Bound with Blood

Darker thought

........................ I felt the ground go from under me as Seth lifted me in to his arms he walked across the ground the balls of fire dancing round us till we got into the cover of the broad oak trees” he sat down on an old wooden bench resting me on his lap, he lifted my face with his forefinger crooked under my chin.

“Now do you understand why I asked you if you were sure?” he tipped his head to look at me.

“Yes” I murmured ‘I didn’t think about” I couldn’t bring myself to say it about the other head stones

“It rained on the day of your funeral” he put his hand on my head and pushed it gently onto his shoulder.

“Were you there?”

“I was… I’d been forbidden to go by you Mother but I stood here and watch from a distance”

“Why?” I put my head back up

“You know why”

“Because it was your blade” he nodded

“I don’t blame you” I put my hand on the side of his face “Marco started it that night by doing something to piss Brae off”

“I know” He put his hand over mine on his face and closed his eyes. “Can I show you something?” he opened his eyes and ran his thumb over the tattoo of the star on the inside of my wrist I nodded moving y legs off of his lap and getting up He stood up and turned ne to face him he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the tears from my cheeks. I shivered as the breeze blew round us. “It won’t take long and then we can get warm and dry in the Truck” he rubbed my arms He offered me his arm slipping my hand into the crook of his elbow and leading me across to the opposite side of the graveyard where two back head stones glistened in the steady rain. “Light this place” he commanded for a second time the fire leapt at his word. “Marco Vandes, Shot in hatred June 14th 1883, Time will come and payment will be made” Seth’s voice had become cold and hard.

I was shocked there was nothing about him being a son and brother just cold hard statements about him. I looked to Seth he took a deep breath and closed his eyes

“Seth Vandes. Died May 15th 1884. Taken in violence, War by Day, Love By Night, Bound with Blood” I took a step back as we both said the last words together. He opened his eyes and looked at me

“How…I mean” I looked at the words “I hear those words” I choked out “and a duel”

“Star” He reached his hand out to me “I need you to listen to me” I Backed up and fell over a fallen headstone

“God damn it” I groaned He crouched down by me.

“Are you alright?”

“No I’m not alright how the hell are those words on you tombstone?” I stopped and started to laugh. Seth looked surprised tears sprang to my eyes again but this time tears of laughter.

“Star” he gripped my shoulders

“Do you kow how crazy it is we’re here looking at our god damn graves”

“I know you asked to see yours remember” he looked confused “Star… the duel… I fought… it… I mean…” he dropped his head I got to my knees suddenly not caring about the mud. My Laughter stopped

“Seth”

“I’m sorry” pain flashed behind his eyes

“Tell me” I wanted to hold him now

“The duel I fought was with your father” I felt like I’d been slammed with a sledge hammer. I blinked at him

“You killed him?” I tried to swallow, Seth head dropped again “You killed my father and broke my mother’s heart” anger filled me “Son of a bitch” I launched myself at him hitting him with all I was worth, he didn’t fight back he fell back against his own grave as I beat on him lightening forking across the night sky blacking out the entire city of lights below us “No wonder I was warned against you” I screamed “I thought you had something good in you I thought… I thought…”

Exhaustion wore me down I rolled off of him and lay on my back with my hands over my face. I heard movement beside me. I moved my hands sparks flashed angrily from my finger tips Seth grabbed my wrist quickly and straddled me in the mud pinning my hands over my head.

“Get off me” I struggled under him

“No I want you to listen to me” His voice was calm “Please… Star I’m begging you” I stopped struggling as tears spilt over and ran down his cheeks “I need you to listen to me… Will you please?” I nodded slowly He let go of my wrist and got off of me and sat heavily on the ground, I sat up next to him. “Warm us please” he shivered the dancing balls of flame moved closer to use the flames leaping and radiating heat. “The duel was again down to something Marco had done” I frowned “Marco came back to life within days of Brae shooting him” He explained “Marco had taunted your family since you and Brae” he looked at me “he also taunted me because of you”

“ME?”

“Yes but that isn’t for tonight” He replied curtly “Marco followed your Father everywhere haunting him with images of the night that you and Brae died including making your Fathers dreams filled with the things Marco had wanted from you”

“Jack ass” I muttered stretching out my hands toward the flame

“You’re Father was on the verge of a breakdown the only thing keeping him sane was your Mother” I took a deep breath and drew my knees to my chest and hugged them tightly. “One night your Father came to our home demanding that my father or Marco paid for what they’d done”

“But he knew that you’re all immortal” Seth nodded “My Father was overseas” he cocked his head a little “doing business. I as the oldest was head of the house in my Father’s absence” He closed his eyes “Marco had gone on one of his women binges and was god knows where so he called me out telling me I was a Vandes and the Vandes that had taken you from him” I could hear the pain in his voice “He told me to be here” he gestured round him “11pm may 15th. So I had to do what was expected of me, it’s my duty as a Vandes… I went with the pistols mine was not loaded you have to believe me Star I was not going to take that man away from the woman he loved, the pain is too much” he looked away from me “I walked through those gates and you’re father’s body lay on roadway in front of your graves a single bullet in his heart… he was dead when I got here. There was nothing I could do I went to leave to raise the alarm and I was shot also he opened the first few buttons on his shirt and showed me the circle scar over his heart, when we were found by grave diggers the next day we both had the guns in our hands so it was presumed that we’d killed each other” He turned to face me “I will let you kill me over and over if I am lying Star” he held my hands “I didn’t kill your father but I know who did and I know who it was that shot me” He reached out and touched my face “I have promised you that I won’t hurt you and I mean it… there is so much confusion and darkness Star” I reached my hand out and ran my fingers over the scar on his chest “I understand betrayal but I also understand duty and what is in the blood” he rubbed my cheek with hs thumb

“But…” my head was spinning with all of this

“But not tonight Star” he moved his face closer to mine “Not tonight” the sweet smell of freesias wafted over me as his lips brushed mine lightly I slumped into his arms darkness wrapping round me keeping me safe……………