The Reborn (The Reborn trilogy book 1)

Chapter 18

"Yeah. I thought it was creative how quickly you came up with it but a bit full of shit."

I just smile at her, waiting for the truth to sink in and when it does, I chuckle.

She gasps, "So, you never saw your parents again?"

I sigh, getting ready to talk about the difficult topic.

"Once I escaped it wasn't particularly safe. My old Masters were not happy and sent minions after me. There were a few close calls but I refused to go back. Somehow, I was able to stay free. After a few years they stopped chasing me and I was able to look into my family. I went and checked up on them." The memories come flooding back, making me take a moment to gather myself. I haven't been able to talk about my family in over fifty years and it's harder than I thought it would be. "As you can imagine, over twenty years had gone by and I was a vampire that looked the same as the day I was taken. I couldn't bring that on them. I thought they would be better thinking I was dead." I say, remembering the moment that I realised I wouldn't be able to go back to them.

I'd never felt more alone in this life until that moment. Getting back to my family is what got me through that time with the masters. The not aging didn't really hit home until I realised how much time had passed. There were some really low days, especially when I found out about my family.

"Turns out I didn't need to worry." I continue, "My mom had died a few years before and my dad wasn't far off himself. I actually visited him on his death bed. He thought I was an angel come to welcome him to the other side."

It about killed me when I found out my mom had passed away. When I found out my dad wasn't far off himself; I took the risk to sneak into the hospital and see him. He was so thin and sickly but still my dad. I felt like a child and just wanted to bury myself in his once strong arms. He was out of it a little at first, but once he saw me, he wept. I'd never seen him cry before. He thought I was dead and kept apologising for not protecting me.

I couldn't tell him the truth but hope I eased his suffering before he passed.

"At least you got to say goodbye." Lola says with tears in her eyes.

"That's something I'll always be grateful for. I visited their graves after the funeral. Nearly got caught by my brother, I think he knew it was me but I didn't let him see my face. Using my speed to get away. That was one benefit to being a vampire, the speed boost was amazing." I end with a fond smile.

"I still can't get over the fact that you've not gone crazy with blood lust. That's what normally happens after de-vampirization."

"I don't know what to say, I didn't know there was a way to become human again. They make us believe that if our creator dies then so do all of us. Suppose that is just a tactic they use to keep us in line though." I muse. Makes sense though, we knew that if an original vampire was killed his whole line would revert. Why would it be any different for the lower level? If only I'd killed my masters way back then.

"There is a lot about you that is intriguing but then I've thought that from the moment I met you."

"So, it really doesn't bother you that I'm the same age as your grandparents?" I ask, just to make sure.

"The way I see it, you have the body of a teenager with all the wisdom that comes from age. You're the perfect partner. Although you do act more immature than me sometimes."

"I so do not. I was raised to be a lady, one that could work and still keep house."

"I've tasted your cooking; you need a refund." She banters back.

"So, I'm fifty years out of practise, give me a break." I laugh.

We ride the high for a bit before bringing it back down. The rollercoaster of emotions in full force.

Lola twirls a piece of my hair around her finger. "Will you tell me what they did to you?"

I shake my head vehemently. "No. I'll tell you anything from now on, I promise, but I won't tell you that. I can't."

"I just keep imagining all this horrible stuff."

"Trust me on this, you're better off with your imagination. You're too nice to think of those nightmares." My face pulling down into a frown.

"That bad?" I give a wan smile in response. "Can you at least tell me, was it just them forcing you to do horrible things or were horrible things done to you?" She asks with a slight flicker of hope that maybe things could have a positive spin. She was so sweet. I wanted to lie and enforce her slim hope but I couldn't do that.

With a crushing blow I tell her the truth. "Both."

She takes a moment, covering her face with her hands. The look in her eyes when I told her causing tears to form again in mine. With a shuddering breath she uncovers her face and looks to me. Anger and determination steeling on her face. "If I didn't know those A-holes were already dead then I would be out there now hunting them down. Instead, I vow to you that I will do everything in my power to protect you."

"I know. A part of me wants to say that you don't need to but, you look so sexy like this." She snorts, ruining the moment. Then again that was part of my intention. "I love you. Never in a million years did I think I would get to experience this strong a bond. Definitely not in my pre-vamp days or my vamp days for that matter. Life was just about surviving, then one day I meet you. All it took was one smile and I found myself smiling properly for the first time in a very long while."

Lola moves into the back of the car with practised ease, pulling me along with her. Suddenly the talking is not important as we get to know each other on a physical level. Experiencing each other in ways that we've done before but this time feels so much more important.