If there was never a time that I wanted to believe in the impossible, I knew I had to now.
After seeing the way Nathan left as if the whole conversation we had didn’t even exist made me know for sure that Drew wasn’t lying.
I actually compelled him. Maybe it wasn’t the same like when the vampires do it, because he didn’t look like a zombie. But I surely did something, and I wanted to know how.
“How the fuck did I do that?” I asked, even though I’m aware that I was asking for a whole lot of information that Drew probably doesn’t have.
He shook his head. “I don’t know…”
“But?” I urged, sensing that he knew something.
He sighed before he pulled his phone from his pocket. He dialled a number as he led us back to where the twins were waiting.
Even they looked confused. They must’ve seen when Nathan left. '
“Lorenzo? Yea, Amber and I have something to deal with tonight. The twins will join you shortly. Let me know how it’s going.”
Drew ended the call before Lorenzo was able to answer, and I didn’t bother protesting, since I wanted to know what he knows.
“You’re leaving?” Max asked as he leant against my motorcycle. I growled and he flinched away.
“Yes. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Drew’s voice was sharp and dismissive, something I have never seen before, but it was strangely hot.
The weirdest things turned me on.
He climbed onto my bike and I raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at him as he gestured for me to get on. Did he really think I was going to let him drive my baby?
“Where are we going?” I asked, still glued to my spot.
He rolled his eyes at my drama but replied anyway. “I am taking you to my place. We need to talk.”
“But--”
“Just get on, Amber.”
His tone cut right through me. On one end I wanted to scold him for speaking to me with such an edge in his voice, while on the other hand I wanted to make out with him. Eventually , I decided to do as he said and climbed onto the back.
I wrapped my arms around his waist as he started to move off.
“Round up as many of the rogues as you can tonight. Remember, our home is not safe as long as they’re here,” Drew told the twins before we left.
Our home.
This is their home too as much as it is the humans’. And they were fighting every night to get it back.
I sighed. Maybe I misjudged them. Maybe they only wanted to live here in peace like everyone else. I only wished they didn’t feed on people. But then again, I can’t change the way they survive.
We rode in silence as Drew tore the asphalt from the road with his speed. I didn’t mind though; I was always a sucker for speed. I rested my head against his back as I waited for the bike to come to a stop.
I couldn’t help but think about everything that I saw tonight.
How was I able to compel Nathan? I knew for sure that I was no vampire. But could I be something else?
The thought made me shiver. In the old book I found in the library, the author spoke about witches too, but all my life I’ve never done anything ‘witchy’. And if I had such a gift, trust me, I’d know.
Sighing, I decided to embrace the wind that brushed my skin and anticipate whatever Drew had to tell me. Maybe he had answers.
But the thought also annoyed me. If he knew something about me, why was he only telling me now? Why didn’t he tell me from the beginning?
This is why I insisted that we spend time getting to know each other. There was obviously so much that I didn’t know.
Still, it was all in time.
In what felt like three minutes, we were pulling up to a familiar house deep in the woods, but I was just getting to analyse it, since the last time I was here, I came in passed out and went out clutching his back for dear life, so I had no time to view it.
It was obviously old, but it was beautiful and uniquely designed, much like the castle I live in.
As I shuffled from the bike, I took a moment to really admire it. It seemed like a house with a story. I already loved it.
“How did you get this house?” I asked out of mere curiosity as he held onto my hand. My stomach erupted in butterflies at the simple touch and it plummeted even more when he smiled down at me.
“It was my home. My whole family used to live here. It was big enough to house my mother and my five siblings. When my mom remarried to my step dad who had three kids, this was the perfect size for them all.”
“Them? Weren’t you with them?”
He chuckled, though there was no humour behind it as he shook his head. “It wasn’t exactly all rainbows and sunshine after I became a vampire.”
I could only imagine, but he didn’t say anything else. I didn’t know if he didn’t want to talk about it, or if it genuinely didn’t matter, but I wanted to know.
“How old are you anyways?”
“A hundred and fifty-two years old,” he said with a smirk and I actually gasped. “But don’t worry, I’m only twenty-four.”
For some reason I frowned at this. “You mean you died at twenty-four.”
“Why do you look so sad?” he asked with his smirk getting wider. It was obvious that he was only trying to throw me off with his smile.
I yelped in shock when he swept me from the ground and hauled my feet around his waist. He pushed through the door and led us into a beautiful foyer.
It was like I could hear the laughs and see the joy of those eight kids running around the halls, but none of Drew. What happened to him?
“Will you tell me?” My voice was unrecognisable. It was so soft and broken—broken from all the pain Drew must’ve felt all those years ago.
He smiled, reaching out to pull my lips in his which was an obvious conversation dismisser. Sighing, I decided to wait until he felt comfortable.
“Don’t you want to know more about you?” he asked, and for a second I almost said no. But then the memory of Nathan coming back from his crazy made me serious again.
I needed to know.
“Do you know how I did it?” I asked as he plopped himself on his sofa and positioned me on his lap.
