SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Twenty-two
ELENA
Stepping into the bedroom, I decided to retire for the night after witnessing the non-stop bickering between Sparkles and Liam. I sighed as I donned the nighties I had picked out while shopping last week, but it looked as though I was going to sleep on the bed alone, without Aiden.
Aiden wasn't home yet from the hunt they had gone on for reasons best known to him. I had been overjoyed to see Liam walk through the door, only to be disheartened when he said Aiden was staying over for a day.
I stepped to where Gemma's cot used to be; it had been moved to Callista's room after the night I had dinner with them, and it was my idea since she was her grandmother and the caretaker of the park.
So, it only made sense if she had Gemma in her care.
Gemma, I had learnt, was a rare breed from Aiden. She had a werewolf and a witch side since her birth mother was the latter. They were known as hybrids due to the presence of different supernatural genes in their body.
Also, hybrids were known to be formidably powerful, and her blood, in particular, could be used to create a werewolf battalion since she was a pure breed from each side. Hence, the reason Aiden had kept her in a basement was so her scent wouldn't attract anyone.
However, I had made him see how unlikely it was for her to be in any form of danger since the house had protection from evil forces and was filled with his siblings and other members from the park.
I was sure they would lay down their lives to protect her if need be. Even I would do the same without thinking twice since I had grown too attached to her.
Sighing, I plopped on the bed, inhaling the sweet scent of the gel air freshener I had placed nearby. I jerked awake as soon as my head smacked the pillow.
My eyes went wide as I stared at the opened door. My heart hammered in my chest, and I lifted the duvet to my chest as I made out the silhouette of an athletic body.
My breath hitched as he moved closer, and I scooted to the edge of the bed while preparing to scream if the need arose.
“Why do you look as if you've seen a ghost?" Aiden said, amused.
“Aiden?” Though I knew he was the one from his voice, I needed to be sure.
“Yes, baby, your one and only.” He affirmed.
I released the breath I was holding, and my tensed-up muscles relaxed as well.
“You scared the f*ck out of me; I was almost having a panic attack!” I punched his shoulder as he moved to where I sat.
“Why are you scared of me? I come in this way all the time.” He pointed out.
“I know that, but I wasn't expecting you." I retorted, rolling my eyes.
“Why shouldn't you be expecting me? I come home every night, and if I was going to stay longer, you'd be the first to know.”
“Liam said you were staying behind, so I thought you were not coming home.”
“He did?”
The moonlight illuminated his face, and I saw the confused look on his face. His brows furrowed as he tilted his head.
“Of course. What is wrong?”
“You know we went hunting down a demon that has been killing some locals?”
“Yes, you said that in the note you left behind,” I mumbled.
“What's wrong?" I asked yet again, not liking where the narration was going.
“He is a shapeshifter, and he had an encounter with Liam.” His frown deepened as he stared at the wall.
“What has that got to do with what's going on?” I asked, urging him to say more.
Aiden pinched the bridge of his nose, then stared at me. “I left Liam over there. He's the one wanting to stay behind, not me. And if you think he has been here, that means it's the shapeshifter, not him.”
“Oh gods, how is that even possible?” I exclaimed.
I lurched as a bang sounded from the other room.
“Damn it!" Aiden gritted his teeth. He plucked his discarded shirt from the bed, slipped it on, and darted out of the room.
I wrapped the belt of the red robe I donned around me, pulled my dishevelled hair in a messy bun, slipped my legs into the fuzzy slippers at the foot of the bed, and scurried after him.
I met Ellen as I hurried out of her room as well. “What's going on? I heard a scream." She muttered, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
“I don't know. I heard the same too.”
“That's from mom's room," Ellen said as another bang sounded closer to us.
We darted to Callista's room in an instant.
I wasn't prepared for the sight before me, and I almost retched the food I had eaten earlier.
The smell of blood saturated the air, and Callista lay sprawled awkwardly in the centre of the room in her blood.
”What happened?” I stepped over to Aiden and clutched his hands to stop him from pulling out his hair.
“Well, I was right. That was the demon that came in the form of Liam, and Gemma is gone.” Aiden said, shaking his head.
“I don't understand; where has she gone to?” I murmured, staring at the empty cot.
“Abducted, and my mom became infected by trying to protect her," Ellen added.
“Will she be okay?” Tears brimmed in my eyes as I stared back to where Callista was.
“She'll. But I don't know about Gemma.” He picked up the stuffed animal I had given to Gemma as a present and placed it on the top of the shelf beside him.
I loathe not being able to read him. He was calm, too calm, and I wondered what was going on in his head.
Sparkle's head lifted, and her red-rimmed eyes bored into mine.
“What is she doing here?” She yammered.
“It's her fault, y'all know. She invited the demon in, killed Mom, and made them take Gemma away.” She seethed.
It was true I had invited Liam in. He had been standing by the entrance and acting all weird, but I didn't know this would happen.
Heck, I didn't know he was a freaking demon!
“I'll forever hate you.” With that, she swooshed towards me. However, she was halted by Kellen due to his quick reflexes.
He shoved her hard against the door, and I felt her bone crack- but I knew it wouldn't hurt her. Her eyes flickered from blue to gold, and she let out a howl.
My eyes bulged as fangs popped out from where her canine used to be. Aiden tugged me into him, his body tensing as he glanced at his sister.
Ellen inhaled sharply while stepping towards Sparkles slowly.
“Get a hold of yourself. She did nothing wrong.” Ellen said, defending me.
“Look at what she did to mom!” Sparkles growled, struggling to come out of Kellen's grasp.
“Mom is fine,” Ellen assured.
“It's your fault, Aiden, it's your fault.” She wailed as Kellen released his grip. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
Aiden aggressively ran a hand through his hair while the other still gripped me to him protectively. “Be calm, Sparkles, mom is alive.”
“Elena did nothing wrong and she will never harm mom or Gemma. Also, you should know she is in danger as well.”
“I could care less if she is dead.” She snapped.
The tears I had been trying to curb rolled down my cheeks. I didn't know she hated me that much to wish me dead.
“It's fine; I'll just leave here,” I muttered, walking away.
“Go away, b*tch. You are not needed here, and no one will ever want or love you!”
I heard her holler before the door slammed.