END ROADS

CHAPTER 67: WHAT SHOULD I KNOW?

We walked into the vast chamber, the old man was sitting on one of the fine sofa drinking from a golden wine glass. He looked relaxed, his well kempt grey hair combed back and styled beautifully, no doubt all vampires were only made out of beautiful people.
We sat on the opposite coach, the man was reading an old book, he didn't look up at us or react in anyway after knowing we were present. He kept reading as if we were not there. He then shut the book an looked up,his face stoic and expressionless. I tried to scent him but he had his scent hidden.
"You called us father" Grey started
"I did" the man said "how is she?"
"She's well, what about you?"
"I have centuries ahead, you don't have to ask" He leaned forward and asked me “Do you know who I am?”I couldn’t help but smirk, did he think no one knew him?
“Archibald Darwin … five wives, and thirteen kids. You are the leader of the Crowns coven and the head of all other covens”
“That is a lot” he said with a dissatisfied voice, he was annoyed and that is what I was here to do.
“What about you? Do you know me, your highness?”
“If you introduce yourself, then I will know you”
“I am Becky, Gala hue, my crazy dad is David Gala hue. My mom is dead and I was the only child … unless there was another I didn’t know of” The man gritted his teeth looking at me with a deadly, gaze his eyes shone red. I smirked.
“Mr. Darwin, those gazes no longer work on me, just say what you want to say up straight.”
“Why did you come here?”
“I seem not to function anymore without your son around, I came to find him. As you can see am normal now”
“Am asking, why are you living among us and still alive?”
“Oh, I thought you knew… they didn’t update you?” I glanced at Grey; he was not saying anything. He sat quietly.
“Well, I would have died two months ago but they found something on my back that seems to interest them, so we are waiting for Antonio to come and explain it. If it is useless then I will be dead. If not, you will have to see my face for a very long time. I know it annoys you”
“You have no fear at all, do you?” his gaze hardened, I could smell anger from him. It was rising like steam, his eyes shot hot daggers at me.
“Mr. Darwin, I have lived all my life in fear. Fear is normal until it now feels like something that doesn’t exist. My father seems to be animalistic to not only the vampires but also his family. He hit my mother all the time not to mention I, who had to live in fear and hidden in the basement nursing the cuts from his whip. Starving huddled in the dark crying my eyes dry. Then after that I had to meet you guys and your greedy so-called Steele, do you think I have the right to be scared anymore?”
“Why did he do that to you?”
“How would I know? The slightest mistake gave me a dog beating in the end, even when I waited for him till mid night to give him a birthday cake, he smashed it under his feet and dumped me in the basement for a week” I chuckled “I sometimes thought he wasn’t my dad. Maybe he is not, we could say… I hope he is not my dad”
“How would you say that with ease?”
“Because he deserves it, and for you, your highness… don’t let any of your sons wish the same thing for you. Their curses and hatred will make you stumble and have pretty tough times. You’ll never be happy!”
“Becky…
“Hold it Grey” I pushed him back “Let’s clear this thick air right now… or else it will be too late” I turned to the man who seemed to be in discomfort, did I just intimidate him? Oh, that is right, now I can easily sweep you off your feet
.“Mr. Darwin, do you hate Grey because of Ashura?” He suddenly looked up, he was at the verge of exploding. His gaze was murderous, he looked like he was willing to take any opportunity to snap my neck if possible
.“My point is not to intimidate you…
“Halt!” he yelled holding his hand up
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, get out!”
“Am not leaving, we are finishing this conversation today!”
“Are you normal? I don’t want to rip your heart out since my son seems to hold you carefully as if you are the apple of his eye. So just leave!” I smirked
“Your emphasis seems to work, but not on me old man. We are talking about this. You seem not to notice how your behavior towards him has made his years miserably” Grey tried to make me stop but I didn’t, I was determined to get this over with.
“Two hundred years and more, living under the scrutiny of your own dad. Worse, he is not there to appreciate you, no, he just wants to add more tones on your shoulders until your body has gone limb.”
“Will you stop talking little miss?”
