8. TROUBLEMAKER
"SO, WHERE COULD HE BE?" GABRIEL ASKED HER. "HE COULDN'T BE FAR."
"Well," Simon began to speak. "He got to be here somewhere."
Then, Joseph blinked and looked at the crates. He moved his head slightly to the right, looking straight at the one crate. His golden eyes focused on the crate on the floor at the front. I turned my head, following his gaze to the crate.
"Hey, Alana," he said, speaking to the red-haired. "You told Ethan to put away the crates, right?"
"Aye," replied Alana.
"I think I know where he is," Joseph turned his body and walked to me. He started whispering to me. "Violet, you have invisibility. Why not go to the crate at the front there and knock it?"
"And you want me to use my gift?" I whispered a question.
"Pretty much. He should be that crate at the front."
I turned to the crate and switched on my invisibility. My feet began walking to the crate and stopped at the front. My right hand closed like a fist and gently knocked the wooden crate. As I was knocking, a male childish chuckle was heard in my ears. My eyes turned to Joseph.
"Open it," he mouthed out the words.
I took the crate lid off the box and popped out a young man. He yelled out random noises as if he was a child. Either he was a teenager or just an immature adult. Yet there was something charming about him. He had short strawberry blonde hair and golden eyes. His pale face was clean and youthful. He wore a long-sleeved navy blue top over his slim built upper body. He appeared more boyish. How long has he been a vampire?
Alana looked on at the male with her angry golden eyes.
"Ethan," she said with her arms folded in front of her chest. "Stop tryin' to frighten us?"
"Oh, mum," the male, Ethan, replied in a childlike tone. "It was going to be funny."
"Na, it wasn't," Alana shook her head.
"Well, it was fun while it lasted," he replied with defeat. His eyes looked at the coven. "Say, which one of you opened the crate?"
"Well, no one," answered Joseph and they eyed him with confusion written on their faces. "You know, I wish you would get your head smacked."
"Oi, dinnae," Alana spoke as any mother would. Or I imagined they would.
I think Joseph was throwing hints at me. I stepped over to Ethan's side quietly and my invisible hand hit him over his head.
"Ow," said Ethan and rubbed his head. He moved his head around. "Who did that?"
Then, Ethan jumped out of the crate. Alana placed her hand on her forehead and silently said why do I even bother. Arthur folded his arm in front of his chest. Joseph quietly chuckled to himself and Rhona gently yet harshly hit him on his left arm. Gabriel sighed and sauntered to the crate.
"Ethan," said Gabriel, trying to defuse the situation. Ethan turned his head, glaring straight at him. "It's not you. We've got a new member."
"She got invisibility," added Joseph to the conversation. "I thought it was a good idea to prank you."
"Come to think of it," spoke Simon. "With all the pranks you did, this is the best revenge yet."
"That's cold," replied Ethan. "Clever, but cold."
I briefly smiled to myself.
"Where's she at? I can't see her."
I groaned quietly, clearly annoyed with that comment. "Joseph said that I have invisibility. What part of that don't you understand?"
His golden eyes widened to the sound of my voice. It was clear that he liked my voice. I found that odd to think about. When I speak, I sound weird. Well, weird to the people living in Forks. I inherited the British accent from my parents, so it was already weird from the ghetto. Ethan was moving their head, looking for me.
"Who said that?" Ethan asked and looked at Helena. "Aunt Lena, I know you kept saying to the wanderers that this mansion is haunted but this is to a whole new level."
"I have nothing to do with this," Helena replied.
"No need to be shy or sassy. Come out."
Those comments pushed me over the edge. I switched off my invisibility and slapped him in the face with my open right hand. For me, it was the hardest slap I'd given to anyone. I never slapped a person in my life. I would imagine slapping anyone, like Mike Newton for simply being annoying or Gavin for being a deadbeat father. Ethan flinched. His face or body reacted to the pain. It was the same reaction he gave when I smacked his head. He turned his head around and his burgundy eyes met my own eyes. We stared for a few seconds and he smirked at me.
"Well, hi, there," he said, greeting me. I couldn't help but smile back at him. "I don't think we've met before. I'm Ethan."
He stretched out his hand and I took it, shaking it. It was a tight grip but there was a bit of gentleness as well.
"So, what's your name?"
"I'm Violet," I stated my name.
"Wee troublemaker, he is," Alana whispered.
"I heard that, Mum," said Ethan.
"Wait, she's your actual mum?" I asked and he nodded.
"Aye," replied Alana. "I gave birth to him when I was human."
"And is Simon..."
Simon shook his head before I could even finish my sentence. "No. I'm his stepdad. Joseph sensed her when we were walking through town. She was already pregnant then."
"Then, who is Ethan's father?"
Alana's eyes enlarged. She gritted and ran to me with full speed. She grabbed my throat and my back collided with the wall. Her right hand gripped around my neck with great strength. I breathed nervously as she looked on at me menacingly.
"We dinnae speak about him," Alana snarled at me.
Simon raced to her and then placed his hand on her right arm.
"Let her go, Alana," he spoke softly to her. "Let her go."
Her golden eyes softened by his words. She stared at me with regret and released me from her grip. He caressed her arm and grabbed her hand.
"I- I'm sorry," Alana said to me, putting Simon's hands in hers. "I dinnae mean to lash out on you."
"It's fine," I replied to her apology. "I've been through the worst."
Then, I felt two arms wrapping over me from behind.
"Welcome to the family," I heard Ethan declaring from my ears.
Family. That was a word I never thought I would hear.
