Blood deep (Black Series 3)

Chapter 6

Theo

Rose hasn't spoken to me the entire day and it's making me feel unconfortable. As we land, my mom and dad wait for us at the airport.

'Selena, Dorian, meet Rose. She's 13 actually, as she kindly explained to me yesterday.' I add a sarcastic tone to my words.

'It's nice to meet you, Rose. You are a very beautiful young lady.' Mom tells her.

'It is nice to meet you both. You are extremely beautiful as well, Mrs. Black.' She politely answers while shaking both their hands.

'Call me Selena, sweetheart. Now let's all go home.' My mom smiles at us, trying to defuse the obvious tension in the air.

The drive to my parent's home is focused on my mom asking Rose a lot of questions. What does she like, what does she want to study, what's her favorite food. I didn't bother asking her all these questions.

It is only now that I find out she likes to play the piano, she wants to become a veterinarian, her favorite food is home made pizza but she also adores pancakes with mapple sauce. But again, I haven't had too much time with her and I really didn't try. I mean, it was easier with Clara and Angel since they are my nieces. All I had to do was buy them cupcakes and take them to the beach.

I keep being silent, focusing on my heartbeat, on staying calm. I almost lost it yesterday. Almost is the key word, but there's been too many almost situations lately.

My father notices the look on my face and realizes something is wrong.

'Theo, when we get home, could we have a talk in my office?' He asks me trying not to alarm Rose.

'Sure. Just let me have somethink to drink first. I'm quite thirsty.' I tell him and my mom raises her eyes and looks at me concerned.

They are afraid for me. It's been 5 years since I last lost control of my thirst and went on a killing spree. I almost got myself exposed and almost got myself killed several times. I spent 9 months creating chaos all over France, draining people out. The official count of the police reports for that year was 12 dead people, but I'm quite sure dad did some clean-up after me and that there were more. He never told me the truth. My father together with Alex and Cain had to chase me in order to stop me. I spent another 3 months injected with garlic serum, until finally the cloud lifted from my mind and I became a person again. I've had three blackout episodes during my 50 years walking this earth. They started when I turned 25 and have been happening ever since.

Cain and Ivy have both investigated why does this happen to me and the only answer they could come up with is that it's because I am a born vampire. My thirst is greater, so are my powers. I can bend people's minds by just looking into their eyes and adding a hint of pheromones. I can lift cars and run faster than a cheetah and I still don't know the extend of what I can do. I have a feeling that there are other things hidding inside me.

'We're here.' Says my mother, snapping me out of my thoughts.

She takes Rose by the hand and walks her towards the backyard while my father signals me to follow him.

'Let's have that drink in my office.'

'Fine with me.' I tell him and follow him inside the house.

'So, tell me. Are you experiencing signs of losing control again?'

'I don't know, dad. Yesterday I almost killed a woman for lying about being pregnant with my child. It took every single drop of my will to control my urge. The worst part is that Rose saw the entire scene. This is why we are here so early. She didn't want to stay with me anymore.' I tell him while keeping my head down.

'This is bad... we could inject you with garlic serum and have you sleep it off for a few weeks.' My father sugests.

'Do you think it will help?'

'Well, your fucking marathons haven't helped either.' He mocks me.

'No, they haven't. But the sex sure is good.' I wink at him.

'You are incorrigible. You can't just spend your life fucking around and painting.' My father lets out a sigh. 'I will give you a dose tonight. You will sleep in one of the guest bedrooms.'

'Where will Rose sleep?' I ask him.

'She will take the guest bedroom next to the lab. We have already arranged for some white furniture to arrive tomorrow. Your mom, you know her. Always making cute gestures for people.'

My mom enters the office and sees us talking.

'How bad is it this time? Can we control it?' She asks looking at us concerned. I have no idea how she can sense when something is wrong with me.

'We can try.' My father tells her while taking her hand. 'I will ask Ivy and Cain to come over for some more tests.'

My eyes darken at the word 'tests'. I hate being a lab rat.

'How about no tests? You can inject me with garlic serum and then I'll go in Iraq or something and unleash my thirst on the terrorists!'

'That's also a possibility, but you know you can't control it.' Mom says with a sad look on her face.

'Then lock me in a metal cage, like an animal.' I shout at her while my eyes darken. Rage is taking over me and I feel my blood boiling and my mind clouding again.

'Theo?' I hear a small voice from the doorway and suddenly my mind clears. It's Rose.

'Why are you mad, Theo? Are you mad at me?' She asks with a small voice.

My eyes change back to their blue colour and I completely calm down. I turn around to look at Rose standing in the doorway. She is holding her tablet close to her chest and looking at her feet.

'I'm not mad at you, dimples.' I tell her while she walks inside the office, close to my chair. 'I'm mad at myself. I just want you to be happy. I'm sorry you had to see me like that yesterday. I promise I will try to be better.' I tell her truthfully.

'Theo will stay with us for a couple of weeks because he is a bit ill.' My mom tells Rose while putting her hands on her cheeks. 'Don't worry, he will get better, just as he promised.' She tells her before she can argue anymore.

'Rose, why don't you go with Selena to pick some stuff for your bedroom. She can show you the furniture she ordered and you can decide what else you want.' My dad suggests to Rose and she nods happily.

She and mom leave the room and I sink my head in my hands.

'Now you understand why I can't imagine what Rafe was thinking when he left me as her guardian?' I ask my father.

'He was thinking about the same thing we just witnessed: that she will be your anchor to sanity.'