Chapter 16
“You need to
confront him!”
I'm sitting in the room. I go to the
only two people I know to talk to about the fact that last night Nero
confessed his love for Coco. As usual Camille is being blunt and
direct telling me that I need to confront him.
“I think you
need to confront her,” Lucca is saying, “Think about it.
You never confront the man. Especially not when the man is a king. I
mean. You still have a fighting chance.”
“We need
you to get him back,” Camille responds.
“Camille!”
“It's
ok,” I reply crossing my arms, “I know why you two are
here. I know what why you two are friends with me. You thought Nero
and I would end up together and that I'd help raise your reputation
in Eden. I get it. I also understand if you go back to Coco.”
“Oh
please, Coco won't take us back,” Camille responds.
Lucca elbows her at
that moment, “What Camille means to say is that in the
beginning that might have been our motivation but believe it or
not...we care about you Santos. We love you. This isn't about
social climbing...not anymore.”
“Is isn't?”
Camille asks, before fixing her mouth quickly to add, “No, it
isn't.”
Lucca puts his arm over me at that moment, “We
are here for you Santos. And I have no motivation when I tell you
this shit is heartbreaking.”
Camille grabs onto the
other arm. It is bittersweet that they are admitting that they
honestly do care. A part of me liked hanging around with them
because I felt like they didn't. I felt like it was all business
with them. Now that I knew they actually did like me things just
seemed to go into that uncomfortable zone. How could they give me
honest advice if they had their emotions involved in this?
Why now that I have
real friends do I feel the most alone than I've ever felt in
Eden?
“We should get to Combat. We're running late,”
I say.
“Santos...what
are you going to do about Nero?”
“Nothing. He's
made his choice. I want him to be happy.”
How could he
be happy with me? I was a monster. I walk out of the room feeling
the pain. I should have known this was going to happen. Armando
warned me. Aiden warned me.
When Nero found
out who I really was and what I was really about he wouldn't want
anything to do with me.
And they were
right.
Constantine makes a
long speech in the beginning of combat class. The 2nd
half of the semester has started. It's mid January but luckily it
doesn't get cold in Eden. It stays the same lukewarm perfect ideal
weather. This really was paradise. I miss most of what Constantine
is saying because I see that Nero is on the mat next to Coco.
They're talking...yet again. My heart is racing yet again. I hate
the fact that Nero doesn't even have the balls to break up with me
before moving on first...but maybe he's scared that I'll snap.
Maybe I will snap...
I can't imagine doing to Nero what I did to Raul.
I catch the end of
what Constantine is telling the class, “It's time to prepare.
The Rogue threat is getting stronger behind these gates. Everywhere
in the city the vampires of Eden are preparing for another attack
against the forces of darkness. Children are made to believe that
the monsters are hiding under their beds or in their closets. They
are made to believe that monsters are hiding in the darkness. We
vampires know better. The monsters are outside our garden, getting
ready to come in!”
Monsters. That's what Constantine
calls the rogues and I wonder if he is referring to me. Am I the
monster hiding in the darkness. The rogues seem to think so.
Nero seems to
think so...
Constantine's voice
echoes across the gym, “What will we do!”
“FIGHT!”
The
scream rattles the nearby bleachers as Constantine instructs us
quickly, “Pair up and do your stretches before you spar.”
I
usually do my stretches alone but Aiden comes up to me. It's hard to
shake him. A part of me is tempted to entertain him knowing that
Nero has moved on and is back with Coco. Aiden has always been
there. Still...I can't help but to blame him for all the bad news.
Without him I would have been living in my little bubble not knowing
all the things that Nero did.
“Give me your
leg,” Aiden instructs.
“I don't need your help...”
I respond.
Aiden gives me a
look that lets me know that he doesn't give a fuck if I want his help
or not. I roll my eyes and allow Aiden to do his thing. I am
sitting on the mat and I lay flat on my back. He takes my left leg
and bend it up all the way over my head. He uses his chest to keep
my leg up as he positions himself up and down releasing my leg in
quick gestures.
