19 | My Loving Family

Seaside, California October 14, 2012

Seana

I was completely still when I regained consciousness, the searing pain in my neck faded. The last time I had my neck broken was in 1994, which allowed Scott plenty of time to escape from me, thanks to Hazel.

But that didn't matter, I lay completely frozen as if I were still technically dead. I heard two voices near me, one of whom was Francis. The other was one I hadn't heard in almost a century. How was it possible I couldn't detect him? I roamed this entire school before I first came, familiarizing myself with everything and everyone. Yet here he was, my infernal uncle.

"Francis you know you aren't supposed to interfere with anything, you know what the consequences could be," a familiar Romanian accent seethed. "I'm not going to have the sacrifice my wife made with her life to be for nothing!"

"You think I don't know what Claire wanted me to do? But instead, you would allow Seana to terrorize my family," Francis retaliated. "Just because she is the last of your line Orion, you can't bear to end her miserable existence."

"You know they are safe Francis, you made sure of that several years ago," Orion sighed, "Because of that I had to live without my beloved wife. Seana hasn't harmed any of your descendants, Francis. Believe me, she knows the consequences."

I'm sure my dear uncle glared at me as he said that. Believe me, I did, for a few decades ago when I was in Seaside, I had a run-in with Francis. A young witch was killing people left and right and was drawing attention to the supernatural. So of course, I wanted to dispose of her. The only reason I was in this awful town was for my stupid progeny.

There was a bond between a sire and their progeny. Sure, I wanted to kill him. But there was an instinct to keep an eye on him and make sure he was safe. Even without humanity, I was still worried for some reason.

I could always find him; another perk of being a sire.

I was about to kill the bitch till Francis found me and told me I wasn't "allowed" to harm any witch of the Hathaway coven, only they could deal with her. Which was stupid, someone ended up killing her anyway not long after.

"You act as if that loss is yours alone to bear, not only did I lose Claire; I lost Adelaide," Francis snarled, "Besides, it appears your little niece has awoken and thinks we can't hear the sluggish beat the heart of only our kind makes."

"Seana," Orion addressed, I opened my eyes and rose to my feet.

"Uncle, it's been a while. The last time I saw you was 1905," I began, stepping closer to him, "My parents had just been killed, yet you did nothing. You offered me a home, but that was it. You didn't care that they were slaughtered by abominations."

"You knew I wish I could've prevented their deaths. Long ago a vampire as young as you were would've been killed," Orion protested. "It was your own choice when you decided to leave and go down a deadly path of revenge."

"Yes, yet you underestimated me then. And you have been dead to me for the past 100 years," I hissed, "The entire Petrescu family is dead to me."

"Seana, you were born a Petrescu. You cannot forsake those who brought you into this world!" Orion thundered. "I know the Kanes raised you, but Alaric and Eva were your true parents."

"The only people who truly were my parents were Riley and Emilia Kane," I spat.

"I understand that they raised you and their deaths were unfortunate, but we cannot undo the past," reasoned Orion. "We can only hope for a better future."

"Yes, the future your wife supposedly died for. I knew Aunt Claire had the gift of foresight, and I'm sure she saw the deaths of my parents and did nothing, just like you," I remarked. "It's odd though, just how much Celesta Moone looks like Claire. It makes me hate her even more actually."

"What are implying?" Orion asked. He sounded, nervous.

During my childhood, I remember going on annual visits to see my Uncle and his wife Claire, but to learn that she had died, actually surprised me. But why would Celesta Moone look exactly like her ancestor? Francis was extremely protective of her. Also, Uncle did mention how because of Francis, he had to live without his wife.

How hypocritical, Francis Hathaway was the reason his daughters were dead.

"Is it a big secret or something? I remember Claire perfectly from my childhood," I sneered. "I just find it ironic that Francis is protective over those who look exactly like those he killed—"

Before I could finish, Francis had me pushed up against the wall, his green eyes glowing as he bared his lengthening fangs at me. Then unexpectedly, he shoved his hand into my chest and gripped my heart, causing me to scream.

"You. Know. Nothing. You insolent little bitch," Francis snarled, I couldn't help but laugh in his face. His grip tightened around my heart, causing me to cough up blood.

"Francis!" Orion shouted. "Release her, now." he snarled. Francis gave him a deadly glare.

"You're a hypocrite," I rasped at Francis as he released me. Putting my hand over where he dug into my chest, the blood stuck to my fingers.

"Yes, I was responsible but my daughters knew what they were doing, and I did what Claire asked of me. But the only way to ensure you won't do anything to my coven members is to kill you. But that would be too simple," he glared at my Uncle who returned his death glare.

