A Dawn of Strength (A Shade of Vampire #14)(11)

I looped my arm through Caleb’s as we stepped out into the courtyard and made our way toward the woods. “I was going to suggest we stop at my parents’ place for breakfast. What do you think?”

“Sounds good to me.”

To speed up our journey there, Caleb ended up carrying me again. I’d grown so used to feeling the bumps beneath his skin even when he was wearing a shirt, it was odd to feel his shoulders and chest so smooth.

A delicious smell of fresh pancakes drifted through the kitchen window as we arrived up on the veranda. I guessed my mother had been expecting me to show up for breakfast. But I was surprised by the state she was in as she opened the front door for us. She looked… exhausted. She had dark rings beneath her eyes, the tip of her nose was red and her eyelids were puffy.

“Mom?” I asked, taken aback. I reached my arms around her neck. “What’s wrong?”

She hugged me tight before stepping aside and allowing Caleb and me entrance. She still didn’t answer even as she led us into the kitchen. My eyes fell on my father, who was sitting at the table. He also looked exhausted.

“You two look awful,” I said, looking from one to the other. “What’s the matter?”

“Take a seat,” my father said. His voice sounded even deeper than usual.

Caleb and I drew up a seat opposite him as my mom placed a tray in the center of the table containing a jug of blood, a flask of orange juice, and four glasses. She reached for the counter and placed cutlery and a plate of berry pancakes in front of me.

“What?” I asked, my patience wearing thin.

My mother sat next to my father as they both exchanged glances.

“Eat something first,” my mom said, looking at me with concern.

Although the last thing I felt like doing was eating, I obeyed her and quickly finished the plate of pancakes. Caleb had downed a couple of glasses of blood by the time I’d finished.

“Now?” I asked, my eyes wide with question.

My mother heaved a sigh as my father cleared his throat. “Your mother would have preferred to not tell you this yet, but I thought it best we stop hiding things… We received news about your brother last night.”

I leapt up from my seat. “And?”

“He was caught on camera attacking a human,” my father replied heavily. “It’s been broadcast everywhere, all over mainstream media.”

I felt like throwing up. “What? Where is he?”

“The footage was taken in Chile. But that was a while ago. We don’t know where he is now.”

I gripped the edge of the table so hard my knuckles whitened.

“There’s also something else we should have told you before,” he said. “But please sit down, Rose.” Caleb guided me back down into my chair before my father continued. “Before he left, there was an accident… he killed Yasmine. That was the catalyst, I believe, for his decision to leave.”

“Yasmine,” I gasped, clasping a hand over my mouth.

It was so much to take in at once, my head was reeling. My father reached across the table and squeezed my hand. It took a few moments before I could compose myself enough to speak again. “What… What’s going to happen to him? He can’t take animal blood… what choice does he even have except to kill?”

“Either he’ll decide he wants to turn back into a human and make his way to The Shade, or he’ll have to find another way to overcome his nature. But he left us a note requesting that we don’t follow him.” My father looked at me pointedly. “So don’t even think about trying to escape this place again to look for him.”

I still couldn’t believe this was my brother they were talking about. It seemed like a different person. I respected my parents’ request that I not watch the footage because quite frankly, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle it. Hearing about it was one thing, but seeing it would be entirely another.

I sat with my parents for the next hour, attempting to recover from the shock and keep my breakfast in my stomach.

When there were no more questions I could think to ask, my parents stood up.

“You two can stay here if you want,” my father said, “but your mother and I need to pay a visit to Mona and Kiev now.”

I didn’t feel like staying in the apartment. It reminded me too much of my brother and felt so empty without him here. So Caleb and I left through the front door along with my parents. When we reached the forest floor, we parted ways.

Caleb and I walked along in silence for a while as I tried to find a way to drag my mind away from my brother. It would be easy to allow myself to worry and stress about him all day, but I realized I had to adopt the attitude my father had. I had to believe in Ben’s ability to survive and in his strength of will to make the right decision even in the darkest hour.

The problem was, I didn’t feel I even knew this new Ben. I hadn’t been there to see him after he’d first turned.

I just had to pray that he’d find himself again.

Caleb squeezed my hand. “For what it’s worth,” he said, “I noticed the strength in your brother from the little time I spent with him. I agree with your father. I believe he’ll find his way.”

“But what if he doesn’t?” I asked, my voice constricted as I spoke my worst fear before I could stop myself.