A Love Soaked In Blood

chapter 17

After thirty minutes, both Agatha and I are sitting on my bed. I keep locking my fingers. Am I nervous, or is it fear? Am I scared to know?
"What is it you wanted to ask?"
"Agatha I--" I clutch my dress, keeping my gaze low "I don't know why my mother died, why she was accused of witchery?"
Shock fills Agatha's eyes with a hint of sorrow "you really don't know?"
I shake my head and turn to face her.
She lets out a heavy sigh "previous year, the last week of September seven people have disappeared near your borders. Do you know about it?"
"It rings a bell but I can't seem to remember it exactly but still what does it have to do with mother?
"I had a guess that your kind were responsible for it. There were no traces of those seven. People started searching, covering all the areas where the victims were suspected to have been at before their disappearance. It was near the borders"
I search in my memory of the past year and see glimpses of--
I flinch, no, could it be--
"People assumed that they already died" Agatha says "but they wanted the bodies at least to burry them properly. I couldn't risk coming, I know Emily was waiting for me but there were searching parties every day and night I had to wait until they give up" a tear escapes and she wipes it away "and they were about to do so until one day Emily crossed the borders and of course the people who saw her there...I mean, what do you think the people will do when they see someone appears out of nowhere in the exact location where seven people disappeared?"
Something heavy is in my throat, burning and stinging painfully "they accused her" my voice is barely audible.
"Yes" she lets out a breath, a shaky one "I was at the clinic when she was--" she breaks into a sob, I'm struggling not to do the same and reach out to hold her hand "I heard a loud roar and broke into a run. All I saw was your father killing people horrifyingly before I fled. The next day was disastrous, people were talking about my sister being a witch or got bewitched, that she killed those seven and hid the bodies. The fact that vampires are real and one of them manipulated my sister, trying to figure out what they should do, some even interrogated me to see if I knew anything about it and I've tried my best not to give up to the hurt and spill everything. It was a mess" she faces me "I'm sorry Sylvia, but I do accuse your father for my sister's death. She was happy with him and that was enough for me but.." she stops for what feels like eternity, digging its nails in my heart "you have nothing to worry about, my sister loved you and I do too. You actually look a lot like her"
Shame, guilt, fear and sorrow twist my heart, impressive how many emotions someone can feel at the same time.
"You don't have thoughts like me wanting to avenge my sister by you right?" She tries to chuckle in a failed attempt
"N-no of course not" I did have these thoughts "you're like an elder sister to me" but if she knows the truth...
She smiles and stands up "I'm glad to know that. I need to wake up early tomorrow so I have to go, sleep well" she opens the door
"Goodnight" I say as she closes it.
I wait until her footsteps fade and hear her door shut. I bury my face in the pillow.
And break.
I force my scream to be silent causing me to choke out as memory has unfolded completely, reveling an image that was hidden because I didn't think it was important.
Not until now, realizing that I killed my mother indirectly.
~♥~
It's three hours after dawn and I couldn't sleep so I'm wandering the streets under the ghost of the sunlight. The shops are still closed and there isn't any stall on sight. Eerily quiet.
My mind is a mess.
And I feel empty, like something has been sucked out of me.
I did that for our safety, for our existence to stay hidden. I followed father's orders. But it also resulted in my mother's death.
"Sylvia?"
I whirl as I hear a woman's voice behind me. It's Camila
"Good morning, aren't you up too early?" She smiles and walks beside me.
"I can say the same to you the sun is barely up" I clear my mind, I don't want her to sense that there is something wrong and floods me with questions.
"I had to make sure the order isn't missing anything. Just handed it"
"That early?"
"Well Mr. Carlton doesn't like to wait" she rolls her eyes.
"You work for him?" Let's give it another try.
"Not really, I'm just responsible for the drinks. I own a bar, he places an order every week for his club nights and I must say he is so picky" she chuckles.
So the bar is a place for serving drinks if I understand this correctly "is it that bad?"
"You have no idea" she sticks out her tongue then laughs "he orders quite heavy ones and specific flavors, sweet, sour and bitter according to his preferences that change every week. But he pays greatly so I don't have the right to complain"
"I see" tsk nothing useful.
"By the way you coming? On Sunday?"
"Probably, I can use some fun" the truth is anything but.
"I'll see you there then" she smiles but drops it fast, her tone changes to a serious one "just for caution, if Carlton offers you a drink come up with an excuse to refuse it. I heard some rumors that he drugs people"
That's a bit useful "thank you for telling me, I'm not actually into drinks" never tried them anyway and I don't plan to. Father used to go out and drinks then comes back like he lost his brain. It's actually annoying.
"No problem. Do you want to come over for breakfast? I bet Mia will be happy to see you" she hooks her arm with mine.
I'm not really in the mood to be honest and I--
"Silence means yes let's go!" She says with joy
"You seem good at getting what you want" maybe I can use some distraction.
"That I am" she winks "by the way forgive me for asking but why dye your hair in white? You are also wearing red lenses for which I would think you are a vampire if you weren't out under the sun without fangs" she laughs at her joke and I copy her, goodness for the first time I'm glad I'm a dhampir. Actually only 5% of the vampires have white hair so it's the red eyes and fangs that give a vampire their identity.
After ten minutes of walking we finally stop in front of a house. It's like Agatha's in design but with black rectangular roof.
She unlocks her door and as soon as she opens it Mia rushes to hug her.
"Mama you're back!"
"Good morning Mia why are you awake at such early hour?"
"I'm hungry" she notices me behind "big sister is here!" She pulls away from her mother and runs to me "good morning! I didn't know you were coming to visit us!"
I sit on my knees to match her height "I suppose it's a surprise"
"Mia loves this surprise!" She bounces in excitement
I pat her head, other than my parents no one was this happy to see me. I can't help but smile, a real one.
"Mia, no one knocked the door?" Camila also drops to her knees
"No one knocked the door" she nods
"And if someone did?" Camila asks
"Don't open the door" Mia replies
"Good girl" she stands up "come let's start preparing breakfast we have a guest. Please make yourself comfortable Sylvia" she goes in and beckons me to follow.
It's a bit smaller than it looks from the outside. Simple but beautiful. I've never been to a house other than castles, these ones here have different aura and it's...soothing.