Chapter 25

DEMETRIUS

When I got home, I found Rose pacing in the living room. Eleanor was lying in front of the fire, and I didn’t need to look over her shoulder to guess she was drawing my father’s red eyes.

Selene and her family were out, and I couldn’t smell them anywhere near. Aric was playing a slow, sorrowful song in his room. The twins were curled up in the armchairs, talking about clothes.

“Father!” Phoenix stood up, sending me a small smile.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” Venus continued.

“Demetrius, what did he say?” Rose demanded. She’d stopped moving, and her hands were on her head in a stressed position. Her blue eyes bore into mine.

“Nothing good,” I informed them. I moved toward Rose, plucking her arms away from her head slowly and wrapping her in my arms tightly.

She leaned against me, defeated. Venus and Phoenix met my gaze and gave me sad smiles.

“He said we had a couple of years, three if we’re lucky. The king also wants your presence with Eleanor in his court soon,” I continued, glancing at Eleanor, who was watching us with wide, curious eyes.

The incident from last night seemed to have disappeared completely from her eyes. She hadn’t understood the threat to her life, and she couldn’t understand Rose’s reaction.

Rose followed my gaze and squeezed my hand.

“I’m not leaving her,” she said in a low whisper. I nodded slowly.

“Of course not.” I hugged her tighter. “We’re not going to listen to my father.”

Rose nodded against my chest. Her breathing was wheezy, and I could tell she was holding back tears.

“Mother. We’ve been thinking…,” Phoenix started. She flipped her thick red hair back and stroked Rose’s shoulder. Venus flanked her, nodding.

Rose turned to them and smiled, nodding.

“You can run, you know that. But they will catch you,” Venus started. Rose’s expression darkened.

“So,” Phoenix took in a deep breath. “We think it will be easier for everyone if, well, we do the job ourselves.”

Rose vibrated with anger. “What?” she screeched, “You want me to kill her?”

I squeezed her shoulder tightly, glancing at Eleanor. She was looking more and more curious. Venus threw her hands up in the air to grip Rose’s shoulders and force her to look her in the eyes.

“Hear us out first, Mother. If you run, they will catch you. You will suffer, and she will die atrociously.”

“But, if you give her a quick, painless death, all this can be behind you, you can make a grave for her, remember her all you want to.” Phoenix shrugged one shoulder slowly, shyly.

Rose blinked at them. “Kill her,” she breathed, bowing her head.

“We know it’s a horrible thing to do, Mother, but it just might be the right thing to do in this situation.” Venus stroked Rose’s hair. Her eyes met mine, demanding my point of view.

“I made a mistake, didn’t I?” Rose breathed.

I glanced at Eleanor. She was concentrating on her drawing, glancing up at us every so often. We were speaking in hushed tones, and she could barely hear us, let alone understand.

“Adopting her, making her part of the family. It was a mistake,” Rose continued.

“It was an adventure,” I assured her.

“Don’t.”

I turned slowly at the sound of Aric’s voice. He appeared in the doorway, his hair messy and his eyes focused on Eleanor. His lips were drawn back, revealing his long fangs.

“Aric?” Rose gazed at him enquiringly. Aric stepped into the room and marched over to us. He faced Rose head-on.

“Don’t kill her,” he breathed fiercely. “You can’t kill her. I won’t let you,” Rose squeezed her eyes shut and leaned against me. I tightened my grip around her.

“Aric! What are you doing?” Venus hissed.

“What else can we do?” Phoenix scowled at her brother.

Aric ignored them and glanced at Eleanor.

“You don’t know her because you don’t spend much time with her, but Eleanor is an amazing human being. I won’t let you.”

“She’s nine, Aric. She’s barely a human,” Phoenix answered, sounding doubtful.

“I don’t want us turning against each other, but if you don’t fight for her, I will.”

Aric faced Rose again. “I’ll run with her. I’ll protect her. I’m young, I’ve got barely any attachments, not like you. I have time to kill. I’ll run with her.”

Rose shook her head slowly. “I won’t allow you to do that, Aric,” she breathed.

“Stop acting like a hero Aric,” Venus hissed at him, glaring.

“I’m not being heroic!” he snapped, then quietened down when Eleanor lifted her head. “I’m doing this for her.” He jutted his chin toward the small human.

