True Love's Bite

39 // The Devil's Trap

The tension in the room was so thick that not even a knife could cut through it.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from my father, how was this the man who raised me? He looked pale, and I had no idea whether it was the shock or his natural state.

My eyes moved between him and my brother, Vuyo was evidently a vampire, however, nothing about my father pointed to him being the monster everyone spoke about.

At least not to the naked eye. On closer inspection, after everything I'd discovered, I came to realise that this was his mask, a facade. I don't know how he managed to deceive us all these years, but he succeeded.

Judging by the horror on Vuyo's face, there was no tiptoeing around whether my father was a monster or not. He was a monster that turned his son into a vampire and held him captive for years. He was a monster that used his teenage son to lure people out so that he could feed on them. He was a monster that was willing to ruin his daughter's relationship and was prepared to kill an innocent baby. He was a murderer.

And he was my father.

"I don't want to go with him." My brother's fearful voice was the needle that dropped and made everyone alert.

My mother stepped in front of my brother in a protective stance. "It's okay," she reassured him, her eyes daring my father to do anything at all.

"Papa," I murmured, and his eyes speedily met mine, his lips parting.

I couldn't tell what was running through his mind, and I did not get the opportunity to dwell on it because he staggered back, leaning on the doorframe for a second.

It started with one step, he took a step back, one foot after the other before he turned around and dashed for the exit.

"Papa!" "Yvonne!" I was already on his heels, ignoring my mother's calls as usual. "Papa!" By the time I reached the kitchen door, he was starting the car and reversing out of the garage.

I couldn't let him get away, I dashed for the gate and blocked his way with my arms widespread, causing him to hit the brakes.

The windows on the driver's side rolled down and he stuck his head out. "Yvonne, what are you doing? Get out of the way," he gritted, his voice trembling.

I shook my head. "I'm coming with you," I declared.

Papa was already past the point of frustration, he was desperate and scared - scared that his cover has been blown. He sighed and said my name in a low voice, sounding defeated. "Yvonne... Please don't do this."

"Papa, I'm coming with you."

"Yvonne!" My mother rushed out the kitchen door, breathless and mortified. "What is wrong with you children today? Get back inside the house." I shook my head. "Yvonne," she gritted, her eyes dancing between my father in the car and me while holding her hands out for me like a mother waiting for her toddler to run into her arms.

She did not dare pass beyond his door, it was as though she feared that he would hop out of the car and rush back inside to harm her son, while at the same time she feared he would hurt us both.

She was cautious.

"My baby." It was the first time I heard both my parents so desperate for me, while on opposite ends of the stick. Somehow, I did not blame my father for running away, there was nothing left for him here, my mother would never accept him the way I accepted Silas, or the way she accepted Silas and her son. "Do you have any idea what he is?" She asked.

My eyes linked with my father's through the mirror, and all I saw was defeat. "Yes, I do," I said in a quiet voice, and they both turned to me in shock. He attempted opening his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, and he faced down in shame. "He is my father."