Tainted Crimson (21 page)

Do I believe him? I don’t know. Do I trust him? No, but like he said, he had many opportunities to take me back to Marco and he didn’t. I wonder how far away my father and Jacob are. I expected them to find me by now. I swallow hard. I know if I run he’ll only catch me.

“You’re one of
them
?” is all I manage to get out, venom in my voice.

He cringes and looks truly hurt by my words.

“You’ve been lying to us for months. Months! You’ve been lying to
me
. How do you hide something like this for
that
long?” I demand angrily. All this time I’ve been worrying about Marco catching me when he’s had an inside man all this time. I recall the dream I had that Marco invaded shortly after I left Denver, he’d said he’d been betrayed. I assumed that the person was Nathan, but maybe he meant D, but was it D who tipped my father off? If not, was
that
Nathan? What role does Nathan play in all of this, if any?

“”I’m sorry. I was going to tell you, I swear,” he promises.

I feel absolutely betrayed. Tears begin streaming down my face.

“Don’t cry, Ariella, it kills me when you cry, don’t,” he begs and takes a step towards me. I take a step backwards to keep the same amount of distance between us. Another flash of hurt flashes across his face.

Am I scared of him? The one person that I’ve consistently been able to trust through all of this while my father and Jacob haven’t been around? The guy that I’ve come to think of as my best friend and even more? I realize that I am. I am scared of him. After all, I did just see him sucking the life out of that poor girl. I can’t help but glance at her body. He sees this.

“She was already dead. One of Marco’s vampires killed her on the street,” he says reassuringly but that doesn’t help much at all. He was
drinking
her
blood
. I gag and nearly vomit at the thought. How disgusting.

“You killed all of these people?” I demand while taking in all of the bodies again.

“They were going to take you to Marco. So yes, I killed all these vampires and witches, Ariella, of course I did,” he says sternly as if it’s obvious. “We can’t stay here. Marco will be wondering where his men are and come looking for them at any moment.”

And he expects me to go with
him
? Where is my father? I pray that he shows up soon.

“Ariella, your choices are getting captured by Marco or coming with me. Are you really debating this?” he asks.

He’s right. If I have to pick one or the other, sticking with D is still better than the other option. Still shaking with fright, I let him close the distance between us and touch my hand. The familiar rush of heat surrounds me and then I’m somewhere else. I’m still in a city whether or not it’s the same one, I’m not sure.

I take steps away from D and take a seat on the curb a few meters away from him. He takes out his cellphone and I can hear him on the phone with my dad explaining that he’s going to leave me here because he has other business to take care of. I’m not sure if my father replies but D hangs up the phone and throws it to me. I catch it before it hits me in the face. “Your dad’s number is now programmed in it. It’s your phone. I won’t be sticking around for you to tell your father that I’m a traitor and a vampire. I value my life, at least I think I do, I’m not really sure right now. You won’t be seeing me again, at least I hope you won’t. Stay safe, Ariella," he says and then he’s gone. He disappears in thin air and I’m left staring at a building wall. Only seconds later do my father and Jacob show up right in front of me.

“”You look like shit,” Jacob notes.

“Thanks, asshole,” I spit back.

“I’m just glad you’re okay.” My father says exasperatedly and helps me up from the curb.

“I can’t believe that idiot left you here alone even if it was only for a few seconds. I hope whatever ‘business’ he’s taking care of is important,” Jacob murmurs. “Like really important.”

“It’s not like him to do stupid things but it’s unlike him to do something like this,” my father speculates. “Did he tell you where he was going?”

“No,” I answer. I debate whether or not to tell them everything but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m still in shock or because I know that my father will kill him, or try to kill him if I tell him. My father loathes vampires and even D being his best friend wouldn’t be enough. Not only that but the fact that D was sent to take me to Marco, would be enough to make my father hella furious and I don’t think that I really want D
dead
. I couldn’t even stand seeing those vampires and witches dead and they definitely deserved it. I hate death. No one deserves death in my opinion.

A few days pass and I find myself being dragged all over the place with Jacob as my father continues to work on his plan or whatever. Apparently Jacob’s been nominated to be my new babysitter now but he’s not nearly as exciting or fun as D was. I do have to say that it’s nice to spend some time with him as I haven’t gotten much of a chance to since the whole fleeing from Denver thing. It’s weird how different and yet the same he acts now compared to before everything. He’s still Jacob but now he’s my brother Jacob.

