The Chase

“They never told you?” The sweet young boy asked.

“They never told me what? That a crazy guy was going to be insane and say he was a ‘vampire’?” As I said the word ‘vampire’ I used air quotes then rolled my eyes. This was just stupid.

“No, that your dad remarried when you were three so you could have a normal life and believe that the woman you live with now is your real mom,” By this time the blue eyed boy was close to me and was holding one of my hands. “Your mom is really a vampire. But your dad is human. You’re just like me, a luce del sole vampire, Anna.”

When he said this I jerked back away from him, my body full of anger. Why would this pretty boy say this kind of stuff? He doesn’t know me! Those words ran through my head then I finally said something.
“How do you know this?”

“I lived in the same apartment as your mom, vampires live together so it’s less likely we’ll get caught,” He said, looking at me with a matter-of-fact look. “The Chiaro di luna vampires rampaged the apartments killing almost all of our kind, and taking the full good vampires to build their army. Anna, they took your mom.”

Right as he said that I swore a heavy gust of wind blew right into my chest slamming my heart all around. The look he gave me made me think he was really telling the truth. I sighed, not knowing what to believe. Was I acting like a bitch for no reason? Was he telling the truth, or was he just seeing how far he could take this? I mean sure my mother and I look nothing alike. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and she was kind of white. But I never took it into serious consideration. Then it hit me.

“If I’m a vampire then where are my fangs and my pale skin?” I said crossing my arms as if I won.

“Ha. You make this so complicated,” he gave a sweet half smile as he ran his fingers threw his hair. “You are still changing, when your 18 you will be an adult half vampire, which in that case is when you show vampire traits.”

“Okay,” I say as if I was just corrected for asking a dumb question. “Then why was my mom taken and all of our kind killed?”

“Ah,” He said looking down at the shaggy carpet with mud stains on them from years of kids sneaking in. “there’s a, how do you say, rebellion going on between us and the Chiaro di luna.”

“Wait, who is rebelling?” I say very curiously.

“Us.” The sexy vampire said looking up at me.

“Why, though? Aren’t we both the good guys?”

“We are but the Chiaro di luna have been treating us less of vampires and more of garbage. And we don’t like it at all.” As he said this his face looked like stone. I stepped back a foot or two just in case he stared swinging.

“Why am I needed?” This all sounded like it had nothing to do with me.

“You’re related to the leader of the Chiaro di luna, not your mom, but your uncle. If your uncle sees his sisters little girl on our side, we think he’ll stop this war and treat us with more respect.” As he said this he was walking back and forth then walked closer to me. “What time is it?”

I looked in my purse and found my phone.

“3:30.” I answered.

“Let’s go, after this.” He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me closer to him and kissed me. This kiss was sweet and his lips were as soft as they looked. When he pulled away a soft smile was adorning his lips. “Damn, I was dying to do that.” He murmured softly

The kiss left smiling like an idiot. A very sexy vampire just kissed me. Hello, kickass romance. I looked at him as I felt my cheeks heat up, and I was sure my entire face was a bright shade of red, but I couldn’t really find it in myself to care all that much.

“Okay, let’s go before they think we were kidnapped or something.” He grabbed my hand and led me out. We stared walking to the car but we saw an ice cream place and got some ice cream before heading back to the car where we found Lorrie and Chad already waiting. Chad looked very jealous and Lorrie looked at me with the biggest grin. She glanced pointedly to my hand, which I had forgotten until that moment was laced with Xavior’s. I immediately let go, my cheeks tinting pink once again, but a grin made its way to my lips without my consent.

“Let’s take everyone home. Mini gulf was very tiring.” Chad started the car as me and Xavior got in. Chad drove me home first. He pulled to a stop to let me out but Xavior grabbed my arm and slipped a piece of paper into my hand, then he let go and smiled softly. I get out and started to walk up the drive way until I remembered the note clutched in my fingers. I stopped outside the front door and unfolded it quickly.

