Destiny has left its mark (Vampire Romance) +

4 ~ looking for the truth

Outside on the pavement, the crisp night air nips at my skin, mingling with the faint scent of rain lingering from earlier. Neon signs flicker overhead, casting a soft, colourful glow onto the wet pavement. Neo turns to me, his bleached white hair glowing under the streetlight. "What are your intentions? What do you want?" His voice is soft, yet it carries a weight that matches his intense gaze. His eyes, a striking hazel, mirror his brother's in a way that's both comforting and unsettling.

"I don't know what you mean." I shrug, stuffing my hands into my denim pockets. Why does he assume I have an agenda?

He studies me under the streetlight, shadows accentuating the sharp angles of his face. "Are you sure, Charlotte?" The name feels foreign now, like a distant memory.

I look down at my worn sneakers, the laces frayed from years of use. "Charlotte?" I whisper, feeling strange saying it. I pull out my cell phone to distract myself, the screen lighting up with a message I don't bother reading. "I think you're confusing me with someone else."

Neo steps closer, the faint smell of cologne wafting off him. "I know it's you. Even though you don't look like you used to, I know. Beverly might resemble you, but she's not you."

His certainty sends a shiver down my spine. I meet his gaze, steeling myself. "I'm not Charlotte Grave anymore; I go by Daniella Ellis now. I have no agenda. What do you mean?" 

Neo had always been observant, a trait that ended our relationship when he saw I loved his brother before I realized it myself. He's the type of man who deserves a fair chance at happiness, but life isn't fair.

"I've heard many stories about rejects meeting the same person repeatedly. Do you know how I felt when I found out he murdered the woman I gave up for him?" His voice wavers, a rare crack in his composed exterior. "It's too bad he never knew I met you first. Then at least I'd have a reason to hurt him. I eventually discovered our father had compelled a witch with a blood spell. I killed her, of course." His eyes glaze over as he relives the past, each word a dagger. "Elijah mourned your death, and we both did; it brought us closer. He still doesn't know I knew you first or that it was you I mourned." His grip on my upper arms tightens, desperation seeping through. "Please don't fall for him again."

"I won't." My voice is firm, though I feel a pang of uncertainty. "I'm not Charlotte Grave anymore."

"And whatever you do, stay away from him. I sense something between you two, and we both know it's not worth falling into the same trap again."

"You're wrong; there's nothing between me and Elijah. Do you think I could love someone who killed me in my past life?"

He points to the imposing City Hall building, its windows glowing with light. "Okay, then how are you going to handle this situation?"

This is my workplace; it's not like I invited him here. I take a deep breath, the chill air filling my lungs.

"Are you at least happy to see me?" he asks sincerely, his eyes searching mine.

"I don't know. Maybe I don't want anything to do with people from my past life."

"You've changed."

"How could I be the same person?"

"How has your life been so far?"

"Normal."

He smiles, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "How could you have lived a normal life? I should take you to a place where humans live."

"I've thought about that. Now I just want to make sure I don't die before I'm twenty."

"I'll take you away from here then. After your twentieth birthday, we can go wherever you want." Maybe with him, I won't be too afraid to step into the unknown. Abraham's Jeep rumbles softly, the engine a low growl that blends into the night. With his window down, the cool air dances inside, carrying the scent of rain-soaked earth. He leans out, eyes narrowing with curiosity as he watches the interaction unfold. "You two know each other?"

 His voice is firm, but he doesn't turn off the engine.

I step away from Neo, feeling the pull of Abraham's stare. "Yes." Glancing into the Jeep, I notice the empty passenger seat. "Ellie's not with you?"

"I guess she has other plans for tonight," he replies, his tone tinged with ambiguity.

Neo shifts on his feet, the streetlight casting a shadow on his face. "Ride with Abe, I'll go with Elijah. We have a lot of catching up to do." He nods towards a sleek car where Elijah is already slipping inside. In a blur, Neo vamp speeds to him and joins him.

Abraham's gaze softens as he turns to me. "Hungry?" he asks, his voice a comforting rumble.

I sigh, exhaustion weighing down my words. "I just want to go home and be alone."

"I'll take you then." Once I'm seated beside him, the Jeep lurches forward, the hum of the road beneath us providing a steady rhythm. After a moment, Abraham breaks the silence. "Do you know Neo from your past life?"

I stiffen slightly. "Why would you think that?"

He doesn't miss a beat. "Do you?"

"Yes."

Abraham's grip on the steering wheel tightens, knuckles whitening. "Elijah told Beverly that he knew you in your past life. Which one murdered you?"

"Elijah."

The Jeep comes to an abrupt stop. In an instant, Abraham is out of the car, disappearing into the shadows of a nearby alley. I follow, the cool night air filling my lungs as I hurry after him. Before I can call out, he reappears, pushing me against the rough surface of a brick wall. The closeness is electrifying, his breath warm against my skin. "You should have told me. I would have not invited him over to my house when you were there." His eyes, normally calm and collected, blaze with a fierce intensity. "I have loved you since the first time I saw you. And there's no way in hell that I'll let my nephew kill you, even if I have to die."

The proximity makes my head spin, and my words come out breathless. "He's got Beverly now."

"There is still a chance that you can be murdered again," he insists, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

I push him away, my heart pounding. "I know. I don't need anyone to remind me. So Beverly told you?" The thought catches me off guard. Is Abraham friends with her?

"No. I heard her tell her best friend Nadia in the club. So I came to look for you. You should watch out for Beverly, that woman sees you as a threat."

"She looks like I used to look, why would she see me as a threat? Unless, she doesn't know."

"Are you telling me that you used to look exactly like her?"

"My name was Charlotte Grave. I only remember bits and pieces of that life. And no, I'm not stuck in the past."

He exhales slowly, a hint of relief washing over his features. "Maybe my nephew thinks that Bev is the reborn you, so he'll leave you alone."

"How did Beverly find out that I knew Elijah in my past life?"

"Who else knows?"

"Only you and Neo." My mind races. Abraham just found out, so it must have been Neo. "Do you think Neo told her?"