Page 11 of Dark Souls

“You’ve barely eaten anything,” Mum said.

“I’m not very hungry. I’m meeting up with a few friends from the Academy later so I need to get ready.”

I didn’t miss the way all their expressions morphed into surprise at that announcement. Christ, it’s like they all think I’m anti-social or something.

Rue scoffed, calling out my bullshit.‘I’d call it pro-solitude.’

“Who are you meeting and where?” Dad asked as I made the rounds, kissing them all goodbye.

“I told you, just a few friends. Harrison, Rhys, the twins, etcetera. In town.” It was true. Even though I would class them more as my brother’s friends, I had plans to meet a small crowd later this evening in a bar in town.

“Okay, well, have fun and be good. Love you,” Mum commanded as I exited the dining room.

“Love you all to death,” I shouted over my shoulder in a sing-song voice before leaning back against the wall outside to catch the hushed conversation they were having about me.

“That’s promising,” Mum whispered, clearly surprised I had ‘friends’ who weren’t classed as a sibling or Neve.

“Hmm, I don’t know. She’s never mentioned hanging out with them on her own before.”

“You need to ease up on her, darling. Give her some freedom,” Grandma Alina was speaking to my dad.

“I know.” He sighed. “I just worry about her even more now her brothers have left this realm. She’s never been without them and—”

“And it’s good for her,” Grandma Maddy interrupted. “It’s about time she was able to spread her wings a little. As much as you men don’t like to acknowledge it, she’s not a little girl anymore. She’s a grown woman and she’s a badass, too. Out of the triplets, I’d always put money on her being able to handle herself the best in a dangerous situation, so I honestly don’t know why you all get so worked up about her safety.”

Grandmas- I bloody loved them.

“You know why.” Grandpapi lowered his voice an octave. “She is more impulsive and reactive than anyone else in this family. She is the first pure-blood vampire since my father and has his power running through her veins. I do too, but thankfully my warlock side balances out the darkness.”

I closed my eyes, tilting my head up to the ceiling. He was talking about my grandfather, Lucius Romano.

“But she is nothing like Lucius. She puts in the work every day to make sure of it,” Grandma Alina argued.

“I never said she was. But I can feel how strong his blood is in her. My father wasn’t always as sick and twisted as he was at the end. But once he gave into his darkness, there was no way back for him.”

“I just hate that Ilaria has to fight so hard against her own nature all the time,” my mum said.

“But the point is,” Grandma Alina argued. “She does. So, perhaps a little faith and allowing her to live her life is in order. Trying to keep an eye on her because you’re all scared of what she might become if you eased up on the reins a little will only cause her to rebel.”

Is that what this was all about? Fear? They were all terrified I would end up like Lucius Romano if they left me to my own devices.

I pushed off the wall and headed upstairs with my mind made up. I would prove to them all I was more than capable of looking after myself and I could do it without turning into some demented villain they all feared I had the potential to become.

Entering my bedroom, I paced along the side of my bed, staring at the pink box as if it was about to give me all the answers I was searching for. Grabbing my journal out of my rucksack, I folded my legs under me as I sat down in my armchair in the corner of the room and started making a list of new information I now had because of this little delivery.

1. The killer saw me and Eddie in the alleyway.

2. He must have overheard me saying that Eddie was thinking about shoving his dick down my throat - hence the symbolism of his kill. (He has a dark sense of humour - I kinda like it.)

3. Took the heart like so many of his other kills but offered it to me - why? Some kind of message? A warning? A threat? A… loving gesture?

4. He was able to get into the palace without being seen. So, either he can teleport, create portals or shapeshift.

5. Name begins with H.

I placed my journal down and strolled back over to the box. Rereading the note filled me with certainty. This wasn’t threatening. It was an invitation. He wanted me to engage with him. To meet his sick fantasy and show him I was just like him. I lifted the heart delicately from the box, squinting my eyes to study it as I held it in front of my face. The blood had nearly dried up now so the urge to bite it was just a dull ache through my veins. What were my options here? Engage by meeting the killer’s request and bite the heart or potentially anger him by refusing to play his game the way he dictated it. Or maybe a bit of both?

Licking my lips, I peered out of my balcony door windows. Was he watching me? A pleasurable shiver ran down my spine at the thought. Why did it make me feel so alive? Why was it so exciting?Ah shit, stalker kink activated.Opening my balcony doors, I stepped out onto the terrace. The cooling autumn air swept my hair back as I looked out across the edge of the Blood Moon’s lush, dark green forest mixed with orange, crisp leaves of maple trees on the outskirts.

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