Unforgiven (Wanderers #3) (21 page)

“I know, but if I can I promise I’ll come back or at
least pop in from time to time.”

“Where’s Billy?”

“We already said our goodbye.” I nodded. “Okay well,
gotta go,” she said abruptly. I reached out to hug her again, not
ready to let her go, but she was already gone. I just stood there,
staring at the empty spot where she just had been.

Tristan was behind me in an instant. He placed his
hands on my shoulders for comfort. “I thought you were sleeping?” I
pressed my body against his.

“I was but then I heard Josie come in and I didn’t
want you to think I was intruding.” I turned around to face him.
“Are you okay?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to go
back to bed.”

“We could always…” he wiggled his brows and started
to send me images.

I smacked his chest. “Is that all you ever think
about?”

He smiled. “You are what I always think about.”

“That’s so sweet I think I might vomit,” I said,
giving him an exaggerated smile.

“Oh how I love that charming girl of mine.” He pulled
me back to bed.

“You know you figured out this empathy thing pretty
quick. How I can I be so sure this wasn’t a power you already had?”
I asked suspiciously.

“I swear this is all new to me. I’m just really good
at picking things up. Plus I’ve had my powers a lot longer so I
know more on control.”

“Just rub it in.”

“Ella, don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ll get
there, besides I think you’re doing pretty well considering you
have multiple powers and could quite possibly be the most powerful
vampire out there.”

“I guess,” I shrugged.

“You really don’t know how to take a compliment do
you?” he laughed.

“Whatever.” I rolled over on my side.

“Ella, what are you getting so worked up about?”

“I’m not,” I snapped, totally proving to him I
was.

“Clearly,” he said.

“I just want to go to sleep.” I moved away from
him.

“Why are you moving away from me?”

“Because you’re annoying me,” I said, stuffing a
pillow between us.

“How am I annoying?”

“You just are.”

“Look, I know you’re upset about Josie but starting a
fight with me is not going to make it hurt less.” I got up from the
bed, took a pillow, and tore the blanket off. “Where are you
going?” I ignored him and slammed the bathroom door behind me. Yes
I was getting worked up for no reason and he was probably right
about me starting a fight because I was upset about Josie leaving,
not to mention everything else that happened and the fact that I
felt like I had no privacy. I couldn’t even keep my own feelings to
myself. Because of our bond Tristan could feel what I felt.

“Ella?” Tristan knocked on the door.

“Go away.” I didn’t want to talk and I didn’t want
him to try and make me feel better. I preferred at the moment to be
miserable.

But of course he didn’t go away. I heard a click on
the door and Tristan stepped into the bathroom. He pulled back the
shower curtain and looked at me with raised brows. “You’re really
going to sleep in the bathtub?”

“Leave me alone,” I said, pulling the curtain
back.

“Ella, I know you’re upset about everything that
happened today and you feel guilty for Josie leaving and rather be
miserable –”

“Get out of my head!” I yelled, frustrated.

“I know this bond between us…well too you is,
frustrating, but I think it’s a good thing.”

“Of course you would like it,” I said snarky.

“Ella,” he pulled the curtain back again. “If I
promise not to invade your personal space, will come out and talk
to me?”

“Like you are now?”

“The bathtub is your personal space?” I glared at
him. “Okay if you promise to come out of the bathtub and come back
to bed I will not tune into your emotions and invade your personal
bubble.”

“You mean if I stop acting childish.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you were thinking it. I guess you’re not as good
at blocking me from your head as you thought,” I said, pulling the
curtain back.

“Right. You can get in my head anytime you want and I
don’t have the right to be mad at you for you invading my privacy
but you can get mad at me because I know how you’re feeling? How is
that fair.”

“Because you say what’s ever on your mind anyways so
what difference does it make? And because I can’t stop what I feel,
but you can block me from your mind.”

I heard him sigh as he sat down on the edge of the
bathtub. “I’m not leaving so you’re just going to have to pout with
me in here.”

“How’d you even get in in the first place? The door
was locked.”

“I am half-vampire…remember?”