“Not yet, am not done, sir.” I cleared my throat and leaned forward “Sir, she had made a deal with the king of the underworld to leave for fifty years in return for five hundred souls. She wanted to know what it feels like to have family, to fall in love and to be loved by someone. She fell in love with you at first sight and loved how it felt to be in love with someone. You gave her a gift, a son. She was happy but the fifty years were coming to an end really fast, she did not want to leave her son and husband. She cheated the devil, she cut all ties with the underworld, lost most of her powers as a result. She was weak, but she was in love. Your love, and his precious son are the reason she kept moving. She loved her co wives and other children. But things got horrible, the king of the underworld would have taken her son or you… or someone else in the royal circle. So, she had to leave, that is why she got him a sister, Adelyn and she left in tears. She got punished, she lost it all to the king of the underworld. Now she is in the dark, entirely but she is happy she got to know how it feels to have a family, a child, a husband and how it feels to be with the people who truly love her. Don’t make her more miserable by hating or blaming it on your son. If you think she left to keep him safe, you should know better. A mother’s love for her child surpasses anything and everything” I paused; the room was dead quiet. It seems like I had dug my own grave but I had to finish up.“You are the only one he is left Mr. Darwin; he misses his dad. He won’t tell you that, he does not want to look weak and incompetent. He has to be strong for the Vines coven, he can’t show his inner feeling to anyone. Sadly, or coincidentally, I see through him. I know what he wants, he wants a father who will be there for him. I know you know better, being a leader is not a walk in the park. He is undergoing the same pressure with no one’s support. You are lucky you got sons and wives on your side, but he has none. His closest friend died in the hands of that bastard I have for a father. He is alone sir, will not be his father at least?” The man had his gaze downcast; he didn’t say anything. I sighed and inhaled deeply. “Having no one is really bad, especially a father. I know how that feels, sir. Will you consider that? For my sake, for his sake, for your sake or even Ashura’s sake? She’d be happy to see you two getting along. Am sure she will fell appreciated to see the people she had to be disobedient for getting along together. You might not believe me, so I equipped myself with evidence.” I snapped my fingers and a pile of papers appeared on the table, I pushed them closer to the old man.
“Those are the records I found in the library. I think they were made by Dermot if am not wrong. The handwriting is crooked, but looking at his other writings they are a little similar. It does not have his signature though, but I know you can tell, he was and is your son anyway.” I sat back and sighed deeply
“All of you need to get along well, David is sharpening his blades right now. If he notices your divisions, he will use that to his advantage. Just consider” Archibald gazed at the papers and said nothing. He pushed them aside, he looked at me before looking at Grey who had his hand gripping my knee.
“Why did you seek all this ?”
“He despised his mom as much as you despised him. He wondered why she had to leave him when he was so young. He thought it was because his powers were taking too long to develop, he hated that she had to leave when she needed him the most. But we found an answer, she had no choice. It was for everyone’s well-being”
“Why did you do that for him?”
“Because his father wouldn’t !”Archibald stared at the papers for a long time and chuckled.
“Maybe you misunderstand your father as well” I burst into laughter and my energy that was all in positive darkened until I could not recognize myself anymore. Now I wanted to snap someone’s neck and take a bath in his blood.
“I wish I was. But a man who saves himself after a road accident? Should it be a misunderstanding?”
“What are you?”Darwin held my eye, they flickered blue and he gulped. My lips curled upwards; I had intimidated him just like that. The energy flowing within me made me feel like a queen standing over her people, her servants and slave! The feeling was overwhelming that I couldn’t help but laugh. The laugh rolled out of my mouth like that of an evil witch, it surprised me. Was that me?
“I don’t know!” I mumbled shaking my head and getting back to normal, I inhaled sharply trying to relax my nerves. I didn’t notice Grey was quizzing my thigh urging me to calm down the whole time. I really become something else.
“Your aura is way too dominant, and the color of your eyes is enigmatic”
“If I find my mother then I might know what I am, she is dead though! I have no means of knowing anything”
“You scarred a witch”
“Who?”
“Isaac!” No wonder his aura was so different.
“what does that mean?”
“You stronger than the witches and vampires. So where do you belong, are you a fairy?” I just laughed sarcastically “Forgive me Mr. Darwin, but a fairy… that is basically the last option!”
