"I know you don't want to talk to him," she said. "And I'm sure he knows it, too. But he said this time it's important, and if you don't call him back, he'll just keep on calling till you talk to him."
I keept my back to her to hide my burning face as my heart pounded in my ears. Had the vampire council somehow found out about my date with Tristan tonight? "Did he say why?"
"Nope. I wrote down the number for you."
Okay, then my father hadn't called about anything too life threatening or he would've told Nanna. Maybe he was just in an extra-demanding mood or something tonight.
Reluctantly, I accepted the phone and slip of paper from her. After one last stern look, she left the room, shutting the door behind her.
I took off my socks and shoes. But that didn't take long enough. So I went ahead and got ready for bed, brushing my teeth and washing my face in the bathroom. Then I pulled on my favorite long white nightgown, the one with the spaghetti straps that made it almost like a dress. As I brushed my hair, it tangled with my necklace. The only way to free the strands was to take off my necklace and slowly unthread it from my hair. I tried to put the necklace back on, but my hands were shaking too hard to work the clasp. After several frustrating attempts that only wound my nerves tighter, I gave up and dropped the locket on my bedside table.
With nothing else to do to delay the inevitable, I took a deep breath and forced myself to dial the number.
"Do you always stay out this late?" were my father's first words.
Unbelievable. "This is the first time I speak to you in months, and that's how you want to start this conversation?" I was shaking from head to toe. I had to sit down on the edge of my bed and take a deep breath before I totally lost it. "And in answer to the question you really have no right to ask...on Fridays, yes, I'm usually this late coming home. Especially when our school has out-of-town games during football and basketball seasons. But shouldn't you and your council already know that from spying on me through Nanna and Mom?"
Silence filled the phone before he sighed. "I understand why you are angry, Savannah. I do not like the situation any more than you do. But I am just doing my j-"
Oh, spare me. "What did you need to talk to me about?"
More silence filled the phone, and I could practically hear him gritting his teeth. Good, maybe I'd finally made a dent in that infamous icy-cold vampire self-control of his. Of course, for him to truly get mad, he'd have to actually care in the first place. Which he didn't.
"I am calling officially on behalf of the council tonight."
Oh, crap. They knew! I held my breath and waited for him to continue.
The silence lengthened for a full minute before he finally spoke up again. "Savannah, is there anything you would like me to tell the council?"
They did know! How had they found out so fast? I slid off the bed to the floor and struggled to breathe as my mind raced. "Umm, no, why?"
"The council has requested my presence at their headquarters overseas, and I am leaving tomorrow. I needed to check for any last-minute updates regarding your changes before I leave. And to be able to truthfully tell them I have received those updates directly from you."
I tried not to sigh with relief. They didn't know.
He continued. "While I am away, however..."
My heart started racing again.
"I would like you to seriously consider coming to live with me instead."
Now that was random. "Why?"
"The council has expressed concern that you have been raised your entire life by former Clann members, and that this may have biased you. They would like you to consider living with me instead so that you will have a more balanced upbringing during your formative years."
Of course it would be the council's wish and not his. "I don't mean to hurt your nonexistent feelings. But like you said, I've spent my whole life here. With my real family. This is my home. All my friends are here. And I only have two years till graduation." Not to mention I'd rather die than live with a heartless council spy like him.
He sighed. "I will suggest to them that such a change in your living situation be delayed at least until you begin college. Perhaps that will appease them for a while."
"Tell them whatever you like." He would anyways. The council always came first for him. My needs probably didn't even make it onto his list.
"You should know, while I am there I may not be able to call your mother and grandmother for updates as frequently. So please tell them I will be in contact with them as often as I am able to."
Well, that sounded mysterious. Was he trying to bait me into asking him questions? Because that would require me to actually care about him.
After another long silence, he gave one last sigh. "Goodbye, Savannah."
"Bye." I ended the call then stared at the phone. That's when I realized just how badly my hands were shaking. If the vampire council had found out about me and Tristan...
Unpleasant as talking with my father had been, at least it had revealed one thing. The vampire council didn't know about my date with Tristan tonight. At least, not yet. Because if they had, my father would have asked me about it, or at least sounded disappointed with me.
I'd broken one of their stupid rules. Yet as all-powerful as they claimed to be, they still didn't know about it.
I closed my eyes and instantly remembered how it had felt to kiss Tristan. A slow smile spread across my mouth. If anyone found out about us, we would both be sooo dead. But...it had been totally worth it. Tristan's kisses were beyond addictive. And I was one hooked girl.
I thought of never seeing him again. If the council made me go live with my father now, I'd have to move to another state. I wasn't even sure which state my father was in at the moment; he moved around so much, living for months and occasionally years at a time wherever his latest historical-home restoration project took him. But I could guarantee that he would never live anywhere near Jacksonville, not with so many descendants concentrated here. Which meant living with my father would definitely force me to switch schools.
No more history or Charmers with Tristan. No more glimpses of him in the halls...
I shuddered.
I fell asleep remembering how it had felt to dance with Tristan. So I wasn't surprised when I immediately began to dream about him.
"Hi, Savannah." Tristan stood at the edge of a forest turned gray with moonlight. "Want to take a walk with me?"