Beneath The Shadows (BXB)

Chapter 12

Ryder's POV

*Flashback*

"No!!" I roared as I stared at the lifeless forms of my family. There was blood scattered on the walls, the furniture, and a large puddle was forming on the floor where they lay.

"Mother! Father! Nicholas!" I ran to them and my hands trembled as I kneeled in front of their bodies. Blood soaked my feet and my clothes, and now my hands, when I touched their faces.

"No. No. No. No!! No!!!" I screamed and tried to stop the blood that was pouring out of my mother's chest. Her body was stabbed multiple times and I knew from the dullness of her eyes that she was gone.

"S-Son." I instantly whipped my head towards my father and he reached out a hand to which I grasped.

"Father, I will call for help! Do not move, I-"

"I-It's too- *cough* -late, s-son." He coughed up blood and tears flowed out of my eyes as my father stared up at me with kindness in his eyes.

"L-Leave. Be-Befo-re they co- *cough* *cough* -me back." He told me but I didn't listen to him as I gathered the body of my brother.

"Nicholas! Brother! Brother!" I lightly tapped his cheek and touched his face but he wasn't breathing anymore. The gruesome cut on his neck made sure of that. His heart was not beating. My brother was gone.

"F-Forg-ive us A-aron." He wheezed out and he caressed my cheek one last time before the life drained out of his body.

Sobs wrecked my throat and I shook my father's shoulders to try and bring him back.

"Help! Help us!" I shouted for help and my trembling hands were now covered in blood as I huddled the bodies of my family closer. I stared down at my own body, all I could see was blood. The blood of my family.

The stench of their blood surrounded me, coating ever fiber of my being. I retched up my guts but the smell of their blood never left me. That rotten scent clung to me, cloaked me in an endless nightmare.

*End of flashback*

As we walked towards the blood room to get our daily dose of blood, Kayne eyed me questionably.

"What is it?" I glanced at him and rolled my shoulders to the back to stretch my muscles.

"Liam." As soon as the name came out of his mouth, he got my full attention. I forced down whatever reaction that threatened to escape, but from the grin that Kayne was giving me, I knew that the fucker saw it.

"What about him?" I forced my voice to sound as collected as possible and acted aloof.

"You're interested in him, aren't you?" He punched my arm lightly and I raised a brow at his actions. He immediately got into a fighting stance and shuffled his feet.

"He's a boy." I reminded him and continued walking without bothering to look at him. Even from the tiredness on his eyes, I'm sure that Liam wasn't older than 19.

"But you kissed him." He countered and that got a reaction out of me. The events from the other night flooded my mind and I tried to fight back my eyes from turning blood red.

"The situation was... inevitable." That night, I lost control. His scent engulfed me and made me want to take him right there and then. My blood turned to fire. A fire so blistering that woke me up from whatever abyss I was in.

"I saw how you look at him. It's been decades since I saw that light in your eyes, Ryder. I don't care if he's a guy, as long as he can keep that fire in your eyes going, then I'll protect your bride." I turned my head to him, surprised by his words. His expression was genuine and I sometimes forget that he's been with me ever since I turned into a vampire.

"This conversation is over." I sighed before I nodded to the soldiers who stopped to put their fists on their chests as acknowledgment to my presence.

"If there's a hole, there's a way." He said with determination and a hint of humor, that had me fighting back a cough that threatened to escape my throat.

Silence settled over us, but I knew that Kayne wouldn't be able to stand not interrogating me for more information so I waited for his next words.

"There's something you're not telling me." And there it was. I moved my eyes to the side to look at him and his expression seemed distant. It was not an expression that I normally see on him, but whatever this was, it's serious.

"Pray tell, Kayne. What is something that-"

"His blood. You're affected by it. In a good way." That had me to stop walking.

It was the truth. It's the first time I've ever smelled and tasted human blood that didn't make me sick to my stomach. Animal blood got me through my 141 years of vampire life but even that, stood no match to the taste of Liam's blood.

I didn't bother to reply to him because I knew that he knows my answer. He inhaled a breath and stopped, now that his speculations were proven true.

"This changes everything, Ryder. He can be your salvation. Your freedom. He-"

"Enough." My eyes flashed red in response to my emotions. He didn't flinch at my sudden change of behavior, because if anyone could stop me, it was him.

He looked me straight in the eyes and flashed his red eyes in return. I know what he was doing, he's challenging me in accepting the fact that for once in my life, I could quench this thirst that drives me mad.

"You know I only want what's best for you, brother." He attested and the term he used on me got me reminiscing about the times that this confidant of mine saved me from doing things I would regret.

He became my brother. The only family I have left, ever since our sire, Marcus, died three decades ago.

"I know." I clasped his shoulder with one hand and he did the same with mine. We had an unspoken understanding and our eyes turned back to normal.

"Let's go. Your deer's blood is waiting on the blood room. I, on the other hand, am gonna enjoy sinking my teeth on human flesh." He whistled and threw an arm over my shoulder as we walked.

"One day, Ryder. One day."

A/N: Okay, you may sheath your knives😌 There will be no cliffhanger...for today.😆😂 I'm reading y'all comments and I'm crying-😂😭 Love yahh😘😘