Chapter 11

I watched his thin lips as he chewed the food, he's unreadable.

He could not be trusted

"Please baby stop eye raping me." He looked at me with a smile, geez it's amazing that I got used to his presence and his naughty statements easily

"I'm not eye raping you baby, I'm mind killing you."

He chuckles

"oohh, my baby is a bitchy bitch"

"Why did you bring me here?"

I was surprised earlier when he took me to a nice restaurant outside the town, its been a long time since I got to the city.

"I want you to eat Cassandra. You look pale and tired, plus stressed out. Whatever Vander does to you, ditch him, he doesn't deserve you."

There was a blade in his eyes that seemed to harbor anger

"Why is Van mad at you?" I can’t help but ask

"Oh baby the feeling is mutual, don't ask just eat," he gave me a sweet smile before bringing the spoon with only steak and rice

I can't help frowning, what the hell?

"What do you think are you doing?"

I flickered

Van?

What do you think are you doing?

Is he talking to me? In my mind?

Is this how the bond works? I was a little used to listening to him in my mind

so, I ate the pointed food that Zede offered and chewed it wholeheartedly,

I've missed eating a lot

“And now you're ignoring me?” (Vander)

"What? You look like having battle royale in mind" Zede chuckled again,

If only Vander would treat me like this.

“Cassandra! Will you stop it? Go home now! " (Vander)

“You told me to get lost. I did so be happy." Zede stopped eating and turned to me, I was looking at him but I was talking to Vander.

Zede even pointed to himself asking if I'm talking to him,

why why? He look cute now. I can't help but laugh.

"Hold your smiles and laughter while with him! I didn't say get lost and be with another man!"

I stopped smiling and felt the clench of my fist.

"Stupid." I spat

"You have no right to dictate what to do and what not to do, why? Did I tell you to quit thinking of Agatha because I'm hurting? Did I tell you to stay away from laura because I'm jealous? Get lost vander . Get away from my mind. Cut this fucking connection now. That's what you want. " I could feel my tears dripping.

My chest contracted in pain.

It all happened Since Salva told me about how Van feels about me. Me being aware of the connection made it even stronger.

And since then I started acknowledging my feelings too, so maybe the bond that connects us has become stronger. All we need to do is cut it, to stop the hurtings. I have to stay away as he told me.

I can't stop sobbing.

Damn it hurts!

I'm not so me after I went there and met him

I can't cry. Only when I lost my mom. And that was the last time I cried. But this ... Feelings inside me whenever Van is involved I can't help but hurt like hell.

I realized that Zede was sitting in front of me and wiping my tears.

"Tch, he's never been nice to a woman. After Agatha. That asshole cousin of mine, stop crying please"

There was a plea in his eyes. I can see sincerity in there.

"I might become a monster right here out of control seeing a beautiful lady in tears"

I smiled at what he was saying, so he's really one of their kind. He's something I need to stay away from but he can make me feel good at the same time.

"I want to go home..."

An understanding smile and nod came from him.

"In deniva. Bring me home where I truly belong Zede. Please?"

I'm done.

December 2016 at Deniva, The Novalez mansion

"Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!"

I just looked at my brother who looked like a fool in Santa Claus attire, wearing a red hat with red sack of gifts, the children were ahead of him, they are Novalez children, our cousin's children, nieces and nephews , they're having the yearly reunion and I'm feeling so outcast

The elders and some of our cousins were in the dining room, the children were in Charlie and receiving gifts from us.

"A gift for an ugly lady in Christmas." I just turned the gift he had put on my face.

"They said wear red, what's with you and black?"

"I'm the grim reaper, youre dead!"

I rolled my eyes and smirk, Charlie just laughed and sat on the sofa in front of me.

"Been 3 months, What really happened there? You've Change a lot .. Both good and bad."

I eyed him. He was scratching his arm which was already red, his costume was still from the old box he was crazy because he was still wearing it.

"You are no longer involved in trouble, but you are no longer sensible to talk to."

I reached for the gift he had given earlier but he immediately gave me an alarming look, as if he knew I was going to throw it.

"That's my gift to you, it's not just cardboard wrapped in a wrapper okay? I won't be responsible if you have no gift for Christmas." He just smiled as I threw the sofa pillow at him.

I'm coping up. Somehow it feels good to be back home,

I shook the gift wrapped in red wrap and opened it.

I eyed him

Then back to the gift.

I picked it up and examined it.

It feels cold in my hand,

"I didn't know anything about him, but I always heard you speaking in your dreams Cas, in the past 3 months."

The familiar beating came again ..

I stared a New moon and star pendant, the moon and star stick together as if joining forces, and behind the moon there's an engraved name

"Vander"

My eyes watered again but I force not to let it fall.

"Charlie. Thank you" I smiled at him fully, I'm happy somehow I have a remembrance that once in my life he became part of it.

"Youre Welcome sis, and welcome back."

"May I interrupt your moment together please?"

It was Uncle Lynder holding a cup of wine, smiling at us.

"Sure uncle"

"Merry Christmas uncle" I beamed. Everyone in the family dislikes me, but he seems nice to me.

"Merry Christmas my dear, and welcome back" he patted my head and smiled before approaching and sitting next to charlie.

I took the necklace again and put it on

"How's the cases? I heard five people have been found dead?"

"Yes uncle, we don't have any lead. The police theory is that those who were into drugs do it, but there's just a small hole I'm peeking through .."

I could not help but hear what they were saying

"All the dead victims were bitten on the neck, a long sharp and deep wound was in their neck everyone of them."

I saw uncle lynder stunned

"Perhaps .. A vampire?"

