Bloodborn (sequel to 'Lucky 13')

Chapter 18: Number 1

Third person's POV

Esmee was looking through the window, at Lily and Emily. She saw them cuddle and talk next to Emily's sandcastle. Apparently, Vernon had built it with Emily. It was a thought that gave Esmee goosebumps, she didn't want Vernon anywhere near her family. Not after what he did last time...

"Are they still talking?"

Esmee turned around and nodded. "I think Emily says way more to Lily than she does to Catherine."

Marianne sighed. "Just like Catherine was closer to her mother," Marianne went to sit down at the dining table. "I don't like this, Esmee."

"What?" Esmee went to sit down in front of Marianne.

Marianne looked down, at her hands. "I've seen all of this before," She then looked away, to nothing in particular. "History's repeating itself."

Esmee gulped. "Do you really think that Catherine would... That she'd... That Lily would..." Esmee couldn't say any of the sentences out loud, they were too horrible to think about.

Marianne shrugged and kept looking away. "Catherine's acting exactly like Vernon was acting," She then looked back at her hands, bringing them together. "I worry so much."

"Catherine couldn't hurt Lily, she loves Lily too much for that."

Marianne then looked up. "Don't you think Vernon loved Lilian?"

Esmee was taken back then. This was the first time she saw her mother defend Vernon in any kind of way. Usually, her mother would say how bad of a person Vernon is and what a monster he was for killing his wife. But not this.

Marianne looked down again. "I know I've said it a lot," She gulped. "Vernon's a monster for what he did to my sister," She looked away, taking a few breaths. "But I can't deny the love he felt for her."

"But you said that he's pure evil and that he's an exception for his family." Esmee gulped, she started feeling nervous. Suddenly her beliefs, of Catherine never turning into the monster her dad is, were being shaken.

"I know," Marianne closed her eyes and shook her head gently. "He is a monster for what he did, but he loved my sister dearly. He would've died for her. He would've done anything to make her happy," Marianne then looked at Esmee. "And I'm sure he'd do anything to bring her back."

Esmee gulped. "How can we know that for sure?"

"We both know that that's the truth," She looked away, at Lily and Emily. "The superiors only have one true love," She said to which Esmee looked at Lily and Emily too. "When that person leaves, they die inside," Marianne then looked at Esmee. "When Vernon killed Lilian, he killed himself too. And I don't want that to happen to Catherine."

Esmee gulped and nodded.

Right then, Catherine entered the dining room. She stopped when she noticed Lily and Emily at the sandcastle outside, she balled her fists again.

"Catherine," Marianne said, gaining Catherine's attention. "Come sit down, dear."

Luckily, Catherine didn't fight Marianne and sat down. She looked at Marianne and Esmee. "I don't get it," She let out a frustrating sigh. "My own daughter calls that monster her grandfather," She shook her head. "Grandfather... That piece of crap."

Marianne looked at Esmee, giving her a look. Esmee looked at Catherine. "She doesn't know what he did, all she knows is that he is her grandfather."

"I don't want her to call him grandfather!" Catherine slammed her fist onto the table. "I can't stand them getting close to each other."

"I know," Esmee said calmly, knowing that she needed to calm down Catherine before she'd turn. "We know." She motioned to Marianne.

Marianne reached for Catherine's hand, holding it in hers. "Catherine, dear," Marianne sighed. "I know it hurts to see him get to your family," She said as she saw Catherine fume with anger. "But maybe there's a reason for him to visit them?"

Catherine seemed to calm down then, she seemed to consider this. She shrugged. "Emily doesn't talk about it with me," She then looked outside, to Emily and Lily. "I know she probably tells everything to Lily, but I don't know why she doesn't trust me."

Esmee looked at Emily and Lily too, and noticed how happy Emily was with Lily. It was true that Emily was way closer to Lily than to Catherine. But she didn't know why.

"You were closer to your mom too," Marianne said to which Catherine seemed to calm down even more, it was as if Marianne knew what to say to calm her down. "We both know why that is, Catherine."

This piqued Esmee's interest. "Is there a reason for that?"

Nor Marianne, nor Catherine, answered Esmee's question. It seemed as if they were communicating telepathically now. They were simply looking at each other.

Esmee looked at Emily and Lily again, they were happy. She then thought back at when Catherine was with Lilian. Seeing Emily and Lily be like that... It was a perfect reconstruction of Catherine and Lilian.

Esmee looked at Marianne and Catherine again. "Are all superiors closer to their human parent?"

This time, Marianne and Catherine did look up. Marianne nodded.

"Why?"

Marianne looked at Catherine, giving her the opportunity to speak for herself. Catherine sighed, she didn't seem to want to talk about it. "Superiors are on the look for their one true love," She started to which Esmee nodded. "The potential that's most likely to react well to the Superior's seeds."

"Catherine, I know this stuff," Esmee leaned back. "What do potentials have to do with human parents?"

Catherine leaned back too, crossing her arms. "Every Superior's Number one is always the Superior's own mother," She said as Esmee's jaw dropped. "As the own mother reacted positively to the previous superior, so the odds are she'd react positively to the next Superior."

"Wait," Esmee gulped, suddenly realizing the disgusting meaning of this. "Are you telling me that you slept with your own mother to try to get her pregnant?"

Catherine didn't react which, to Esmee, was enough to confirm it.

Esmee looked away and noticed Emily and Lily. Then her eyes widened and she looked at Catherine. "And Lily..."

"Lily is Emily's Number one potential." Marianne then said, nodding sadly. She then showed Esmee a look and, suddenly, Esmee understood their previous conversation way better...