Of the Blood | ✔️

Sixteen

The clouds hang low, the tops of the pine trees tickling the misty gray gloom. Wind howls around us, and branches tear at my coat as we push uphill through the forest. Apart from my feet striking the needle-covered terrain, I'm not making a sound. Neither are Thomas and Victor.

We keep a fast pace, our chests heaving, when my boot snags on a bulging root. I lurch forward, but Thomas catches me before I fall. There's no time for thank yous. We need to get inside that mansion before Mr. Baptiste gets home.

When the property comes into view, the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. We pause at the edge of the tree-line and stare as the ocean roars in the distance.

The house looks more haunted than lived in. Withered brown ivy stretches like a lesion along the foundation, and creeps up the stone and mortar. The windows are dark and ominous, resembling infinite black holes.

Now that we're here, the thought of going inside hits me square in the chest. I've always wanted to see what it's like, so why is my heart pounding in my ears?

Thomas nudges my arm. "Maybe you should be the one who waits out here."

Victor blinks at him, his breath pale on the salty air. "Why does it get to be her?"

"Because we're men, and it's the gentlemanly thing to do." Thomas' lips pull into a sneer. "Why—are you turning lily-livered on us?"

With his chest puffed out, Victor steps closer until they're eye to eye. "I'm not a coward."

"Could have fooled me," Thomas says with a shrug.

Victor grits his teeth. "Take it back."

"No."

His face goes red. "Take it back!"

"Stop!" My gaze jumps back and forth between them. "It was my idea to come here, and I'm going inside."

Victor's shoulders relax and he releases a victorious huff. "Great. Now that that's settled, I'll stay here and make sure he doesn't catch you."

I give him a sideways glare. "And how do we know you won't get the willies and run off?"

Once again, Victor's expression hardens. "Because I give you my word."

"And your word is always the truth, right?" There's a hard edge to Thomas' voice. Coming from him, it sounds unnatural.

They glare at each other as wind twists the tops of the trees. Pine needles shower down on us.

I try to ease the tension. "Come on, let's just go. We're wasting time out here when we could be in there." I nod toward the mansion.

Thomas turns back to me. "I think you should reconsider."

But I'm not changing my mind. If I had to do this over again, I'd have never mentioned my plan to either one of them. I'd have broken into the house on my own. That way if things go south, I would be the only one to suffer the consequences.