Separated by the Sea

Funerals for the Living

I woke to a set of eyes watching me intently from a chair next to my bed. I screamed and scrambled to get out of the bed, but the thing grabbed onto my arm and pulled me back. It was too dark to see but the creature’s eyes glowed.
“Hello Destiny. Why, you sleep like an angel.” His voice was a whisper. It must have been a male because of its large figure and deep voice.
“What do you want?! Get away!” I clawed at his arm and he exposed his fangs. A vampire, in my room?!
“We're coming for you and your wolf friends. Be ready to DIE!” He jumped at me and I gasped.
“Destiny! Why are you screaming?!”
I opened my eyes and rolled off the bed, screaming again. “No, please, don't kill me!”
I was tangled in the blankets so I couldn't get up and run. The vampire grabbed my shoulders and lifted me up. I kept my eyes closed, too terrified to look.
“What the heck are you doing?!”
Gianluca? I opened one eye and it was him, holding me up.
“Why are you screaming?”
“What? Where am I?”
“You're in Clover’s room-”
“What am I doing in her room?!” I gasped in horror. “Did we, you know...”
“God no, ugh, why would you give me that image?! You cut yourself last night and Clover cleaned you up. You were too hurt to move so she let you sleep here. But, why were you screaming? A bad dream?”
“Something like that, yeah probably.”
He set me back down. “How is your side?”
“It doesn't hurt anymore. I don't really know I haven't checked.”
“You seem fine. Yesterday you couldn't even move.”
“I probably healed already. The pros of being a werewolf.”
He looked at the door.
“So, I'm going into town now. You know how you said I could be with anyone? I thought about some things and I want to hang out with that girl…”
“Oh, that's great.” I wasn't quite happy about his decision, but it was his life.
“Yeah, I'll get to see what kind of person she really is, not just focus on her physical appearance and how she's a...vampire. What I really care about is a woman’s inner character.”
“How sweet. You should probably get going. You look really nice by the way.”
He was wearing a casual Armani outfit, an expensive watch, and his hair looked fabulous, as usual.
“Thanks. Well, I hope you get better soon.” He stepped out, closing the door behind him, finally giving me a chance to think. Was that incident really a dream? But it felt so real. I looked down at my arm and froze seeing a red hand mark where the vampire grabbed me in my “dream”. No, no way. He was really here?! I need to tell Piero- No, he was gone. Oh, let the stupid freak kill me. I don't even care anymore. At least I would get to be with Piero then…
I pulled up my shirt to inspect the cut on my side. I tore off the bandage, but there was no blood, no scar, no sign of any gash, except for the dried blood on the bandage. Awesome, I can heal that fast? If I can heal that fast and I'm like, a beginner wolf, wouldn't Piero have healed too? What if he wasn't really dead?! No, stop imagining fake scenarios. I cleaned up and went over to the kitchen. Eleonora was at the counter, filling out some papers.
“Good morning Mrs. Barone. Paying bills?”
“I wish.” She wiped tears out of her eyes with her arm. “I'm organizing Piero's funeral.”
“Oh.” I grabbed an apple and sat next to her. “I'm arranging for red roses and the church will be at noon, a few days from now. We never really talked about funeral arrangements because, well, he was so young, so I'm trying to figure it all out.” She began to cry again. “A mama isn't supposed to live longer than her babies!”
I leaned over to hug her. “Don't cry Mrs., he's in a better place-”
“But it was too soon!”
“I know. God just needed another angel up in heaven with him.”
“I don't know why I have to dress up my little boy in so much black. Black suit, black tie, black shoes. It's so depressing.”
“It's horrible. Do you need any help?”
“No, I think I can manage.”
Maria came in followed by Chris. He was really getting on my nerves, always with Maria. He needed to back off big time.
“Hello Christiano, what an eyesore to see you. May I ask why you are still here?” I spat. I really didn't like him and had a feeling that he could be a spy for Vico or some other vampire lord. Wasn't it a coincidence that he somehow shows up out of nowhere, saying he “found” Maria. I think he's the one who took her, but made it look like he was a hero so we would trust him. I eyed him suspiciously.
“I'm sorry, I don't know what you have against me, but Mariagrazia invited me in and said she could help me find my sister.”
“There's more of you?!” I said, disgusted.
“Destiny! That is no way to speak to a guest! He needs our help,” Maria scolded. Why was she defending him?! Oh, no, noooo! She has feelings for him! I groaned. Poor child! She is so hurt from Piero being gone, that she looks for comfort in the first guy she comes across. She is so blinded by his comforting presence that she can't see his motives! I needed to have a serious talk with her and warn her-
“Chris is my friend and I'm going to help him. I don't need your permission! You don't even live here! You're the one intruding in our home!”
