The Vampiric Housewife by Kristen Marquette

can I ever trust you again? How do I know you’re not going to drive us straight to that mad man like we’re lab rats? No.”
         Charlie stood up and grabbed her by both arms. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the lies. For the position I’ve put you and the kids in. You don’t understand. I never thought someone of my kind could have this type of life. I don’t want to lose it. I don’t want to lose you or the kids. I can fix this. I can make you safe.”
         “No.” She shook her head and tried to pull away from him, but he had a firm grip.
         “I know you’re mad. But you have to trust me. I’m the only one who can save us. You’d never even make it out of Sangre Valley. Venjamin would stop you then take you, then . . . I don’t even want to think about it. And even if you do make it out, the real world is radically different from Sangre Valley. You wouldn’t survive out there. You can hate me. But let me make this right.”
         She glared at him. She was trapped, backed into a corner with only one way out. It was the story of her life. She always felt that she never had any real choices, that her life had been planned out for her. She thought it was fate or God. Or just life. But no, her life really had been premeditated from the beginning. Marriage and babies. And now to save her children, she had no choice. She had to trust the man who had lied to her for seventeen years. Used her. Spied on her. She had never known hatred, never felt its biting, burning presence. But now she knew. She stared back at him with that hatred.
         “Mom? Dad? What’s going on?” John called out from the open door, his voice wavering with uncertainty. Amelia stood behind him.
         Both Valerie and Charlie turned to look at their children like deer caught in headlights.
         Recovering from her shock, she saw the blood smeared on her daughter’s neck and the stains on the dress. Breaking out of her husband’s grip, “Amelia, oh my god, what happened to you?”
          “I’m fine. Really.”
         “What happened?” She gently tilted her head back. “Your neck.”
         “It was Drew. He tried to force himself on me then he . . . bit me,” she said quietly.
         “I pulled him off her, Dad. I swear I didn’t know he’d be like that. I never—“
         “We know honey, we know,” Valerie said pulling both her children into an embrace.
         “Where’s Lisa?” Charlie asked.
         “We dropped her off at home,” his son answered.
          “Her dad’s going to call the Sheriff who will call Dr. Venjamin. If he thinks Amelia is in danger or possibly impregnated, he’ll grab her. Valerie, we’ve got to go. Right now.”
         “What’s going on?” Amelia asked.
         Valerie looked at Charlie still clutching her kids. “Your dad’s right. You kids are just going to have to trust us on some things.” She looked to Charlie for instructions.
         “Amelia, go get Harry and I want the two of you to grab a suitcase and pack one change of clothes for everyone, no more. Go.”
         Amelia looked at her mom, scared and confused. “Mom?”
         “It’s going to be okay. Do what your father says.” She wished she could make her voice calmer, more natural. She knew it trembled and the trembling was frightening her children. Well, she was frightened too.
         “John, how much gas is left in the car?”
         “Almost a full tank.”
         “Good. Pull it into the garage. Valerie, sleeping bags and blankets. As many as we have. It’s going to be daylight soon. Incase we’re trapped on the road, we’ll need the protection.”
          His family went to work. What the hell was he going to do with them? He had thought about running often enough. But he never had gone ahead and made an actual escape plan. He only had a little cash on hand and no hideout prepared. His family knew nothing on how to