Chapter 153

Chapter 153
Hope

I blinked at my mother in shock. It wasn’t that I thought they were stupid.  My parents had never been stupid but it was the calm and sure way she had said it. 

Almost like there couldn’t be any other explanation.

“She’s your daughter.” She said again. “Isn’t that right Hope?” Setting the tray down she came to sit next to me. A warm soft smile on her face. I’d never seen that smile on her face before. She had always been a kind woman and extremely loving but this was different

She looked like a grandma.

“We were going to tell you,” Justin began to say and the warm look on my mothers face faded to look like the angry shocked expression my dad was wearing.

“Can I hold her?” Turning away from the blood sucker my mum smiled back at me. Her eyebrows raised like she half expected me to say no.

For a second my arms tightened around Faith's body and nerves gripped me. Every time I let go of my daughter someone tried to take her away from me. I had spent more time away from her than I had been her mum and it killed me. Even now with her in my arms I felt the guilt.

But wasn’t this why I had come here? So Faith could be safe? And she would always be safe with my mother.

“Sure.” Reaching down I began to unfasten the buckles that held my daughter in place. It was at that moment that Faith decided to wail. 

A high pitched wail that filled the quiet living room. I shot my mother an apology look. “I’m sorry she’s hungry and needs changing.” I muttered.

No one spoke for a few seconds and then my dad sighed heavily. “Why don’t me and Justin go and make some food and leave you ladies to talk.” He glared at Justin.

“I don’t want to leave -“

My father’s eyes flashed. “I would like you to help me in the kitchen Justin.” There was no room for argument in my fathers voice.

For a second Justin looked like he was going to fly into a rage. There was pure and unadulterated anger in his strained face. Nervously I fidgeted. 

Then Justin seemed to shake himself. “Of course.” A malicious smile spread across his face. Which was scarier than the rage. My blood ran cold.

“I am actually hungry so I could eat.” The smile grew,

“Justin.” I warned.

His smile grew. “Don’t worry Hope.” He drawled. “I’ll remember what I promised you.”

“What did you promise her?” My mother asked

“Oh.” I gave a nervous chuckle. “We are doing a month vegetarian.”

It was a lame lie but the only one I could think of off the bat.  I didn’t really care if they believed me as long as Justin kept his temper and didn’t feed off my father.

The door shut and their voices faded away. It was only when we heard the kitchen door shut that my mother spoke.

“Let’s talk Hope. Before little lady starts crying for her breakfast again.”

I glanced down, and she was right. Faith was quiet again. Her wide blue eyes taking everything in.

“You wanted to hold her?” My voice shook. Almost nervously I passed her over and my mother cradled her in her arms like she was the most precious thing in the world.

She rocked her back and forth, singing softly under her breath and I couldn’t help but smile. 

“Her name is Faith.” I said quietly and my mother barely glanced at me.

“She’s beautiful Hope but she isn’t a newborn.” Finally she lifted her eyes to me. “How old is she?”

I looked away.

My mums hand wrapped around mine and squeezed. “I know something bad happened to you, Hope. You look different. Distant and I want you to know I am here if you need to talk.”

Without meaning to I glanced at the door. There might be a whole house between us but Justin was no longer human, he would be listening in. 

My mother followed my gaze and sighed with a shake of her head. 

“He’s not the father is he?” She whispered. 

I didn’t answer her. 

“Hope?” Her voice dropped even further until I could barely hear it myself. Finally I shook my head.

“I see. And did ,” my mum swallowed hard. “The father hurt you? Or-“

Fuck, how could I explain this to her. Even thinking it was crazy and didn’t feel real. I couldn’t tell her.

Or could I?

I shook my head and a smile tugged at the corner of my lips. My mothers eyes widened and her lips parted in a sigh.

“You loved this man?”

I nodded. “Lincoln.”

“And he knows about the baby?” Confusion pinched my mothers eyebrows together. “Did he decide not-“

“He loves us. It’s just complicated.” Frowning I tried to choose my next words carefully. “He lives far away and-“

“But he wants to be with you? Or are you and Justin-“

She didn’t get a chance to say anything else as the living room door slammed open and Justin himself appeared.

He was red faced but his lips were pale. The points of his teeth pushed against his bottom lip.

My mother gave a startled cry , clutching my baby to her breast and turning away like she wanted to protect the baby and who could blame her. 

Justin looked like a monster. His human mask had completely slipped.

My chest tightened. Had he heard what we had been talking about? Was that why he looked like he was about to murder someone.

“Justin.” My mother’s voice shook. “What’s happened to your face?”

Leaning forward I put myself between the two of them. “It’s fine mum, Justin is fine. Isn’t that right?”

Pulling his lips back from his teeth, Justin snarled. It was a purely animalistic sound and my mum screamed. Jumping to my feet I moved my body between them. “Justin calm down.” I stared at him but I didn’t touch him. “Mum,” I called out over my shoulder but didn’t look at her. I couldn’t take my eyes from the predator in front of me as he moved further into the room. 

“Mum can you and dad take Faith upstairs please. Keep her with you. No matter what happens please keep my daughter safe.”

I knew my mum wanted to ask questions but I cut her off

“I promise I’ll explain soon. Just trust me.”

She didn’t say anything as she scurried away.

“They are coming.” Justin panted and this time there was something other than anger in his voice. There as pain.

“Who is coming? What’s going on Justin.”

He didn’t answer me, instead he gave another growl. This time so loudly that the windows rattled.

Outside the London sunshine dimmed, it went almost black as a moonless night and I clutched at my throat.

“What’s going on Justin.” My voice shook.

And then the darkness burst into a supernova. Blinding white light filled the world and blinded everything. There was a second where I wondered if this was the bomb? Had coming back changed the past and the dates they were dropped.

I braced myself.

But no pain came. 

“He’s here.” Justin spat as the white hot light dimmed back to normal. He turned to me angrily. “He’s killed us all.”

“Who?” My voice shook.

“Lincoln.”

My heart slammed into my chest. Lincoln was here?

He loved me so much that he travelled back in time just to be with me? 

“He can’t be here. Hope, him being here will rip the world apart.”