Just Classic

Chapter Sixteen

Raising to my feet, I stare openmouthed at my doppelganger. She mirrors my actions, her eyes widening in shock.

"You're Dominic!" She exclaims, a grin spreading across her face. Eventide and Century look up at us.

"How do you know me?" I ask, taking a step back.

"You-you don't know?" She responds, sounding crestfallen. I eye her suspiciously.

Who is this woman?

"Bay, what are you talking about?" Century asks, standing up and perching the woman's daughter on his hip.

"This is my sister. We were supposed to be identical twins, but I was born before her, with our brothers," Bay says. I shake my head.

"No. That's not true. I think at least Brennen would tell me if I had blood relations. Even Gale would tell me that. They don't hate me so much to keep that from me." I deny. Bay opens her mouth to interrupt, but, squeezing my eyes shut, I shout, "No! They're not like that! I was denied family my entire life. They wouldn't just keep something like that from me. Not Gale, not Brennen, not Mackay, not April, not Mackenna, and definitely not Pheonix!"

"Dominic! They think we're dead!" Bay screams over me. I open my eyes to look at her.

"Just like everyone thought you were dead, or at least a Shadow, they think your brothers and I are dead," she explains calmly.

"Woah, woah, woah. Hang on. Your name is Dominic?" Century questions, squinting at me in confusion. "That's a guy's name. Who in their right mind would name their child that?"

"My father doesn't like humans. After I was born a human, he gave me a boy's name and left me to die. Obviously, he had other heirs to take up the role as a living alliance between the Red and Blue Royalties," I inform accusingly. "And obviously, he didn't hate humans so much as to scorn his other early-born children."

"Our brothers were named by our mother, as is tradition among the Blue Bloods. I was a secret. After all, quadruplets, or even triplets, have never been born among Vampires, ever. Our mother's friend assumed she deserved the extra children for bearing all of us in the first place." Bay turns to Century. "Don't try to understand our culture. We're pretty heartless when it comes down to it."

"I can tell," Century murmurs, staring at me with pity. I clench my fists, hating that look. Ever since I can remember, I've gotten that look of pity. I don't want it. I'm not some sad case. I can take care of myself. It's not like I have an incurable disease.

Rounding on Century, I yell at him, "Stop looking at me like that! I'm perfectly fine! I like my name, so you can just suck it, Century! So what if I have a guy's name. Your name isn't exactly normal, is it?" I storm from the room without waiting for someone to answer. Someone grabs my arm. Ripping out of their grasp, I look back at a startled Eventide and the little boy hiding behind his leg. Eventide nudges him back toward the den before straightening up and looking down at me with a mixture of disappointment and sternness.

"First of all, Do-"

"Don't call me by my name," I mutter darkly.

"I thought you liked your name?" Eventide reminds.

"Would you like your name if you were named Lucy?" I retort.

"Why did you say you liked your name then?"

"Because I didn't want his pity."

"Domo, you need to calm down. We're not your enemy here."

"Wow, did Eventide ust use a consonant?!" I exclaim sarcastically. He starts to say something more, but I interrupt. "You guys took me from my home, where I was perfectly happy, imprisoned me, then took me to Austria when you couldn't blackmail my family using my life. If that's not an enemy, what is?"