Chapter Thirty-Three

"Alright, that's all my stuff." I huffed, setting my second suitcase down in the living room. "Anything else left in the truck?" After my short time with the two of them they told me that they had to go home, where I met them was just their summer home. So we packed up and drove to Los Aniegos, a city I had passed through on my way out of Bridgeport. The house was amazing though, big backyard with a pool, and they had even called ahead and had one of their friends set up the spare bedroom for me.

"Nah, you just sit here and rest." Eddie said, texting a friend. "No need to overexert yourself."

"Okay." I sat down on the suitcase and Eddie hurried up the stairs. The sweater I wore was a bit too warm for the city's weather but it was Reece's and the only thing I had from home. Scarlett hummed to herself as she walked down the stairs. The door bell rang.

"Come in!' Scarlett called, heading over to the door. A young man with tousled red hair walked in. He smiled at Scarlett.

"Josh!" She exclaimed.

"Hey there Lettie." 

"What are you doing here?" She asked cheerily. "It's been so long!"

"I live here, remember?" He laughed. Scarlett suddenly remembered I was in the room.

"Oh! Sorry, Vinnie this is Joshua; childhood friend. Josh this is Vinnie, she's been staying with Ed and I." She said, motioning to me. Josh walked over, I stood up.

"Hi." I smiled, looking him up and down. He wasn't as tall as Reece, but he was almost as muscular. His eyes were a brilliant blue and his hair was an interesting red color.

"Hey." Josh smiled again. "Well I was thinking that I invite you all out for drinks tonight."

"Ooh that sounds great. Vinnie? You wanna go?" Scarlett said from the front door. The last time I'd gone drinking I'd gotten pregnant. Not to mention I was currently pregnant and therefore couldn't drink. 

 "What do you say?" Well I couldn't say no to those eyes.

"Sure." I gave him the most genuine smile I could muster.

"Great! Meet you guys at the Hightower at eight." 

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At 8:05 the three of us were dressed up and loading into the elevator. Scarlett pressed the button for floor twenty-six. The ride up was fairly quiet, nothing but sound of the elevator working. A ding went off and the doors opened.

"Here we are." Ed smiled, waving at the security. "Hey Rick." Scarlett looped her arm through mine and pulled me into the club. She glanced down at me.

"It'll be fun. Just don't mention a few things." She squeezed my arm. I spotted Josh sitting at a table, he eyes stopped wandering the room and instantly locked onto me. The way he looked at me made me think of how Reece would look at me. NO! I thought loudly. You are going to have a nice time. 

"Hey ladies, you all look lovely." He said with a smile. The three of us slid into the remaining seats. I pushed my hair back out of face, trying to keep my nerves at bay for at least tonight.

"So what brings you guys back to Los Aniegos?" He asked.

"I think I speak for both of us in saying that we'd had enough of small town life for the summer. Besides my boyfriend is coming to visit in a month or two and it's closer for him." Scarlett shrugged. Josh nodded and turned his attention to me.

"What about you?" Oh god. I, of course, hadn't thought about how I was going to explain this. So I decided to just wing it. Brilliant self, just brilliant.

"I'm from Bridgeport, and I'd been living with my boyfriend. We had a bit of a nasty breakup so I left. My aunt had known some people in their town so I figured I go there and find some lodging." I said. It sounded good enough, but I could almost hear Reece's anguished voice screaming in my head for me.

"I've been to Bridgeport a few times. Sorry about the boyfriend though, you deserve someone better." He smiled sympathetically. Scarlett smacked his arm.
"Ease up there bucko, she's eighteen." She teased. He rolled his eyes and I could feel myself blushing. Edalyn hailed down a waiter and ordered a round of drinks. Thankfully I spoke up quickly to deny one. She looked a little confused until I stared at her, gesturing down with my eyes. While the twins sipped their drinks Josh stood up and offered me his hand.
"Want to dance a bit?"
"Sure."

After an hour and a half of on and off dancing and laughing Josh pulled me aside to talk.

