Shorts

15

It's been years since Lara found out Hailey would frequently rendezvous with the rebels. Hailey had convinced Joaquin's sisters to join the campaign. Francesca easily caved when Hailey asked. She promised to use her school as a refuge for rebels and supplied troops with as much supplies as possible.

Joaquin would be enraged whenever an attack would happen and would torture his advisors. Lara kept mum and never revealed Hailey's involvement. Hailey would feel guilty whenever an innocent would die because of her.

"Lee." Hailey closed the door. "Lara is aware of us."

"When'd she find out?" Lena whipped around.

"She's known for years." Hailey admitted.

"And you didn't tell me?!" Lena was infuriated. "Why?!" She threw her hands down. "What if she hurts you?! She's been blackmailing you, hasn't she?!"

"No, Lara hasn't done anything." Hailey shook her head. "She turns a blind eye to me."

"I don't believe this." Lena shook her head. "Actually, I'm not surprised. She's in love with you."

"She's not in the way you believe." Hailey dismissed it. "She's-"

"Hailey, I see the way my daughter looks at you. You captivate her. I don't think anyone else is capable of stealing her attention the way you do. Sure, she plays around with other women and chases after Ventseslava, but not in the way you captured her heart. You can make her do anything."

"The same way you can if you form a relationship with her." Hailey snapped. "Stop looking at our relationship and form your own with her."

Hailey left Lena alone to think about her actions. Lena employed introspection and thought back on her past treatment of her daughter. She realized that she practically abandoned the girl and allowed Joaquin and Hailey to raise her. Lena knew that she could no longer blame Lara's psychotic nature on others, but had to take accountability as well. Perhaps if the child had an active mother in her life, she'd turn out differently.

Lena made her way to Lara's room. The closer the got, the more uncomfortable she became. Lena's eyes hardened since she could hear the girls. More specifically, the human girls. In a fury, Lena yanked open the doors. She watched Lara drain the naked girl before tossing the body to the ground.

"Why hello, mere." Lara mockingly spoke.

"Dress yourself." Lena demanded.

"You enter my chambers and demand something of me." Lara pushed another dead body off her.

"You're disgusting."

"I'm getting my fill." Lara leaned down and bit into a nearby corpse.

"Hasn't that girl suffered enough!" Lena shoved her off. "These poor girls."

"Relax, they are human blood slaves."

"Relax?! How can I relax when you murder innocents?!"

"They're food!" Lara argued.

"They are emotional beings! They think! They love!" Lena's eyes narrowed. "Something you know nothing about!"

"I know what love is!"

"That pathetic feeling you have for Hailey?!"

"Leave her out of this!" Lara was pissed.

"Why?! Am I badmouthing your lover?!"

"Shut up!" Lara slapped Lena. Lara stared at her hand in horror while Lena merely chuckled.

"You hit your own mother, yet would never lay a hand on Hailey."