After a week of going through the motions and waiting for Cesar, I made my way to the vampires' house. Upon arrival, Miguel greeted me warmly with hugs and kisses on the cheek.
"My dear mother! Have you forgotten your beloved vampire who waits for you every night?" he teased, showering me with affectionate gestures and his infectious smile.
"No, of course not, my dear," I replied, reciprocating the warmth. "I've come to see you."
"Then come, I was just talking to my brother Tavius," Miguel said, leading me into the room where they were gathered.
Once seated on the bed beside them, Miguel noticed my somber expression. "You seem sad. Did something happen?" he inquired.
"My guardian decided to move out. I'm not exactly sure where," I admitted.
"I'm sorry to hear that, my mother," Tavius chimed in sympathetically. "Living alone must make you feel vulnerable."
"Yes, it does. You know, last weekend I went out with Guilherme," I began.
"Yes, mother, we know," Tavius confirmed.
"And I don't want to hear any more about it," Miguel interjected, a hint of jealousy evident in his tone. "I'm tired of hearing about my brother's antics, especially when he's with you instead of me."
Ignoring Miguel's comment, I pressed on with my concerns. "That day, there was another immortal at the bar, someone like me," I recounted.
"Yes," Tavius agreed.
"Did Guilherme see who it was?" I inquired, sensing there might be something significant.
"No, he didn't," Miguel replied. "The other immortal actually approached us. He was seeking you, claiming to have seen you with Guilherme and followed you here."
"What does he want? What else did he say?" I pressed for more details.
"He didn't say much. Just that he knew you and wanted to see you again. He asked for directions to your home," Miguel explained.
"And did you give them to him?" I asked, a sense of unease creeping over me.
"No, we told him we would speak with you first," Tavius assured.
"What was he like?" I inquired, suddenly recalling a previous encounter with Ron. "Was he tall, with short hair? Big nose?"
"He looked like this," Miguel said, gesturing behind me. Startled, I turned to find Les sitting right beside me. I leaped up in shock and anger, only to realize it was Tavius taking on Les's appearance. I stood there trembling with rage as Miguel comforted me, chuckling at the misunderstanding.
"Calm down, my mother, calm down. This isn't the immortal who sought us. It's just Tavius showing you what that guy looked like," Miguel clarified.
"Les!" I spat out angrily, though Miguel's laughter only escalated. As I watched, Les's form shifted back to Tavius's, and I could feel the tension dissipating.
"This is my power, my mother—to transform into other people. We didn't mean to scare you," Tavius explained. "But if his appearance incites fear, then this immortal is indeed a threat."
"It's not fear, it's hatred," I corrected bitterly.
"Now we understand why he didn't approach you directly. He must fear your animosity," Miguel remarked, still chuckling, though Tavius admonished him.
I pulled away from Miguel's embrace, too furious to stay any longer.
Les, damn Les.
He was the first immortal I encountered, seemingly charming and polite. But behind his facade, Cesar, Veronica, Ritchie, Anthony—all warned me of his danger, urging me to stay away.
Despite their warnings, Les treated me kindly. I even began to believe he was unjustly vilified by the others, with Cesar as the true villain.
My realization of Les's true nature came when he smiled before throwing me with brutal force against a wall, dislocating my shoulder. Anthony was the one who reset it.
Soon after, Les orchestrated a plan, coercing me into drinking poison and thus becoming immortal. In hindsight, his choice of poison seemed calculated, casting doubt on whether it was truly lethal or an "elixir of immortality." The manipulation and deceit left me seething with anger.
Back to the present... With the confirmation of Les's presence, I knew his torturous visits would resume, leaving me even more vulnerable with Cesar gone.
The last time I saw Les was also the day I bid farewell to Rachel. That day altered my life and shattered Joe's.
If Les were to appear now, I wouldn't feel fear anymore. I felt nothing but seething hatred. I could endure countless deaths, but I would confront him.
~
I was about to leave when Guilherme called me into another room. Taking a deep breath, I complied, curious about what he wanted to discuss before I departed.
"I was looking forward to seeing you again," he greeted, setting aside a book.
"But I won't be staying today. Your brothers need to learn discretion or control their remarks," I stated firmly.
"What happened? I know you love us, especially Miguel, but I can sense your anger. What did my brother do?" Guilherme inquired, his tone oddly soothing despite the tension.
"It's nothing," I replied tersely.
"Don't dismiss it like that, my dear mother," Guilherme urged gently. "My brother can be immature at times, but I know you understand that by now."
"But he needs to learn to—"
"Don't be so harsh. Come here," Guilherme interrupted, his tone softening further. There was something about his demeanor that eased my frustration, making it difficult to resist.
As I approached, he whispered softly, "Don't get too worked up, my dear mother," his hand brushing against my hair. "I don't like seeing you upset." He circled around me, stopping behind me. "What happened was just some foolishness from a young man... Just like me, he cares for you deeply," he murmured near my ear, sending shivers down my spine. Then, Guilherme began to kiss my neck, his touch sending tingles down my spine, igniting a familiar sensation.
I sensed heavy breathing nearby, and when I opened my eyes, I caught a glimpse of someone disappearing from the doorway's reflection. Shortly after, the bedroom door slammed shut, followed by heavy footsteps in the hallway. Guilherme stopped abruptly, and I turned to see Miguel storming into the room, fuming with rage. I remained frozen upstairs while Guilherme descended to confront him.
"What's wrong, Miguel?" Guilherme demanded.
"What's wrong? What are you doing? How dare you touch our mother like that?" Miguel roared, launching himself at Guilherme. Tavius rushed into the hallway.
"Miguel, stop!" I pleaded, but my words fell on deaf ears. The two vampires grappled with each other, their fight turning violent. Their animalistic snarls filled the room as they exchanged brutal blows, inflicting harm upon each other. At one point, Miguel hurled a table at Guilherme's back, eliciting a cry of pain and a spray of blood. Velma rushed in, followed by Klaus.
"Enough!" Klaus intervened, but the combatants paid no heed. Guilherme cornered Miguel, pummeling him relentlessly. With a vicious blow to the stomach, Guilherme pierced through Miguel's flesh, exposing his organs. Horrified, I screamed in terror, while Velma and Klaus attempted to separate the two. Tavius ushered me out of the house, clinging to me for comfort.
After the ordeal, as we walked, tears streamed down my face as I berated myself for causing such chaos. I remembered Cesar and concluded he was right. I was too vulgar, too much of a mess. I wasn't even getting paid, so I couldn't even consider myself a prostitute. Tavius tried to reassure me, but deep down, I knew it was my fault.
In the city center, I insisted Tavius return to his brothers. After some hesitation, he agreed, promising to visit me soon to check on my well-being.
Heading home, I opted for a shortcut through the desert, exhausted from the constant barrage of catcalls from passing men. Halfway there, I heard a woman's voice—a voice I recognized as Velma's—hurling insults at me in the local language. She pushed me to the ground, raining blows upon me as I pleaded for mercy.
I realized I was in grave danger and decided to fight back. Despite the pain from my injuries, I summoned all my strength, engaging in a desperate struggle with Velma. But she proved too strong, overpowering me with her vicious onslaught. Beaten and battered, I lay helpless on the ground, resigned to my fate. But then, something diverted Velma's attention, and in a split second, she abandoned her attack, sparing my life.
As Velma departed, I lay there in agony, my body racked with pain. Unable to move, I drifted into an uneasy sleep, relying on my innate healing abilities to mend my wounds.