Chapter 6

SPECIAL PLACES

I'm expecting Christian to pull up at his house but instead he pulls up in front of a beautiful green forest. He jumps out of the car and comes to open my door, as he does he says "Come, I want to show you something" he has his hand held out for me and I take it and nod. As Christian and I are walking to wherever he's taking me I can hear birds chirping and water flowing. As I'm about to ask Christian where we're going he says "Grace we're here at my spot." I can't believe it, Christian's spot is amazing it has tall beautiful grassy trees, a waterfall and a glistening pond and last but not least a stone platform with pedestals and a picnic basket, picnic mat, towels and change of clothes. Christian says "So, how do you like it?" I look at Christian and say "I love it Christian it's beautiful but I must ask you, why the towels and spare clothes?" Christian looks at me with his intense now dark brown stare and says, "I thought we could go swimming in the lake, but if you don't want to that's fine as well." I can see Christian is being serious, and I say "Well it's just that I've never done swimming before so I don't know how too." Christian's face turns from serious to amusement, he says "Okay well how about I teach you how to swim if you want." I smile and nod, Christian says "Well then it's settled after we eat, I teach you how to swim, deal." I say "Deal" "Cool" he smiles and takes my hand and leads me to the stone platform and says "Sit." I do as he says, and I sit down on the mat, he soon follows after and sits across from me and he smiles as he opens up the picnic basket and works on our lunch. Hmm… I wonder why he's eating this food when he's just hunted.

After our lunch Christian starts to stare at me with an intense look on his face as he says

"You're ready?" I look deep in his eyes as does he and say "What do you mean Christian?"

He smiles and snickers at me, I scowl at him and he stops and says "I meant for a swim Grace." I smile and finally say after a while "Sure, but you better not let me drown mister." I try hard not to smile but in the end I smile and Christian laughs in a low voice and says with a smirk on his face "Oh I wouldn't dream of it." And with that he takes my hand and stands up. He walks to the edge of the stone platform with me right by his side. I'm not paying attention to anything except him. He then with one swift move takes of his shirt and throws it onto the pile of clothes and takes off his jeans so I can see swimming trunks, which are a shade of grey. He smiles and says as he catches my gaze "You don't have to take off your clothes that's why I have the spare clothes for you, and don't worry you won't have to change out here there's a little changing room here." Christian points to a small house like place just up on the waterfall rocks. My subconscious groans, she knows I hate hiking same with any other sports. Christian smiles and I realise that I groaned out loud, oh shit. His smile grows bigger and he says, "Don't worry it isn't as tiring as it looks, and if you do get tired I'll carry you up those rocks and you know I can." I can see he's being serious, but that's not the only thing I notice about him, his face has gone pale white, his eyes are getting darker and starting to get black circles around them, and last but not least his hair is starting to change to a darker colour of his normal copper brown hair. Right then and there I realise he's turning more into his vampire self, right in front of me. I then say in a worried voice, "Christian you wouldn't." I see a smirk come across his face as he laughs.

Next thing I know Christian grabs me around the ankles and puts me over his shoulder as I squeal in response. Christian laughs as I say "Christian this is not a laughing matter! Now put me down this instant!" Christian smiles and laughs again as he says, "Okay I will, but only in the water, get ready." "What's that supposed to mean?" My subconsciousness says as she scowls, and before I know it my heads under water and Christian lets go of my ankles so I fall deeper into the cold and dark water below.

As I resurface I can hear and see that Christian is laughing his head off, I'm guessing it's to my reaction. I smile and giggle as well and finally say, "Christian you were so lucky that time. Also I see you've changed into your vampire self, did you only do that so you could pick me up and put me over your shoulder?" Christian says, "Yep did too and no, you're really light even when I'm not a vampire I can pick you up easily. You looked so young and carefree unlike your usual self. I barely hear you laugh at all." Suddenly I feel like someone has dragged a knife into my stomach and left it there. I remember my birth mum and dad, their the whole reason why I don't smile or laugh anymore and why I'm so serious all the time. Christian looks at me and asks "Grace, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything." I look at him and my subconscious says "Grace, what are you doing? Tell him already, he told you about him being a hybrid." My subconsciousness is right he told me a secret of his now it's my turn to tell him one about me. I sigh and say, "Christian there's something I need to tell you, you can't tell anyone." My voice is barely noticeable but he can hear it and nods as he says, "Of course Grace, you can trust me with anything." I say, "Well it's a long story" He nods and says "I'm here Grace, tell me" I nod and start talking.