CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR
LIKE ROMEO AND JULIET
QUINN TAYLOR:
It was so easy to put my plan of revenge into action. I was an expert in following and stalking as I'd had plenty of practice since I'd met Katherine Constantine. I didn't mention to her that I'd also noticed Tiffany Call's calendar which was clearly marked with the date of Rebecca and Kat's return to Vancouver! My honey trap plan worked very well and Kat's phone falling out of her pocket was an immense stroke of luck. I'd met the dark haired Gina in a bar one night, she was being hassled by an old boyfriend. I stepped in and warned him off. It was handy being big and muscular at times. The irony of it wasn't altogether lost on me. I spent a night of passion with her but that was all. I loved Kat and no matter how beautiful Gina was, there was no way I could get into anything with her. But she had been willing to help me out today, and she did do a magnificent job! I could tell by the hurt in Kat's blue eyes that she had believed Embry really was caught in a passionate embrace with Gina. I didn't like hurting her, but needs must.
Embry had also fallen for my fake text from Kat. I had quickly erased it along with the missed call and voice mail which he left her. Everything was going well. I smiled to myself I as I sang along to my favourite song, which I had on repeat in the van. "Come on baby don't fear the reaper" Embry was in the back all trussed up. I was taking him to my cabin in the woods, which I normally used for fishing trips. I always went on my trips alone so no one knew where it was located except me. I planned to keep Embry here until I decided on my next plan of action. All I really wanted was for Kat to hate him and never want to see him again. If I made out that he'd left her, then she might, in time, be ready to fall in love again. I wanted her to fall in love with me. My plan got a bit fuzzy at this point. Was I meant to keep Embry Call in the cabin forever? Summer would be fine, but in Winter he would freeze. I would also find it difficult to come here in the snow and ice because the road was basically just a track for miles. He would starve and die. Another unclear point in my plan was Kat falling in love with me. She hadn't the first time around so why would she now? I couldn't make her, could I? Really I didn't want anyone to have her if I couldn't. I didn't want to dwell on that though. Going down that route was dangerously forbidden and enticing. I dreamt of a Romeo and Juliet scenario happening between us.
I quickly turned the music up to drown out my thoughts and the sound of Embry begging and pleading with me. I should have used the dirty rag on him. I would stop soon, I decided. I needed to eat and I needed to phone Kat. I wanted to act all sympathetic and as if I was her shoulder to cry on. I wondered what she was doing now? Embry's phone had been ringing non stop. I looked at it on the passenger seat and thought about pretending to be Embry too. That way I could buy some time, time to think and time to plan. All in all though today had been a good day! I whistled under my breath as I drove the van off the main road and onto the track which would shortly arrive at my cabin. As soon as the van was out of sight I stopped and dealt with Embry. Now all he could do was make muffled sounds. Good. That shut him up. I stepped out of the van and walked into the trees. I found Kat's name on Embry's phone so I punched out a short text to her. "Kat, I am sorry. I need to be on my own just now. Hope you can forgive me. E " Then I added a kiss on the end, as I knew that's what he would have done. I had read the texts he sent to Kat. They were all loving and soppy with lots of kisses. So I added another couple of x's to the text and pressed send. She would notice that his words were short and to the point, that should make her even more upset. Maybe I should have erased the kisses though? Too late now. The text was winging it's way through space and time to reach Kat's phone. I wished I could see her face. I hated her crying. I loved her crying. She was all vulnerable and needy when she was upset. I wanted to be there but I couldn't be in two places at once!
