Astoria: Secrets, Lies and Vampires Read online

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Astoria: Secrets, Lies and Vampires

  A Novel by Donna Theiler

  Copyright © 2013

  Preface

  My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early see unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy. –William Shakespeare

  Chapter 1

  I looked around my bedroom one last time. Everything that didn’t fit into my three large suitcases was in boxes, ready to be picked up by the movers tomorrow to put in a storage unit. I packed most everything that I would need or that I wanted in my suitcases to take with me to the airport. As I walked downstairs to leave I picked up a picture of my parents and I we had taken a few months back and put it in my carry-on.

  “Emma, do you have everything you want to bring with you?” my grandmother asked.

  I looked around one last time and nodded my head and walked outside to the awaiting taxi. The driver took my bags and loaded them in the trunk of the car as I got in the backseat and fasten my seatbelt. Gran got in behind me and fastened hers as well. And I watched my house until it faded out of site.

  “I’m sorry you have to leave your house Emma.” Gran said as she patted her hand on my leg. I could only give a forced smile, anything more and I would probably burst out in an uncontrollable sob. “I promise I will do everything I can to make things at my home like they were here for you.” She said. I could tell she was trying to make a promise that I felt and knew she couldn’t possibly keep. This was my one and only home. And now I had to leave it.

  In Oregon, Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River there is a city named Astoria. Population 9,477 where one hundred and ninety one days a year it rained and the sun barely shines, this was where I had to move, with my Grandmother. I would miss my house, my friends. Most of all, I would miss my parents. They were in a fatal car crash on New Years’ Eve, after a drunk driver crossed the center line. Both were killed on impact. And since my Grandmother is my only living relative, I am moving to her house in Astoria. She lives on a small Indian Reservation, named Fort Clatsop. We are Native Chinook. My parents moved to California when I was around 3 years old, due to my mother’s claim of distaste of Astoria.

  The drive to the airport seemed to take forever, and for this I was grateful. The weather today was beautiful. It was in the mid 70’s in the middle of January. The sun shone bright, not even a cloud in the sky. Astoria was nothing like Los Angeles, California. Actually, it was the complete opposite. Cloudy and rainy most of the time, “Great” I thought. The plane ride itself was even longer. I had nothing in common with my Grandmother, other than our grief over the loss of my parents, her daughter, and my mother. So it was silent most of the plane ride. Every now and then my Grandmother would ask was I comfortable or did I need anything. But other than that it was an awkward silence.

  When we landed Gran let me know who would be picking us up. “Do you remember Marie?” Gran asked.

  “Sure.” I said.

  “She is going to be picking us up today.” She said.

  “Cool.” I said as thrilled as I could be.

  We walked outside to see if Marie was here yet. Gran looked all around and pointed her way when she finally saw her truck. “There she is.” Gran said. We walked towards the red Silverado. Just as we reached the rear of the truck the drivers and passengers side doors open. Marie and her grandson Levi stepped out. Levi Taylor was Marie’s grandson. They are Native Chinook also. I played with him and his older sister Tiffany sometimes when I visited Gran during summer vacations. Marie still looked the same, short and chunky with her salt and pepper hair, which she always wore in a long braid. Levi had cut his hair short since I saw him last. His hair was coal black and he had gotten a lot taller since the last time I had seen him. Which was when I was around twelve, and my parents refused to allow me to visit Astoria anymore. They made Gran start to visit me in Los Angeles. I remember hearing my mother and father talking one night in their bedroom about it. “My daughter is not going to be one of them.” She said. Then my father replied “Don’t worry Leeann, as long as we keep her from going to the Reservation she won’t.” I asked my mother the next morning what they meant and she just changed the subject by saying Gran decided she wanted to start visiting me in Los Angeles, and to drop it. And the one thing I learned at an early age was not to argue with my mother, because it was a losing battle as my father use to say.

  “Emma, you remember Levi?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I do.” I said to Levi as I waved hello to him and Marie.

