LOVE, HATE AND DESIRE.

CHAPTER 18

Christopher gave a sinister grin after  admiring his newest creation and was excited to test it out. Taking a vamp from his cell, he threw the man into the whitish metal cage and turned it on from a control pad, the man got burnt when he got close to the iron bars. Christopher laughed, he clicked on another button and the man began to scream, it excited christopher even more to see the vampire in pains.

"That's enough pops."
Arnold said

"What the hell do you mean? Can't you see it work.... After so many trials, it finally works."
Christopher laughed hysterically

"Save it for the royals pops, these low rank vamps can't take this kind of torment."

"True. This invention was specifically designed for the Andersons, which i'm still convinced selena is married to one."

"I doubt it, Selena would have sensed something, she would let me know if something was off. And i don't think those royals will be out in the open, knowing we were after them."

Christopher scoffed, "You trust your daughter blindly. She's a woman remember, women are soft hearted and can easily be deceived. Just like you did your wife......"

"Father!" Arnold roared

"Watch your tone with me boy!" Chris roared back

"If there was anyone to blame for deceit, it's you father. You!"
Arnold stormed out of the lab, while christopher shrugged his shoulders and continued with his torture.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Selena had arrived at her father's house, she met nicholas studying. Her brother had become even more independent, thanks to the facility nathan provided.

"Lena, you're here."

Nicholas said when he turned around to see her standing by the door. He was looking so handsome, one wouldn't even notice he was crippled.

"Nico, what are you doing?"
Selena walked to sit beside him.

"Studying."

"What for?"

"'Learning doesn't stop until we die' remember"

Those were their mothers words, she was a scientist who loved to read and study different articles. She would also indulge them to engage in studying during their free time to gain knowledge in other aspects of life.

"What brings you here?"

Selena sighed, thinking of a more subtle way to approach the topic she was about to discuss with him. She didn't want nicholas to find out she wasn't happy with nathan, it could cause her family to worry.

"Well, there's something i want to ask you."

"Are you okay lena? You don't look good."

"I'm fine, i just need a good rest, That's all."

"So what is it you want to talk about?"

"Do you remember all the stories dad used to tell us about?"

"Of course, he never let us forget them."

Selena chuckled, "Forget about the vampire stories nico, they ain't real. Do you remember him telling us about a family duel? I mean, our family and another?..."

Nico seem to be thinking hard, then he shook his head slightly and then nodded almost immediately.
"Yes! I remember dad saying there were some royal vampires that....."

"Nico, come on. Not this vampire stories again."

"But they sounded so real, i believe there are vampires lena."

"Urgh. How old are you again? That's right, twenty. Stop fantasizing about surreal things."

"I have a feeling they are real, you should too." Nicholas said

Selena rolled her eyes, she hoped nicholas could tell her something important but he wasn't helpful to her, so she thought. After spending the day with him, discovering he was always alone most times, she felt sorry for him.
If only she could take him with her, their dad wasn't the best company even when their mom was alive. Despite nicholas could move around as he wanted and do things on his own, it still wasn't pleasant to leave him all by himself.

"You should be on your way lena, it's getting dark."

"I'm staying the night, nathan is busy and won't be home tonight."

Nicholas scoffed, "Don't tell me you're scared to stay home all by yourself."

"It isn't fun nico."

Nicholas sighed, he knew that feeling, and sometimes he wished he had friends or even had a girlfriend. But he knew no one would want to associate with himself, he had always been confined to his room ever since his accident.

"You should go to bed, i'll wait for dad." Selena said

"He might not come home either." Nicholas said, then used a button to wheel himself to his room.

"Poor thing." Selena murmured. "I'm also a poor thing, aren't i? Urgh.."
She looked at her phone several times, no calls from nathan.
"I guess he doesn't want me around him either." She said and sighed.

Selena sat and waited for her father for about an hour, while still checking her phone for nathan's call. When she got tired, she decided to head on to her room. But then, mr arnold walked in, he was shocked to see his daughter standing in the living room and in her old nightgown.

"Lena? What are you doing here? Did something happen? Did nathan hurt you?"

Selena smiled, "Good evening dad, I'm fine. Have i been forbidden to see or spend time with my family?"

"Of course not." Arnold said and hugged his daughter.

When they let go of each other, arnold inspected her carefully.
"I'm fine dad, really."

"Just making sure."

"Where's grandpa?"

Arnold sighed, "He has his own house, doesn't he?"

Selena chuckled, "ugh you mean his trailer in the outskirts of the city, far away from civilization and close to the lab?"

They both laughed and when silence returned, selena became serious again.
"Dad, i don't think leaving nico all by himself is a good idea. I mean he can help himself around but he still needs someone around."

Arnold took a deep breath, "Then take him with you."

There was a long silence after that.
"What..."

"Take nicholas with you, i'm incapable of caring for him." Arnold said and walked away.