“Yeah, because that’s easy to forget and that still
doesn’t explain how you magically unlocked the door from the
outside.”

“I think you just answered your own question.” Of
course, magic. His grandmother was a witch so that would make
Tristan part witch as well.
Great, just great.

I decided I wanted to be alone and I didn’t care if
he thought I was being childish. I was tired of not having a normal
life and tired of having so many things taken away from me. I got
up and left the bathroom closing the door behind me. I moved the
chest in front of the door so Tristan couldn’t get out – well he
wouldn’t be able to right away at least. I knew I could use my
power to keep the door closed, but that took too much effort and I
didn’t have enough energy left.

I heard Tristan try to open the door, but of course
it took some effort. “Ella, very funny,” he said, not amused. “When
I get out of here you are in serious trouble.”

“What are you my father now?”

I heard the chest hit the ground and Tristan step out
of the bathroom. I refused to turn and look at him. He made his way
over to the bed and climbed on top of me. “Ella, stop this.”

“What, stop acting like a child?”

“Yes…you are acting like a child.”

I turned around to face him. “Last I checked you
seemed to like little girls.” He narrowed his eyes at me. I stared
at him for a moment. His eyes were tired and I could feel him
getting exhausted by this discussion. I put my hands on his chest
to push him away.

He grabbed my wrists and flung my hands above my
head. “You may be more powerful, but I’m still stronger.” I
struggled to get free, but he was right, he was stronger. He had a
smug look on his face happy that he could over power me. I thought
about bringing up my shield, but I didn’t want to hurt him, well,
not that bad. I stopped struggling and he loosened his grip on my
wrists. I turned my head to the side hoping he couldn’t see me cry.
“La mia bella stella.” He gripped my chin and forced me to look at
him.

“Don’t,” I said, hoping my voice wouldn’t betray me.
He let go of my wrists and laid beside me pulling me into him. Then
he started to stroke my hair as I began to cry.

“I know you fight to be strong, but it’s okay to give
in and it’s okay to be sad and cry. No one is going to think less
of you.” I sucked in a sob. “Ella, whatever happens from here on
out, we’ll figure it out…together.”

“I wanna go home,” I said.

“That sounds like a good idea.”

In the morning we made arrangements to fly back to
California the next day. Tristan had convinced me that I should
talk to my dad and make amends. No matter who said what he knew I
could never forgive myself if I didn’t at least try to fix things
with my dad and he was right.

Dean agreed to come along back to California and
Cameron said she didn’t want to face things at school alone and
wanted to come with. I didn’t argue. Billy was the only one who
decided he wasn’t going to follow us back. I tried to convince him
to come with us but he said he wanted to stay behind in Ireland a
little longer. He had a few friends on a mission in the surrounding
area that he wanted to catch up with. I think with Josie gone again
he felt there was nothing keeping him in one place for too long and
with Tristan back he knew I would be safe. I wanted him to go back
to the school where I knew he would be safe and be of good use to
the other students. But I also knew part of him believed the few
memories he had of Josie there would be too hard. He also told me
he was going to keep looking for Jack. I told him I didn’t think it
was wise for him to search alone, but Billy was stubborn. I think
losing Josie again put him over the edge and now he was dead set on
finding Jack and taking him down. I didn’t argue with him anymore.
I knew there was no point.

We decided to make one last trip to Tristan’s
grandparent’s house before we left. Dean, Cameron and Billy even
came along with us. Deirdre and Caleb cooked us a big dinner. As
happy as they were to see Tristan alive, they were sad to see him
leave.

After dinner Cameron and I headed into the living
room while the boys hung out in the kitchen helping themselves to
their second helping of Deidre’s apple pie. For once I was too
stuffed to take another bite. “As much as I’m ready to go home, I
think I’m going to really miss this place,” Cameron admitted.

“I know what you mean. It’s really beautiful
here.”

“Yeah, the scenery is nice,” she said dazedly. She
was hiding something. I almost got through to find out when she
quickly realized her guard was down and blocked me. She walked over
to the mantel and quickly changed the subject. “Is this Tristan?”
she asked, pointing to the picture.