He tells me about his life before being immortal and about his mother. He tells me stories about D and our father and life how it was back then. He tells me things that D never did. He’s surprised when I tell him that I haven’t heard any of the stories. I wonder why D never told me much about the past aside from his family. My only guess is that it has something to do with the 'him not wanting me to think of him as old' thing.

I find myself missing D but try to make myself understand that I’m not missing D exactly but the person that I thought he was. I can’t get the picture of him sucking the blood from that girl out of my mind or the fact that he started that fire in the school and potentially killed many people, my friends and classmates.

One night, I find myself back in Denver with Jacob in some old hotel room that only takes cash. You can say creepy. I know it’s stupid but while Jacob is outside taking a phone call from my dad I take off out the hotel door and out to the nearest bus stop. I jump on a bus and let it take me to its next stop. From there I call a cab and have them pick me up. I can’t take not knowing how Mindy or any of my other friends are doing any longer. I know it’s dangerous but at this point I’m so tired of being told what to do and where to go that I don’t care. I want to do something that I want to do.

When I show up on Mindy’s front step, I’m surprised to her mother’s tired, aged eyes when the door opens. She looks as though she’s been balling for
years
.

When I ask her what’s wrong, she tells me that Mindy has been missing since the day she came over to my house after the fire. This takes me by surprise and I find myself even more stressed out, worried, and upset than before. I suddenly regret leaving the hotel room. I would have been better off not knowing about my friend being missing.

As I descend the front stairs of Mindy’s house and begin putzing down the sidewalk, while calling a cab company, a voice startles me from behind me.

I whip around and come face-to-face with Nathan. I gape. What the hell is he doing here? More importantly, what do I do? If I didn’t regret my decision to leave the hotel before, I do now. I could be about to be vampire chow. My heart leaps. “Hey, Ariella.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask in a whisper as if I’m some sort of criminal or something.

“I’ve been waiting for Mindy to show up back home. She’s been missing for a few weeks, but you know that,” he explains, but this doesn’t clear up any confusion that I have.

“Why?” I question.

“Because I owe it to you for your friend letting me go at your place. I heard she was missing and I know why. I know what happened to her I just don’t know where she is. I was going to try and help her if she came around but she hasn’t, which isn’t a good sign.”

Confused, I continue my questioning. “You know what happened to her? What happened?”

“Marco sent a vampire after her to turn her. He knew she meant a lot to you so he thought if he took her, had her turned, and then dangled her in front of you, you would run into her arms and she would lead you back to him,” he explains.

I’m raging angry. If this is true, which I have no doubt it is, what other explanation is there? I have to save her from him.
Even if she’s a vampire
. I think to myself and know that I mean it. Does this mean that I think vampires aren’t the terrible creatures that I keep telling myself they are? I’m not sure but I have to save her. Wherever she is.

“How do you know this?” I wonder.

He chuckles. “I’m Marco’s son, Ariella.”

I nearly choke on my own tongue.
What?!

“Don’t worry, I’m nothing like him. I pretend to do what he says but I have ways around it most of the time. He doesn’t want much to do with me most of the time anyhow. I’m not his most prized possession, unlike that vampire-witch that you’ve been hanging around with. I’m glad you shook him. He’s not a good influence for someone as innocent and untouched by the darkness as you,” he says. Like I can take anyone’s word these days.

“You know D?” I ask curiously.

“Daymon? Yes, I've seen him only a few times from a distance at my father’s headquarters, though I've heard much about him from my father. I was unaware that he was part witch until that day at your house. My father must’ve kept that information from me."

"It was no coincidence that you ended being my prom date, was it?"

"No, it wasn't. My father put me up to it," he admits sheepishly. "I had fun though if that counts for anything."

I brush this off. I really don't care.

"Why did you father want you to take me to prom?" I wonder.

"I've always just wanted to be normal. I'm young, the same age as you actually. I mean in years, not looks, if you're wondering. I'm literally 18 years old. I was raised by my mother who was once a servant for my father but after she had me he let her go to raise me. That is until I turned 16 and she died. My father, Marco, killed her. She was human. That same day he made me into his first dark witch-vampire hybrid but since I'm his son he numbed my thirst as his way of showing love or something at least that's the reason he gave me for doing it. I hardly get thirsty, I mean I have to drink blood but I don't feel scorching pain in my throat like other vampires do. My father didn't want to take care of me once he discovered that I didn't inherit his darkness, but he killed my mother, so he made me a deal: If I went to school and watched you for anything out of the ordinary and reported back to him every week then he would leave me alone, let me graduate, and upon turning 18 I could do whatever I wanted. Easy. I pretend to have small amount of interest in the darkness but only so he tells me certain things like what he's up to and why. Mostly out of curiosity. I don't really care. At least I didn't until I began talking to you and liking you. Then you disappeared and he was furious which brings me to the question–why the hell are you here, what the hell are you thinking?" he demands. I'm not surprised by any of his words but I still can't trust him.