“Or a demoness”
“No, Ashura is the only demoness I have seen in the vampire history. Besides I don’t come from the underworld either. I lived a normal life until my dad gave me out to you in the name of accident and abduction.”
“Then we really need Antonio”
“He travelled to either the past or the future… we have no idea, we just wait!”we were silent for a while, the man kept glancing at the papers on the table but didn’t touch them. What was he thinking about now?
“What are you going to do?”
“About what?” Grey asked nonchalantly “About the Gala, I have eyes out there. They are not making a move yet… they must be planning something really big. The other leaders are meeting in the Flakes coven in two days. So, you two have to go back… and the young man who accompanied you. Go make strategies, plan the best way you can. Be careful though, don’t trust everyone, not even the elders. Keep your grand plans to yourself, tell them the basics. Be careful, son” Time stopped and it was as if everything was in shoch as I was. Grey lifted his eyes to look at the old man who had a calm smile on his lips. I could feel Grey’s joy, relief and compassion. Did he love his father that much?
“I will, dad!”I wished I could record this moment of warmth and joy.
“You may leave, get prepared we are teaching that hunter a lesson for once and for all!” We stood up and headed for the door, I followed grey, his loose shirt kept falling off my shoulders. I tried to pull it back up but a strong hand gripped my wrist, I looked up at the old man who had his brows furrowed. My heart raced like a wild engine; he had his gaze on the two punctures on my neck. I swallowed fear creeping into my nerves for no clear reason. Grey stopped looking up at his dad with guilty eyes. What was going on?“Does she know?” he asked firmly but Grey had his head lowered and he shook his head.
“Were you planning on letting her know?”
“I would at the end, I would eventually have to tell her”
“She must be confused!” Archibald dropped my wrist, I pulled up the shirt and covered my shoulder.
“Don’t let the hair slip out of your grip, you may never get a chance to get hold of it again” Archibald walked back inside, I looked between the two confused.
“What should I know, Grey?”
“We should get going” he ignored my question and it got me very pissed, what was this about? I rushed after him, tried to get a response from him but he seemed to not want to say anything to me. I followed him to his chamber; we packed out bags and everything we needed to. I changed into my own clothes and I followed him out. We boarded the helicopter; we were quiet the whole time no one dared to move a muscle or even speak. We arrived in the evening, everyone went into their respective rooms, I followed Grey into the council room where the elders, Arianna, Adelyn and Jayden were gathered waiting for us.
“How was the journey? I hope everything went well,” said Jayden.
“Everything is fine” he responded “We need to plan, we are meeting at the Flakes coven the day after tomorrow. Everyone will be present, before that we need to divide the troops and position them in a strategic manner. That man is unpredictable. Where is Jason Han?”
“Right here, Master!”
“Take note of that, Xavier and Ethan will help you out. Abigail and Megan will join Adelyn and look into the borders. For the internal areas, leave it to Clark and Dom, Harrison too!” he sighed “I think that will do for now, but have your weapons close… don’t slumber!”
“What about her? Where did you meet her?”
“She came to me, it is not a big deal, I will handle this” Steele seemed unsatisfied with the response.
“Dismissed” Grey said and everyone started moving. So, he will ignore me? Let’s see if he will ignore me before everyone else.
“Wait! Master Grey… will you ignore me forever? I asked you a damn question and you are not making an effort to even answer me! What the hell should I know that I don’t?” I yelled everyone halted giving me those despicable scrutinizing gazes and some scared.
“We are not doing this right now”
“Oh, we are” I stated firmly
“You will give me an answer, right here, right now. Is It the reason why am running to you all the time? Is it the reason your emotions are flooded in me making me feel overwhelmed and confused at the same time? Does it have anything to do with these crazy yearnings? I want you here, right beside me all the time, doesn’t it sound ridiculous … you are not even my mate but I fucking fell like you own me. What the hell is going on? What is happening to me, wont you just say it?!”
“You are my fucking mate!” he yelled and all the walls sheltering me crumbled. Thunder rumbled from outside loudly, I trembled losing my footing for a moment, I staggered around clinging onto the nearest person for support what was that? Am I hallucinating?