"I didn't, and neither did your father or The Stooges."
"Then why does he want to leave?" she demanded.
Her mother shook her head. "I have two sets of twins, Isabelle, but neither of them are as alike as you and Ethan. Both of you are set in your ways, your judgments of people, and you will do anything to make sure the other isn't hurt. Your temper also gets the better of you both on many occasions."
"Oh," Isabelle said. "But he brought these vampires to our home!" she cried, unwilling to be so completely wrong. "He has driven us out of our homes and placed all of us in danger!"
"Brian did that."
"Brian is his friend!"
"Was his friend. They haven't been friends for a while, but you probably didn't take the time to learn that either."
Isabelle hung her head in shame, and despair rushed through her. She recalled the things she’d said, the things she’d done, and she hated herself. She was beginning to realize she may have completely misjudged the entire situation. She’d said she would never forgive Stefan; now she was starting to wonder if he would ever forgive her. However, he had lied to her and deliberately kept his past from her.
"You trust him?" she asked in a choked voice.
"I do."
Tears flowed down her face. If her mother trusted him, and Stefan had told her everything, then she was completely wrong. Oh God, he must hate her! She hated herself. "Why didn't he tell me whatever it was he told you?"
"Did you give him a chance?"
Isabelle shook her head as tears streaked down her face and she began to sob. "He must hate me!" she almost wailed.
"He could never hate you."
"I told him I hated him!"
Her mother came to sit beside her; she rested her hand on her shoulder. "You were mad at him, confused, and blindsided. He'll understand."
"And if he doesn't?"
"He will. He loves you, Isabelle, he knows all your faults, and all your good points already. He knows you anger fast, and you just as quickly get over it. He will understand."
"I don't understand," she whispered. "I love him with everything I am. Yet, I was so quick to throw that all aside when I thought he’d lied to me, and in a way, he did lie to me. He kept a lot hidden from me."
"You need to talk to him. Sometimes the past is just something people only want to forget. You need to put your judgments aside and realize everyone has faults, even you."
"I know I do," she whispered dejectedly.
"And you have many excellent qualities too, don't ever forget that. Stefan loves you for all of them. Just like you love him for all his faults and qualities, and I'm sure he has many too."
"He is bossy, arrogant, highhanded, and commanding," she mumbled. "He didn't even consider letting me stay at home."
"Of course not," her mother replied with a laugh. "Your father had my bag packed before I could count to ten. In this situation, it's not even worth putting up a fight. Their main concern is our safety. You would have better luck talking to a wall than you would of changing their minds. You have to pick your battles; this is not one you’ll win, trust me on that fact."
"And apparently, neither was my last one," she whispered.
Her mother brushed Isabelle's hair off her forehead. "No, but we all make mistakes. Everything will be all right, you'll see."
"I have to go talk to him. I need to see him." She suddenly needed him with an intensity that shook her.
"You can't go tonight, but you can go tomorrow, okay?" her mom said.
Isabelle glanced out at the dark sky. "What if those vampires come tonight though?"
"Then we can all return home tomorrow."
"What if something happens to him?" she whispered. "What if I lose him, and one of the last things I ever told him was I hated him?"
"Nothing will happen to him; he's stronger than most."
"What about the others?"
Her mom's hand tightened on Isabelle's shoulder. "They won't interfere, not unless they have to. They know their limits, besides your father knows I'll kill him if he gets himself hurt." Isabelle laughed as she dropped her head to her mother's shoulder. "It will be all right," she promised.
Isabelle prayed she was right. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to search out Stefan. If she couldn't see him, then she could at least connect with him and let him know she was sorry. She felt the brush of his presence, but that was all. He still had her shutout. Tears streaked her face as she tried to figure out why he wouldn't let her back in. She worried her mother was wrong, that he would never forgive her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Stefan stood on the porch, his arms crossed firmly over his chest as he rapidly scanned the horizon. They were coming, he could feel it, and they were close. He turned to the people gathered behind him. "They're strong," Liam said.
"Yes," he replied. "Don't forget they can't get in the house unless invited. If anything goes wrong, that is where you go."
Liam nodded briskly, but his eyes were troubled as they met Stefan's. "That goes for you too. Don't do anything stupid, Stefan. I won't lose my daughter because you do," he growled.
"I won't," he assured him.
"They're here," Brian muttered.
Stefan turned as three men materialized in the middle of the yard. He could sense their power, but it wasn't as strong as he had thought it would be. He glanced sharply at Brian. "You couldn't have handled this?" he snarled.
"There's more."
Stefan turned back around. He shut out the presences of the men before him to search the night. He could sense them out there, waiting in the shadows. "Fools," he muttered.
"How many more
