"Have you found anything yet?"
Sean asks his father who has been ignoring them from the moment they found out about Erika and Amber's sudden death was making the matter even worst.
It was true that both the twin have been spending less time with Erika after their mate came and they didn't thought much about it. But after Finn's fight with his mate and then with Erika they both were avoiding her just so no any confusion would be created between their mate and them.
In hope that their mate will come along with the fact that Erika was just like a sister to them or better yet like a brother as that's how they have seen her all their life. They practically wore same clothes, but unfortunately it wasn't enough reason for them to trust Erika and the twin relation.
So, keeping their distance in hope that Erika would understand they totally shut her only to sort everything out later. And now they are paying the price for their negligence towards her, if only they had been with her may be she wouldn't have just disappeared like this.
Now, here they are both standing in front of their father who hasn't even spoken a word with them after he found the whole deal between Erika and them.
Sean taps his foot impatiently waiting for his father to tell them if they got any progress about her search that they have no clue what's going on. Their father had gone as far as warning them to stay away while he finds her so here they are trying to know if they had found her yet.
Giovanni once again looks at his son, he feels nothing but anger. How can his son be so stupid to throw away such a special bond between them and Erika?
God knows when they were going to tell him about the conflict between them if he hadn't asked about Erika the day of the graduation only to find out she hadn't attend school for past few weeks and no one has any clue about the girl.
He can't express the feeling when he found she wasn't attending her own graduation that day but when he saw her house was locked and half of her things were missing, now that was a different matter.
The fear that crept in his soul is something he never wants to have for anyone and now that Amber was dead as well so imagine the rage he had towards his sons. He couldn't even be disappointed at them right now because he really doesn't want to feel anything towards his sons.
Marisa worries looking at her mate who hasn't rest one bit after the news about Erika had gone missing. All of the men in the house are in their own daze not believing the news while the Ali and Ami are in their father house.
The twin didn't wanted to say something they will regret to their mate so they had send them to their father's for few days till this whole situation is under control.
Giovanni hasn't spoken a word to any one of his son and that worries her a lot. No matter what the mistake the boys have ever done Giovanni was there to stop or correct it or punish them but he never once gave them a silent treatment.
It hurts to see all of them in so much pain. She also can't help but worry about Erika who just lost her mother. Poor girl, where has she gone? She worries if Erika is safe or not or if she has a roof under her head and food to eat.
She has to do something to put her family back together being mad at each other will not help the situation but will make everything more worst.
"We will find her don't worry boys, just wait for few more days for the trackers to find her whereabouts then we can go fetch her"
Rubbing Giovanni's back she tries to soothe him and give him the comfort he wants before smiling at her son in assurance.
"But where the hell could she have disappeared?" Finn groans.
Frustrated at everything around he can't handle this and above all his own father silence is killing him but he knows his father isn't someone who will give up easily.
"Dad" both the twin speaks in unison.
Giovanni looks at his sons who has been coming to him every few seconds so he will talk or forgive them but to forgive them isn't in his hand.
"I really have nothing to hear or talk with anyone of you, its better if you just leave me alone"
With that said leaving the boys he storms out of the room with Marisa following her mate so she can try to soothe his anger.
"It's my entire fault, I should have stayed and asked her why was she fighting with me or why she wasn't attending the school anymore, if only" Finn stops as Sean hugs him.
"It's not your fault bro, don't blame. She is our tiger she is going to be fine so don't feel guilty. We will find her and when we do she is going to get an earful for disappearing like this" Sean comforts his twin.
"You are right, we will find her. But the thing, what's eating me the most is why she didn't come to us when she needed us. She knew we would be there for her no matter what?" Finn asks.
It was a known fact that the boys would do or leave anything to come for her aid, that's how their friendship worked being there for each other no matter what the situation is, they always had each other's back.
The chain of their thoughts is interrupted when Sean's phone rings.
Marisa sits beside her mate trying hard to make him feel better and not guilty about everything happening with Erika.
"Relax Gio we'll find her okay?" she smiles reassuring him but he just shakes his head.
