Chapter 6

• Zora’s Point of View
• Lightning flashed on the window, momentarily illuminating the lounge. I curled into a ball on the armchair. I hadn’t anticipated a storm today it was times like this when I missed having my parents around. Mum knew how I was scared of storms. She wasn’t here anymore at that moment the house felt as large as it felt when I found out they were dead.
• “Damn it, I should be at a meeting,” Dash muttered.
• He stood by the window, peaking at the raging storm.
• “You shouldn’t stand there.”
• He turned to me. “Lightning can’t kill me.”
• “It’ll still hurt like hell.”
• Dash groaned and marched to his seat across from me. He didn’t sit immediately though, he stood and stared at the picture frames above the fireplace and the others beside our ancient TV set.
• “What did the official reports say?” He asked.
• I sighed heavily. “The coroner couldn’t come up with a time of death or an official cause of death though it was obvious they both died in the fire.”
• “What caused the fire?”
• “No one can tell me that.”
• “That’s bullshit, Zora.”
• “I swear! I went to the fire department for two weeks straight looking for answers. There aren’t any. They ruled it an ancient and that went on the report. They got stuck in their bedroom and the fire spread.” A lump formed in my throat when I went back to that day.
• It was a normal day. I went to class and I went to my dorm to get changed for work. I even spoke to my Dad. He told me he missed me and wanted me to come over because Mum was tired of him talking about turning the backyard into an apple farm. I didn’t know that would be the last time I heard from them.
• If they got stuck in their room, why didn’t they call me? I would have dropped everything. I didn’t get a call or a text.
• “You believe that?” Dash leaned forward.
• “Never.”
• We fell into silence the sound of the rain pouring outside filled the void. A sudden flash of light made me jump and the thunder made me yelp just when I thought it was over the ground shook as something heavy hit the ground.
• “What-what?”
• Dash stood. “The trees are falling. Damn it the road must be blocked now.”
• “I’m sorry. I guess you’re stuck here for the night.”
• He scratched the top of his head. “Damn it. Don’t worry about me I’ll crash on the couch.”
• “Dash, this is a ten-bedroom Victorian mansion, why would I make you sleep on the couch?”
• He shrugged. “Because I’ve been nothing but a douche to you.”
• “True but you’ve got some good points too.”
• I wasn’t going to let him destroy his back on his ancient chairs. I grabbed a candle and led him upstairs.
• “Are you seriously considering selling the place?” He asked as we climbed the stairs.
• “I have no choice. I inherited debts along with this house.”
• I still had a letter from Keegan to read.
• “The bank?” He probed.
• Not even Cass knew about Keegan’s debt piling over my shoulder. I was embarrassed about the amount and my inability to pay it off. A part of me hoped he would go away. Keegan hadn’t told me what Dad borrowed the money for and now I had no way of knowing what he used the money for.
• I opened the bedroom door opposite mine. The others had been closed off for years. This one had been used as a laundry room. I set myself up because my red bra lay discarded on the foot of the bed.
• “It’s the best room we have available,” I chuckled nervously.
• He settled on the edge of the double bed and picked up the strapless bra. I cringed. He flipped it over and traced the lace.
• “Beats the couch.”
• I snatched the bra from him and died internally.
• “Nothing I haven’t seen before Zora,” he said gently.
• “Please stop,” I groaned.
• “You weren’t a lingerie type of girl back then.”
• I left the candle on the wooden table and turned to leave before I died of mortification.
• Dash shut the door before I could leave. His sage and sandalwood scent drew me in like a moth to a flame. His green eyes were like a siren song. Dash knew the dangers of getting too close so he kept his hands to himself. We agreed to stay out of each other’s way. There wasn’t just history between us there was pain and unanswered questions. I wasn’t about to bring myself to ask them.
• “What? You’re not scared of thunder are you?” I asked, with a racing heart.
• “No, but you are.”
• “I’ll be fine I have—”
• “Gummy bears.” He finished. “I know.”
• Geez, I really let this guy in and at the same time shut a lot of guys down. That’s what happens when the guy you gave your heart to leaves after an argument without as much as a goodbye.
• “You didn’t answer my question.”
• “What question?”
• “Is the bank closing on the house?”
• I frowned. “No…”
• “Come on, Zora I want to help you.”
• “My Father borrowed money from some guy and now he wants it back and I don’t have it. He keeps pushing and adding interest.”
• He nodded firmly and walked to the bed. That’s it?
• “He a wolf?” Dash asked as he settled on the bed and kicked off his boots.
• “I-I don’t know.”
• “Right, humans can’t tell. Has he threatened you?”
• “No, he’s just persistent. I thought you were him earlier. I found a letter from him.”
• Did he suddenly care about me? We fell into silence again when I met his eyes illuminated by the dim candlelight it felt like a thousand words were said. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and turned around.
• “Goodnight… Dash.”
• “Goodnight Zora.”