Thicker than Water

Chapter Seventeen

Yet again, I was causing trouble for everyone.  The thing that had tried to tear my throat out stood before us in the elvish armor.  He tossed the helmet aside and grinned at us with his long fangs.  His stark white hair brought back the memory of nearly dying a couple of weeks ago.  Haden stood in front of me protectively, his sword at the ready to hack the thing in half once it made a move.

"You must be Haden Carter Stone, correct," the thing asked with a laugh.  "The fool that fell in love with his step sister!"  He held his side as he laughed deliriously.  Haden glared at him as I tried to scramble to my feet.  "Ugh, what a good day," he sighed.  "I can get rid of the both of you much easier now."  The monster's claws came out like before and he crouched, ready to pounce on Haden.

I didn't have the gun on me anymore but I did grab one off of Haden's belt before he took a step closer to the monster and blocked me.  I stood behind him as the thing looked between the two of us.  Haden said, "You know who we are, but we don't know you.  That's quite rude to do when you meet someone."

It smiled with decaying teeth.  "I'm a servant to councilman Harrison, but my name is Connell."  He looked at me.  "I was told to bring you back, but it wasn't specific as to it being alive or not.  So make a decision."  I took a deep breath to make a snide comment, but he added, "If I can't take you, I'll take one of those sweet children."

I stopped dead in my tracks.  "Ooh, I have plans for them!  First, I'll kill the oldest in front of you so you can watch.  What was her name?  Marisol. Then, I'll finish the other children before I move on to their parents," he ranted.  The mental image caused me to cave in, wrapping my arms around myself.  "You are afraid of blood, right?"  A shiver ran across my skin, giving an obvious answer.  "I'll take that as a yes."

"Ignore him, Rogue," Haden told me with a sweet tone, but behind it he was struggling to maintain his sanity.  "I'll keep this bastard from getting anywhere near any of you.  I promised to -"

"Protect her?  Obviously you failed last time.  Because unfortunately that toxin won't go away until I get a favor from her.  That drowning sensation you were feeling is from that.  Eventually, if not cured, she'll crave blood.  And in her case that is definitely not a good thing.  Someone with her heritage is bound to go on a killing spree."

Haden's body tensed with rage.  "Her heritage?"

Connell smiled brightly like a child.  "She is a hybrid, a cross between a demon and an angel," he said, squinting his eyes at me like I was dirt.  "How no one noticed before is quite shocking.  I recognized it right away, but her scent was a dead give away.  She is tainted and impure.  Her eyes are of the demon and her beauty of the angel.  Even her blood is poisonous."

Haden casted me a strange look then focused back on Connell, who smiled brightly again.  "I don't believe you," he snarled. 

"You should ask her about it then," Connell said slowly with a cruel glint in his eyes.  "It seems she isn't as surprised as you.  She probably knows it too now."

Haden looked back at me again in question.  "Please, Rogue, tell me he is lying," he said quietly in a pleading tone.

I took a deep breath then said, "I'm sorry Haden, but even I don't really know what I am," I admitted bluntly.  Tears swelled in my eyes as his green eyes went dark.  "But, it isn't human."  I casted my eyes down in shame.  I honestly had no idea what I was.  But for some time before this I had sort of had my suspicions.

But Haden's silence pained my heart.  After a few painful seconds he said, "Whatever."  I looked up quickly in fear, but soon that was quickly put out.  He faced Connell and glared at him.  "It doesn't matter to me," he snapped at him, causing my blood to freeze.  "I love her.  It doesn't matter to me if -"