TWO
Arianna rubbed her eyes and carefully opened them as she regained consciousness. The old, plaid couch she was lying on was worn around the edges, and the knit blanket placed over her had a distinct blue and green pattern. She didn’t recognize the dim room that came into view. Realizing she was in an unknown location, Arianna bolted up to look around the room more. Across from the couch she was lying on was a TV and an open doorway. Arianna stood to walk to the door, but she immediately changed her mind as the room began to swirl.
“Sorry about that,” a deep, male voice said from the shadows. “I was just going to bring you with us, but they already arrived to escort you to the airport. They could easily track you if you were awake.”
“They? Those people Uncle Dean was talking to?” Arianna asked, as the man moved to sit next to her on the couch. Before she had left the diner to find this man, Arianna had caught a glimpse of several people Uncle Dean was talking to inside the diner. Arianna studied the man’s face while he moved and talked. He was older than she expected. His dark brown hair speckled with gray. Arianna’s gaze stopped on his large, weathered hands.
“They were sent to pick you up,” he replied, unable to tell if Arianna feared him or not.
“Sent?” Arianna asked. “By whom?”
“Your grandfather,” he answered, waiting for a reaction.
“I don’t have any living relatives,” Arianna replied automatically. “Where am I?” she finally asked, realizing she had been essentially kidnapped. While she had met him willingly, she was now somewhere unknown.
“Who told you that you didn’t have any living relatives?” he responded, not answering her question, yet staring at her in disbelief.
“My aunt told me all my relatives were dead.” Arianna tried to assess her situation. From what she knew, she was alone in a house with a strange man obviously more than three times her size. The view through the open doorway into the hall showed that they were on the second floor. Arianna could only see treetops out the window in front of her.
“I wonder what her explanation will be when you arrive at the Randolph manor tonight?” he replied, noticing Arianna glancing around the room. He expected her to be more afraid when she realized the situation, but she was calmly assessing her possibilities.
“Such would be expected of your father’s child,” he added to himself, as he stood and walked to the desk near the TV. Arianna caught his comment, and stopped searching the room. He was the answer to all her questions. He opened a drawer and removed a book. “You asked where we are.” Arianna nodded. “You really don’t remember anything?” Arianna shook her head no. The man handed her the book before returning to his seat on the opposite side of the couch.
Arianna carefully opened the old book. In the front cover there was an old paper that had yellowed over the years. Arianna skimmed the document, and realized it was a deed to a property that she had never heard of. At the bottom was a signature, signing the house over to Arianna Grace by a Travis Grace.
“Is this here?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yes,” the man replied. “Your father gave this home to you after your mother died. This is your home.”
“Why didn’t anyone ever tell me about this?” Arianna continued to stare at the document.
“Probably the same reason they never answered your questions,” he replied honestly. “They didn’t want you to know they have all been lying to you. Lilly and Dean are not related to you. In fact, they are not even husband and wife, but brother and sister. Lilly was your mother’s best childhood friend. When your mother and father died, your grandfather tried to raise you, but it was best to have Lilly and Dean take you instead. Lilly had a daughter a few months younger than you. She died around the same time as your father, which made it easy for Lilly and Dean to take you in without anyone knowing.” Arianna felt her heart begin to race. This man had answered every question she had asked, and somehow she knew he was telling the truth. How could Aunt Lilly and Uncle Dean lie to her? Were they really not family? How could this man tell her these things? Was he lying to her also? Who was telling her the truth?
The man waited for Arianna to understand what he had said. “Would you like something to drink or eat?” he asked kindly. Arianna stared at the older man. Could she trust someone who kidnapped her? “Patrick, go get some sodas,” he said, and a man behind them moved. Arianna jumped as she realized they were not alone. The younger man had sat so quietly in the window that she didn’t notice him the first time she looked around the room. “Patrick is my son,” the man explained. “He’s your father’s cousin.”
Arianna turned back to the older man. “But, that would make you my great uncle,” she responded in disbelief. “But I don’t have any living family,” she repeated.
“I’m sure they meant it figuratively about this side of the family,” the man replied with a chuckle. Arianna couldn’t understand his amusement with their lie. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Gabriel, your paternal grandfather’s younger brother. Go ahead and open the book. I think the answers you have been looking for are there.”
It was hard to shift her gaze from the man sitting next to her. Arianna carefully opened to the first page. She had no memories of her father, and tried to look for some sort of resemblance to herself in the photos. As she gazed down at the pictures, she gasped. Staring back at her were two faces she had seen so many times in her dreams. Arianna felt tears begin to trickle down her face, but she didn’t move to wipe them away. She was both sad and happy at the same time. Her father and mother stood arm in arm, smiling happily for the picture.
“It’s really them,” she said in shock, as she gently touched the pictures. She had spent so many years trying to see their faces clearly in her dreams.
“They were around your age when that photo was taken,” Gabriel explained. “They met as teenagers, and, against the wishes of my brother and your maternal grandfather, they married as soon as your mother finished high school. Your maternal grandfather, Lord Randolph, disowned your mother the day she married your father.” Arianna turned the page and continued to look at the pictures of her parents. “He has never been too fond of our side of your family. You have no family on your mother’s side besides him. As a matter of fact, he is your only living relative on your mother’s side of the family, but there are plenty of us alive on this side.”
