Blood Circus

Chapter 11- Family

Damian heard Talia knock on his door. He called her in. She slipped into her brother's room. He watched her enter from his spot at the edge of his makeshift bed. She placed the tray she had carried in on the bedside table near the door. She picked up one of the cups from it and handed it to Damian. He took it and stared at the contents for a minute. The thick red liquid rippled slightly at the movement.Talia held her own cup up to her chin and looked in. He knew how much she wanted to throw the cup away, wanted to resist like he could, but she couldn't. She took a long drink and slammed the cup down again. A small drip slid down her chin and she wiped it off. She looked at Damian.

" He worries about you."

" Hmm?"

" Daddy. He doesn't understand you. You scare him." He said nothing. She finished her drink and put it back on the tray. She held the tray up in front of her and he returned his full cup back onto it. He stood up and moved over to the small window. Behind him, he heard her sigh and then the click of the door opening then closing. He stared out at the dim circus grounds. He found himself wondering where Sylvia was and if Jerry and the twins had managed to get his message to her. To answer his question, he saw the lion from the Animal House running in the distance. A smile formed on his face. His father had hidden the number in the House thinking they would have to search while avoiding the lion's jaws, but it seemed the lion had been less of an obstacle, and more of an allie. He had been so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice someone had walked in until he heard their voice.

" Something interesting out there, son?" He spun around to face his father.

" Yes, actually."

" What?"

" The lion. It seems the...Hunters have found you're first number already." he hesitated on the word 'Hunters', remembering what Sylvia had told him back in the Clown tent. His father never noticed his hesitaion and scowled.

" I seem to keep underestimating them... But that's not why I'm here. It's time we had a father to son talk."

" Sounds like fun." He said sarcastically, leaning against the wall.

" I ran into Talia in the hall. I saw the tray. You never finished your drink."

" I didn't want it."

" You need it! You're a vampire! Vampires die if they don't drink blood. Vampires..."

" Aren't you forgetting something? I'm only half vampire. So I can control myself better than you."

" I'm not sure what you are. And if I'd known what would have happened, I would never have spoke to your mother in the first place..."

" Then I wouldn't have been born and all your problems would be solved, right? Y'know, just because you don't understand, doesn't mean you have to be scared of me." He could see his father was starting to get mad. Damian picked up a book from the seat of a wooden chair next to the window and held it out to his father. He took it from him and looked at its front cover.

" 'Vampire Legands & Lore'? What's this for?"

" Read chapter 7. Then maybe you'll understand me better." His father went to speak, but a knock came from the door. He slipped the book under his arm and opened the door. A guard stood nervously behind it. He coughed.

" Sir, the Hunters have found the first number..."

" Yes, I'm aware of that." He took a last glance at his son, then left without a goodbye. Once the door had slammed shut, Damian returned to the window. The first thing he saw was Jerry's orange hair, followed by the twins. They were being told off by one of the guards for going out on their own. He led them away back to the safe house, the little hall where young vampires and those too old to fight were hiding. He, Talia and his father were staying in the building next door to it. Vampire Lord or not, his father was still too scared to go face the Hunters himself until he had figured out their weakness.

Then Damian saw Sylvia and Liam walking towards the amusements. Liam seemed to be rubbing his face. They weren't too far away, but he could only make out fragments of their conversation.

" Did you write...Yes...Where... you think...number is?..." He had an idea. He picked up a piece of paper and a pen and scribbled on it. He then folded it into a paper aeroplane and opened his window. Putting all his strength into it, he aimed it to reach them, and threw it.

He hoped it made it.