My chest tightenedever so slightly at the question.
Five days ago, I’dfound out that my childhood best friend—well, the only friend I’dever had—was missing. According to his mother, he had been missingfor six weeks, or at least that was what she presumed since it hadbeen over a month since his last postcard. I had been surprised tohear Lorna’s voice through the receiver; it had been years. Twelveto be exact.
She’d forgotten allabout me, which was why she was only just calling to see if I’dheard off her son. I’d wanted to be hurt at her words, at the ideathat I was so forgettable ... which at least explains why Thannever contacts you anymore. He’s forgotten all about you ...but I could hear the panic and exhaustion in her voice, and I’dhated having to kill that hint of hope that had rung in between herwords, but it was the truth: I hadn’t seen Than for at least tenyears.
We had made a promisethat we would keep in touch, that we would see each other as muchas we could, and he had visited for the first two years after heand his family had left, until his grandmother died, last familymember and actual blood tie they had to Ireland. He and his parentsnever came back after that, and there was no way that my father wasever going to let me visit Switzerland, at least not until I waseighteen, but by that point, I was lucky if I even received anemail from Than twice a year.
“Nathan could bedead,” I uttered, not sure if I was saying that to myself or to mymother.
I was torn between notwanting to care and wanting to just jump in my Range Rover and gofind him even though I was pissed that he had all but forgottenabout me. He had been the only person—who wasn’t family—I hadactually, genuinely cared about, and even though he might not haveever thought about me after leaving, the idea that he could be deadsomewhere out in the world, away from his family, from people whoactually cared about him ... scared me. It scared me more than itshould have.
“And Lord knows whatHeather could be involved in,” I added. “And what am I doing?Sitting around waiting for my next shift to start.” I looked up,staring at the blank wall across the way from me. “I should be outthere looking for him, helping Heather? Isn’t that what Da isgetting at? Isn’t that one of the points for our training, so wecan help those who need it?”
“Say you did go t’lookfor Nathan. Where would you even start? His mother has no ideawhere he was travelling to next. He could be anywhere in the wholeworld.”
A needle in onemassive haystack.
“I know.” I saggedagainst the back rest. “But not looking for him just feels sowrong.”
“But without astarting point ...” she trailed off.
Without a hint ofwhere he could be ... I couldn’t do anything for Nathan but pray.And what good will that do? He had last been in London, andI wasn’t sure if that was the only place you visited in the UKbefore moving off to another country, or if you explored a little.Had he gone up north? Was he planning to visit Ireland? Visitme?
Get real. As if hecares about you. Don’t be such a fool.
I shouldn’t care whathad happened to him. His mother not hearing from him didn’t have tomean something had happened to him—his postcards could have beendelayed or lost in the post. It happened. And yet, telling myselfall that didn’t stop the little niggle at the back of my head, theunease that sat in the pit of my stomach.
I pushed myself up,feeling agitated once more. “If Da wants me t’be of some use, thenthe least I can do is go help Heather. We weren’t there for herwhen Sofia passed—”
“It was Sofia’s wishthat only Heather be present for the funeral.”
“Regardless, we shouldhave gone over and stayed for a while. Just been there for Heather.She’s lost enough loved ones in her short life, and now to be alone...”
She’d lost her motherwhen she was eight, never knew her father, and now Sofia, who hadpractically raised her due to Alexis slowly losing her mind becauseshe had been infected by the Vampyricc Virus. Heather was allalone. Sofia’s wishes or not, we shouldn’t have left her on herown, not when the Vampires had a personal interest in her.
“Sofia never didanything without a reason. Even if her actions and choicessometimes came across as selfish or uncaring, there was always areason, and I believe there was a reason why she didn’t want us ather funeral. We just have t’respect that. Besides, Heather isstronger than she looks and can easily take care of herself.”
I paced, tapping thebase of the water bottle against my left palm. “It’s not like shehas a choice.”
She brushed a chunk ofhair behind her ear, her hair a lighter shade than mine, almostbordering on dark ginger. “I spoke t’her the other week. She knowsyou will go if she needs you.”
“Ack, she would neverask for help. The girl has a hero complex thanks to Sofia, which isprobably the main reason she was pissed that Sofia had sent aWerewolf t’help her.”
How did Sofia evenknow a Werewolf?
“She’s not happy aboutthat, but I don’t think any of us would be happy t’wake up and finda stranger in our home, let alone a Werewolf who claims Sofia askedhim to be there. She’s confused, and I hate the fact that I’m notable t’shed any light on the situation for her. Sofia was extremelyprivate.”
That’s anunderstatement.
“Well, Sofia shouldhave spoken t’me. I should be the one who is there helping, notsome stranger. This family legacy is as much mine to undertake asit is Heather’s, yours, Da, and any other family members who arestill living.”
Not that our distantrelatives seemed to give as much of a shit as my family did. Eventhough he said he was in touch with those who were left, I doubtedthey were doing anything to help this age-old cause of ours. No,they had probably given up long ago, realizing how crazy