“Huh, weird.” I murmured to myself, trying to figure out when Xavior had time to write anything to me during the car ride.

Hey, Anna.

I just wanted to say you must ask your dad about us, he knows about us. Plus ask him why your mom wanted to hind your true self from you. It doesn’t make sense.

P.S. You’re a great kisser.

Sincerely,
Xavior

The last part of the note made my heart flutter in my chest for a moment, and then I reread the rest of it, and the fluttering ceased immediately and instead the beating organ settled somewhere between my ribs as questions flooded my mind. Xavior was right, it didn’t make any sense. If my real mother was a vampire, then why would my father hide it from me? Why would he lie to me my entire life about who I really am? What I really am? Curiosity burned through my veins so fiercely that I forced myself to move and pushed the front door open with perhaps too much force, but I couldn’t be bother with worrying about slamming doors at the moment.

“Anna? Is that you?” My mother’s voice drifted down the hallway from the kitchen, and it made a lump form in my throat as the seriousness of what Xavior had told me finally sunk in. My mother wasn’t my mother. The woman who had raised me, had kissed my skinned knees as a child and held me as I cried over boys who’d broken my heart in middle school could quite possibly not be my mother after all. My entire childhood had potentially been a lie. Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes at the thought.

“Yeah, it’s me.” I said in reply, hoping my voice wouldn’t betray all the rampaging emotions flooding through me, but it obviously didn’t work. A moment later my mother appeared at the end of the hallway with a concerned look on her face.

“Is everything alright? Did something happen?” She asked, wiping her hands on her pants legs and stepping forward.

“Everything’s fine.” I said a bit too forcefully, and she looked at me quizzically. She opened her mouth to say something else, but I cut her off before she could utter even a single syllable. “Where’s dad at?” I asked.

“He’s upstairs in his study. You sure you’re okay?” She asked again, looking worried.

“I’m fine.” I said shortly, and before she could say anything else I hurried up the stairs and down to the end of the hall where my father’s study was located. The door was shut, so I knocked hard on the thick wood.

“Come in!” My father’s voice drifted through the door. I pushed the door open and stepped into the room, closing it behind me.

“Hey, what’s up kiddo?” My father asked, looking up from the paperwork he was working on. I flipped my hair eyes of my eyes with a quick flick of my wrist before crossing my arms over my chest and staring at my father. “Is something wrong?” He asked then, staring back at me with the same concerned gaze my mother had a moment ago.

“Who’s my mother?” I asked bluntly.

My father’s eyes widened impossibly, as if I’d just called him a horrible name, and then he returned his gaze to his paperwork.

“You know who your mother is. If I’m not mistaken you just spoke to her a moment ago downstairs.” My father replied, his voice void of emotion.

“Cut the bullshit.” I snapped. “I know she’s not my biological mother. I guess I should rephrase my question though. I should have said, what is my mother?” I added.

My father refused to look away from his work, but I could see the perspiration starting to drip down his forehead and neck. He was nervous.

“I don’t know what this is about, Anna, but I’m sure it can wait ‘til later, I’m busy right now.” My father said then, trying to distract me, but by this point anger was flowing through my entire being like white hot fire, and my hands turned to fists.

“You’re lying!” I shouted angrily. “Just tell me the truth!”

My father sighed, and glanced up at me with an uneasy gaze.

“Carolyn is your mother, Anna. Biological or not, she is your mother.” He murmured softly, as if this was supposed to ease my concerns.

“She’s a vampire, isn’t she? My real mother is a vampire.” I said then. It wasn’t a question, it was a statement, and my father knew this. His eyes widened impossibly once again, bulging from his skull and making him look incredibly like a giant bug. It would have been funny if I hadn’t been so angry.

“I— how do you know th— What?” My father spluttered stupidly, and that was all the confirmation I needed.

Xavior had been telling the truth.