"Hey, if you're not too tired I know this great spot on the beach where you can see every star in the sky. It's pretty secret so care to join me?" He smiled. I glanced back at Edalyn and Scarlett. They were both immersed in a conversation, probably about Scarlett's boyfriend visiting. Turning back to Josh I gave him a small nod and he led me out of the Hightower and into a cab.

"Let us out here." He said to the driver, tossing him the money. He opened the door and I followed him down a sandy path. Thank god I chose not to wear heels like the others. Josh looked back at me for a moment before plopping down into the sand. I sat next to him.

The small waves crashed quietly into the shore, the smell of the sea filling the breeze. I looked up at the stars, and felt a sense of sadness. Made me think of the bright lights of Bridgeport. Or Reece's eyes at night. I must have sighed because Josh turned to look at me.

"You okay?"

"What? Oh yeah. Just thinking." I said.

I turned back to the sea. My breath nearly stopped in my throat as a warm hand covered mine.

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I didn't get back to the house until the early hours of the morning. Neither of them were up but they left a sticky note on the door of my room saying it was mine. I stripped off my dress and shoes, pulling on a pair of pajamas from my suitcase.

Chapter Thirty-Two

"Vinnie?" I said. She looked around the room with confusion. Her eyes locked onto me and she sighed sadly, hurrying close and pulling my face to hers for a kiss.

It took me a moment to kiss her back, she had caught me by surprise. Why didn't she slap me or shout at me? I had bit her, and still felt horrible about it. Reaching up I took her hands in mine and pulled them down to my side, stepping back from the kiss.

"Vinnie, are you asleep?" I asked.

"Yes, I was. So this is a dream. We're sharing a dream." She said.

"Yeah." I half-smiled. "Vinnie I'm so sorry."

"What?"

"It was an accident, it'll never happen again. Please, I miss you." I begged, placing a hand on her face. It took her a moment to think before she sighed and smiled sadly. She pressed her forehead to my face for a heartbeat before pulling away.

"Oh Reece, of course I forgive you. Besides that was weeks ago." Her voice sounded strained. "I'm so sorry." She stepped away.

"Sorry for what? Wait weeks ago? It's been three days!" I tried to get close to her but what seemed to be an invisible wall blocked me. 

Vinnie wrapped an arm around her self and I knew she was holding back tears. I banged my fists against the wall, desperately trying to reach her.

"Sorry for what?!" I repeated. She shook her head.

"He said I can't tell you." Vinnie cried.

"Who?" I demanded.

"Reece please, I can't tell you." She straightened. "I guess time works a bit differently in these dreams, my birthday's already past."

"Birthday?" Now I was confused. She was beginning to fade away. Vinnie glanced around and then down at her hands. She brushed her fading hair out of her eyes.

"I'm waking up. Reece, I love you." Vinnie mumbled before disappearing completely. 

I sat up fast, sweaty and out of breath. My father's voice drifted out of his office and I crept out of my room, shutting the door behind me as quietly as possible. He was probably discussing some business with my uncle or another one of his associates. Either way it was a good cover for my escape. I threw open the front apartment door.

I skipped the elevator, instead hopping down a few flights of stairs at a time. One of the very few times I thank myself for being born a vampire. I didn't bother taking my new car, it was too obnoxious-rich-boy anyway. Half of my head was trying to tell me she was fine, just some weird dream but the other half was screaming that she was gone again. And I'd have to find her or maybe I wouldn't and I'd never see her ever again.

Once the cab pulled up to her street I threw a wad of cash and the driver and slammed the door shut. Without thinking I ran right to her house.

Vinnie's cat was sitting in the driveway and meowed loudly at me. I froze in my tracks as multiple smells assaulted my nose. Two very distinct smells. Blood and death. I looked around, hoping that it was some dead animal. But something caught my eye before I could go inside; blood smeared on the side of the house.

Her cat just killed something, I thought desperately, that's all. As calmly as possible I walked up the the door. The moment my knuckles touched it, it seemed to swing open of it's own accord. Erie silence echoed off the walls and I could feel tears stinging my eyes as I raced to the open bedroom.