“Can we do a stretch that doesn't look like we're fucking?” I ask him.
“You worried
about being in a compromising position with me?” Aiden asks
with a smiling gesture, “Don't worry. Your boyfriend isn't
paying attention.”
Aiden is right. Nero is stretching
with Coco. They aren't touching one another but it doesn't matter.
They are stretching together and he doesn't even seem to notice like
he usually would that Aiden put me in this weird ass clearly sexual
position.
“Not now
Aiden.”
“Of course I'm not gonna fuck you now,”
Aiden responds, “You're all sweaty. I'm going to save that
until after we shower.”
I push Aiden off of me and start
to stretch by myself. I'm not in the mood to joke right now
especially with what's going on. Aiden seems to notice I'm not in a
good mood. He moves next to me and sits on the mat. Usually
Constantine would be on our ass about not doing the right stretches
and staying active but Constantine is working with Lucca on his
boxing stance.
“I don't belong here,” I finally say after a couple moments of silence.
“In Combat
class?”
“In Eden, Aiden,” I explain, “Did
my father tell you? I'm her...heir...I'm”
Aiden clears
his throat. I know why he's doing it. Camille is somersaulting past
like a goddam vampire gymnast ninja. She somersaults high in the
sky. I have to admit I'm impressed. Looking around I'm impressed by
all of them. They all are getting better. They are all becoming
these tough ass warriors that would make amazing King's Guards.
Then there is me. I'm either not dangerous at all or
dangerous to the point that I black out and wake up to the complete
obliteration of my enemies.
No middle
ground.
“You going to
keep playing the fucking victim?” Aiden asks me, “Because
you have a choice. If you don't want to be here then
leave.”
“Aiden...”
I'm not expecting
him to say that. Honestly I don't.
Aiden backpedals
just as harshly, “I'm not saying I want you to, but fuck it
man. You have a choice of what you become. Look at Nero. He spends
all his time trying to kiss the King's ass but he'll never be what
Arie wants him to be. Sometimes you have to walk your own
path.”
For a moment it makes me feel better. The moment
doesn't last that long though.
“But what
if my path is the path of darkness?” I ask.
“Is that what
you want?” he asks me.
I shake my head, “I hope
not. But there is something in me Aiden. There's something dark and
you can't bury alive everyone who finds out about it forever. You
and my father can't hide this thing growing in me forever. It's too
big. It's too dark...”
Aiden shrugs, “You're
right. Then maybe you have to find a way to add some light in your
life.”
Aiden says it as though it's so easy. All I've
ever known was pain and despair. I got angry to the poitn that I
blacked out and I did the scariest shit imaginable. I can hardly
close my eyes and not think about what I did to Raul.
This isn't easy. This is never going to be easy.
The weekend comes before I know it. I have a scarf around my head. I am borrowing one of Lucca's bookbags and I have my golden outfits in it. Camille is already complaining about something or another. Aiden is standing to my right looking annoyed that she decided to come along just to complain. Nero is the only one who seems to be smiling and in a decent mood besides Coco. Yes...Coco is happy.
“I'm glad you all decided to come along!” Coco is telling me.
I smile weakly. Camille and Lucca literally had to drag me along to come to this camping trip. We've been walking for what seems like an hour and a half. The way out of Eden is a straight shot down a paved road. Now we aren't on the roads. We've wandered off into what was known as the Garden of Eden. The Garden was a thick forest with amber trees, thick soil and a humidity that caused you to sweat in places you didn't know existed.
“Look how close she is to him,” Camille whispers in my ear.
I look over at
Coco. Camille isn't being the least bit discreet about her dislike
about Coco and Nero. It's not like they are holding hands or
anything like that but they are definitely talking a lot more than
they were. It's hard to imagine Coco liking something like this but
she's putting on a decent face.
“Is everything ok you guys?” Coco asks Camille, Lucca and I.
Camille and I give
her stone faces and luckily Lucca is a little bit more civilized,
“Great. We're glad you invited us along.”
