CRIMSON

what happened that day

- chapter fourteen -

— Elijah!

Rafe slammed the front door in anticipation of his cousin's arrival. He needed to know why Elijah attacked Brielle. Why was Elijah attacking Brielle? Was this even the first time?

With his hands behind his back and a smile on his face, Elijah walked slowly down the stairs. What is it? Why are you shouting so late? He approached his angry cousin gracefully. He put a hand on Rafe's shoulder. But the teenager quickly shoved it away, as if he had the plague.

— Why did you do it? Why did you attack Brielle?

The smile on Elijah's face faded as soon as the blonde's name left Rafe's lips and his whole body language changed. He became more intimidating, frightening. He raised his eyebrows and looked at his relatives with disdain. As if he wasn't supposed to know. How do you know that? He asked. His tone was cold and dark. Rafe was getting dangerously close to the vampire, but the other one didn't move. He held his cousin by the collar. But Elijah didn't try to free himself from Rafe's grip. No, he was laughing at him. A maniacal laugh, as if it had all been a pure and innocent joke. A laugh as if Rafe's wrath was not a possible threat, a laugh as if Rafe's wrath was not a possible threat.

— Stop acting like you're going to do anything to me. You can't do anything, he said before pulling himself out of Rafe's grip and throwing him across the room. Rafe remained on the floor, moaning at the sudden pain. He took short breaths in an attempt to calm himself. The anger he was feeling was the same as the one he had felt when he had almost killed Mark and his crew.

Elijah looked at his cousin with hatred, unable to understand why he had become so attached to this pathetic human being. He grabbed the collar of Rafe's shirt. He brought his face closer to his cousin's with a threatening air. Remember your place, Rafe. You are not a man who can give me orders. I have lived a long time, I have seen a lot of things. You live in a time when, strangely enough, we are not killed, I have spent 400 years fearing for my life. Not anymore. It is our turn to do the fighting. It's our turn to make them live through the same horror that they've made us live through, he said, before letting go and walking away.

As he walked away, Rafe could feel his own anger rising to the surface. If someone would explain this to me, I would understand! He shouted, punching the ground. He was in the dark for the 100th time and it was driving him mad.

***

It was Sunday evening and Ace was sitting in the living room, his parents and Banwell before him. As soon as they were back he was on the point of a meeting. He wanted to tell them about Brielle's assault. He didn't have the heart to disturb the blonde as she was still lying on her bed. He was the one who had to explain what had happened. The reactions of the adults were anything but reasonable.

— How could you be so careless?! Theron shouted.

Ace scoffed and put his hand on his thigh before getting to his feet. Are you really blaming me? He replied, hurt. How could he be guilty?

— You should have been here! You should have stayed with her! Theron shouted, not caring about his sleeping daughter.

— I'm not to blame, damn it! Why would I have stayed with her? She can't stand the sight of me! The woman despises me!

— Ace! Language! His mother intervened.

Ace glanced at Ashley in astonishment. Only now did one of them intervene, and it wasn't to defend him from these false accusations. There was no reason why what had happened yesterday should have been his fault. And what hurt the most was that none of them seemed to be on his side. He let out a loud sigh and looked down at the low table before turning his attention back to the adults.