I walked over to get a closer look. There was no
doubt in my mind that the little boy in the picture was Tristan,
but the little boy standing next to him I had no idea who he was.
“Well this one is Tristan.”

“How can you tell? They look almost exactly alike,”
Cameron said, examining the picture. They both had dark blue eyes,
long, dark, curly hair and eyelashes. They both had the same strong
jawline, narrow nose, and bushy eyebrows. If I didn’t know any
better I would think they were identical twins.

But there was one distinct difference that kept them
different. “The smile,” I said grinning. “I can recognize that
smile anywhere.”

“He looks kind of cocky.”

I laughed. “Yep, that’s definitely Tristan.”

“Do you know who the other boy in the picture with
him is?”

“No. I have no idea.” I turned as I heard Deirdre
walk into the room. “Deirdre, who is this in the picture with
Tristan?”

“You don’t know?” she asked surprised. I wanted to
say well duh, that’s why I asked, but decided not to ruin a good
evening. She walked over to the picture and smiled. Then she placed
her hand gently over the picture and sighed. “That is Tristan’s
–”

“Cousin,” Tristan said, interrupting her. Deirdre
whipped around, shooting hot daggers at Tristan with her eyes. He
leaned in the doorway, staring back at his grandmother. They
exchanged a few looks before she huffed.

“Doesn’t matter, family is family,” Deirdre said,
stomping out of the room.

“What was that all about?” I asked as Tristan made
his way over to me.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his
chin on my shoulder. “Nothing.”

“Tristan, I know you’re lying, don’t make me –”

“Okay, okay. We were really close when we were
little, but I haven’t seen him since I was seventeen. We obviously
don’t get along anymore so I didn’t think it was worth mentioning.”
I knew he was still hiding something, but Tristan begged me not to
push the subject. I respected his wishes and left it alone. “Take a
walk with me?”

I nodded and followed Tristan out into the garden.
“I’m really glad I got to see this place in person. I just wish it
was under better circumstances,” I said, admiring the garden.

“At least now we can experience it together.”

I shifted so I was standing in front of him now.
“Tristan, I’m sorry about last night. You were right, I was acting
childish I just…I just…”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to be sorry, I
understand.”

“I don’t know why you put up with me,” I smiled.

“I don’t know why I do either,” he sighed. I smacked
his chest. He laughed and squeezed me tighter. “I put up with you
because I love you. Because I couldn’t imagine my world without
this beautiful face in it,” he said, gripping my chin and making my
heart melt. I lifted up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to
his.

“I hate to interrupt, but we need to get going. We
have an early flight tomorrow,” Dean said, even though he clearly
didn’t mind interrupting. I sighed and pulled myself away long
enough so we could say goodbye. I thanked Caleb and Deirdre for all
their generous hospitality and managed a civil goodbye from Josef.
After him and Tristan talked things were, well, they weren’t as
tense. Josef even gave us both a hug goodbye.

As we turned to leave, Deirdre stopped me by grabbing
my hand. I turned to look at her. She stepped closer and wrapped
her short, stubby arms around me. I didn’t know who was more
surprised, me or her. When she pulled back she handed me a small,
blue velvet pouch and said, “Only use this when you need it
most.”

“But how will I –”

“You will know,” she smiled. She walked over to the
mantel and grabbed the picture from earlier and handed it to
me.

“Oh no, I couldn’t,” I began, but she shoved it at
me.

“
Don’t refuse a gift from Nan, trust me,”
Tristan thought. I took the picture and nodded a silent thank you.
I had no idea why she gave me the picture. She just smiled at me
like I knew which made me more confused.

When we got back to the hotel I was exhausted and
ready to call it a night. I was even too tired to pack and thought
it be better if I pushed it off until the morning. Tristan asked if
I minded if he hung out with Billy for a bit. I told him I didn’t
mind. I knew I would be asleep soon anyways. I kissed him goodnight
and headed straight for bed, too tired to even change. I closed my
eyes and waited for the sandman to take me to la-la land.