He sighed and stared ahead of him for a while. I couldn’t bear the suspense, so I placed my hand on his cheek and brought his gaze back to mine.
“Drew?” What is it?”
“It’s nothing bad,” he assured softly. “I’m just trying to connect the dots.”
“Tell me what you know and we’ll connect them together,” I offered since I really wanted to know. I feigned relief when he nodded in agreement, even though anxiety was gnawing away at me.
“There is something special about your blood,” he said which only caused my face to scrunch into deep confusion.
“My blood?”
He nodded. “It is the reason why I or no other vampire can compel you.” I remembered him mentioning it once that he couldn’t compel me, but I didn’t give it much thought. “It’s why I cannot sense your aura either.”
“Aura? Drew, are you making this stuff up?” I questioned, gazing straight in his eyes. But oddly, I could see that he was being truthful.
“Every--or most vampires have a special gift. Mine is sensing humans’ auras. That is why I judge character so well. If someone is vengeful, I can see it. If they are shy, I can see it. If they are love smitten--”
“That night at the ball, when you said you could see that Nathan wanted me…” I put the pieces together. At the time I wasn’t taking much from it, but now I see that he literally meant he saw it.
“Yep,” he confirmed. “But with you, I see nothing. I wasn’t surprised though, because I knew your blood is special.”
“How so?”
He shrugged. “Beats me,” he replied, causing me to groan. “I’ve only seen it decades ago with some of your ancestors. That is why I know it is hereditary. I don’t know why your blood is special. But I know for sure that it is vampire related.”
“Do you think I'm a witch?” I asked with a racing heart, but Drew only laughed at me.
“You’re not a witch. Witches are…unique.”
“But so am I after hearing what you said.” I sighed. “And it still doesn’t explain why I could compel Nathan, and I am no vampire.”
“I know. There is more to it--more that I am willing to help you figure out. But since I am telling you this, I think it’s safe to confess that I think it is why the rogues are here too.”
“My blood?” I asked again, this time in fright. What the hell does my blood have to do with them? What were my ancestors involved in?
Maybe my dad knows?
“There are a lot of things that you have yet to know, Amber. There are vampires stronger than us, the oldest and most powerful.” He sighed again with a stressed look on his face. “Ever since that vampire told us that the rogues are a distraction, my fears were confirmed that he’s coming for you. Did you know that every one of your ancestors were murdered by vampires?”
I did not know this, actually, and the thought almost made me throw up.
“All except one. No matter how he tries, there is always one Rousseaux that lives to carry out the bloodline.”
“But why? Who is he?” Drew was being shady. Why didn’t he speak straight?
He looked unsure for a while, but I gave him a look that told him that I wasn’t going to back down. Eventually he gave up.
“His name is Dageian Belux. He was the very first vampire to come into existence, and I think he is the one who always had your family killed.”
I shook my head as the knowledge started jumbling.” So, you’re saying this ‘first’ vampire is trying to kill me? For what? Does the Rousseuax blood make him stronger? Does he have to sacrifice me to stay alive?”
“I don’t know, Amber. I thought after…”
He didn’t continue. He paused as his jaws ticked.
“Thought what?”
“I know you had siblings, and I know they’re dead,” he admitted softly, and my eyes shut on instinct at the pain that rose in my chest. “I’m not saying I’m happy they got killed, but I thought he’d leave you alone seeing that they are dead. Since there is always one Rousseaux left to carry out the legacy, I thought he’d leave you alone. But now I’m beginning to see that maybe he didn’t leave one alive on purpose. Maybe he simply couldn’t get rid of all of you.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that maybe he wants you to die too. Maybe that was his plan all along.” He cursed under his breath. “Since the rogues came, I suspected it but I didn’t think…”
“Hey it’s okay.” I held his cheek and directed his gaze back to mine. “This Dageian vampire will not kill me. In fact, I’ll kill him. If he killed my siblings then I have to.”
It all made sense now. If Dageian was responsible for most of the Rousseaux’s deaths, then it is no doubt that he killed my siblings too.
Now he’s back for me, but I won’t be that easy to kill.
“You don’t get it, Amber,” Drew said, sounding pained. “He can’t be killed. Countless people have tried and-“
The look on his face told me that those ‘countless’ people were him too. There was history between the two of them. I could see that it went far back.
“Look, I will not let him hurt you. I swore it to myself, and now I’m swearing it to you. I don’t care how hard he comes after you, he won’t win.”
I nodded in agreement before pulling his head to my chest. “I believe you. I wished you would’ve told me this sooner though, from the very first conversation we had about the rogues.”
“I wanted to, but I thought it would be better if you didn’t know. I didn’t want to stress you. But since I know you have these abilities and maybe much more to find out, I want to be open and honest with you.”
I couldn’t help but smile at this.
“One step closer to getting closer, right?” I asked and he chuckled against my chest.
“That’s right. Just be patient with me, okay? I mean well.”
I sighed as I let my mind drift to my ancestors, my blood, my life and this vampire.
“I know you do, Drew. I know you do.”