"My dear," my father whispered, "I know that you have been through a lot, but I really need to take you somewhere to talk things out with someone."
I furrow my brows in curiosity. "Who?"
He sighed. "If I tell you, you might back out," he explained in his thick Italian accent. "You just have to trust me. Come with me now."
Matteo -- Dad -- started pulling me but I stopped him, grabbing his wrist and moving away. "What about school? I have classes till three-fifteen."
"I shall take care of them all. Now follow me."
We both crossed the room and into the secret door where Andie, María, and Mr. Corsemithe used to go out a while ago. "I wasn't planning on doing this," Dad continued, walking a few inches ahead of me, "but I believe that it is time that you know everything, and that you have a right to all this. I cannot let my daughter suffer more than she is now." I gulped. I didn't like the sound of this, but I trusted my father.
"Does that person you want me to talk with know that you'll take me there, wherever it may be?" I queried, stumbling on my feet a bit, trying to follow my father's long strides that munched up the carpeted floor, headed to a narrow hallway.
He looked over his shoulder and shook his head. "No. And even if that person would be very angry for taking you to his place, I still want you to talk to him."
"Was he involved in my past?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"You'll see."
Dad didn't say anything further than that, so I just went silent, following him around. As we reached a slim door, he nodded gravely to a guard standing by, telling him to open it. As soon as it swung open, Dad and I walked down twenty steps of cold stone floors, spiraling down to a garage, similar to Van Allens' private one. Only my father's was bigger. There were old carriages from the oldest to the slightly modern. As if he read my mind, seeing my gaze on them, he chuckled and said, "The carriages I used before." There was one carriage that attracted me. I went near it, opening the antique door. Blue velvet cushions, blue velvet curtains, gold painted sills. "I believe you remember that carriage," he went on.
I turned around to look at him. "1470. Anne and I used this to travel to Yorkshire with out maid Nina."
He nodded. "It's the very one. All of my old vehicles have been well-cared for these past centuries. Brings so many memories to me."
"Dad," I said awkwardly, still unused to my new title for him. He immediately snapped his head up to look at me with shining olivine eyes. "Do-do you know what happened to Anne?"
He took a deep breath, shaking his head. "We have not seen her after you and her fought. Your mother and I always had a feeling that there was something dark inside Anne's soul, but we still loved her. We were tormented by her loss, but we couldn't do anything. Though she was gone, we had you. I have you. There are only the two of us now, my poppet."
"But Dad," I said shakily, "I don't think it's just the two of us this time."
"What do you mean?" He came near me, placing his large hands upon my shoulders.
"I believe Anne is still alive."
He didn't look surprised. "I know. She has come back. You told me once that she visited you long ago. You said that she told you she would come back to kill you. I did not doubt her for a second. She is capable of doing that, though it pains me to know. I knew it way before you two even fought that she would eventually turn dark. We just didn't know that it would be so soon when she turned twelve."
"I'm afraid of her..."
He grabbed me in his arms and kissed my temple affectionately. "Do not fret, child. I am here. But all this talk is delaying our trip. We must leave immediately."
Hastily, we skipped the old vehicles to my father's modern ones. He didn't take time to choose a car, and the first one he saw, the first one he chose. We got into a royal blue Rolls Royce Phantom that looked so brand new, I didn't think it was even out yet. As the giant oak wood doors opened automatically, we rounded a corner into a vineyard, clearly hiding where the garage was. He drove fast, glancing at me every now and then to make sure I didn't look like I was about to hurl the contents of my stomach. It was okay though because I was used to the Van Allens fast driving. Thinking of Georgie driving, though...yeah, that was different. I didn't even want to think about it, thank you very much.
I looked out the window, still seeing the clouds flash a thunder. The rain was pouring hard and when it hit the windshield, there were huge drops of rain thrumming hard and fast. The pine trees we passed on every corner were swinging mightily from side-to-side. I truly believed this was not just plain rain and a few thunders. It was a storm. And somehow, this was a sign. Maybe from someone we knew. Anne?
We drove without speaking. Dad was just concentrating on the task at hand, but sometimes he asked how I was at the moment or showed me some of the land he owned anonymously. No one knew there was a duke living in Woodville, he explained, and he wanted to keep it that way.
"Do you come back to England or to my grandparents in Spain?" I asked quietly, not leaving my eyes from the window beside me. "Do they know I remember parts of my old life now?"
I heard him shrug, tapping a palm on the steering wheel. "Yes. I just went back from Venice five months ago. To visit your grandparents from my side of the family. In a month or so, I will go to Spain. The royalties will be having a meeting with the Daevas. And, my poppet, your grandparents know everything."
"Everything?" This time, I turned to look at him with questioning eyes.
He stared a moment at me, then his eyes went back on the road cold, foggy road. He knew what I was asking. "Everything. But you cannot go to them, Venise. Not yet."