After a quick snack of a cheese and ham sandwich I had packed especially for the trip, I started the van engine up and began to follow the track further into the dense woods. There were no stars out tonight, the twilight sky was a very deep blue. Soon the dark night would be here. There were no neighbours for miles. I really had this whole area to myself. That was the way I liked it. My fishing trips were always times I looked forward to. Just me and my thoughts. I could eat when I liked, I could sleep when I liked and I didn't have to make small talk with anyone. I had wanted to bring Kat here once, but she fobbed me off with some excuse or other. She most probably hated the idea of being alone with me in the middle of nowhere for a whole weekend. I wished she were here now, in different circumstances of course. I wished we were going to the cabin for not just a weekend but forever. No one could interfere in our relationship, no one could tell us what to do and I could just be with her. No one else mattered. Rebecca had a hand in Kat's dumping of me, of that I am sure. She always gave me disapproving looks whenever we met. I always thought there was something strange about Kat's sister. If looks could kill, well let's just say she always looked at me like she wanted to tear me apart with her bare hands! Strange girl. I think she is jealous of Kat. After all, Kat is the prettiest. She is the biological daughter. She is popular and outgoing. She is basically the opposite of Rebecca in my eyes. I was surprised Rebecca hadn't come after me. She must have been so angry after I trashed the flat. She deserved it. Interfering, stuck up cow. Has Kat got my text? Why hasn't she replied? Kat, Kat, Kat, Katherine...I'm here waiting for you. I kept pressing repeat on the cd player. "Don't fear the reaper, la la la la la"
The cabin was just as I left it. I got my rifle out from under the small bed and made sure it was loaded. I went back to the van and untied Embry's feet. I pointed the rifle at him. Why didn't he look scared? He looked angry, in fact he looked very angry! "Call, quit looking at me like that! You will walk very slowly into that cabin and sit on the wooden chair. I will then tie your feet again. You won't try to escape or attack me or trust me, I will shoot you. Understand?" I asked calmly. He nodded. He was a strange one too. Why wasn't he all meek and scared? Once he was securely tied to the chair, I removed the rag and gave him a cold drink of water. He nodded gratefully as he drank it quickly. "So Quinn, what are we doing here?" he asked. I smiled slowly as he watched me, his eyes not leaving the rifle. "I need Katherine to believe you have screwed up Embry. The girl in the park wasn't a coincidence. She was a set up. Kat now believes you have cheated on her. She wants nothing to do with you Embry and after my text from your phone she will be even more convinced!" I bragged. He nodded and smiled. Why was he smiling? Infuriating! "Don't smile at me, Call!" I said through gritted teeth. "I am leaving you here for the night, let you come to terms with the situation. Meanwhile I will go find Kat and offer my shoulder to cry on!" I smirked. "Don't worry I don't think the mountain lions will pay you a visit tonight. It's mating season." I laughed. Embry still smiled at me. I wanted to wipe the smile off his face so badly, but for now I needed him. "I'll be just fine Quinn. When morning comes I'll be feeling much more like myself" he grinned. Just what was his game?
I walked through into my little kitchen, sat at my solid wood table and put my head in my hands. I needed space to think for a minute. Something was bugging me, tickling and nibbling away at my brain incessantly. I couldn't place it. Rebecca's hard features popped into my mind. That night in Port Angeles, her Mother had used a strange word when describing Embry. Imprinting. I had also seen that word on Embry's phone. I took it out of my pocket to double check. He had text Kat saying "When I imprinted on you my life suddenly had a purpose and a meaning. You are mine now, always and forever xxxxxx" Jeez, the guy was a sap! He was also very wrong. Kat was mine. Just what did that word mean though?
"Imprinting? What kind of weird word is that? " I asked him. He looked shocked,like I'd found out a secret I wasn't supposed to know. "I will find out Call. I promise you that! I'll make Kat tell me! No one keeps things from me" I raged. Now he didn't look so cool. In fact he looked positively frightening with his lip curled and a low snarl escaping his lips. "Just remember who has the gun here all right?" I growled back. He seemed to be having some sort of inner turmoil as his body shook and shivered. I unconsciously took a step backwards. I decided to use the chloroform again. Embry Call suddenly seemed to be an equal adversary. I couldn't let that happen! I was in charge here! I clamped the chemical soaked pad to his mouth before he knew what was coming. I'd given him a much much larger dose because to my surprise the first lot had only knocked him out for thirty minutes. There was something not normal about the guy. He succumbed easily and I reckoned I had a couple of hours or so to do what I needed to do. I left the cabin quickly, driving the van deftly and swiftly down the track back towards the main highway. My brain was buzzing with excitement and adrenalin overdose. I sang loudly all the way back to Vancouver.
Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity