I woke up early that Sunday. Ephraim was still asleep in my bed, so I tried to tread softly on my floor, but the floorboards were impossible in this house. He woke and grabbed me, pulling me back to bed. “Where are you going?” he whispered. The night had been so difficult. We drove back from the field, talking about possible options to get the Barclay sisters’ blood. We came up empty. He had climbed my tree later in the night and crawled in bed with me. We slept in each other’s arms, both of us needing the comfort. “I am gonna do some research,” I said as I pulled out Aliah’s journal. “I will be back around ten.” I kissed his nose and he rolled back over. He would probably be leaving my room soon anyway; he never stayed too long. Never long enough for my parents to know he was here. I pulled on a light coat and grabbed my keys, off to the library to find my new friend. It couldn’t hurt to see if she knew anything. I carefully walked downstairs.