“Aric, stop it. You’re not going to run with her. You’re too young to be banished from the elite purebloods.”

“I won’t be banished,” he retorted.

“You will. Prison means social banishment. You’ll never have any part in the family fortune, in a council meeting, in—”

“I know!” Aric hissed, cutting Phoenix off. “I don’t need a lecture.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Eleanor’s small voice echoed in my brain. She was facing us with wide sparkling eyes, her red pencil gripped tightly in her fist. She sat, waiting for an answer.

“Nothing important,” Venus replied immediately, flicking her slight fingers at Eleanor.

“Nothing to worry about either,” Phoenix added.

“What? Have you gone mad? You disgust me,” Aric exploded. He turned to face Eleanor, breathing heavily. “We’re moving,” he told her in a cold tone.

Eleanor regarded him for a few seconds. Then her gaze moved to Rose.

“Mother, why are you so sad?” she asked. We all watched as she got up slowly and shuffled over to us, her fluffy white nightgown trailing behind her. She gripped Rose’s hands and squeezed them.

Rose knelt so I was no longer touching her. The twins both took a step back while Aric took a step closer. Rose stroked Eleanor’s cheeks softly and sighed.

“I love you, my dear.”

Eleanor shifted uncomfortably. Rose’s fingers traced down Eleanor’s neck, they paused, feeling her pulse. I could imagine the sound of her blood filling Rose’s head.

I knew Rose was imagining herself killing Eleanor. A clean swipe to break her neck, soft and gentle, then the taste of the warm, sweet blood she’d so long longed for.

Eleanor edged away from her slightly. I heard her heartbeat quicken. Rose did too, and she leaned in closer.

Rose’s lips were almost touching Eleanor’s neck, her arms tightly around her human daughter.

Eleanor’s eyes were wide, puzzled, and confused. She looked at me. I pursed my lips, I did love Eleanor, but her fate was to be decided by Rose and no other.

“Eleanor, I love you so, so much. No matter what you do,” Rose promised, taking a deep breath and drawing back slightly. Eleanor met her gaze and nodded slowly.

“Yes, Mother, I know.”

“Good,” Rose mused. “That’s good.”

“Where are we moving to?” Eleanor demanded in her chirpy voice. Her heartbeat was still accelerated. I felt Aric tensing beside me, his body was leaning forward, but his head turned away.

“I don’t know yet, maybe Italy.” Rose met my gaze. I nodded slowly.

“There is still a chance things could change. After all, we’re family,” I replied simply. Eleanor blinked at me.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked, smiling.

“It’s nothing,” I replied, maybe too quickly. Eleanor frowned.

“I still think we should separate,” Aric snapped.

“Eleanor, my darling. Why don’t you go upstairs? Make yourself a hot chocolate?” Rose murmured, caressing her daughter’s cheek.

Eleanor gave her a filthy look. “I’m not a little girl anymore. I can stay with you. I can participate too!”

“Eleanor!” Rose’s voice was sharp, and Eleanor flinched. “Go make yourself a hot chocolate, and I’ll be up to tuck you into bed, okay?”

Eleanor huffed at her, dramatically kicking at her pencils before she ran up the stairs to the kitchen.

Rose turned to me, her eyes wide, running her fingers through her hair.

“Where can we take her? So that she’ll be safe?”

“Anywhere we can take her to be safe will be temporary.” Aric paused and sighed heavily. “Mother, our life, all together, ends tonight.

“We can take her back to Alaska, but for how long? I think one of us should take her and run.”

“You know what we think, Mother,” Venus murmured.

Rose shook her head slowly.

“Girls, we cannot take her life. And Aric, I will not have you run with her. I see no other solution. I will go and see my uncle,” I said, placing my hand on Rose’s shoulder.

“I can leave tomorrow night.”

“Demetrius, you and I both know the king won’t change his mind. He’s just like your mother.”

Rose pursed her lips. At that moment, Eleanor reappeared, stomping down the stairs, decked in her riding clothes.

She glared at all of us.

“I’m going for a ride,” she told us pointedly, marching toward the door.

“Eleanor, you are not,” Rose snapped.

“I’ll go with her,” Aric murmured, placing his hand on Rose’s shoulder. “We’ll be back soon.”

Rose looked defeated.

“Fine,” Aric ran after Eleanor, catching up with her easily and holding the door open for her to march through, her head held high.