“Here,” Patrick said quietly, handing Arianna a soda can. “We don’t use this house too much, so there weren’t many choices.” Arianna took the drink without looking up from the pictures on the next page. Her parents had only been a dream before. She had no real memories of either her mother or father, only faint pictures in her head of what they would have looked like. The pictures in front of her were so much more real than anything she had ever imagined.
“We will leave you alone for a little bit,” Gabriel suggested, as he stood and followed his son out of the room.
“Is it safe to leave her alone?” Patrick asked quietly just outside the doorway. “She looked like she was going to run away only moments ago. She would be fine in this neighborhood, but out of it …”
“We are not holding her here as a hostage,” Gabriel responded, knowing she was listening. “She is free to leave any time she likes.”
Arianna relaxed, knowing she hadn’t really been kidnapped. She turned the page and continued to watch her parent’s life unfold in pictures before her eyes. Her father and mother as teenagers, then their wedding, next her mother pregnant, and finally a picture of their family: her mother, her father, and Arianna, all grouped tightly together, smiling. Engrossed in the photo book, Arianna hadn’t noticed the time that had passed, or her uncle, who had returned to sitting beside her.
“I took that picture the day you were born,” he said quietly, trying not to startle her.
“But my aunt said my mother died during childbirth,” Arianna replied, as she realized the truth of the photo in front of her.
Gabriel chuckled a
gain. “I knew your father said he was going to lie to your grandfather, but I thought he must have told him the truth about your mom, Tiffany, for Randolph to so openly accept you.” Arianna stared at Gabriel. She didn’t understand what he was talking about. “We lied to everyone about your birthday,” he explained. “Both sides of your family have been feuding for hundreds of years. We knew something could happen to either your father or mother at any time because they were crossing the divide. That’s why only I was called to help when you were born. Your father and mother trusted no one. I was reassured when nothing happened the day you were born, but the next day your mother was murdered. It was an attempt to end both her life and yours. We still have not been able to find who did it. Nor have we found who killed your father.” Arianna stared at the older man. His melancholy sigh indicated to her that he was telling the truth.
“Why would they go against their families if it meant they could get killed?” she asked.
“Because they loved each other,” he replied. “A true life Romeo and Juliet romance. In reality, you can’t help who you fall in love with.”
“If my grandfather is alive, and so are you, why was I raised by Aunt Lilly and Uncle Dean? Because no one wanted me?” Arianna asked, questioningly.
“No, dear, don’t ever think that,” Gabriel replied, taking her hands in his. “You have been loved and wanted since the day your parents married. It’s true your grandfather would have probably never accepted your father into his family, but he couldn’t deny you.”
“Then why was I given away? Did you not want me?” Arianna could not help but ask.
“I would’ve taken you in a heartbeat,” Gabriel replied. “It was you father’s choice to send you to your grandfather’s. After several attacks on his life, he didn’t feel it was safe for you to remain here with me. I tried to convince him that I’d protect you with every hair on my body, but I knew I couldn’t change his mind. I now see that he didn’t trust your grandfather completely either, since he lied about your birthday.”
“Then does that mean Sunday isn’t my birthday, or that my mother didn’t die on that day?” Arianna asked, confused.
“Your birthday is tomorrow, or, rather, in less than an hour,” Gabriel replied. Arianna glanced around the room for a clock.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Almost time for you to leave,” Gabriel replied.
“Randolph’s dog is here,” Patrick said from the window. “He’s just down the street.”
“The order to not touch him was sent out?” Gabriel asked, as he and Arianna joined Patrick in looking out into the dark street. Arianna could see a person in the distance, leisurely walking down the street. “Take the letter in the back of the book, Arianna. Your father wrote it the day you were born. It’s for your eyes only,” he instructed, as the mysterious person neared the house. Arianna quickly grabbed the letter and placed it in her coat pocket. Hesitantly, she followed Gabriel and Patrick down the staircase. Arianna stopped in the doorway and stared at the person standing just outside the gate of the picket fence. The rain began to fall again, and he opened the umbrella he was carrying.
“Here,” Gabriel said handing Arianna a sealed envelope. “Give this to your grandfather for me, would you?”
Arianna took the letter, but remained on the covered porch. She stared at the young man, who waiting for her to join him. He stood silently outside the white fence encircling the yard. In the dim light of the nearest streetlamp, she could barely make out any of his features. From the distance, she didn’t recognize him. Arianna gazed back to her uncle and cousin standing just inside the doorway.
“Go on,” Gabriel urged. “He will take you back to Lilly and Dean.”
Arianna still hesitated, standing out of the rain and watching the young man, who was, in turn, watching her. Arianna didn’t fear meeting the mysterious letter writer, and even after waking in an unknown house, she still wasn’t afraid, but now she couldn’t help but worry about the situation she had gotten herself into. Arianna’s stomach began to churn as she worried over what she should do.
“But,” she started to complain. The young man offered his open hand to her.
“Go now; he is safe,” Gabriel promised.
