Chapter 63: Speaking of Him

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"Sorry I couldn't save you." I said, standing at the bridge of what used to be the sunken church. The explosion had done more damage than I thought, and now the church wasn't there, just a lot of hot, bubbly lava. I had placed a rose in front of me, it was for Lestat. I had been pained with guilt and this was just the type of release I needed. It had been so long ago, months since I had been there. I hadn't let myself come back to this town out of fear that maybe my presence was a bad thing, but I was needed.

-           

I walked into my house to find everything just as I left it. I was shocked since I wasn't the exact same as when I left. There were new pictures on the wall, pictures of Kelly, Doug, and I. I smiled at the pictures that had been put up post-humus. I limped into the kitchen, throwing the katana down by the door, to grab a glass of water and when I limped back out, I dropped my cup.

"Honey, you should really pick that up." My mom smiled sitting on the arm of a chair in which my father sat. Both of them smiling up at me.

-           

"So you're saying dream demon was right?" Kelly asked.

"Yes, quite, " Cale said, "And if my theory is any indication..."

"He's somewhere near here?" Doug asked, "I could locate him."

"I don't think that would be wise." Cale said.

"But he's a witch, he can do an abracadabra and boom! We're up a slayer." Mal said.

"I do not think that is wise." Cale said, giving Mal the stink eye.

"Is there any other way?" Kelly asked.

"No, but..."

"Then we're using Doug. The sooner I can kick Austin's Ass!" Kelly said angrily.

"If Austin is alive and he chooses not to contact us..."

"Oh God, maybe he's in trouble!" Kelly said.

"Perhaps." Cale said.

"Then we've got to find him." Doug frowned.

"And we shall, but we need to go about this the right way." Cale said.

"All I'm hearing is you shooting down all his ideas." Mal said.

"Maybe we should call Connor...or Graham." Kelly suggested.

"Maybe they've seen him." Doug said.

Cale was silent.

"Well..." Kelly said.

"I don't think we need Connor or Graham, not yet." Cale said, "We just need to find him."

"I'm already on it." Doug said, walking away.

"I'm going to call somebody." Kelly said.

Cale and Mal stood, watching each other.

"I'm going to go and get weapons." Mal said.

"Weapons?" Cale asked.

Mal nodded, "If we're fighting something that can hold a slayer, then I'm going to need something big and sharp." He said, disappearing into the back.

Cale stood, stunned by the sudden emergence of Austin. Something was wrong, he could feel it.

-           

I sat opposite them, tensed and alert.

"Relax, baby, we're not going to hurt you." Mother said.

I frowned, "Cause we all know you haven't tried to kill me before." I said.

"We didn't, you just always seem to get in our way." Dad said.

"Oh, that makes me feel better." I said quickly.

"Boys." Mother warned.

"How'd you know I was here?" I asked.

"How could we not?" Mom asked.

"You've been following me, haven't you?" I asked.

"It wasn't easy. Or cheap." Dad added, "You're pretty destructive."

"Any reason I shouldn't kill both of you?" I asked.

"We are still your parents." Mom said.

"Besides, we could have killed you if we wanted to." Dad said, "We're not trying."

"Oh, your lackeys tried. Didn't work." I said defiantly.

"I sense a lot of hostility." Mom said, "We're just trying to stay alive."

"By killing everybody else? Go team you." I said unenthusiastically.

Titan walked into the room and all the air went out as I hopped to my feet and grabbed him by the throat!

"Austin!" Mom warned.

"You killed my grandparents." I said, "You die now."

Titan chuckled through my grip, "Sssso...you kill me? Then what?" he smiled.

I tightened my grip before letting him fall to the floor, "I'm going to give you your power, then I'm going to stake you." I said.

"I'm immortal, not a vampire." Titan said.

"I know." I frowned, "You can all get out of my house."

"We're not done." Dad said.

"I think you are." I said forcefully.

Dad frowned, "We should all have dinner." He said.

"He killed your parents. And you're all buddy-buddy with him now?" I said.

"Their deaths were necessary." Dad said.

"And fun." Titan said.

I stared at them, "Get out." I said even more forcefully than before.

"Honey, you know where we are." Mom said as they left.

I exhaled and sat back on the couch. I could not believe my eyes or my ears. My parents were cold-blooded bastards. I had dedicated my life to saving people and my parents had done the opposite. They'd killed anyone that stood in their way, the people close to me. They weren't going to win this. Just then, the door opened and my friends fell into the living room. They stopped at the door and stared at me as if they had seen a ghost.

"Hi." I said blankly.

Kelly's eyes were the first to widen as she noticed that I was actually standing in front of me.

"You're..."

"Here." I said.

Kelly walked over, in shock, but when she got to me she slapped me, "Son of a bitch!" she said, storming away. Mal followed her out the door while Cale and Doug stood looking at me.

I felt my face, "Guess I deserve this." I said quickly.

Doug nodded slowly and walked away too.

I closed my eyes and sighed, sitting on the couch, "You're not leaving either?" I asked.

Cale shrugged, "Should I?" he asked.

I nodded, "You should." I said.

Cale walked over and sat next to me, "Welcome home." He said quickly.

"Thanks." I groaned.

-           

Later, I found myself at Copper, sitting by myself, enjoying my drink. Luckily, they don't card.

"You look a little young to be drinking." The guy beside me said.

I looked over at him. He looked like Michael Rady, you know, that guy from Greek, Casey's boyfriend. Geeky. I chuckled, "Who are you, the drink police?" I asked.

"I...it's just that you look really young." He said.

I smiled, "You don't look much older." I said.

"I look at least twenty-one." He said, extending his hand, "Hi, I'm David. I'm twenty-two."

I looked at his hand, "I'm Austin. Eighteen." I said, taking another sip.

"So, do you usually come here to drink?" David asked.

"Not recently." I said, "Been away."

"Away?"

I looked at him, "You're pretty nosy." I said.

"So I've been told." David said, "You go to VU?"

"I did." I said.

"So, you don't anymore?" he asked.

"God, what's with all the frickin questions?" I asked, looking him over, "Anyone ever told you you're increasingly sexy...in a geeky way?"

"Not so much, but thanks." He chuckled.

I smirked to myself.

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