“Good.
I wanted to introduce you to Antwon Gibson and Tina Matthews.
Antwon is an A Blood and Tina is a B type. They're going to be our
guides out here.”
Antwon was dark skin and I admit is
handsome. He has dreadlocks that fall all the way to his ass and
looks like the football player Larry Fitzgerald in the face if you
ask me. It's rare to see another guy almost the height of Milan but
he's up there. Unlike Milan though he seems to have more a thicker
frame and not slim. He's not really muscular like Nero but he's more
on the bulky side as though maybe he used to be muscular but he
stopped going to the gym as much. It still looks good on him. The
girl Tina is a really skinny girl...looking almost anorexic and
honestly she isn't pretty at all. I can tell Camille getting annoyed
at Tina's presence when she starts to sing loudly.
“Can't we just
camp here?” Camille asks, “I'm tired of
walking...”
“Maybe if you didn't wear Louboutin
flats and wore combat boots like the rest of us, you'd be ok,”
Nero tells Camille clearly annoyed.
“Amen,”
Aiden responds.
I elbow Aiden, not so much for criticizing Camille but for agreeing with Nero. I think Nero notices it because he turns towards me. He waits for me to catch up to him and he hands me a bottle. The bottle has blood in it.
“You thirsty?” he asks.
I shake my head,
“I'm fine. Coco looks thirsty though.”
I'm not
sure if Coco recognizes the shade at that moment because she stops
and says, “Aw how considerate. I am thirsty...”
“Very
parched,” Camille adds in.
Coco grabs the
bottle out of Nero's hands. Coco may not recognize the attitude I
have but Nero definitely does. He gives me a hard look and I give
him one right the fuck back.
It's as that moment that I
realize this is going to be a really interesting camping trip.
We arrive at the camp grounds late but of course you can't tell in Eden because the sky is always the dim red color. A part of me wonders how I am going to go to sleep like this but honestly it's all a little easy.
“Anyone want to sing a song...” Tina asks.
“We'll
pass...” Camille tells her.
I feel anti-social when Camille, Lucca and I sit away from everyone else. Nero and Aiden are setting up two tens. One for girls and one for guys. Tina is singing as she and Coco are seasoning some shish kabobs.
Everyone is at
work except for my little crew. We are sitting there mean mugging.
“Hey any of you guys know anything about starting a fire?” Antwon asks.
Lucca, Camille
and I exchange looks.
“You can start my fire any time
daddy,” Camille flirts.
It probably goes
way over his head, but Lucca brings him back to reality while closing
his best friend's legs, “No actually we can't start a fire.
We're vampires not park rangers.”
Camille and Lucca
don't now what to do. They seem completely out of it and I know
they want to sit around and complain about what's going on with Coco
and Nero. A part me wants to sit around and complain about it too.
“I can
try,” I respond getting up.
I follow Antwon
to see that he has going on. He has hands me some flint and has some
dry wood pressed up.
“Can't believe
the AB is helping me build a fire right now,” Antwon explains,
“Can't wait to tell all my homeboys.”
“I'm
not really that special,” I tell him.
He's looking
down at me. The guys eyes are lighting up. I notice it now that
Tina is the same way when she was looking at me. They have this look
as though they are expecting me to break out into a dance where my
skin dusts of gold sprinkles and I summon rainbows. I don't get why
they think I'm something amazing.
If only they knew what I really were they'd probably go running through this forest like a scene from the Blair Witch Project.
“Of course you are,” He explains.
“How so?
Explain one way I'm different.”
“Rumor has it that
you can turn into a bat...”
I look at this guy and
realize he's not joking. I start smacking at the flint and getting a
slight spark as he watches on.
“I don't
turn into a bat. I can't hypnotize people. I can't read minds,”
I explain to him, “I'm a basic vampire just like you.”
“I
don't believe that,” Antwon responds, “No one does...I
mean you're the only one with AB blood. There has to be a
reason.”
There was a reason alright.
