Bitten

Chapter Thirty-Three: Return.

Tiberius

When I am out of the room I hear the window click and Rosalie slowly climb out of it. I close my eyes and pray she can make it out without hurting herself.

Now I must face the person standing at my front door.

I jolt down the stairs and stand in front of the door, trying hard not to look nervous. Block off your mind Tiberius.

I open the door to reveal the silhouette of my mother, Elenor.

She grins when my face comes into view, as do I, pretending to be happy to see her. And normally I would be... if I weren't seeing Rosalie. If there is one rule Elenor has always made me promise to stick to... it's not ever telling humans what we are. A rule which I have broken. Although in my defense... I didn't exactly tell Rosalie what I am, she more so found out on her own. But Elenor wouldn't understand, she would tell me I should have killed Rosalie once she knew about me.

"Hello!" Elenor says reaching to give me a hug.

"Mother," I say pulling her in, pretending everything is fine. Everything is fine. Everything is great.

I need to convince myself of that if I'm going to convince her.

She crinkles her nose.

"You smell... odd," she says raising a brow.

"You haven't been feeding directly on humans have you?" She asks curiously.

Damn it, Rosalie's scent must linger on me.

"No, of course not! But I was just out among humans earlier, maybe I picked up the scent from being near a lot of them at a time," I say shrugging her question off.

As I shift towards the stairs, the scent of something awful hits my nose.

It's not that it smells awful... in fact, it smells delicious. But the awful part stems from the fact that it is the smell of fresh human blood.

Rosalie's blood.

"Are you lying to me, Tiberius? It smells like you've got a live one upstairs!" Elenor says eyeing me warily.

I look at her panicked before jolting up the stairs. I can't pretend anymore... I need to make sure Rosalie is safe. What if she misstepped and plummeted from the window! Oh my god, I should have just told her to wait up here until I distracted my mother into leaving with me or something.

When I reach my room the window is open, the drapes still moved over how they were just moments ago.

Elenor is on my heels.

"What is going on Tiberius?" She asks annoyed.

I move swiftly to the window and look out. There is no body lying in the yard, but the smell of blood is strong. I can't help it as the hunger takes control, contorting my face.

I breathe in deeply, inhaling the scent.

When I look down again, I notice a few small drops of blood, as well as blood smeared on a nail sticking out of the window frame.