Fear and Blood

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Rome truly didn't know how to feel as she left her house only minutes after the vampires and inspector Milo had arrived. She hadn't been prepared for the shattered look her mother had given her when she announced she was going after Ly. That look had been enough to make her numb, but the expression her father wore, that deep, crushing disappointment, had cut her right to the bone.

She was hardly even aware that Tricia helped her climb into the back seat of Milo's SUV and didn't even notice the vehicle was badly dented from it's encounter with the police patrol car. It wasn't seriously damaged though and started easily as the inspector turned the key.

“Your family will forgive you eventually Miss Armida,” Tricia assured the distressed girl as Milo backed out of the driveway. It was obvious the young vampire knew what was on Rome's mind. “They will come to realise the importance of your decision to help us and they will agree that you have done the right thing.”

Saying nothing, Rome just placed her head in her hands. She would never forget the disbelief on Alex's face or the look of horror and panic on her mother's. She would never forget how her father had turned away from her as she begged him to understand why she was choosing Ly over them. 

The tears started to flow steadily as Rome thought about what would happen to her family if she never came back. Tricia might be right, they might forgive her eventually, if she lived to see them again, but if she didn't make it back, if she died trying to help Ly, it would destroy them. She knew that her mother would never be able to survive the death of one of her children and the others would fall apart without Mae.

Rome tried, without much success, to control her sobs, but she just couldn't get a hold of herself. It seemed as if all the tension, all the panic and the pain were flowing out of her and she couldn't hold them back any more. Not so long ago, before she met Ly, she hadn't really cried in years, but it seemed that everything in her life had become so much harder since he appeared.

From her left Rome heard Nicator growl in annoyance. The vampire was obviously irritated by Rome's emotion because he kept shooting her disgusted looks. “Can't we just shut her up,” he snarled. His eyes were a deep silver and he was looking pained, almost desperate. “If you just let me have a little bit from her, I can leave her with enough for her still to be useful. Just a drop. Just to see why Ly likes her so much.”

“You won't touch me,” Rome shot back, suddenly extremely angry. She glared at the shocked vampire through tear filled eyes. “If you lay a hand on me Ly will kill you. I offered him my blood and he accepted it. So you stay away from me.”

“You offered Ly your blood!” Tricia gasped as she twisted suddenly in her seat to fix Rome with her sapphire gaze, a look of pure shock appearing on her angelic face. Milo groaned loudly from the drivers seat. Obviously he knew what offering blood to a vampire meant. “You gave him...and he accepted...oh no. You linked with him! Truly?! This is much worse than I first feared. He is serious about you. Very serious.”

Without warning Nicator burst into laughter. It was cruel and dark and made Rome cold inside. “You stupid girl,” he smirked, his eyes flashing to their original hazel for a few moments before shifting back to silver. “Do you know what you've done? Did he even tell you what tyou were doing? You'll never be free of him now, you know that right?”

“Oh Rome,” Tricia sighed, shaking her head and looking a little distressed. Nicator continued to laugh. “Do you know what this truly means? No matter what happens the two of you will be together until one of you dies. You cannot fight it and nether can he. You may not feel any different now, but eventually you will become aware of him, not in the same way he is aware of you, but certainly you will feel his existence. Every human does after a certain amount of time”