Chapter 44: Chapter 44 BLOOD THIRST

SJ wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of his father’s blood and Scarlet drank it. The little nagging sound grew louder and he could say without a doubt that it was a voice.

He looked around the room watching if anyone who was talking fit the voice but there was no one. He closed his eyes and concentrated as his senses tried to draw out the presence of someone else besides his family. But nothing.

“SJ?” Scarlet had finished drinking the blood and now she was gazing at her son with a puzzled look on her face.

SJ was pulled back to the present by his mother’s voice, “Mom, do you need anything?”

“Where were you just now?”

“Here with you.”

“But your eyes were shut and you seemed to be in a different place, and you have been very distracted today.” She placed a palm over his forehead as if checking his temperature. Immortals didn’t get sick but recent events had taught Scarlet never to assume.

“I’m fine. I just feel tired that’s all. I think I’ll go sleep.” He lied.

“That’s fine baby. You don’t have to worry about me anymore so you can rest easy my love.” She embraced him and gave him a quick kiss. “Goodnight sweetheart.”

“Goodnight mum, dad. Goodnight guys.” SJ waved to the rest before disappearing into the house.

“What’s wrong with him?” Kayla asked as she came up to the couple.

“I don’t know. He’s been very distracted today.” Stephan put in.

“He is worried about something and I can’t tell what it is. He says he’s thinking about his new school but I don’t believe him.” Scarlet said.

“Why don’t you? It’s pretty nerve-racking entering new territory.” Solara asked.

“Because one, this is my son and nothing knocks him off his feet, and two because he is my son and I know when he is lying.”

“How?”

“He does this nervous thing like he can’t look me in the eye. It’s the same thing Stephan does when he is lying to me.”

“I don’t do that because I don’t lie to you.” Stephan cut in.

“Uh-huh.” Scarlet chortled. “I don’t know what’s bugging him but I’ll find out.”

****

SJ woke up the next morning relieved that the voices had gone away. He went into the kitchen and found everyone but his parents gathered around the kitchen counter having breakfast.

“What was with you last night?” Vincent asked.

“I was just having an off day.”

“Well, you missed out on all the fun.” Eric butted in, “We tested the theory of vampires and fires and I am glad to tell you that they aren’t flammable.”

“Funny, really funny beast boy.” Vincent hissed.

“Don’t tell me, you were the test subject. Where was your brother when this happened?” SJ pointed at Vincent a smirk on his face.

“I already knew what the outcome would be. I wasn’t worried and didn’t need to step in.” Victor put in.

“My twin brother watched as Eric pushed me into the flames. Of course, it wasn’t fatal, it tickled a bit. But I was greatly offended.” Vincent pouted.

“In other words, the only thing that was set ablaze was his ego.” Jade giggled as she walked arranged the flowers she had picked that morning.

“You guys are crazy.” SJ laughed.

His happiness was short-lived when the same voice chewed its way into its ear and consumed his mind. He zoned out as the little voice began articulating words.

“This isn’t happening.” SJ groaned as he covered his ears.

“What is it?” a worried Kayla rushed to his side and pulled his hands from his ears.

“Don’t you hear that?” he was sure that Kayla would be able to hear what he did.

“Hear what?”

“Uncle Solara don’t you hear that?” his voice was elevated and desperate.

“I don’t hear anything.”

“Where is dad?” he was turning to the next thing closest to what he was.

“He went out to hunt, you know he has to feed twice as much now that your mother is feeding off him,” Solara said.

“Right. I am going to look for him.” SJ pulled his shirt off and ran into the forest.

He tracked the scent of his father and was careful to make sure he knew he was headed his way. The last thing he needed on top of the voices was to lose a limb, which would happen if he crept up on Stephan.

He realized as he got further and further away from the house the voices slowly diminished. For as long as he could he was determined to stay away from the house.

“Dad do you mind if I hung out with you today.”

“Sure, want to run to Canada and back with me?”

“Only if we race and there is a prize to win.”

“Let me guess a cherry-red Ferrari.”

“You know me so well father.”

“Then you’d better get a job because that bet goes both ways.”

“But you are the parent and part of a parent’s duty is to reward their child especially if the child kicks their butt.”

“If I were you I wouldn’t be so quick to talk smack I may just-,” Stephan stopped talking and started running once SJ took off.

They ran across the border and back before the afternoon.

“That’s not fair. A parent is supposed to let the child win to boost their self-esteem.” SJ panted as he came up behind Stephan.

“A parent also has to teach the child a lesson. The lesson for today is that your father is still a badass and can kick your butt any day and any time,” he smirked.

“Another lesson is humility, jaguar.”

“Let’s make that tomorrow’s lesson. Can we go home now? I haven’t kissed my wife in six hours.”

“Can we just hang here?” SJ knew that once he went back home he would hear the voices once more.

“No way, I miss my wife.” Stephan could sense how hesitant he was and the distraught look he had the day before was back on his face. “What is it?”

SJ decided to come clean.

“Dad is there at any time of your immortal life you heard voices.” He knew how it sounded the second it left his lips.

“Voices? SJ I’m not a telepath so I don’t hear what I can’t see. Why are you hearing voices?”