I look at this guy and it's making me nervous with him being around me. Luckily I hit the flint one good time and a fire starts. The others are starting to make their way over to the fire once they see me blowing at it and getting it going.
“See you can
do anything,” he responds, “I can't wait until you and
the Prince get married. You know when Raul went on television and
said you were sleeping with Armando, no one really believed it. No
one...”
I know he doesn't mean it but just the mention
of Raul makes me so fucking uncomfortable.
I'm glaring at him at that moment, “What the fuck are you talking about?”
The others are around us at that moment. They may not have heard what happened before but they were listening now.
“I'm
sorry. I was just giving a compliment. You guys look great together.
I see you on TV. My whole vampire coven are big fans. We all knew
you weren't that type of person.”
I feel myself getting
angry for some reason. The anger comes from deep within. It's
everything about this situation. It's being here with Nero and Coco
and the others. Everything seems wrong and right now I don't feel
like being looked up to by this guy.
“You don't
know what the fuck you're talking about,” I tell Antwon, “You
don't know what the fuck I'm capable of.”
The smile on
Antwon's face fades away quickly.
“Is
everything OK here?” Nero asks.
The hostility
that spews out of my mouth is immediate. I try to calm down and
think about apologizing but feel like maybe I should just let it go.
Antwon immediately looks extremely uncomfortable as he sits on a log
near the fire.
When I ignore
Nero, Nero grabs onto my arm.
I pull back at
that moment, “Get off.”
“We need to talk.
NOW!”
Nero was being forceful. Right now I didn't have
the fucking energy to deal with this. I shake my head and turn away.
“I'm
good,” I reply.
“Santos...”
“He
says he's good,” Aiden comes to my defense and lays out a
blanket before telling me, “Santos why don't you just come sit
over here.”
I don't know if I'm doing it to spite Nero.
I don't think I am. Honestly I go sit by Aiden just because it's
close to the fire and I can feel the flames flickering against my
skin. Nero stands there for a minute staring at me like he wants to
say something else. He decides against it though and sits on the
stool next to Antwon.
“How about we go skinny dipping! There's the river close to hear,” Coco suggests clearly trying to break the tension.
She'd probably
love to see Nero's big dick swinging around in a river.
“She is really trying it...” Camille says as though Coco isn't two feet away from her.
Lucca
immediately suggests something else before Coco catches on to how
annoyed Camille is, “How about instead of getting naked in
front of one another and jumping in a pool...we play a game, eat a
little bit. Do shit that camping people do.”
Coco is
forcing her smile, “I'm down for a game.”
She's
being so fake. She's being so nice. We all know that Coco isn't
like this. She is trying so goddam hard to be nice to everyone that
it's making me stick.
“Me too,”
Aiden says.
“Truth or dare,” Lucca
suggests.
“Lucca...”
I know Lucca. He's
staring directly at Nero when he says that. I know him enough to
know that Lucca doesn't just say shit without having a reason. He
was a thinker. He's not like Camille who just walks into the room
and vomits everywhere with the shit she says. Lucca was different.
He suggested this game for a reason.
“What? I
think it's a good idea.”
Surprisingly it's Nero who
opens his mouth and agrees, “I think that'll actually be fun.
Bring us all on the same page a little bit more.”
“How
about you go first Nero?” Coco suggests.
I roll my eyes.
Nero looks
around the fireplace. He stops all of a sudden at Aiden.
“Milan...truth or dare?”
“Truth.”
“Are
you honestly upset that Raul is dead?” Nero asks.
It comes out of left
field and Lucca pulls out a paper bag from his backpack, “I got
a bottle of Hennessy that I brought. I'm going to need it if we are
starting off the game like this.”
Aiden is looking at
Nero with suspicious eyes.
“I thought
this game was light hearted.”
“If you can't handle
it you are more than welcome to drop out,” Nero counters, “I
am asking what everyone else here is really wondering. You were
close as hell with Raul. And when Geneva killed him you didn't mourn
him...not one little bit. Coco spent more time upset over Raul's
death than you did.”