"Then, when?"
"Soon."
I sighed, giving up. I didn't want to even go to Spain anyway. I was just merely curious, is all.
We passed by the village of Liluwaye Cone and its suburbs and we were headed straight to a road where there were no houses,but merely trees and fields. I didn't know where we were going because I haven't been to this side of Liluwaye before. But I held quiet, letting my father lead me to where I was not technically supposed to be taken to.
He took a slippery turn to the right after two miles, and as soon as we got over another few areas, a large black gate opened for us as some guard saw us from his tiny guardhouse.
Wait a minute...I thought I saw these familiar gates on an ad before. I leaned forward, my head slightly tilted in front of the windshield. There were grand-looking courthouse-like buildings on large grassy fields. An American flag, along with another one with a logo, swung chaotically on a flagpole as we passed by. I read the signs on the building we were passing by.
Liluwaye University.
And another: Liluwaye University Library.
And then another: Liluwaye University Auditorium.
There was a courthouse too. And so on and so forth. There were college students passing by, umbrellas in one hand, and books in the other. I heard far away from outside my father's car a student cursing the rain and how awful it was. I shrugged. He should hang out with G.
The university was beautiful to boot, just as beautiful as Vanmour.
"Don't tell me you own this university, too?" I went, glancing at Dad.
He laughed. "No, my dear," he replied, "I do not. But I've been helping out with the school. I do charity, raising funds helping to build more places here and such."
"Oh," I said. "That's why the guard opened the door for you immediately without having to check your identification."
"Indeed," he agreed.
We parked on a private lot for the professors. He took off his seatbelt and grabbed something from the backseat floor. "Aha," he said. He flashed a black umbrella. "So we do not get wet."
I grinned. "I know what an umbrella is for, Dad," I teased.
"Such a remark, my dear." He feigned a hurt look. After we laughed, he opened his door and went to my side of the car, opening the door for me.
We walked, him taking me past the mowed field of the university and into a building where many college students were bustling in an out. Some began to look our way, eyeing a man who seemed to be in his thirties, looking like the Godfather himself in his suit, and a teenage high school student in red mini shorts, a white shirt with the fancy logo of Vanmour Academy, red thigh-high socks, and red and white Chuck Taylor's that were so clean, I seemed so fancy. And I was, in some way. Dad put a protective arm on my shoulder as he gave his umbrella to a young man working at the front desk. They began talking about something, but I didn't hear them because I leaned my back on a wall a few meters away from the front desk. I just waited for Dad to finish.
It took a while because the guy at the desk was stammering slightly about something regarding my father looking so powerful. He was shocked, maybe, because he met a great man who was helping keeping the university be an even better school for him and his fellow students.
My hair was slightly damp so I pulled the band from my ponytail off, letting my damp titian locks flow behind my back and on my shoulders. I wasn't even aware that some of the male population in this area were all eyeing me and talking about me. So this was where the male dorm rooms were. I...
Oh my God.
My eyes went saucerwide. I leaned away from the wall as if stung, and went toward my father who was picking up the key the boy gave him. "We better go up now, Venise," he said.
I grabbed his arm tightly. He didn't even feel a thing even if I was holding onto his arm like a vise. "To whom, exactly, are you taking me to?" I questioned frantically.
"I assume you now know?" He raised a fine copper brow, staring down at me.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Please don't tell me you're taking me to the Van Allen brothers. I mean, I'm fine with seeing Axel and all, but not...not Roman." I really did not want to face Roman right now. Not when I knew that he was involved in my life more than just a mere acquaintance in some way. I couldn't-I wouldn't!
"Then I will not tell you; simple as that, no?" he said, his accent rolling on his tongue.
"Dad," I emphasized, frustrated. "You can't take me to their dorm! I don't want to see them."
"You do not want to see the two brothers...or you do not want to see only that young man, Romano?"
"Both."
He raised his brows.
"Fine!" I hissed. "Him. Roman. Now can we please just go and head back to school?"
"Come on, querida," he murmured. "You need not fear him. He may be the aloof type of ragazzo, but that's the way he has always been, Venise. I am sure you know that."
"This is not a good idea," I grumbled.
"We shouldn't waste time. Let us be off, il mio tesoro."
"If he tosses both of us out the window-moreover, me"-I protested, following him up the stairs with angry steps-"it will be all your fault."
"He can do that, yes," he replied patiently. "But I hardly think he'd even dare do that when I'll be around."
I raised my hands in defeat and frustration. I remained in silent mutiny, tagging along behind him. There were childish males running in and out of rooms, and some even had girls inside their own places. They all looked at Dad and me as we passed by, but I was so angry and slightly afraid that I didn't even care about them. What did shock me was that there were students-male, of course-who went out of bathrooms with only a towel wrapped around their waists. I looked away sheepishly. When we reached RM 24, I thanked God that we didn't have to walk any further. Though I hated coming inside the room, I didn't want to see half naked guys walking around anymore.