I gasped. “So you want to go there?!” I laughed angrily. “You don't even know who he is! You just want him because he was there when you needed someone! He can be dangerous!”
“You and your trust issues! You can never believe that there are actually good people in the world! And Piero! Basically you killed him! You let him go into a vampire castle with Dad and Jay! Anyone could have seen that was a terrible plan!” Maria was breathing hard and her eyes were wide.
“Ohho, no hon, you killed Piero. You ran away with your lover over here without telling anyone and Piero went to look for you. If you wouldn't have ran off, he would still be here!”
“Blame it on me, but everyone knows the real killer is you. I mean, you already killed your dad!”
I screamed in frustration, “I've had enough of you retards and saying I killed my dad! Why the F would I kill my own dad?!”
“Because you enjoy hurting people and destroying their lives!”
“Sorry, princess, but you destroyed your own life and try to deny it by picking up random guys on the street to make you feel better about yourself!”
“I've had enough of you! Get out of my house now!” She was yelling in my face now and shoved me back. Oh hell no. I pushed her back with more force and she crashed into the counter.
“Don't push me, you murderer!” She yelled and ran at me, tossing me onto the floor.
I slapped her and she got infuriated. She got up and pulled my hair, dragging me down the hall towards the front door. I released my claws and scratched her arms deeply so blood dripped down on my face and she let me go. I always saw Maria as a cute, harmless princess, but now, she was throwing me across the house!
Reece ran to the stairs. “Wow, is that a cat fight?! I need some popcorn!”
Eleonora came out from the kitchen. “Girls, please stop this. You're friends, don't hurt each other-”
Neither of us was listening to her, punching, hitting, and kicking.
“Destiny! What are you doing to that poor girl?!” My mom came out of the game room, holding a burrito.
“This ‘poor girl’ is talking trash about me and I'm not going to let her get away with it!” I screeched while tackling Maria on the floor.
“Yeah, keep killing each other!” Reece called from the top of the stairs.
I growled and was about to swing and do a knockout blow, but Francesco pushed me off Maria.
“Enough! Do not hurt each other! How old are you?! Do you really need me to take care of everything for you?! Mariagrazia, you know better. Piero would not want us to tear this family apart in his name! It's about time you all acted like the adults you are and support each other!”
Everyone was silent, shocked to see Franz actually take responsibility instead of being too scared to. He helped Maria and me up and gave us stern stares.
“I don't want to see either of you roughhousing any more.”
“Yes sir,” I stated with a “military” voice.
“Do not mock me right now Destiny. Don't even dare.” His words sliced through me and I was quite scared. Everyone was having a tough time with Piero gone. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything in the first place. Maria being with Chris was her way of coping and I should have respected that. I turned to Maria. “I'm so sorry about that-”
“I hate you,” she muttered and stormed off, brushing the tangled hair out of her face, blood drying on her arms.
“I'm disappointed in you Destiny,” Francesco said with sad eyes so similar to Piero's. “I'm sure your mother is too with your immature behavior.” He looked over at her.
“Oh, of course. I'm super disappointed.” In reality, Jane didn't care at all and was busy thinking about that reality TV show she was missing out on. “You're in big trouble missy.” She shook her head and sped back to the game room, eager to watch her show. I'm so lucky to have her and not a Mexican mother. I hear that they are quite brutal when punishing their kids. Belts, sticks, sandals, it's crazy.
Francesco addressed me once more about my bad behavior before going off to take care of “pack business”. Reece had gone back to his room; Maria was mad at me, and there was no way I was going to try to talk to her; Gian was out with that vamp chick; Clover went to the gun range to practice shooting; my mom was watching tv; Theo had gone out with Malia; and I had no one to hang out with. Ignazio came out of his room, looking as lost as I did.
“Hey Nazio, what's up?” I asked, just awkwardly standing there.
“Nothing really. Today I was supposed to go hang out with Piero and Gianluca for a guys’ day out. We planned it months ago and were so excited for it, but Gian went out with a girl and, uh, Piero's gone now.”
“Do you mind if I hang out with you? I can do guy stuff. What did you have planned?”
He laughed. “As a joke, we were going to go to the salon and get our nails done. Piero wanted to see his mother's reaction. It was going to be hilarious…”
“I would kill to have a salon day! What do you say we go?”
“Uh, ok. But we have to have lunch when we're done. And ice cream after.”
“Sounds like a deal.”