  “Sorry about your parents’, Emma.” Levi said.

  “Thanks.” I answered, as I avoided eye contact with him.

  “Here hand me those.” He said pointing at my bags.

  I handed my bags to him as he lifted them into the bed of the truck. After he loaded them all in the back, Marie got in the drivers’ seat, Gran in the front passengers seat and Levi and I climbed in the back seat. The ride from the airport to Astoria took a little over an hour. Gran and Marie started talking about my parents’, the funeral and how Gran needed to settle their estate. None of which I wanted to hear or think about. Thinking of my parents was still too painful. It has only been a two weeks since the accident, and every time I heard their name I started to cry. And I didn’t want to cry in front of semi- strangers, so I put in my ear buds for the rest of the trip. Ironically, the song “Home” by Philip Phillips started to play as we pulled up in front of my grandmother’s house. Her house still looked the same. It was a large white two –story home. Woods surrounded the house. It looked just as I remembered it. As we all got out of the truck, Levi started unloading our bags. I tried to help but he wouldn’t let me.

  “I got these, but could you hold the door open for me?” he asked as he started walking up the front porch stairs, his arms loaded down with the heavy suitcases. I held the door open for him as he carried my bags into the living room.

  “You can just leave them right here, I will take them to my room later.” I told him.

  “Are you sure? I don’t mind taking them up.” He assured me.

  “Yeah, I’m sure. Thanks for your help.”

  “You’re welcome.” He said with a smile.

  After Levi finished bringing in all the bags Marie was ready to leave. “Well it’s getting late, we had better get going Levi, I’m sure Emma has a lot to do tonight.” she said as she went to the front door.

  “Hey, when are you planning to start school? I could walk with you if you’d like?” he smiled shyly as he asked.

  “Um, I’m not going to school here on the reservation. I’m going to Astoria High”

  I noticed Marie give Gran a strange look “Ruth, She isn’t going to school here on the Res? Shouldn’t she…” She asked anxiously before Gran cut her off.

  “No, she wants to go to public school, besides things here are claim. I see no need in her needing to go to school here on the Res.”

  “Ruth, you never know.” Marie said anxiously.

  “Marie, let’s not discuss this now.” Gran said as she looked at me with concern.

 
The room fell silent. It seemed as though Marie and Gran was speaking to each other with unspoken words. Levi looked at me as if to say “Who knows”. It was strange. What did Gran mean by things here was claim now? Why did Marie seem to think it was so important for me to go to school here on the Reservation? I’ve always attended public school. There was no way I am going to go to the Reservation school. Gran and I had a deal, and that was that I would attend public school if I moved here. I hope Marie doesn’t try to change Grans mind. I’ll worry about that later, Right now I needed to take my suitcases up to my room and unpack. It was getting dark and I needed to get my clothes ready for tomorrow, take a shower and try to get some sleep before my first day at a new school.

  “Well, good luck.” Levi said. “Maybe I will see you around tomorrow after school?” he asked

  “Yeah, maybe.” I said.

  As soon as Marie and Levi left I decided to get ready for bed. After my shower I went to tell Gran goodnight and to give her a kiss goodnight. I found her in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea.

  “Night Gran, I will see you in the morning.” I said kissing her on the cheek.

  “Goodnight Emma.” She said as she gave a big sigh.

  I turned to walk out of the kitchen and I stopped and turned back to her.

  “Gran, what did you mean by, Things here are claim now?” I asked.

  “Oh nothing. It’s nothing to worry about. Try to get some rest, Emma. You have a big day tomorrow.” She said as she put her cup in the sink and turned out the kitchen light.

