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I know this is hard for you, but it s for the best, Ezra said, and there was a finality to his voice
where I knew this wasn t open for discussion. He had decided what was best, and that s what
everyone would do.
No, it s no problem, I shrugged and blinked hard to fight back tears. I stood up before I could
decide where I wanted to go, so I mumbled a lame excuse. I ll be right back.
I had no intention of being right back. I wasn t leaving the house or anything, but I needed to get
away from them. Mae called after me, and Milo watched me apologetically, but I just walked past
them, through the kitchen, and out the French doors onto the patio bathed in cold moonlight.
After spending the past three days entirely inside frigid air conditioning, the warm humidity of the
night hit me like a sauna. Fire flies were dancing through the branches of the weeping willow by
the lake, and I walked out on the dock, wiping painfully at my eyes. I looked the planks of wood
stretching about before, at the source of all my problems. If Milo had never slipped, if he d never
hit his head, then everything could just back to normal. My grasp on normal was getting very
tenuous.
I just didn t like this hurt and confusion welling up inside me. It had the definite sting of loneliness,
and that was one thing that I had become unprepared for. With everyone I loved becoming
immortal, it never occurred to me that I would be left alone.
Heavy footfalls echoed on the boards behind me, and I wiped quickly at my eyes. I didn t want to
even be crying, let alone have an audience. I kept my arms wrapped tightly around me, as if I was
warding off an icy wind instead of a hot one, and I refused to turn back to see Jack as he came
up behind me.
Alice, Jack said softly, and I felt him fighting the urge to reach out for me. It s really not so bad.
No, I know, I nodded in agreement. My tears had stopped enough where I felt I could look at
him, so I did. I just wasn t thinking. If I had been, I would ve realized that I d have to go soon.
Alice, Jack groaned, and I could tell he completely saw through my façade. Its for your safety,
and ours.
No, I know! I insisted. I get it! Completely! You don t have to worry about me.
Nobody blames you for being hurt. He was growing frustrated by my little act, which made me
want to keep it up all the more.
I m not hurt! I snapped, and he rolled his eyes disgustedly.
Why do you always have to be so damn obstinate?
I m not. I have no idea what you re talking about. I shook my head.
44
Alice! Jack growled, exasperated. Then he exhaled and decided to try a different approach. He
reached out for me, but I pulled back from his touch, and he let his arm fall to his side with a
weary sigh. I don t know why you re mad at me. I had nothing to do with this.
It s your fault Milo s a vampire, I pointed out, and then instantly regretted it. He looked so
wounded, it hurt, and I wanted to say something to take it back, but I couldn t think of anything.
You re right, Jack replied thickly. You re absolutely right. This is my fault. He lowered his sad
blue eyes and swallowed hard. You take as much time as you need. I ll be in the house if you
need anything. He started taking a step backwards, looking so totally forlorn, and I hated myself
for making him look like that.
Jack, I said, but he just shook his head.
Take all the time you need, Alice. He turned and walked back to the house, his footsteps
heavier and slower this time.
I groaned inwardly and stared out at the black water surrounding me. Jack was right. He hadn t
done anything wrong, and I wasn t actually mad at him. He almost never did anything wrong, but
he and Milo tended get the brunt of my anger or frustration because they took it so willingly. It
wasn t fair to them, and led me to believe that I was most likely a pretty terrible person. It was no
wonder they didn t want me around anymore.
In reality, I was incredibly angry with myself. For not taking their offer when they gave it to me.
For going inside when Milo got hurt. For deciding that Milo should turn. No matter what the
repercussions for myself, I d always be happy that I had chosen the way for Milo to be alive and
safe. That wasn t what bothered me.
It would all just be so much simpler if I had been the one that had slipped on the dock and hit my
head instead of him. I was jealous of the fact that he had almost died.
Chapter 8
Since Milo was highly intelligent and managed to get Ivy League grades, it wasn t a stretch to
think he d been offered a scholarship to some kind of fancy boarding school. Even that he hadn t
mentioned it to our mother wouldn t seem that extraordinary. With her work schedule, they barely
had time to exchange words, although they did speak much more frequently than I did with her.
Ezra had printed off a couple of documents to certify that Milo would soon be attending Alexander
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