Bloodlines (The New Order 2)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Your grandfather kept stabbing you for hours so you could bleed dry and then turn into something similar to Gideon?" Cain cocked a brow at me in confusion as I shared the truth I had been hiding from him.

In discomfort, I pulled the towel higher and shifted over the bed while nodding my head, "Yeah. I guess so. I'm not sure." I scratched the back of my neck. My wet hair began to dry in the cold. With a little shrug, I continued, "I don't exactly what he thought I was going to turn into. He wanted me to tap into my own darkness and let it come to surface."

"And have you done that before?" He asked.

I looked away from him as a chill ran down my spine, "I guess—when I was a child, something similar happened but I have no memory of it."

"What else?" I raised a brow at him as he furthered me to tell him everything. "There's more. Tell me." He said, a warning in his tone.

I folded my leg across the other one, remembering the wrath of his fingers and what he could do to me. "That's all."

"Candice—"

"Fine. I learned a while earlier that your mother, Martha, was a werewolf whisperer and just yesterday I realized my grandfather was a vampire whisperer. If I had spent another day inside the cellar with him, I would've turned into someone terrible and without any control and connection to my sanity, probably someone even worse than Gideon." I ran my hands across my head, trailing it down my hair as a deep breath left my mouth. "I don't know what would've happened to me if—"

"If I didn't save you." He grinned.

I lined my lips straight and gave him a stare, "If you dare to use this against me, I will kill you." My voice rose itself and something fueled inside me.

I still didn't trust Cain, not even a bit. If he could betray his brother over another one, he could definitely use this information against me.

"I'm not going to do anything. Why would I want you to turn into a mindless killing machine?" He asked, raising a brow.

"For fun."

"Really?"

"I don't trust you." I stood up from the bed and snatched the clothes of the table. "Well, I don't have to worry about you anyway since I'll be far from you and the last time I remembered, Knox didn't want you anywhere near Thornwood. So, I don't mind spending a few tormenting hours with you before going to him." I continued while wearing my clothes and brushing my hair dry.

It was late. I was exhausted and in need of sleep. Just a few hours and I'd catch the first flight to Thornwood and imagine none of this ever happened.

"Tormenting, huh?" I heard him shift over the bed.

When I turned, he was against the headboard, his body splayed over the tiny little mattress that could barely fit two people. I held back my frustration and gave him a smile before walking over to the other side of the bed.

"Every second with you is tormenting..." I trailed off, grabbing the sheets and ripping them away from him.

I laid down on the bed, and turned to the other side. My back faced him. It was dark except for the lamp light he had switched on. My eyes pressed shut and even the lamp light disappeared. A few seconds of silence and my thoughts consumed me.

I kept thinking about grandfather, my family and Natalie. I knew for sure my sister couldn't be involved in this all but I questioned my parents. They had hidden a lot already. What if they were helping grandfather in a way?

I couldn't ever return home. Not again.

A hand pressed over my shoulder before I sense Cain nearing me on the tiny bed. His body provided me warmth but I didn't want it—not from him. I just wanted to go back to Knox and imagine none of this never happened.

But how could I? There was something within me—another part of me—rattling inside me, waiting to come to surface and take control. I had been living with that thing for years and years. It was a threat.

I turned around, facing Cain. My eyes opened wide. I looked up at him, worry all over my face, "How did Gideon stop killing all those people? How did he manage to control himself?" I asked him, more than just curious. If there was a way out, I need to know.

"He never stopped entirely," Cain paused, his pupils growing. "And I don't think he'll be able to."

"But he isn't going around and ripping towns apart?" I arched a thin brow, my voice a bit heavy as I rested on the side. If there was a possible way to control, I wanted to know.

"He isn't. That's because he was able to connect with a part of himself that he never thought he'd ever see. When I learned about him, nearly a year ago, I reached out to him and it took some time, but he responded to me. We share the same flesh and blood. The only difference is that he needs to takes souls to even live. He promised to reduce killing people all over the world but never stop." Cain explained, digging deep into his own memories.

I remained curious. I didn't know anything about it even when I had been with the twins for months and months. I suppose it made sense that Gideon was able to control himself when someone related to him showed him mercy.

I guess it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I already had a connection with blood. It was either going to be blood or souls of other creatures for me.

My eyes narrowed to the sheets of the bed. They were awfully pale, almost bleached. "Well, I think then there isn't much to worry about then. If I ever tap into my darkness, it wouldn't be hard to return from it."

"You held yourself together when I found in the cellar," Cain gave his head a shake while the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile. "You'll not change." He lifted his hand over to my face, brushing his fingers across my cheek.

I pursued my mouth and held my self back from melting under his touch. No matter how sweet Cain was going to get, I still remembered the night very well. But now, my view was changing.

What if all he wanted to do was help his older brother? Save him?

I wished he'd do the same to me if anything were to happen.

"I think we should sleep." I whispered, under my breath before drawing his hand away from my face. I didn't want to give him false hope.

It was just one night. The morning would arrive and we'd part our ways forever. Knox would never let Cain into his life, not after the pain he put him through. I knew that very well.

I turned away from Cain, sleeping on my right before my eyes fluttered shut and I drifted into a soundless sleep.

Alas, I was in safety.

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