He whispered Right there I just know I really can't run away. Not everything is a dream. I met the Laurent's. I saw werewolves and dealt with them. I heard of vampires and they told me they exist. I had a connection a special bond with a werewolf an alpha rather. Now that I'm back in Deniva, the realities are rushing in.

I tried to convince myself that everything was just a dream.

But no. There are vampires in the city!

I waited for Charlie to come out of the bathroom.

He's all grumpy when he comes home and It worries me. The number of deaths has increased due to the alleged "drug" men whose way of killing the victim was to stab two sharp objects in the neck.

They wouldn't accept the very idea of existence of vampires, I need to talk to him, I might convince him that there is a possibility that there are vampires roaming around deniva.

Why not? I've encountered werewolves in mistletoe before.

The thought made me cringe, stop! I don't Want to remember things about him. For the past three months I have done nothing but gradually forget him and his painful memories.

"What is it? Cas I'm busy." he went straight to his working table near the bed where I was sitting.

"Are there any new victims?"

"Not killed this time, 7 lost people. If any idiots are doing this they're making a chaos, we have no lead to find"

he irritatedly scraped some papers on the table

"Uhm, aren't you ... considering the thought that vampires are the ones who made it?" I gave out a nervous laugh.

He stilled.

"Go to sleep. You'll come with me tomorrow." He looked at me and smiled he also tap my head like what he usually do.

"I told you I don't want to."

"You will, daddy wants us to be there, that is a big event for his candidacy announcement, we need to support him or at least make it believable that we do"

he rolled his eyes. Whatever daddy has in mind when running for Governor of Deniva I don't really care one bit. But me going and pretending to be the ever so wonderful daughter means something for the whole family so i maybe dont have any choice at all.

I was about to leave my brother's room when he called me

"please, stay out of this Cas. no .. i dont want to lose you again sister, whoever those son of bitches they are harmful."

i can see genuine worries in him, i just nodded and left the room. as I enter my room there seems to be a shadow moving in my curtain that now freely accompanies the air coming from the open sliding window

"I closed it earlier .." I approached it and pulled back the curtain. Its all dark outside no sign of culprits entering my room.

"but .. i saw it. a shadow"

I suddenly felt scared, no this is first time. A Cassandra Novalez, the bitch, the bastard of the family, never felt this fear,

But the idea that some creatures are roaming around deniva and they do exist makes my heart race. once again, I saw it a fast moving shadow in the street corners coming near the mansion

"Charlie! Charlieeeee !!!!"

"baby, Mommy needs to do it"

"please I dont want here! let me be with you mom please !!"

"Cassandra!" the woman's voice rose

"it is to keep you safe, mommy dont have the money to keep you alive anymore"

"Mommy!" the child clung to the lady's waist while she is trying to push her away

I tried to approach and enter the room where they were but suddenly the surroundings collapsed.

Noooooooooo !!

I closed my eyes, and when the surroundings became peaceful I woke up again,

"I want you to meet Cassandra your sister"

I saw the child, its her again. They are standing outside a mansion ... its .. our house!

I looked at the child again.wait,

IT IS ME !!

I saw that the boy approached me kindly ... To my child self

"Hi, I am your big bro fom now on and I will call you baby sister." its Charlie, he messed up my hair like a big bro usually do to its younger sister,

I felt my tears dripping.

Im dreaming .. its my memories.

The very first time daddy brought me home and Charlie accepted me fully.

"Cassandra!"

nooo! what's happening!?

suddenly things collapsed around again as if darkness had absorbed them!

charlie !!

"Cassandra!" Im sobbing, I can stop the tears from falling.

I'm scared.

Im so bare at the moment.

All the fears and pains I have kept through the years they are all creeping out of my system, I dont know what to do.

It's like I went back to being a child. I am at the forest alone.

The forest is damn familiar,

"Cassandra!"

this is a repressed memory! this is the part of my past that I tried to forget, with so much effort my brain finally washed it out of me, but now, .. Im dreaming of them!

"please .. save me .." its too dark ..

"cassandra are you here ?!" echoing around, different voices my name is being shouted.

I look at the dark ang grassy part of the forest, I saw eyes, raging in madness looking at me .. I dont know but the heart ache is so familiar ..

"Vander?"

"Cassandra!" I was quickly wrapped in a tight and warm hug, its charlie.

The eyes behind the plants are gone.

"cassandra! oh my sister! Where have you been? why are you so dirty? why the blood !? daddy !! daddy !! here !! she’s here!" his voice echoed around.

"Kuya? She's dead."

"cassandra wake up!"

Feeling the strong pat on the shoulder I quickly opened my eyes,

Fuck it! I took a deep breath and trembled as I looked around.

I am in the floor, in my room.

Charlie is beside me looking terrified.

"what hapened?"

"I should ask that!" his eyes almost popped out at me,

"i .. those dreams .." I quickly looked out the window

"I saw .. I saw something here! A shadow, a fast moving shadow and then .. i called you! That's all I can remember what happened?"

Charlie looked alarmed and quickly approached the window with the gun on the side.

"they are here. shit .. they are here!" he looked at me fear visible in his eyes.

I approached the window, looking where he was looking.

from the street light accross the road outside the mansion, there is a guy standing, looking at his feet. the light of the pole alsoblinking, and just that after the next blink of light he suddenly disappears.

"fuck it!" charlie quickly locked the window,

"dont ever go outside the house, plus please get your gun, in my office. I will make a few or a lot of calls. Dont tell anyone yet please." he walked away quickly,

but it cant be ..

No. just No.

its .. him,

it was him

how did he do it?

was it him all along?

is he behind it all?