I hadn't been paying much attention
to Aiden's reaction. He was just pretending to be Milan. Aiden was
never close to Raul. He was in love with me.
“No,” Aiden answers.
“No?” Nero raises an eyebrow.
The only thing more shocking than Nero's question is Aiden's blunt answer.
Aiden shrugs his
shoulder grabs a shishkabob and puts it over the fire, “No. I
don't miss him. I don't think about him. I was never really in love
with him.”
“Why not?” Nero asks.
I stop Nero
right there, “Actually I think it's only supposed to be one
question for truth or dare.”
“It's ok. I don't
mind,” Aiden responds before staring directly at Nero, “I'm
in love with Santos. Always have been. Always will be. So no. I
never loved Raul. He was just a distraction.”
Jesus
Christ. The tension is definitely on fire right now. It is more
than on fire. I grab the Hennessy bottle out of Lucca's hands and
take a long swig of it. I can see Nero staring at Aiden then staring
at me. This is definitely the most awkward thing in the world and I
have a feeling the night is only going to get worse.
No one knows
what to say after that.
Aiden is the one who
smiles slyly, takes bite of a bloody raw shishkabob and says, “Guess
it's my turn. Camille truth or dare.”
“Think I'll
go with a dare.”
“I dare you to kiss Coco.”
I
know he does it on purpose trying to lighten the mood to what a truth
or dare should be. After dropping a bomb like that in front of
everyone it seems like he has to. The next couple of rounds luckily
are stupid things like that.
That is when we all are starting to get drunk and honestly we all are starting to laugh and have a good time. Everyone except Nero. He is quiet. He's quiet as fuck sitting by the fire. Since Aiden told him the answer to his question he hadn't said a single word. Lucca is dared to strip but naked and do a raindance. Nero doesn't laugh. Coco admits to having had Syphillis 4 times and Nero doesn't seem bothered. Soon his attention is coming onto me.
“Santos...truth or dare,” Coco says.
“Dare...”
“I
dare you to kiss the person you are most attracted to.”
She's
being a smart ass. I don't care what anyone says. Why the fuck
would she do that after what Aiden just admitted to and knowing that
Nero is there. I look at Aiden and then look at Nero. Nero is
looking down. Aiden gives a slight little snicker as though knowing
what I'm about to do.
I can't fake it. I know I'm hurting Aiden's feelings but I get up and walk over to Nero. I bend down to kiss him on the lips but just when I get to his lips Nero moves away.
“No,”
Nero states.
“Are you serious?” I ask.
I'm beyond embarrassed. Camille and Lucca let out a little bit of a gasp. Aiden snickers. Coco looks on with wide set eyes. Nero literally just turned away from me and dissed me in front of everyone. I have no idea what to do so I just sit there.
“Fine
whatever...” he changes his mind.
“No.”
“Don't
make this a big thing between us,” Nero explains, “I'm
mad that little FAGGOT that I called my best friend at one point just
fucking confessed his love to you and disrespected me to my fucking
face!”
Nero explodes at that moment pointing directly at
Aiden and then tossing a stick of raw meat at Aiden. Aiden hops up
off his feet at that moment.
A part of me
knew he was steaming this entire time. A part of me knew that Nero
was in his feelings. I don't know though if this is a good thing
that he's in his feelings or not. He dissed me with the kiss but
it's because he cared about what Aiden said.
Aiden doesn't
hop on his feet and attack Nero. He's way too 'cool' for that.
Instead he smirks and says, “It was the truth. What you going
to challenge me to a Combat Sanglant? We know your history with
those...”
Nero doesn't have as
much cool as Aiden. I see his temper as he jumps up to his feet. It
takes me and Antwon to stop Nero from running arcross the fire and
getting at Aiden. Aiden doesn't even react to that as he's sitting
on the ground with a smirk on his face.
I am holding onto Nero, “He doesn't mean it.”