Dad knocked on the door loudly since some of the guys here were yelling about kegs and parties or about some NFL game. "Van Allens!" my father called.
After five more knocks, the door opened, and a groggy-looking Axel appeared, with his gorgeous bronze hair tousled, and hand resting on the knob. My eyes rounded as I saw that he wasn't even wearing a shirt. Just green boxer shorts. Though he had a very nice body, I had to admit, was it really necessary to not wear a shirt? I mean, yeah, he didn't know that we were coming but-what was up with guys and no shirts?
I felt my cheeks flaring up.
"I apologize if we interrupted your sleep, Axe," Dad began, all businesslike. "But we came here to talk."
Axel blinked, rubbing his eyes with another hand. When he saw it was Matteo, he immediately followed my father's gaze when he (Dad, not a sleepy Axel) said the line, But we came here to talk. "Venise?" Axel emphasized, blinking even more.
Despite my shock, I giggled. "Still dreaming, I see, Axel."
"Venise!" he exclaimed, more sure of himself now. He looked down, seeing his boxers. "Oh, God," he muttered. "Uh, come in! Come in!" he called, vanishing somewhere inside the room. When he came back, he was wearing a Nirvana t-shirt and striped pajama pants. "Sorry you saw my appearance a while ago," he went on, laughing boyishly. Even in his state, he was still very charming.
"No prob," I said, shaking my head.
"E' nulla," Dad seconded.
"Want some Gatorade?" Axel offered, taking out two drinks of the drink from a mini fridge beside his bed. "We ran out of juice, so this is all we have for now."
He gave it to us, Grape for my father, Tropical Punch for me. He got one for himself, same as mine, then he sat down on a chair. Dad sat on the bed with me. "So, what brings you guys here?" He eyed my father and I curiously, obviously wondering why I was with the duke when instead I should have been getting away from him like what I'd normally do.
"We reconciled," I blurted out, shakily opening my drink, just as Dad said, "I want Venise to have a talk with you and your brother. More importantly, your brother."
"Uhh," Axel said, eyeing us with a raised brow. "I'm glad you guys are now okay," he began, talking about my answer, then, "What about?" he asked Dad.
"You know."
I looked at Axel to see his reaction. He seemed surprised. "What, now?" he blurted.
"Si," my father answered.
"I thought you wanted her to have more time to get to know herself more before we go to conclusions like this?" he asked in a low voice.
"I know," Dad said. "But I cannot just let my daughter suffer anymore. At least she has the right to know half of what happened to her. To all of us in the past."
Slowly, Axel's eyes went to my face. Without looking at my father, he asked. "Are you sure, Matt?"
"Sono certo, Axel."
Axel placed a palm on his forehead. "Roman will be here soon. His class ends at eleven. It's a good thing my classes starts at two, Matt. If Roman was the one here instead of me, he would surely flip out and kill you."
"Oh, he wouldn't do that," Dad said, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
"Well," Axel said, shrugging. "You know him. He can be totally abysmal. Murderous, even, with just a flash of those eyes of his. Especially when it turns red, which I'm positive will flash on later when he sees you and Venise."
"You'll be here to protect us," I babbled, unable to control myself from saying it. Axel and Dad looked at me with the same expression of shock and wonder. "Won't you?" Curse my mouth.
I averted my eyes from his, but when he called my name, I looked at him. His eyes softened. "You know I will," he said gently. Then he grumbled something about older brothers killing younger brothers when trying to save a damsel in distress. Which was random, but it made me giggle (albeit nervously) either way.
"We just have to try to keep him calm," Axel said to my father, "when he gets here. You know his temper. Like a whiplash. And when he sees Venise, he'd totally go ballistic. He went away because it's the only reason to keep himself out of her sight and-"
I was totally straining my ears to hear more as they were speaking lowly to each other, but then the door opened and then a deep bored voice came in, saying, "Axe, get your ass up already from that damn bed of yours so we could get some food to eat. I'm freaking starv-"
Roman ceased talking mid-sentence when he saw that his brother was awake and frozen, looking at him with his mouth half open, with Dad alongside him, looking calm. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, flinging a hand toward my father in an annoyed kind of way. It was more of a what-the-hell-are-you-doing-here-without-even-telling-me-first kind of wave.
"We need some explaining to do, especially you." Matteo gestured to me. I looked down, playing with my fingers, my heart beating fast and hard.
When Roman saw me, his eyes blazed crimson, pointing at the other men in the room. "I...am...going...to...kill...the both of you," he hissed furiously.
I wanted to run and pass by the halls of many half naked, childish males and into my dad's car.
Dad looked skeptical. Axel rolled his eyes. "I told you he's going to kill us," he said to my father.
Roman Van Allen cursed something very dangerous, then stepped forward, grabbing Axel by the collar.
We were so dead.