"She could be anywhere right now. She was alone to deal with all this honey and she didn't say a word about it not even when we met her at the restaurant. I should have been more attentive when she stopped hanging around or when I saw her working. I should have realized and known something was wrong in her life. But I let it slip thinking it's just some misunderstanding between her and the twins" he rubs his face.
"I cannot believe they just shut her down just because they couldn't clear their mates doubt about Erika. They have known each other since ages and now. If only we were there for her, I can't imagine how she is handling all this." He sighs heavily as Marisa hugs him
"Don't think much Gio it's going to be alright. The twins are guilty already because of it, I know what they did was wrong but they are too young so it's natural they make mistakes."
Giovanni kisses his mate, she is the one who seems to know how to soothe and care about him and at the same time she knows exactly how to handle the situation. He couldn't have asked for a perfect mate than her. She was the pillar who has kept all of the men in the house in tact and strong giving them the love, patience, understanding they all need at times.
It's like somehow she can feel the feeling and turmoil every one of them are going through. She knows exactly how to handle them and say what will keep them going on in the life. None of them can imagine life without her his mate and the mother of his sons.
Giovanni stands up pulling his mate along, may be it was time he talked with the boys. He can't just shut them up all throughout his life. Whatever was done was done it's time to move on. It's not like not talking with them was any easy for him too after all they are all part of him and it hurt him ten times more to see them hurt.
"Well lets go, it's been a while I haven't had dinner with everyone. Is Enzo in yet?" he asks.
Marisa shakes her head no to that, he hadn't been home lately even if he is its like something have gone missing from him. Though it came as shock how Erika's lack of presence has affected all of them but they never knew Enzo would be affected as well.
They always used to fight all the time when together but seems like the one you fight the most is the one whose absence affects you the most as well. And her absence really had done a number to him for sure.
Enzo had totally shut down when he found that Amber was dead and Erika has left the town and without telling where she went. He should be happy now that she is out of picture after all he always wanted her gone, didn't he?
So, why does he feel guilty, scared and empty now that she isn't here any longer? He knew he had asked her to stay away but why did she have to listen to him now? She never did what he asked her to and now when she needed them the most Enzo pushed her away forever.
As the guilt and worry ate him about her, he had made himself too busy in the work like he never was before. It's like Erika took away the reason to be happy from everyone and he is like a zombie without her instant presence. He can't believe she had left them and he really doesn't want to grasp the reality of it as well.
When Julian found out he was in rage. Due to which he and Enzo had a big fight and now Julian had stopped calling at all to anyone of them.
Even his own father hasn't talked with anyone of them and as for the twin they went so far to send their mate back to their father house for few days so they could clear their mind.
Each and everyone of the Antonio's are having their own search for her except him. If he started to search her he knows he will have to except the reality, the reality he has been running away from and everything will be true if he did find her which no matter what he isn't ready for. He wasn't ready a decade ago nor is he now, yet.
How a mere girl as her can affect all their lives? But, there wasn't a day went without seeing her laugh or fighting with her. He always enjoyed when they fought, she could come up with such comeback lines that he would find himself remembering it and smile at times.
Enzo looks at the file in front of him blankly as his minds wanders off to the time he saw her last, the day he asked her to leave. He shouldn't have acted so cruelly towards her and he should have definitely gone after her when she dashed into her house.
He was more than shocked to find out about Erika's mother and he felt angrier at himself than anyone. He was the reason she left, if only he hadn't asked her to never contact them may be she would have been here with them.
Enzo feels guilty for treating her like the way he did. He punishes himself by playing different scenario's about what she is doing right now or how she is coping up with everything alone and lonely. He rubs his eyes feeling tired, all those sleepless nights catching up with him.
He needs to go back home may be a hot meal from his mother may help, he don't even remember the last he had dinner with his parents, anyway.
"Dad"
Sean calls as he sees his father coming out. Giovanni looks at the boys alertly as he hears the panic in their voice.
"What is it?"
The twin both look at each other before nodding and telling what they just found out.
