Blood Moon [a Twilight Saga FanFiction]

Father Figure - Johann's POV

(Authors Note: I do not speak German; therefore anything that is said in German will be a full piece of dialogue written in English, in italics within quotation marks. Not to be confused with just a single word italicised amongst regular words, which is an emphasised word or a sentence in italics outside of quotations marks being a thought.)

STAYING WITH ELIZABETH AND IGOR WAS... great. They taught me so much more than just how to speak, write and read English.
     During my first year of being a vampire, Elizabeth stayed with me more than Igor. She taught me all she knew of the ever-growing, ever-changing language, she taught me art and that I'm not very good at it. We read books, and some I'd read over and over again. Of course, some of the books were as old as Igor so there were words I couldn't understand, of which one of them explained to me what those words meant.
    One day during the first week, the only day that first month I was left with Igor, Elizabeth and Verity left before dawn and came back after the sun had set with boxes and bags filled with stuff. They had gone back to Germany to get some things.
     Verity and I got closer, over my year. She was so much like the little sister I fought to remember. I loved going for runs with her.
     When my eyes turned gold like Elizabeth's and Igor's, I was finally relaxed enough to notice things about my new family. When I wasn't too afraid of catching my own reflection.
     I noticed how Elizabeth was only ever smiling the kind of smile that you saw in the eyes when Igor was close to her. How Elizabeth stuck her tongue out while she painted, and how Verity had picked up that trait for when she was writing anything from poetry to prose.
     "Can I read it, please?" I asked once when she announced she was done her thirteenth poem since our move.
     "No!" she yelled. "I don't like it."
    So she put it in her folder of things she'd never let her family look at, and moved on to the next one.
     I noticed how Igor acted and moved with his Elizabeth. How he would always look at her when she talked, even if she was in another room, he'd still cock his head in her direction. How he'd brush her hair in the mornings, or zip her up when she couldn't quite reach then always free her hair for her. If her dress had a ribbon, he'd tie the bow up with such delicate focus and he'd always tuck her hair behind her left shoulder.
     When they built my room, Igor tried to take all the work off Elizabeth, something she caught and teased him about... which led to Verity and I leaving the house for the day.
     I noticed how Igor only laughed his big, belly filled laughed when he was with her.
     When they trusted my control enough to leave me alone in the house, I noticed how Igor was always the last to leave and would always make sure Elizabeth was ready for whatever the day held ahead for her. Then he'd always grab his jacket, ruffle my hair and say goodbye to me, then leave.
     I noticed how Igor loved his wife more than anything in the world, even more than his books. I noticed how Igor played with his daughter whenever she felt bored, how he helped her as much as he could when modern schoolwork became too confusing for he told mind, whether she had been focusing in class or not.
     I noticed how Igor always took the time to explain everything to me. How he would wait for me to be able to understand, before moving on. How when we'd hunt, he'd make sure I was comfortable before anything.
     I couldn't remember, even if I force myself to look past the haze of my past, my father ever caring for any of us as Igor cared for his family.
     I was paying super close attention to the details, so I noticed when Igor arrived back at the house earlier than usual. I heard him driving down the way to the house. He stayed in his car instead of immediately getting out, which made me worried. They didn't need to explain to me what could happen. After Hitler, I knew.
     I tried not to move too much in case he heard me, but I was able to turn and look out the window to him in his car.
     His hands were covering his face, tight enough to look as if he were trying to tear it off. His muscles were tense. Tenser than I had ever seen him.
     "Igor?" I finally said and he didn't move. "Are you alright?"
     No movement. No answer.
     "Shall I call for Elizabeth?"
     "No," he finally said. His voice sounded rough.
     I finally ran out to meet him but stopped at the porch. As much as I wanted to know what was wrong with him, I didn't dare approach him until he was ready. I never approached my father when he was upset, the one time I had, had gotten hit over the head with the barrel of a gun.
     I knew Igor was nothing like my human father, but I also didn't know how to react to Igor in this state.
     The sound of approaching steps caught my attention. I noticed even Igor slightly moved.
     I didn't recognise the vampires, but I quickly assumed that they were part of the London coven I was told I'd meet once I could control myself. Elizabeth had said that she was afraid I wouldn't stop myself from attacking her father if she had started growling at him first. Something I could agree with.
     The three vampires ran up to Igor's car, tore off the door and before he could react, tore him out of it.
     Igor landed, turned on the ground and wound up standing, his bright red eyes open and glaring at the Londoners.
     Red?
     "This is our land, Igor!" the woman shrieked. "How dare you hunt here!"
     "It was an accident," Igor hurried to explain calmly. "A mere slip up."
     He killed! He killed a human! Drank their blood!
     "Bullshit," she spat at him.
     "My daughter will be so proud of you," the elder male growled. Igor growled in response.