The rings Lily had made for me were gone, I'm sure Francis confiscated them, "I do not care for your coven's problems. I'll make you a deal, I'll leave your witches alone if you give me what is mine. Where are my rings?" I demanded.

"These?" Francis asked as he pulled them from his pocket. "I don't think you'll be needing them."

I started to laugh. "Then I'll do whatever possible to ensure Celesta and Lily die," I hissed. "I'm sure you don't want me doing that."

Before Francis could even come at me again, Orion grabbed him by the neck and snapped it.

Francis fell to the ground lifeless, the rings falling from his grasp. Orion scooped them up as he strode over to me.

"You should mind your tongue," he remarked.

"You know he isn't going to stop," I snorted.

Orion held the rings out towards me, I took them cautiously, my eyes never leaving his.

"You know what is coming if you try to harm them, Seana," Orion warned, his tone sharp. "That includes your new playthings. Keep them in line."

"Oh Uncle, you know how unpredictable young vampires are. Sometimes they can't control themselves and unfortunate things tend to happen," I reproached.

"Yes, unfortunate things have happened. That is why I have had to put many of your progeny down myself," he hissed.

"What do you mean you—" I paused. "You killed my progeny?"

"Yes, and I will continue to do so if I notice they risk the lives of anyone under the protection of the coven, do you understand?" Orion said without emotion. "I have kept tabs on all of your progeny and only two have survived my meetings."

I just stared at him wordlessly.

"I advise you to leave now, before I finish what he started," Orion warned, we both glanced at Francis who lay unconscious. I took his threat seriously. Once my Uncle was intent on something, he never stopped.

"Gladly," I retorted.

DARKNESS blanketed the town of Seaside, the clouds snuffing out the glow of the moon. Tonight I would welcome Isabel into the arms of eternal life. The previous night, I had already made sure she would be awake and in transition, so I turned her, and throughout the day she was in transition. The fact that she resisted up till this point, told me she wanted to do what I asked of her.

One tie to her mortal life remained; her drunken man of a father.

When I met Isabel and compelled her to reveal her livelihood, I discovered that Isabel had been abused mentally and physically since the age of 10, right after her mother passed away. I had the perfect way of ending him.

And of course, allowing Isabel to have her revenge for nothing was far sweeter.

After I had fled from my Uncle and Francis, I came directly to Isabel's home, which was unwelcoming in appearance. The lawn and any vegetation in sight were derelict and dying. No wonder Isabel was with her friend Maggie all the time.

I ran till I was in front of Isabel's bedroom window, which was already open. I could sense her in the darkroom, I slipped through the window and closed it behind me. I saw Isabel sprawled across her bed, her breaths shallow. I had told her to wait for me after school at her house, but thanks to Francis I was delayed, apparently for several hours. Francis must've done more than just snapping my neck. Fucking hybrids.

"Isabel wake up my dear," I murmured and sat down on the bed beside her.

It wasn't long before I realized my own mistake, she had been in transition for almost a day, and that was when those in transition would start to die slowly. Her shallow breathing was a sign of it.

Isabel woke with a jump when I shook her arm, her blue eyes widening in shock.

"W-What happened to y-you?" she asked, her voice cracking.

I looked down at my blood-soaked chest, "It is nothing, we can discuss it later," I murmured and took out the ring Lily made. "It is time now."

Isabel glanced at the ring, then took it from me and slid it onto her finger. "Are you sure?" Isabel whispered. "I can finally be free? Of him?"

"Yes. Free to be your true self," I reassured as I rose from her bed.

She slid off the bed slowly, I took her hand and helped her onto her feet. Her skin felt clammy, she only had hours, if not minutes before she would die; permanently.

I cursed my stupidity for underestimating Francis, if only I hadn't had those rings made, I could've come sooner and prevented unwanted conflict. But it did not matter, for everything was going according to my plan.

I led her down the hallway towards the living room, where her father was passed out already in front of the television. Beer bottles littered the floor around him. The flashes of the television lit the darkroom. I stopped at the end of the hall, Isabel glanced at me, then walked forward on her own.

She sauntered over to her father, her eyes full of malice and hate, but also with the never-ending hunger our kind felt. It was never more powerful than when you were in transition or completely drained of blood. Self-control did not exist in those moments.

Noticing a figure blocking the flashes of the television, her father stirred awake with a snort. Isabel tensed as he lifted his head at her.

"Izzy?" he grumbled, his words slurred. Htried to sit up but fell back into the chair. "What time is it?"

"Time doesn't matter anymore," Isabel snarled, "For yours is up."

And with the last bit of strength she possessed, she pounced straight for his jugular.

I smiled as his screams of terror echoed throughout the dark and quiet house, not a soul hearing him.