  “Okay, goodnight.” I told her again as I headed up to my room. I crawled into bed and turned out the lights. I lie awake for what seemed to be forever, and then finally I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

  *****

  I woke early to get ready for my first day at a new school. I’ve never been the new kid before and I didn’t make friends very easily. I have always been a shy person from the day I can remember. I decided to wear my light colored jeans and my grey and red jersey tee. I pulled my hair back in to a ponytail and didn’t even bother to try to fix it due to the rain. I put on my tennis shoes and grabbed up my backpack and headed downstairs to find Gran in the kitchen cooking breakfast. “I’m fixing biscuit and gravy.” She said. Grans biscuits and gravy was always good. And I hadn’t had it since she visited us in Los Angeles last Christmas, so I savored every bite.

  We pulled up in front of the school in Grans old white beat up Ford Tempo. It was the most hideous car you could imagine. Most of the kids were just arriving as we were walking into the building. And a lot of them stared at me as we walked inside. I immediately hung my head down. We found the office with no problem since it was right as we walked in the front door. It was small in size. A long counter separated the room. Two wooden desks sitting facing each other were behind the counter. Both desks had papers stacked up high as if they were behind on their duties. One older lady with gray hair was sitting at one, and another younger lady with brown curly hair was at the other. The older lady with gray hair came to help us and asked how she could help us. Gran told her we were here to get me registered since I had to move here with her due to the loss off my parents, the lady looked at me with remorseful eyes. I hurried to turn my back to her. I didn’t need condolences from complete strangers. Gran seemed to have the need to tell everyone about my parents, but me, I was the complete opposite. I didn’t like to tell my business to complete strangers.

  After what seemed to be hours, Gran was finally done with my paperwork and the lady behind the desk whom name was Mrs. Jenkins, I think, gave me my schedule and a slip for my teachers to fill out I had to bring back at the end of the day. Gran wished me good luck and of course gave me the “You are an amazing girl Emma, just be yourself and you will do great” speech before she left.

  Finding my first class was pretty easy since the school wasn’t as big as my old high school in Los Angeles. The long narrow halls were quite since class was already in session. The lockers were painted a dark blue and the walls were a gold color. I assumed blue and gold were the school colors. Once I found my classroom, I took a deep breath as I grabbed the handle, I can do this I said in my head as I turned the handle and walked in. Once I entered the room and everyone looked up. Needless to say I was a little embarrassed. I’ve never been what you would call confident. Sure, in a group of my old friends back home I would seem to be cool, calm and collected in a stressful situation. But on the inside I am screaming for my life. As if I was falling from a cliff into a pit of alligators. And this is exactly how walking into this classroom feels, into a room of hungry alligators ready to tear me apart.

  I handed the teacher my papers and waited to be told where to sit as he read my information.

  “Everyone, this is Emma Hart.” He said loudly. “GREAT!” I thought to myself. He could have done without the introduction, but at least he didn’t make me do it myself. He handed me my book I would need for the class “We are on page 125” he said and pointed me to my seat. As I walked towards it I kept my head down trying to avoid eye contact to the other students in the class. I took my seat in the back of the room and opened my text book to page 125.

  Just as he started back to teaching the lesson he was in the middle of before I walked in, I noticed the person next to me move his chair over away from me. Looking over at him the first thing I noticed was how pale he was. The sun must never come out in this hell hole of a town I thought. His skin was flawless. Boys’ our age usually has acne, but he didn’t. He was totally gorgeous even with his pale complexion and his brownish blond hair that was mussed. I tried not to stare, because for one it’s very rude, and two, I didn’t want him thinking I was a freak. I tried to focus on the teacher and the lesson but I found myself looking at this gorgeous boy sitting beside me more often than not. Just as I turned my eyes his direction I noticed he was staring at me also. That’s when I noticed his eyes. His glare wasn’t friendly at all. I could almost feel the hate glaring from them towards me. But I had to admit his eyes were the most beautiful blue I had ever seen. So light blue they were almost white. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was about them that intrigued me. By now his chair wasn’t under our table we shared anymore, it was on the end of it. And his hand balled into a tight fist. I could see his knuckles turning white. His pale blue/white veins in his arms stood out under his pale white skin. He must have seen me staring at him and moved away because I am the new weird chick. I tried to concentrate on the teacher and his lesson, but I couldn’t keep my eyes of him. I tried to hide my curiosity why this stranger was now sitting on the edge of his seat, and his chair was on the end of our shared table. I didn’t think I smelled, did I? I casually gave my shirt a sniff to see if it had a odor, and when I got a nose full of tide laundry detergent and downy fabric softener I knew it must be something else going on with this stranger. About fifteen minutes after sitting next to him, he abruptly jumped out of his seat and headed towards the door. The teacher, who’s name I have already forget turned toward us and told us to talk quietly between ourselves and then went after the boy who left so suddenly. I tried to not look around the room to catch anyone’s eyes. I wondered who saw what happened between me and this stranger I was sitting by. Just then the girl that was sitting in front of me turned and started talking to me.