Nero is shaking his
head, walking off, “Why are you defending Milan? I don't get
it. I'm your man. How the fuck would you feel if someone is
admitting their love for me in front of you? I'd hope you'd feel
some type of way. But instead of checking him you're making excuses
for the fact that he can't get over you...”
I'm confused
as fuck by Nero. Clearly I'm not the only one.
“Nero you got
some nerve...honestly,” Camille adds.
“What?”
“Nero
you know what you did to my friend.”
“I didn't do
shit to your friend,” Nero is arguing at that moment, “You
two need to mind your fucking business. I'm not for the shit right
now. NOT RIGHT NOW!”
Nero is about to snap. I do want
Camille and Lucca to mind their business but right now I can't take
this.
“EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
I scream
at the top of my lungs. Nero is standing up. Camille and Lucca are
pissed off. Everyone is on edge. I'm stressed but I need to get to
the bottom of this once and for all.
That's when Coco
tries to keep the peace, “Santos is right. We all need to be
fine. We came here to have fun...remember?”
“Exactly,”
I respond, “And it's my turn. Coco. Truth or
dare.”
“Uh...dare.”
Interesting
choice.
“I dare you to
explain to me why the fuck you have gone behind my back to have an
affair with my boyfriend.”
Coco's mouth drops open at
that moment. It is something amazing to see her like that. I swear
I think Lucca and Camille start clapping at the fact that I finally
confronted them. Nero is surprised as well standing there
dumbfounded.
“Wh---what?” Coco.
“Don't lie to
me Coco. You don't want to see me mad.”
“I'm not
having an affair with Nero.”
Nero looks over at me,
“Santos what are you talking about...”
I can't
take it. The anger is coming out at that moment. The darkness. Yes
there is so much darkness coming out at that moment. I feel the
claws coming out. I am approaching Coco. I feel the power all
around me. It is almost as though the sky in Eden gets just a little
bit darker as I start to approach Coco. I know they can all feel it.
Even Lucca and Camille have taken a few steps away from me at that
moment.
I grab Coco by her throat. She's light as a
feather. It'd be so easy to take her neck off.
“There's
nothing in his eyes...she's saying...darkness...darkness...!”
I
was fully aware this time but the power in me was something that I
couldn't explain. The grass underneath my feet in Eden was dying.
The grass was withering away.
“Stop!” I hear
Nero say.
“Admit
it!” I tell Coco, “I saw you two. I saw you two that
night.”
“We were rehearsing! WE WERE REHEARSING
FOR YOU!” Coco screams.
I drop her.
She hits the
floor with a thud. She looks up at me scared. I can't take this
back. She's seen my true self and for that moment I think about
running away. There is no turning back now. She's seen the scoched
ground underneath me. She's seen my strength. They all have. They
are all scared right now.
So I turn.
I am about to
make a run for it. I am about to leave Eden but right when I turn
Nero is standing there.
He only stands for a second though...
Then he's kneeling.
“I was going
to wait to do this,” Nero explains, “I've been practicing
with Coco...every night. I told you I wasn't much of a speaker and
she said she'd help me...to make up for the past.”
My
heart is beating.
What's going
on?
“Nero...I'm leaving. I have to go...”
She'll
be too suspicious of me now. Coco will tell her father. He's
already too suspicious of me. I had revealed myself. They know now
I'm no normal vampire. They've seem something darker than they've
ever seen before. I'd seen the look of fear in Coco's eyes.
But then I remember what Aiden said.
He said I needed
to let some light in my life.
And if this Nero
kneeling in front of me now wasn't light---then I don't know what
is.
Nero has a box in his hand. With that box is a diamond
ring.
His eyes look up at
me, “I'm not letting you go. Ok.
Well here it goes. Ever since I met you I loved you. Ever since I
met you I knew you were the one that I wanted to spend the rest of my
life with. And even through the ups and downs I realize that I
always will come back to you. Nothing else and no one else matters.
And I needed some time away from you to really appreciate what I had.
I want to tell you that I love you and I want you to be mine
forever. Santos...will you marry me?”
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