That was human blood! My head screamed. Stop denying the fucking truth!

"NO!" I shouted out loud. The room was empty. I spun around. Her cellphone lay on the side table, blinking with missed calls.

"Vinnie." Her name escaped my lips in a sob. Rage and grief threw itself into my heart.

"No, no, no! This isn't happening. This isn't happening!" I cried. Covering my face with my hands my mind raced back to the year before. And more specifically who had helped me.

Reaching into my pocket I ripped out my phone. Blu did have a number and I had it. The dial tone echoed through the room.

"Hello, you've reached Blu. I'm not here right now but leave a message and I'll try to get back to you." BEEP.

"Blu, I know you're listening." I said, my voice shaking. With anger or grief? I didn't know. "It's happened again. She's gone. You have to help me. COME ON, pick up the phone dammit! If you don't help me I swear to God, I can and will rip your throat out." The voice mail beeped again, ending the message.

I sunk to the ground, dropping my phone. I'd find her this time. And then we'll run away, get out of this godforsaken city. But, I just have to find her.

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If anyone is confused, Reece got the dream the day after Vinnie ran away, but SHE got the dream a few weeks after she left. Does that help?

3000 View Special!

This has no effect on the current chapters (or future ones) of WITW, think of it as a parallel universe where everything is okay. Enjoy and thank you so much for 3,000 views.

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 "Like I was saying, you don't need to be friends with the other moms, I mean I'm not." Kaya shrugged, pulling a glass out from under the bar. I glanced over at the pool, Adelind clung onto Reece's leg as he dangled her over the pool.

"Reece! Be careful!" I called. 

"Mhm yeah." He said, I rolled my eyes. Lucy's laugh rang out and as I glanced over she fell backwards into Percy's lap. Kaya was watching as well.

"Who knew our kids would be together." She sighed. The years had flown by; one minute I was pregnant the next married. We'd waited a few after Percy to have Adelind and Kaya had done similar. Her and Axel's oldest was a year and a half younger than Percy and the twins were the same age as Adelind.

Waves crashed quietly below and I sighed. I couldn't imagine a better life for us, and we were all together. Kaya poured drinks for the adults.

"Hey, what time do fireworks start?" Axel asked, sneaking another piece of pizza. Kaya shot him a glance. She set the tray down.

"Soon." My best friend grabbed one of the drinks and sipped it. Behind me I heard a girlish laugh and a splash in the pool.

Reece padded up, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. Little things like that always made my heart thud, just like when we were teenagers. I could have pulled him closer and kissed him forever right there, but for the sake of our kids and friends I didn't. The sun dipped lower in the sky, the last of it's light glinting off of Reece's eyes. Which now also belonged to my son.

"We should round up the kids soon." He said. I stood up, looping my arm through his.

"Might as well do it now." The lights along the railing began to illuminate. I grabbed a last handful a chips before meandering over to the edge to stare out to the ocean. 

"Adie, out of the pool." I called over my shoulder. "Everyone else come over too."

My youngest grumbled something but I could hear her getting out of the water. Not long after, multiple sets of footsteps pattered over, everyone taking up a spot to watch fireworks.

"I don't see anything." Percy whispered. Reece wrapped both arms around my neck and rested his chin on my head. Little Adelind reached up and took my hand. After a moment of silence something whizzed into the sky, exploding into a shower of color.

It was these little moments that made me the happiest. Just knowing that I had my soul mate, my children, and my close friends all with me at once. Reece sighed, brushing his hand across my shoulder. The light of the firework faded away but was quickly replaced by another.

I could hear Kaya and Axel whispering to each other. The two of them had been through their own version of what Reece and I had been through and it was great that they stood here stood, with their kids.

Not to mention the two who could potentially link our families. They were young, but then again; hadn't Reece and I been? Something sizzled between them for sure, and I knew that whatever was to be between them was only beginning.

Reece and I? Life was amazing. No threats of any kind, no anyone else trying to break us apart, and our kids were safe. We could go to sleep knowing that everything would be fine in the morning. At least, in this world.

Happy Fourth of July!