  “Hi, I’m Samantha. But you can just call me Sami” She had brown hair that went to her waist. She was thin, and really very beautiful. She seemed to be very nice and very outgoing. Outgoing was something that I never was. I’ve never had that much confidence to introduce myself to a complete stranger. I envied her for that.

  “Hi.” I answered back with a small smile.

  “Don’t worry about Evan he is kind of, weird.”

  “I can tell.” I said as my cheeks turned red.

  “So, where are you from Emma?” she asked.

  “California.”

  “You lived in California and you decided to move here?”

  “Yeah, didn’t really
have a choice in the matter.” I mumbled.

  “Why…” her question fell off as the teacher walked back in. She turned back around to face the front

  “Mr. Blake isn’t feeling well, so he is going to the nurse” he said as he picked back up his book and picked up where he left off.

  The next class I had was Chemistry. The teacher was just as nice as the first and didn’t make me stand up in front of the class to introduce myself. It seemed to fly by. That Sami girl was also in this class. No one really stared at me. And I was grateful. The bell rang and my schedule showed me it was my lunch this period. Great, I hate eating alone. Just as I went to walk through the lunchroom doors Sami walked up behind me “Would you like to sit with me today?”

  “Sure.” I said with a feeling of relief.

  We made our way through the lunch line, I got a salad and a bottle of water and then I followed her to our table. We reached the table and there were two other people already sitting there. Sami started introducing me to them.

  “Emma, this is Collin and Amy, guys this is Emma.”

  “Hi”

  “Hi”

  I waved and said hi back to them. I noticed that Collin was smaller than the other boys our age. He had curly sandy blond hair and bluish green eyes. He was sort of cute in his own way. Amy had red hair and baby blue eyes. She was really pretty. A few moments later another boy came to sit with us. He introduced himself as he sat down “Hi I’m Brady” he said as he shook my hand. “Hi, I’m Emma.” I said smiling. Brady was tall, probably around 6’2 maybe, with dark hair and big round blue eyes. He was very friendly. As I looked around the lunchroom to see all the new faces that would soon be familiar to me and that was when I saw them. Three of the most beautiful people I had ever seen in my life, except for that Evan kid, whom I sent out of the room screaming. The girl looked like she could be seventeen or so. She was average size and had straight long blonde hair that hung to her waist. Her face was just as angelic and beautiful as Evan’s was. The one boy, probably the same age as the girl, he was really tall and had a nice build to him. You could see the outline of his sculpture of his arms and chest beneath his shirt. You could tell he probably lifted weights. He had blond hair that was wavy. Even from across the room I could tell both of their eyes looked just as Evans did. The other boy was slightly different, He was tall and thin. His eyes were a golden brown color. His hair was dark brown and it was cut short, but you could tell it was curly. His skin looked paler than the others, like he hadn’t been in the sun or he was anemic. But still he had the same beautiful features as the others despite his paler features. That’s when Sami must have seen me staring because she leaned over and said “That’s Evan’s brothers and sister.” Payton is the girl. Cameron is the tall skinny one and Everett is the muscle bound one. She said as she pointed their direction.