"Ami called us. She said Kate had come by to check on Erika as she wasn't replying any of her calls. When she couldn't find Erika in the house they came to ask the girls about her only to know that she had gone missing. She also told the girls that Erika had contacted Kate few weeks ago asking a favor. So, I asked them to come here to talk more about it so they are on her way"
Marisa holds her breath as she hears the news feeling a new hope blooming, what the favor possibly be anyway that she couldn't come to them? But it looks like all their questions will be answered after they talk with Kate.
The girls enter the house bringing Kate who looks a bit nervous, the twin walks up to their mate engulfing them in their arms.
'Hey baby, you good?" Sean asks his mate.
It wasn't easy to send them away but with all the things going on they didn't wanted to stress their mates, moreover they felt guilty as well anger about Erika. So, to not lash out their anger on their mate they had to send them for few days till they get control over their emotions.
"What was the favor Erika asked you?" Giovanni asked as soon as he saw Kate.
Kate nods as she looks around at everyone's face, she really was worried about Erika after she left Kate's house but with the graduation coming and her preparation for the college she didn't have enough time but now when she did only to find she was gone.
If the Antonio's didn't knew where she was then it must be really bad because the day she met Erika she always saw her with one of the twin or with the Antonio but never alone.
She will do anything within her to find her friend may be she should have talked about the baby with someone but never the less she will tell everything she knows to Giovanni now.
"Erika asked me to look after a baby, she said it was some relative's child and she was looking after the kid for a while" Kate states.
Giovanni rubs his head as he hears it, whose kid was she looking after? What the hell was she doing with a baby and whose?
"Anything else?"
"Now that I think about it, I didn't get it right when the kid was around but I think the kid may not be a human" she adds slowly.
Giovanni head snaps as soon as he hears the news, this is the last thing he wants to hear if the kid wasn't human than Erika is in lots more trouble than anyone of them can imagine.
"What do you mean?" he grits out.
"For 1st he seemed bigger than any normal kids and it was like he could understand everything that was going around he was way too sharp and every time Erika came to pick him up it was like he knew she was sad and he would cling to her. It's strange but as soon as he touched her every stress she had felt would disappear like he is healing her somehow" she informs.
"When was the last you saw of her?"
"Just few days before our graduation, she had come early to pick the baby and when I asked why she just said she got an early leave. I even asked if something was wrong but she said everything was good. That idiot didn't even said anything about her mother and I didn't asked because we all know how her mother keeps going out for so long" she sighs.
If only she had pushed a bit to get more information from Erika than just may be they wouldn't be so worried about her. More over Kate never knew about Erika's mother death until the twin girls informed her. God knows how she is dealing with all this.
Now all she can do is, wait for some information about Erika from Giovanni, hope they can find her soon.
"Thank you for the information Kate, I'll handle from here. I'll make sure she is back here safe, don't worry" Giovanni smiles.
Kate takes her leave after that as Marisa looks at her mate and asks.
"We need to find out, who that kid was then may be we will know where she is"
Giovanni nods, "Yes we definitely will, if what Kate said was right then our tiger is in more danger than we think" he states.
"But how will we find who was that kid and how did tiger got involved with that kid anyway?" Finn asks frustrated.
This whole deal is going more and more frustrating and confusing. But what the hell could they expect from their tiger she always puts herself in situation she shouldn't be in.
"May be we can help on that one"
All of their head snap to the door to see the men whose faces Giovanni can never forget. These men were the reason there was peace in the world they leave in. And it seems they will once again help him as well his family to get the much needed peace.
Julian stares at his watch as he waits for his friend Romano for the dinner they were going to have. He really didn't want to meet anyone right now but his friend wanted him more in situation like this.
"Hey sorry, I'm late"
Romano smiles as he takes a seat.
"It's fine, so what is it you wanted to talk about?" Julian asks.
Romano groans rubbing his temple.
"It's the kid man we can't find him yet. It's like the kid just disappeared from the earth" he states and Julian sighs as he sees the stress of his friend.
