My nose itches from the cold, and my cheeks burn.
The breeze is carrying tiny shards of ice, whipping the exposed skin.
I snort and frown, eyeing the kids as they slide down the snowy hill. My frown deepens. The hill stands stall in the park, and the slides end a few meters before where the benches, trees, and pathways start. My heart thumps; they're going down fast. Like, too fast. If they crash into something, they're going to turn into some sort of smashed up crepes. Or then again, they could slam into a street lamp and get cut in half, split in two, and—!
"Are you cold?" Jordan asks, interrupting my train of thought.
Shifting my attention to the demon, I shook my head. His answer? A knowing smile. OK, fine, I'm lying. My lips are quivering. It's not my fault if I'm not good with the cold. I always feel like I'm going to freeze to death at the slightest drop in temperature.
Y'know what? I blame Miria and the old cabin in the yard.
Conditioned reflexes are hard to break.
Anyway, the kids seem to be having fun, unbothered by the chilly weather.
Now that they're done with their ride—and haven't crashed into anything by some sort of miracle—, they're climbing up the hill again. Ellena and Elois drag Jonathan in their wake by pulling on his arms, the old vampire lying on his back, dozing off. He's leaving a trail in the snow; it's almost as if the kids are dragging a dead body. Meanwhile, James, wearing Ellena's beautiful, bright pink coat, is in charge of bringing up the crazy carpet.
He's dutifully avoiding looking at his patriarch and tagging alone.
Though I'm pretty sure he's wondering the same thing as I do: How many more times are the kids going to slide down the darn hill before getting tired? They've been at it for an hour already. Well, not like it's my problem. It's James who's on babysitting duty right now.
"Here, take it." Jordan's voice trembles with a hint of amusement, and my nose scrunches up. I glare at the scarf in his hand. It was wrapped around his neck a second ago. "Come on, take it. My arm is getting numb."
As if. You're a demon and a goddamn patriarch, pal.
Still, I take the scarf.
Even through my gloves, I can feel the warmth.
I fiddle with it for a moment. For some reason, I'm reminded of our first meeting. That day, too, he handed a piece of clothing over so I could warm myself up. The only difference is that, at the time, I was almost butt-naked, parading around in my underwear. While right now, I'm already cuddled up in a warm coat. I just forgot to pick up a scarf before leaving the house.
Jordan's mouth moves, and before he can ask if I need help, I quickly wrap the scarf around my neck, pulling it up before my nose. His lips curl up higher, and the corners of his eyes crinkle.
"So," I mumble, staring at the kids again. "You're sure this place is… Well, y'know?"
I don't finish my sentence. Although I've been scanning the area since we arrived and have yet to see the shadow of a lycan among the passersby, it doesn't mean there's none around. They might just not be in sight. The thing is, these guys have good hearing, as if their sense of smell wasn't enough, and I gotta be careful with what I say. One wrong word, and the plan could go downhill in the snap of a finger.
Whatever. I don't need to say more for Jordan to get the underlying meaning.
This place seems so peaceful that it's hard to believe it's a hunting ground. Then again, all places seem peaceful until tragedies strike.
"Yes, I'm sure it's the place your brother recommended." Jordan plays along. "He said that they are a lot of children wandering around, and the kids should be able to make some friends."
Half-truths, and half-lies, huh? Still, if Bryan told him to watch out for this place, then he must have had his reason. My brother isn't the kind to spout nonsense and waste people's time.
It reminds me… Did they discuss how two Seers can be born at the same time yesterday? My mind is so darn blurry. I can't remember well, so maybe they did, or maybe they didn't. Not like it's the right time to ask about it, not with potential Peeping Toms hiding nearby.
But what else could we talk about? I don't know.
Now that I think about it, do we even engage in small talk usually?
Most of the time, we talk about the kids, or his cases, or my problems.
When we don't, we stay silent.
Although, I'm not sure staying silent right now is the right thing to do. To start with, what do people talk about when they're on a family outing? 'Cause that's clearly what this is—or what it's supposed to look like.
Either way, I've got no clue what to say now.
"Did you make resolutions for the new year?" As always, it's Jordan who breaks the silence and gets the ball rolling.
It's a strange question, though.
"Resolutions?" I repeat, adjusting the scarf on my nose—thanks to my breath, the wool has already gotten moist, and it feels disgusting against my lips. Gosh, I hate winter.
"Well, yes. It's a popular custom outside of our little piece of land."
I might not be up to date with what the outside world does, but I know that much, thank you. It's just that I've never made any resolutions before. I've never seen the point; my only goal has always been to survive the year in one piece. Nothing more.
But that goal… It's no longer applicable to my current life, I guess.
Still, I don't know what to answer, so I redirect the question toward him.
"What about you? Did you make some?"
"Not really," Jordan admits with a chuckle. "It's a human custom." He pauses before shrugging, his voice dripping with honey. "But if I had to make some, I'd probably go with something along these lines: ensuring the happiness of my family, protecting them from harm, and, well, getting rid of as many troublemakers as I can in a year." He clicks his tongue and adds with a wink, "It's annoying when they break my peace."
The laugh that comes out of my mouth sounds like a snort.
These answers fit him.
But who does he consider as members of his family, truly?
I don't want to know. Even if I already know.
Words linger on my tongue, but I say nothing. Instead, I fiddle with the scarf and look at the kids. Their laughter echoes in among the bystanders' whispers. It's getting late, and the park will soon be deserted. It looks like the bait hasn't been successful tonight.
Or if it is, the lycans are being quiet, bidding their time.
"So, what about you?"
Jordan insists.
Silence settles as I let go of the scarf.
I still have no idea. What kinds of resolutions would I like for this year? Good question. I can't think of any. Oh, well, maybe not getting kidnapped in the next few months would be a good start, but bad luck tends to come in threes, so I wouldn't bet on that one.
Otherwise… I want to ruin Miria. Only, that's easier said than done. She's got good backing. That two-faced hypocrite knows how to flatter hunters and get the clan heads smitten with her little ploys; she'd have made a great politician. A vampire elder is also on her side, and that's just the tip of the iceberg I know of. Whatever else lay under the murky water is unknown.
Digging the skeletons is something that'll take time.
A year might not be enough.
And then, perhaps I also want to mend my relationship with my twin. We're on the right track, and I want it to continue that way. On the other hand, I want to get to know my father better. I can't forgive years of neglect, but I'm curious about what's hidden underneath the cold mask.
"Hm?" Jordan tilts his head. He's waiting for an answer.
A movement draws my attention to Ellena and Elois. Their smiles are stretching so wide that they seem to be reaching their ears. They bounce around and excitedly gesture at James and Jonathan to climb the hill for another round. Again, they have to drag the sleepy patriarch.
In the end, I can only answer Jordan's question with the obvious.
"Not making the kids cry. That's my dearest resolution for this year."
If only to spare my eardrums.