     "It had to be that group of humans, didn't it? That human!" the younger male yelled before charging for Igor.
     The other two followed.
     Though I was at the end of my year, my instincts took over. These unknown vampires were attacking my leader and father for all intense and purposes. They were hurting my coven.
     So without thinking, I rushed towards them. I managed to knock away the female. Managed to get around the elder male, breaking off his head and knocking the body into the younger male before they even realised I was there.
     "Johann, enough," Igor said behind me.
     "They were going to hurt you," I said and waited for the younger man or woman to attack.
     "I deserve it. I-"
     "I don't care what you did. Neither will your daughter. Neither will your wife. As a wise woman once told me, almost a year ago, mistakes happen."
     Igor sighed.
     The old man's head began to reattach itself to the body. Gross, but fascinating, to witness.
     "So, a new member of the clan?" the woman asked. She kicked the head closer to the body to help.
     Their red eyes glowed a lot brighter than Igor's. I wondered idly if mine had the same shine to them when they had been red.
     "Welcome," the young man said. "You see almost puppy loyal to your leader."
     I found myself growling again. Puppy? As if I were a dog!
     Igor's hand on my shoulder reminded me to keep calm.
     "They're friends, Johann," Igor said.
     "They tried to attack you," I argued.
     "He killed humans!" the woman yelled.
     "By the looks of your eyes, so have you!" I snapped right back. "If anyone can understand the lures of blood I would have thought it'd be those who drink it more than those who don't. Guess I still have a lot to learn."
     "Look, I'm sorry," Igor said behind me. "I screwed up. Do you not think the guilt I feel, and what I'm going to see in Miss Elizabeth's eyes, is enough a punishment for what I've done? We will be leaving soon now, it's what we do. Leave when a mistake is made. So please, just... leave us alone."
     "So much for goody goody vampire, Igor," the younger man said and laughed. "Knew you'd break one day."
     I went to pounce again but Igor held me back.
     "It was a mistake. Unfortunate and..." His hand tightened on my shoulder and the woman smiled.
     "Felt good, didn't it?" she asked. "To taste human blood again?"
     "Bet you loved feeling it in you again. Feeling how strong it makes you, how great it feels coursing through your limbs," the young man added.
     Now it was Igor who almost pounced. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back, together we walked towards the house.
     "Hey! Newborn!"
     I stopped and looked over my shoulder to the three vampires watching us.
     "Are you disappointed in him?" the old man asked.
     "Not at all," I answered and gave them the calmest smile I could muster. "I was taught in my first month that this mistake could happen to anyone. Elizabeth herself has come home from the hospital, tense, black-eyed, covering her face and has been quick to get her work clothing off before hunting. Igor the same. I have been told of stories of humans that smell better to vampires than other humans, and I expect that is what has happened today. Except that human managed to bleed. Vampires like us, vampires who fight against the lure of human blood, you may not understand, but we never leave the war. There is always a battle in our minds and bodies, wanting the blood that pulses around us, but knowing better than the monster that roars inside. And sometimes, it is unfortunate and sad, but sometimes that monster wins."
     I closed the door between us and them. I turned and saw a smiling Igor.
     "What?" I asked.
     "Thank you," he said.
     "Was I right?"
      He nodded and almost went into the seating room, but stopped when he looked at the portrait of the late Very Cullen and decided to sit in another room.
     "You do know that she's not going to be disappointed in you, right?" I asked and followed him to the dining room. He had his back to me but I could still see the tension in his shoulders. "Elizabeth? She loves you too much. She's not going to be mad because you made a mistake."
     "Ten," Igor said.
     "Excuse me?"
     "Ten humans died today, Johann. I... Ten. I... I didn't-"
     "Couldn't," I corrected him.
     He turned to face me again, the red eyes not scaring me like I thought they may have. They were still Igor. Still had his kindness behind them, still the man I looked up to.
     And he was afraid.
     "Igor, that day in the Führer's office. What do you think stopped me from fighting back?" I asked.
     It was the first time I had spoken German since I learnt full English, but he cooperated.
     "My hands at your neck," he said and I laughed.
     "Partially. It was you. I... I didn't want to disappoint you any more than I potentially already had. Even as a human, Igor, I looked up to you, and I still do. You're more compassionate than you realise and when you love... you're a better man than anyone I ever remember meeting. And I hope to share those abilities with you one day. That's why I know they won't be mad at you."
     "You could never disappoint me, Johann," Igor said softly. "You are also very mature for your age, from your time."
     "Coming from you that is a compliment I am not worthy of yet."
     He smiled. Though it was short-lived and he buried his head in his arms on the table.
     "Shall I start planning our move?" I offered.
     "Please," Igor answered.
     So I pulled the plastic covers out from where they had stacked them once bought, and began throwing them over the furniture. I didn't pack any clothing, but I did start taking down the pieces of Elizabeth's art that they had gone back to Germany for, so I assumed they came with us.