"So any clue where the kid was last seen?" he asks.
Romano gulps his drink before looking at Julian
"The kid was sleeping in his room and next thing we know boom he is nowhere to be found, not even a clue who took him. That kid is a future we were waiting for. If we don't find him, I can't imagine what will happen. It's the 1st kid born with a vampire and witch genes, we don't know what powers are locked inside of him"
Romano's little witch of a mate was pregnant after their first night together but she ran off hiding away from him as well from everyone. But till he found out about the kid it was too late he was gone.
Romano couldn't express the happiness when one day his mate came in his house for him to get the shock of his life when she said she had their child. He never thought he would be fortunate enough to have a mate moreover a child.
He couldn't help but feel a completeness seep in his heart and at that moment he vowed to protect both of them with his life. He even forgave his mate for running away from him only to shatter all his happiness when she revealed the real reason for her visit.
Somehow his mate lost their child, one who was suppose to be the bond between them, his bloodline, his one and only son was disappeared and couldn't be found no matter what.
He was in so much rage once he knew it, that he had locked his mate so she couldn't leave him again not that he would let her go. He was trying to find any clue to know where his son was but nothing he couldn't find a damn pin to where his son could be.
So, here he was after weeks of stress and looking after his son but he couldn't find anything. For fuck's sake he was a council member known as one of the powerful vampire of his time and he couldn't find his own son which is as shameful as it can get.
"How's your mate taking it?" Julian asks to distract his friend who has a very sad expression in his face.
"Bad she has hardly eaten anything we have to sedate her man. If she wasn't so stupid enough to hide the fact that she was having my child this wouldn't have happened!" he shouts and Julian pats his friend's shoulder.
"We will find him just calm down. I asked dad to look at the area and see if anyone knows anything and I have send him the pictures too" Romano smiles at his friend.
He can always trust the Antonio men to help him out no matter the situation ask for. He owns his life to Giovanni who had saved him ages ago and now his son's were proving out to be his true friends he cherish the most, who would go to any length to just help him.
"Thanks I appreciate it all. So, any news about Erika?" he asks.
Even he was affected when he heard about Erika if he wasn't busy dealing with all the shit going on in his life he would have definitely gave hand in finding that little tiger. She really had won his heart when he met her at the Ball dance. She was such a darling and a pit fire with a tongue to slash even him.
"No, just like the kid she has disappeared" Julian states.
It really was amazing how no one had got any clue about both the baby and Erika. How can they just disappear like that? All of his father's best trackers were on the line to find her as well, even his own connections proved to be coming empty handed when it comes to knowing about her whereabouts.
They both fall silent, lost in their own thoughts and thinking every possible way to track their loved ones.
"What the fuck is going on with Enzo? Why is he not helping out on this? That guy has the power and source everywhere but look at him he isn't even picking up his damn phone" Rom growls.
The moment he knew about his son he contacted Enzo who promised to help him out but now that guy seems to be in his own world. He hasn't picked up any calls from Rom as well declining to meet him.
Julian looks at his food in front silently, it was true Enzo has every power to find anyone. But his brother is having his own guilt trip or in this case own hell for past few weeks.
"He is the reason she is gone, if only. Now he is having a guilt trip, if he wasn't my own blood I wouldn't have hesitated to tear him in pieces"
Rom chuckles as he hears it, "I would like to see you tear him apart, blood or no blood. He isn't called the white ghost for nothing, my friend"
Julian smirks as he hears the title gained by his brother.
"He is one lucky jerk, isn't he?" Rom adds.
"Ya he is, if only he realizes it soon enough" Julian sighs lost in his own thoughts.
It would be the understatement of the decade if he said he was angry with Enzo, no he was far more than angry he was down right disappointed with his brother for what he did and most importantly to whom.
Enzo was an idol to Julian who always looked at his brother in nothing but respect. The level of love and respect he has for Enzo cannot be expressed but this behavior of Enzo shattered all of that for his brother and for it to rebuild once again Enzo has to make things right and pretty soon.
Hope you all are enjoying the story so far :)