Trembling With the Strings

Red-Handed

I sat on the bed, alone. Darius was in the shower, and Kai was sleeping quietly. He looked so peaceful in his wooden crib, and I couldn’t bring myself to take that serenity away from him. I certainly wasn’t as calm as he was.

I loved him, but I couldn’t let Darius go through with killing my littlest brother! I didn’t care if Demetrius hated me for making him stay a normal boy. I would not sit back and watch as my last brother was damned to Hell. Darius may have promised, but I had crossed my fingers.

If Darius was so determined to keep his promise, then I had to leave him. I had been thinking about my options ever since Darius stepped into the shower seven minutes ago, and the only choice that seemed reasonable was to leave.

I carefully stepped into the hallway, knocking on Marcus’ door. Johnny answered it, and he smiled, stepping back and letting me walk in. Demetrius was not there, but I would have to break the news gently to him.

“Do you guys want to go home?” I asked them, pulling them both into my arms.

“What do you mean? I thought you were happy,” Marcus said, sounding so confused. He pulled himself out of my arms, and Johnny did the same.

“What happened?”

I sighed, glancing back at the open door. I backed into it, letting out a shaky breath as it clicked shut. “He told me he’s going to bite Demetrius.”

“Over my dead body!” Marcus hissed, his lip twitching into a sneer. “Who the hell does he think he is? He is not damning my little brother!”

“I know!” I told him, trying to get him to calm down. I put my hands on his shoulders. “That’s why we’re leaving. Get your things packed while I talk to Demetrius, okay?”

“Gracie, I’m really sorry this didn’t work out,” Johnny murmured softly, looking up at me sadly.

I shook my head. “We’re all we’ve got, and that’s all I need. I promise,” I lied, hurrying out of their room and into the room next to it. “Demetrius? We need to talk.”

He was bouncing on his bed, but he smiled when he saw me and sat down. “What?”

“Why are you so hyper?” I asked him, stalling.

“Darius told me that the wedding is being moved up, so I get to be a vampire soon!” he told me, poking at his dull teeth.

“Oh,” I mumbled, sitting beside him on the bed. “Demetrius, Darius can’t do that.”

His face fell a little, but there was still some hope. “Oh. Well, when’s he going to do it?”

“He’s never going to do it,” I told him. “Sweetie, I can’t let him do that. Do you want to go to Hell when you die?” He shook his head. “Then you have to stay a normal boy.”

“What about Marcus and Johnny? They’re vampires.”

“I know. But that’s different. They didn’t want it. How about we go home and forget this mess ever happened, okay?”

“Why? We have a nice house, and I love my new Dad. Why would I want that?” he asked me, giving me a funny look.

“I’m not asking you to understand. Just pack your things. We’re leaving soon, okay?” I got up, but a small hand grabbed my wrist.

“No, Gracie. I’m not leaving.”

His voice was so cold. The blood in my veins nearly froze.

“You don’t have a choice. You’re not staying here.”

“I am staying,” he told me, letting go of me. “I’m staying here. You can leave, but I’m not, Grace.”

“If you stay here, I swear I will never forgive you,” I threatened, glaring at him. Why was he siding with Darius? He wasn’t related to him!

“I don’t care.”

Those three words probably broke my heart the most, but I just turned away from him, so he couldn’t see me cry. My little boy had outgrown me? I shook my head, slamming his bedroom door behind me. I still was not going to stay there. Demetrius would come crying to me, begging me to forgive him. It wasn’t in his nature to be so cold-hearted.

I peeked into my bedroom, and I saw the bathroom door hanging open. Darius was not in there, but I was not going to wait around for him. I picked Kai up, and I bounced him gently on my hip to keep him from crying.

I suddenly remembered when Darius had pulled out a wad of cash and handed it over to his uncle. His jeans were lying on the bed, and I could see the wallet sticking out of his pocket. I glanced around before stepping up and pulling it out. I took quite a few hundreds. He had plenty of money, so he surely wouldn’t miss a thousand dollars. I tucked the wallet back into his jeans, sighing as I realized what I was doing.

“Why is the love of my life stealing from me?”

I jumped at his voice, which was full of betrayal and misery. I slowly turned around, and Kai started wailing.

I stuttered, but I had no idea what to say. Darius was leaning against the wall, watching me carefully. His eyes betrayed his emotions even though his face was as blank as stone. I looked at my feet, biting my lip.

“I thought you said you didn’t want to leave me,” he told me, walking up to me.

“I did say that,” I muttered, not able to look him in the eyes.

“What changed your mind?”

“You won,” I told him, managing to look up at him. “Demetrius likes you better, and he won’t leave with me.”

“Kai isn’t leaving with you either. I signed the paperwork, and therefore he is more my child than he is yours. You’re not taking him from me if you’re leaving.”

“He’s my son! You didn’t even want him. You have Demetrius. Isn’t that enough?”

“Where exactly are you going to stay, Gracie? You have no one left that can take care of you!”

“I have my friends! They don’t insist on damning my brother.”

“That’s what this is about? I promised him! It wouldn’t work out if he stayed human!” he tried to reason, but I only focused on four of his words.

“It wouldn’t work out,” I repeated. “It wouldn’t work out anyway. I’m sorry, Darius. I love you, but I just can’t be with you. It just didn’t work.”

He nodded, looking down at his feet. “I thought you’d end up saying that. That’s why I was such a bastard to you at first. I thought if I kicked you down enough, you’d stay there. Then I wouldn’t lose you. But I guess I lost you anyway.”

“You did.” I pulled out the money, handing it to him. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

He pushed it back. “No. You need it more than I do.” He paused. “I think you should go now. I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“Sad?”

“No, pissed off and miserable. I’d tell you to take Demetrius, but the rooms are nearly soundproof, and he chose me. We’ll discuss Kai later. Just get out of here.”

I nodded, taking off the engagement ring and pressing it into Dray’s hand. He looked down at it, and I hurried out of the room and met up with Marcus and Johnny. We didn’t have a car, so we started walking.

I heard glass shatter and a table lamp flew through the broken window. We started walking faster then. I didn’t know where we were going, but as long as we were with normal people it’d work out.

It had to work out.
♠ ♠ ♠
The reason the last chapter was called "I hate pants" because Darius doesn't like to wear pants because that means he can't be gettin' a little! :D Yeah, so how many people are mad at me right now? Lol I promise this isn't the end, so that should make it better! Right? :p