CHAPTER TWELVE
TRUTH REVEALED
𖥸┈┈┈𖥸┈┈┈𖥸┈┈┈𖥸
"WE DON'T ALWAYS FEED TO KILL.
Sometimes it's just enough to get us by. However... Some of us enjoy the process." Desmond was quick to add. The sinister smiles that crept along all of their faces made Freya's heart sink and heat pool in her stomach. As terrified as she was, she was drawn to the men before her. Like they played their own little siren song into her brain, sinking their teeth into her flesh and marking her as theirs for eternity.
"When you feed, how does that work?" Freya asked.
"Exactly as it sounds. We drink until we feel restored. We're capable of feeding on humans without killing them, we just have to feed more frequently. Just because a human is bitten doesn't mean they'll turn into a vampire, it's not that simple." Then he followed with the answer that would confirm her theory. "Sometimes we'll get by with blood bags if we have access. Like we do now."
"But, there is.. nothing.. like fresh blood," Liam closed his eyes in bliss as he deeply smelled the air around him. When they reopened, they were no longer blue, but a deep brown. Desmond reacted quickly, putting a hand in front of Liam to keep him in place. Camren put a tattooed arm across Liam's chest, staring at him in challenge when he noticed Liam's gaze set on Freya.
"Stop." Desmond commanded.
"I'm.. I'm sorry. It's still difficult. You both are so mouth watering. The scent increases when you're scared."
Desmond steamed. "Liam, shut the fuck up. Focus. That's why we're making sure they stay calm."
We're. The creatures as a collective doing their part to keep the pair of girls calm. Like a clan of sort and Desmond obviously being their coined supreme so to say. Eve seemed to be on the same page as Freya, "Are you a...?"
"We're a family."
"A coven, if you will. Not blood brothers.. but, brothers for the blood." In typical Liam fashion, trying to say something silly to lighten the mood. This, of course, pulled a chorus of reactions from the rest of them. Aron amused by the blonde and stifling laughter, Camren placing his head in his hands, shaking it and Desmond groaning at the dumb things that always seemed to flow from Liam's mouth.
"God, you are so insufferable sometimes."
"What??"
"We're having a serious discussion."
"I know!"
As Freya was piecing together the small odd behaviors in her brain, another person came to mind. She'd suddenly had some suspicions and was terrified to have them confirmed. But at the same time, she needed to know. Her hazel eyes found Aron again as she asked, "Aron, you said you had access to blood bags right now. Is that because of who I'm thinking of?"
Aron's face flushed, knowing the question was coming but dreading it all the same. "Yes."
"So he fucking knows?" His answer has reignited the flame of anger within her. Aron nodded slowly. "Is he one too?!" Her body was fighting to move forward to be face to face with her "cousin" and unleash the rage that coiled right inside her.
"No. No, Freya. This goes back... a very long time. Before you, or even him. We have to have a discussion about our family separate. It's too much to do here. But rest assured, he's human." Reluctantly, she accepted his answer for the time being.
"Aron, you cooked with garlic the other night." Eve mentions, and Freya knows it's her own way of lightening the mood. Aron seemed amused by this, his eyes twinkling with internal laughter.
"That's nothing but a myth."
"So.... Coffins?"
"Only the weird ones use them," Camren answered, the tension in the room dissipating once again.
"And the sunlight?"
"Doesn't affect us. We're all wearing special rings." Aron held up his hand.
"Like.. The Vampire Diaries?" Freya wanted to burst into laughter at the offense written all over their faces. Desmond physically recoiling at the question.
"Please. That's insulting."
"Can you drink animal blood?" Eve was quick with the questions. This was no surprise to Freya knowing Eve's love for vampire lore.
"Yes," This was the most engaged Freya had ever seen Desmond, like he was proud even to be sharing the information. He leaned forward on his knees, speaking with his hands. "It gets us by. But it's nothing compared to human blood. Especially fresh human blood. It would be like a human living off nothing but broccoli for a week straight. It's.. a very depressing diet. And it makes us sluggish. We're nowhere near our full potential on animal blood."
"And no babe, we don't sparkle," Liam chimed in with a wink. "Matter of fact, I'm team Jacob." Liam laughed at his own joke, Aron and Camren joining in as well. Freya softened, finally letting her guard down a little further at the comfort of the men she'd once been familiar with.
"You stuuupid fucking bloke," Camren laughed, his wide smile making both girls relax.
"We also can't read minds," Desmond spoke again. "But," he held up a finger, "Naturally, we are more inclined to sense a nearby human's emotions. So it's very easy to assume what one is thinking. It is partially true that we can manipulate emotions, and hypnotize humans.''
"How so?"
"Aron?" Desmond spoke.
"Allow me." He smirked. Freya watched as Aron made his way to Eve and locked eyes with her. Freya watched as her friend fully relaxed just moments after meeting his eyes, Eve's eyes glazing over in a haze. Freya's brows furrowed in recognition, looking over to Camren to find him already staring at her. A blush covered his features as their eyes met, like he knows he's just been caught red handed.
Again, Freya's mind goes back to the hotel. The moment when her eyes met his for the first time and she felt in a trance. At the time, she'd assumed she'd just had too much to drink and her mind was playing tricks on her; but in this moment she realizes exactly what happened. She wanted to be furious, the way she'd just been at Aron and at her father. But she felt.. comforted? For what reason she'd never know, but she still couldn't take her eyes off of him as he looked away sheepishly.
The guys laughter called her back to reality. "We don't like doing that often. We're believers in respecting free will as much as possible, leaving humans with some type of dignity," Camren said.
"So. What exactly are you?" Freya asked.
"We belong to the shadow realm. We are in between this universe and another. Servants to Sleep. You could technically refer to us as 'demons' if that makes it easier to digest," Desmond used finger quotations around "demons", answering for the group again.
"Hm." Freya crossed her arms, her brain felt like it was mush as it took in all the new information.
"And we don't age," Liam said.
"You don't age?"
"No, not physically at least. We're frozen in time at the age we transformed. It's a blessing and a curse. Because I'll never get to be a silver fox." Fucking Liam. Freya thought chuckling to herself. Desmond scoffed.
"What? You're older than I am." He shrugged.
"You're daft."
At this point, Liam had become his usual animated self again. Aron played with his tattooed hands, while Camren smiled gently at the girls. Desmond rubbed his hands on his thighs.
"Do you have any other questions?" Camren fished, his eyes gentle.
"Yes," Freya paused and looked at Eve; ready to voice the concern she's held the entire time, mainly for her best friend. "Are we.. safe?"
"Yes," they all spoke and nodded simultaneously. And she believed them.
"You will always be safe if we can help it. Just please.. do not share the secret. Or it will cost you your life, and.. not by our doing," Camren warned.
The warning stuck deep for Freya, really setting in stone the way life was about to change dramatically for them. And after the long discussion they'd been able to have, she'd easily accepted it. As she thought back on the night in the hotel, she'd give anything to spend the rest of her life with this set group of people. The only thing she wondered now is what adventures laid ahead for them.