I cringe. I'm wondering the same thing. "I...I don't know," I admit.

"Where are your bodyguards?" Ahe asks. I debate telling him that they're near incase this is some sort of ploy to snatch me.

"Let me take you back to them. They're probably freaking out right now," he says. He's completely right.

"One more question," I state.

"What?"

"Did you call my dad and warn him about the attack at the school?"

He looks surprised. "I had a recorded message scheduled to be sent to him. Like I said I'm not like my father. I promise. Don't tell Marco about any of this. He will literally kill me," he begs and I really don't doubt it. He probably would kill him. "You really can't be out here. My father has people everywhere. Even humans that are spelled to call him if they see you. I'd be surprised if Mindy's mother isn't spelled. Get out of here. Now. The longer you wait the more likely you are to be caught." Duh, Ariella. Why wouldn't he spell Mindy's mom to report me if I showed up. My throat goes dry with the realization of how stupid running away from the hotel really was.

"Good evening," A deep, familiar but very unwelcomed voice says from beside me. I gulp.

"Good evening, father," Nathan says with a bow. Then looks at me apologetically with a hint of 'I told you so' in his eyes.

"What have you found here?" The familiar young man asks, while stepping closer to me.

"I'm not sure why you've been having such trouble finding this one. I was only just about to call you," Nathan says, his voice emotionless as if he's a zombie. He's saving his ass by sucking up to his father. I can't say I blame him. If it was my life or a stranger getting kidnapped, call me a coward but I'd probably choose my life too.

"Good job, Nathan," he approves while sizing me up. Pinpricks of fear cover my entire body.

"Come with me, Ariella. I have much to offer you as you have much to offer me," Marco chants calmly, as if he's trying to hypnotize me.

Do I even bother arguing? I mean it's not like I stand a chance against him. He closes the space between us and extends a hand to me. I hesitate before placing my hand in his. My body warms and I'm suddenly being rushed through a busy concrete building. All eyes are on me as Marco leads me through people. To my left is a large window that spans the length of the hallway. Through the window is a giant empty room. Empty, aside from the numerous duos inside squaring off. To my right is another set of windows and another large empty room. Only in this one there is no one.

We keeping walking. At every door we walk through Marco flashes a small keycard over the door knob to unlock it. As we get further into the building it becomes less busy. Eventually we only pass the odd person. This place is bland. The color scheme seems to be grey and greyer. It's depressing. He opens a final door and ushers me into it. In this room is a bed, toilet, and sink. It feels like a prison cell. Nathan trails behind us.

"This is where you shall sleep. The more you listen and adhere to our instruction the more lavish your accommodation will become. The more successful you are at performing tasks we assign you, the more freedom you will have. This is not a prison, Ariella. It is your awakening. Here you will learn who and what you really are," Marco says, as if reading it from a script. "Will you cooperate?" he asks.

I go off of a mere whim and hope that I'm not digging myself a hole. "Of course I will. Why do you think I ran away from my father and Jacob to find you?" I say with fake confidence. Thankfully he doesn't seem to see through my lie. He smiles and I internally applaud myself for my quick thinking. I see a corner of Nathan's mouth rise up into a small smile.

"Glad to hear it. Get some rest, tomorrow will be a big day,” he promises smugly, and then I'm left alone in the dark.

Hours pass and I don't sleep. How can I? I wonder if my father will come for me. I mean, of course he will but I mean I wonder if his coming will be successful or if he'll fail. I pray that he nor Jacob gets hurt trying to free me and am sort of glad that D took off when he did. I can't deny that him getting hurt would kill me even though I know what I know now about him.

When the door to my room clicks open I'm surprised to see Nathan standing in the doorway. I didn't get a lick of sleep so I sit up exhausted in bed.

"Good morning, Ariella. Marco requests your presence," he states robotically and his eyes flash to the roof for only a second. I follow his gaze and see that a camera is bolted to the wall. I get up and follow him out of the room. He leads me into a small room and closes the door behind me, leaving me alone with Marco.