After a week of sulking and staying in the bed my gracious host had so thoughtfully provided, I heard a knock on my door. I hadn't seen Harlan, probably because I hadn't left my room, but I knew it wasn't him. A particularly sugary scent hit me at the same time she spoke.
"Diana, can I come in?" Selene said softly.
"Please do. It is your house, after all," I responded, trying my best to be nice to her. She didn't deserve me being rude to her.
She slowly opened the door and said, "Good morning," with a cheery tone.
She opened the curtains and almost blinded me in the process. "Oh, sorry." It took a second for my eyes to adjust, but I eventually saw she was holding a dress. It was white with a bluish hue, made out of a sheer material that would've been unwearable had it not been lined by an opaque fabric of a slightly darker color.
"It's okay," I managed to say, not being able to take my eyes off the beautiful summery dress.
"Do you like it?" she said, noticing my staring.
"Yes, it is very beautiful," I admitted. I was a bit unsure about the plunging neckline, but it was pretty.
"Well, it's yours!" she said, handing it to me. "I thought it would be weird for people in Miracle to see you come to the town in a sleeping gown. They already don't like us very much."
"What?" I said, confused. "Why would I.."
"Well, now that your wounds are healed and your cast is off, I thought it would be good for you to come with us into the town, maybe find the answers you are looking for, get some clothes, and put your affairs in order," she said with a kind smile.
"My affairs in order?" I said with a snort. "That sounds like I am dying." Then I remembered I might die, so my smile slowly disappeared. Was I okay with dying?
Not the time, Diana.
"I didn't mean it like that! Jesus, I'm sorry," she shook her head at herself. "I meant so you could, I don't know, talk to your bank and…god, I'm worse than Harlan." She looked down. She got so flustered it was almost cute.
"No one is worse than Harlan," a deep male voice said from the doorway. "Good to see you conscious." The man I had seen before in that weird dream came to stand next to his mate, kissing her shoulder with reassurance. "I'm Damien Altair." He offered his hand and I shook it, trying my best not to look him in the eye. He was way too intimidating. I didn't know why.
"Diana Carter," I responded. His firm grip contrasted with his deep, soothing voice.
"So I've been told," he said with a sweet smile. "So, are you coming with us into town?"
I didn't really have time to think about it. "I... I don't know," I answered honestly. "I don't mean to be a burden. Besides, I don't think I'm ready to close that chapter in my life."
"Well, but you don't have to yet. Maybe think of it as getting things ready for a vacation," Selene chimed in.
"I think I would want to go home first," I said. "Get my things, my apartment, my life, and have a chance to say goodbye."
"You deserve that, and I wish you could, but it is dangerous, for you and others," she sighed. "There are a lot of things you still don't know, and sending you alone would--"
"She won't go alone," a third voice said, and Damien turned to look at his brother.
"I'll go with her," Harlan announced. I hadn't seen him in a while, but then again, I didn't really leave this room for the last week.
"What?" Selene and I said at the same time.
"I need to go to Vancouver anyway. Besides, it was about time she did something with her life," he said with a small smirk. Was annoying people his profession?
Selene thought about it for a moment. "It's up to you," she finally said.
"You'd have to drive to Smithers Airport and take a flight from there. If you drive, it'll take you fourteen hours," Damien had already made a plan and I hadn't even decided yet.
"What about Terrace?" Selene asked.
"It would take longer. We've made that trip before. It's the best route." Harlan seemed to agree with his brother.
"Take the jet," Damien said. "It'll be quicker than flying commercial."
"You have a jet?!" I honestly shouldn't have been as surprised as I was because, I mean, have you seen this house? It was the definition of a rustic mansion.
"It's the company jet," Damien clarified with a sweet smile, as if that was any less impressive.
I made a mental note to ask Selene what the hell they did for a living.
"Well?" Harlan asked expectantly.
A lot of things could go wrong, and I honestly hated the idea of having to be anywhere near this man. I couldn't see him as anything other than annoying.
But on the other hand, I really needed this and needed some time to process all of it.
"Fine," I said, with no idea if I would come to regret it.