to be fine. Great. Good. Okay.”

“He’s just about ready!” Mae declared, interrupting the worried look Jack gave me. When she saw me, her face fell. “Oh, Alice, love, you just look so pitiful.”

“Sorry.” I tried to force a smile as she placed her hands on my arms.

“You will be back, you know?” Her eyes glistened with wet tears, and it made me feel a little better she was sad to see me go. At least someone would miss me. “We’re not banishing you.”

“I know,” I nodded, smiling a bit more genuinely.

“You’re part of the family now.” She tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “This is just how things have to be. For now.”

“I know,” I repeated. And I did know. It didn’t change the fact that this still hurt.

Mae threw her arms around me and pulled me close to her, hugging me so tight I could hardly breathe. She whispered in my hair, “Oh, love, you have no idea how marvelous everything will be when it’s all said and done.”

“Mae, honey, I think you’re smothering her.” Jack tapped her on the shoulder.

“Oh, sorry!” Mae let go of me and took a step back, and I tried not to gasp for breath. “I keep forgetting how fragile you still are.”

Down the hall, I heard Milo’s clumsy footsteps, and Ezra reassured Milo that everything would be alright. When they walked into the entryway, Ezra had his arm on Milo’s back, and Milo looked pale.

“We can follow behind you if you want,” Ezra said. Jack was going with us, but Ezra and Mae had planned to stay at the house.

“No, I’ll be fine.” Milo sounded better than he looked, and I wondered if I should take them up on the offer.

“Are you sure?” Mae reached out and stroked his face, a gesture that I couldn’t do anymore. If I did, he’d be too tempted to rip open an artery.

“Come on. Everybody’s great. Let’s get this show on the road.” Jack sensed my discomfort, and he wanted to get this over with.

Reluctantly, Mae let us leave. I didn’t like how nervous she was about this, but there wasn’t very much about any of it that I did like.

When we went into the garage, I walked ahead of Milo and reached the Jetta first. I grabbed for the passenger side door, planning to sit shotgun as I always did, and Milo growled at me.

“Did you just growl at me?” I asked dubiously.

“I might have,” Milo admitted with anger in his eyes.

“Why would you growl at me?”