Destiny has left its mark Book 1 (Vampire Romance)

20 ~ Faded

"You should forgive." Says Neo from next to me on the rock. "Otherwise you will always be a threat. And believe me, they don't like threats."

"A reject goes through the same good or bad during their lifetimes. How can I not feel threatened?"

"You're not a reject, Daniella. You are an immortal because you have magic."

Oh. I totally didn't think of that.

Neo continues, "You are not cursed. You can choose what happens to you now."

It's nice sitting where we are on a secluded spot away from everyone. "The world has changed so much since Charlotte met you." I say, having had more visions I can clearly see the difference.

"Can't argue with you on that." He jumps up to a tree near us and looks out. "Do you remember Charlotte's nemesis?" I hear him even though I can't see him.

Charlotte's nemesis?

Neo jumps off again, landing right next to me, who is also standing now. "Her niece was envious of her, even tried to ruin Charlotte's father's business, her father was just as bad."

A name comes up in my head. "Mary?" And a vision of a woman goes through my mind.

"Yes." He smiles. "I was there the day when Mary tried to make everyone believe that the dress she bought from one of your stores was ripped. A few friends gathered by her side outside, the manager rushed out after he heard the small crowd outside yelling that the material they used ripped easily. Charlotte followed her father out. That was when I first saw her." I can hear the fondness in his voice when he talks about Charlotte.

"Wasn't there ever someone else? You keep mentioning Charlotte." I ask playing with my fingers.

"Of course there were others."

"Will you tell me?" I ask intrigued by the man next to me who have lived for a very long time.

He starts to tell me about the women he met during his exploring dates after he left because of Charlotte. His words takes me to that very moments that should have made him happy, but as he tells me I can't help but think Charlotte was always the one he loved. Finally I say when he's silent. "None of them made you truly happy."

"Yeah." After a short pause. "Do you have feelings for my brother?"

That question brings memories of Charlotte and Elijah, even ones I never remembered until that moment.

"Of course you do." He answers himself.

"Correct." I look up into the dark skies, the stars looking beautiful. "But I'm not making the same mistake as Charlotte did."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I will not get involved with him."

"Even if he asks you?"

"I can't, because I can't go through that pain again. Do you know how it feels to die by the hands of the person you trusted and love? And the hate in his eyes... I can't forget that. I even hated working in the library, and I didn't know why until I dreamt of my first life as Charlotte and seeing the governor's boss, a.k.a the king, kill Charlotte."

"Abraham asked about you."

"He did?" I ask feeling a little hope that Abraham and I can still be friends.

"He misses you but won't visit."

"Just because I have a different face now."

"No. It's because you are the king's mate reborn. He knows he will never have a chance with you now. He wanted more than friendship."

I know. But at least I could have had a chance to make my own choices. Just maybe we could have...

"I am in love with you." He confesses so suddenly that I look up at him. If only it could have been you, or Abraham. Anyone but Elijah. I sigh internally.

He also says. "I also know that I don't stand a chance."

"Neo. I..." What do I say?

"As long as you don't shut me out of your life, I'll settle for friendship. For now." He is quiet for a short moment, then says, "Elijah is here."

Elijah appears, the first thing I want to do is leave but he grabs my arm. "Can we talk?" After seeing the hesitation in my eyes he adds, "Please. Neo can stay."

I look over at Neo who nods, so I say. "Okay."

Elijah and I sit down on the same rock Neo and I sat on moments earlier. Now the space felt too small, eventhough two more people could easily sit with us.

"I'm sorry."

That's the first thing he says? "I am not Charlotte, why are you saying that to me?"

"I know you're not Charlotte. But you still avoid me because of what I did to her. Can we at least be friends so that you can give me a chance to get to know me first before you make any decision?"

Friends? I don't know?

"I made a mistake with Charlotte." His voice is full of regret.

"Who do you see when you look at me? Because I am definately not her."

"I... you look very much the same."

I get up on my feet. "I will never know if you want to be my friend only because I look like her." Or if you love her or me. Geez, why is my life so complicated?

"Then give me a chance to get to know you." He gets up too, staying close to talk.

A dark figure behind caughts my eye, so I look at it expecting the person to talk and tell why he's there.

Elijah turns to see what I am looking at.

"Is it someone you know?" I ask in a whisper.

"I don't see anyone." Is all he says when looks at me.

"But it's right there. It's a him, wearing a hoodie." I say feeling a chill run through my body. "And he's looking at me." The hoodie hides his face.

Elijah says to me, "Maybe you're just tired."

I grab his shirt after I've moved closer to him to hide. "Is it a ghost?" Sticking my head out to see, I see no one. "It's not there anymore."

Neo, "I'll go ask Elaine to check if someone used magic."

"I'll take you to your room." Elijah leads me away.

"You think someone's using magic to try and scare me?" I ask him, feeling panicked. "Or it was a ghost?"

"We'll find out."

The closer we get to the building, the more I don't want to be alone in my bedroom. Whay if the ghost or person visits me inside my room?
I unlock the door, then turn to face him. "Can you ask Neo to come?"

"He'll be busy for a short while."

Moving from one foot to the other, I wonder of Josephine is back. "Do you know if Penelope is back?"

"She has been back for a few hours already." He sees me walk away from my room, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to ask her if I can sleep on her couch." I say.

"I'll sleep on your couch." He suggests.

I shake my head. Definately not.

"You haven't read the rules, have you? No one is allowed to sleep over."

"And you can?"

"What do you think?" He asks, seemingly surprised that I could classify him as someone who should abide to the rules.

"I'll wait for Neo." I open my room's door once I reach it.

Elijah pushes at the door to prevent me from shutting it. "Elaine lives on the border of town. And even if Neo uses vampire speed, she still has to do her magic to find out what happened. It could take an hour or longer before he's back."

Looking around my room, I shudder to think that I could get an unwelcome visitor.