“Will I ever see you again?” she asked, turning to her newfound family.
“Any time you wish,” Gabriel replied.
The tumbling of her stomach didn’t stop as she slowly stepped into the light rain, towards the unknown man waiting for her. The young man opened the picket fence as she neared. Arianna stopped suddenly as she recognized the young man’s face. He was the same blond-haired, blue-eyed boy from her math class, who rode the bus north every Friday night, the same as her.
“You’re from my math class,” she said in shock, as he took her arm and pulled her under the umbrella with him. He didn’t respond but directed her down the street. “You also ride the same Friday bus as me.” Arianna waited for a reply, but he still didn’t speak. His clear, blue eyes darted around, searching the shadows as they walked. She was feeling worse now as her stomach churned. “I think I’m sick,” she said, as she slowed her walk. Arianna quickly stepped away from the unnamed boy and puked into the grass. “Just my luck,” she said, trying to break the heavy silence. “I turn sixteen and get sick at the same time.” The boy escorting her stopped.
“Your birthday is tomorrow,” he responded, still carefully watching around them. Arianna should have been surprised he knew, but she was too sick to care.
“Nope, I just found out from my uncle back there that it’s today,” she replied, as the sick feeling continued. The boy took her arm and began to walk more brisk. In their haste, Arianna failed to notice the small group of men that had begun to follow them. She saw the first man as she stumbled trying to keep up with her escort. “My feet are going numb,” she complained, before realizing they were completely surrounded. The young man helped her to her feet and handed her the umbrella.
“Hang on to this for a moment,” he instructed, as he moved in front of her. Arianna closed her eyes as her head began to throb. She reopened her eyes in awe. The men surrounding them were extremely muscular, and all had long white hair. Arianna turned from face to face and realized they looked quite similar. Brothers, she wondered. “It’s best if you just keep your eyes closed for a moment,” the young man with her said, as he gently placed his hand on her eyes to shut them. “This should only take a moment.” Arianna nodded. Between the sicknesses she was feeling, and the fear that was beginning to form in the pit of her stomach, she was hoping that if she closed her eyes, she would wake up in her own bed, and it would all be a dream. Arianna held her eyes tightly closed as she heard movement around her.
“I’m assuming you are all acting on your own?” the young man said loudly to the men around them. “I’m pretty sure Gabriel wouldn’t approve of this.”
“Gabriel is an old fool. That girl is one of us, she belongs here,” one of the men replied. Arianna heard movement again as the young man momentarily left her side and instantly returned.
“I’d advise you to let us pass,” the young man said. “None of you here have enough power to stand up to me. If your friend in the shadows were to join you, it would be a different story, but the six men here now are not enough.” The young man prepared to fight six men at once. “Since he isn’t protecting you, I’ll assume I’m correct in that Gabriel has given us safe passage out of here.”
Arianna fell to her knees as the pain in her stomach increased. The young man quickly knelt to catch her from falling further.
“I wouldn’t call this a nice birthday greeting,” the young man said to the men surrounding them as he scooped Arianna into his arms. “Her sixteenth birthday,” he clarified.
Arianna opened her eyes as she heard the movement around them stop. She saw only a glimpse of the men disappearing into the shadows. As the last man vanished, a new person stepped out, and bowed to Arianna before he followed the rest of the men. Arianna
gripped her escort’s shoulder tightly as the pain increased. It was beginning to feel as if her internal organs were ripping apart.
“Miss Arianna,” the young man said, quietly staring at her as she shook from the pain. “We need to get you to a safe house immediately.” The man reached into his pocket and removed a small, glass bottle. He drank the red drink. “Keep your eyes closed,” he directed, and she felt him begin to run down the street carrying her. As the pain momentarily subsided, Arianna realized the wind was whipping against her face quite severely. Suddenly, the pain began again, worse than before. Arianna gripped the young man’s shoulder as it continued. Arianna was numb to the world around her, while the pain continued to grow worse. The man stopped running, and darted into an alley between two stores. He carefully set Arianna down against a building with an overhang to protect her from the rain. Arianna glanced up as he moved a few feet away and turned his back to her. The pain grew worse, and she shut her eyes as he spoke on his phone.
“We won’t make it there in time,” he said into the phone. “She’s already turning.” Arianna waited, trying to distract herself from the pain by listening to the rain. “My tracker is on, get here as soon as you can.” The young man knelt beside Arianna.
“Can you make the pain stop?” she begged. He nodded.
“I was trying to make it to a safe house, but we’re still at least a mile away from the nearest one.” Arianna nodded, though she didn’t understand what he was talking about. “You need to feed, or the pain will get worse.”
“Feed?” she asked, confused. Arianna felt a jolt of pain rip through her body and she closed her eyes. With one fluid movement, the young man pulled a knife from his pocket and cut his own wrist. “What…?” Arianna began to ask, as she opened her eyes to find his bleeding wrist near her face. Arianna felt an urge come over her. Her eyes glazed over as she stared at the blood. Without thinking, she reached for his bleeding wrist and licked the blood away. Arianna felt the pain inside her subside. The world around her dimmed, and she passed out.