Fate's Path
Tough Love

I just stared blankly. How could this woman, who I can’t remember, possibly be my mother? My mind slipped back to the picture, and I gasped. Suddenly I could remember something, I envisioned my sixth birthday. A little boy, likely Chris, sat beside me, grinning like a buffoon. Our mother’s beautiful voice came from somewhere behind us, singing a glorious melody. Our father laughing and singing along with her. We were the only four in the room, but everything was perfect. Then I saw her. I saw our mother’s face. The ‘lady in red’, as I decided to call her until she finally said her name, pushed a strand of hair behind my ear and her voice echoed the simple words, “I will always love you.”

I had a strange feeling that this might be the last time I would ever see her, however, being so young makes you quite naive. I thought I would’ve had all the time in the world with my mother. In the memory I looked at Chris, we had an arm wrapped around each other as we blew out the candles of a two-tier cake. Then the memory faded.

I jolted, that had been the last time I saw her. Anything before the day after my birthday had always been an empty void of nothingness.

Connor had been told to leave the room, but I said that if he went, so did I. No way in Hell was he leaving me alone with my long-lost (thought to be dead) mother. The lady in red didn’t seem too happy about that, but, from the looks of it, it was clear she would have done anything to talk to me. I was too full of sudden energy to sit, so instead I paced back and forth in front of the tall, long window I had discovered behind a large curtain. Guess what color? Oh, my god, you guessed it! Red. Basically everything in the palace, that I could remember from my brief glimpse when Connor was taking me to my room, had been red. I might have seen some gold, but I was struggling to remember that much detail.

We sat in an eerie silence for what felt like an eternity before her voice broke it. “Piper, I know I have a lot to explain.” No, really? I swiveled towards her, to interrupt with some sarcastic (likely stupid) comment, but the look on Connor’s face kept me quiet.

I took a deep breath. “Can you first explain how I can’t remember anything before my sixth birthday? Or maybe how I couldn’t remember my own brother?” I had to bite my tongue just to stop the tears threatening me at the mention of Chris. I did miss him, and I was constantly wondering if him and Kiera were at least safe.

“I understand, you’re upset-” That did it. I made sure not to look at Connor, or else I would have thought against doing anything stupid.

“Upset? You think I’m just upset? You don’t understand! Seven years ago, I thought that my mother had died in a fire. I was driving in the car with my family when it flipped, and they died. I have kept all these emotions bottled up for so many years, being bitten was the worst punishment I could have gotten. Do you know what I cried out for?” She had fallen silent, not daring to stop me. “I cried out for my mother! All I wanted was my mother! To care for me. To protect me when it mattered most. Losing my whole family was the worst pain a ten-year-old girl can go through. At least my brother got a family that would never leave him!” I had to turn away again, crying in front of the lady-in-red would be embarrassing. I could tell Connor wanted to help, but I’m fairly sure the presence of the lady-in-red is what kept him rooted to his spot at the opposite end of the window.

She gave me a look of utter confusion. “What are you talking about? Piper, we were separated over a thou-” She looked about to say more but her eyes flashed red and when she spoke again it was different. “It was for you and Chris’ protection. We didn’t have a choice.” She looked confused at her own words.

I had always imagined that if I got to see my mother again, I would hug her, I would love her. I just wanted her to be there for me. Tuck the blankets around my shoulders and promise me that she would be in the room next to mine. Check under my bed, or in my closet for monsters. In my head, she was this amazing and loving mother, that would do anything for her children. She was perfect… in my head.

Now that I was with my real mother, all I wanted to do was forget about it. One problem: I’m not a quitter. And forgetting, this far into whatever I had found myself in the middle of, was being a quitter. So, I focused on all the bad moms I had imagined my real mother to be, and the idea of giving up fled.

“There is always a choice, mother. You just didn’t choose right,” I hissed, biting down the tears so that I could face her again. She looked as though I had just slapped her. Her hair had turned a gray color, and hung in her face. I couldn’t see her eyes, but it seemed that her skin had gotten paler, and it was as if she had aged many years. She looked weak. I felt bad for her, before I remembered that this was the same woman that had given me up years ago and put me through a life of Hell.

“You have to believe me.” She tried to step closer to me, but I jerked away.

“I don’t have to do anything,” I spat. “And why should I believe you?” She didn’t seem to have a response to give me, so I continued. “You were the one who gave me up when I was too young to understand, and never even bothered to come back when you had the choice to. So, tell me, my so-called ‘mother’: why should I believe you?” I paused, waiting for an answer. There was none.

“I didn’t! You were taken!” She called after me when I stepped around her seemingly frozen body and headed to the door.

No one stopped me, so I left and trotted down the stairs as fast as my legs would let me. Flinging open the front door, I let a wave of heat consume me from the outside-in. I stormed outside with a mind crowded full of rage and questions. Full of pent-up frustration and emotions that I never had the chance to let out.

I just so happened to ironically stumble upon a perfect punching boulder. Ramming my fist into it multiple times on end, I felt sweat bead on my brow and blood seep from my hand, but I couldn’t care any less at that point. Black spots splattered onto the rock as I continued to strike it with every ounce of pure, agonizingly-painful anger that was built up in me.

Just when I thought the darkness would engulf me, I heard his voice. Connor’s arms wrapped around me, pinning my arms to my sides. Suddenly, I saw the light. Demon, Angel, human. It didn’t matter what he was. All that mattered was that he was still here. With me. And in the thing that had become a hurricane called ‘my life’, I had found my paradise. My ragged breaths evened out and I let him stay there, like I wanted him to until the end of time. I wouldn’t let anything take me away from the people I love. Then I remembered. Chris.

“Piper, It’s okay.” His voice was calm, yet I could sense the fear that he was trying to hide. My first thought was that maybe he was afraid of me, then I looked at the bloodied boulder sitting unmoved.

“Please, don’t lie to me. It’s not okay. Nothing is okay. We have to get Chris and Kiera back, and I will not rest until we do.” His arms released me and I turned to face him, wiping my eyes. I squared my shoulders (trying to look stronger than I felt). I didn’t even have to ask out loud to know that Connor would help me, no matter what tried to stop either of us.

“So, ready to hear what your mother has to say?” He asked, and I flinched. In truth, No. But if I wanted to get back to Chris and Kiera, I was going to have to hear what mother had to say. I would do anything to get back to them. If not because Chris is my brother, than because they are both a part of my true family. The family that had been there for me since I lost my parents and sister. I needed them, or else I would fade away into nothing. Connor and I alone was great, but not complete. We were like half of a person, missing their arms and legs. I know, weird metaphor, but I’m a vampire, and we don’t always think about how our words will sound.

I wanted to say no, but I thought about Chris and Kiera. “Yes.” It always sounded weird to me when you answer the question with ‘yes’ and say nothing else, but I had nothing else to say. At least, nothing that wouldn’t make things even more awkward between Connor and I. Any more drama and I would break.

“Do you want me in there with you?” I’m not gonna lie, I thought that was a pretty stupid question, and I nearly said that. Then I figured he was probably only asking to be polite, and that either way he would not leave my side.

I nodded. “I can’t do this without you.” Of course, to ruin the moment, I involuntarily looked at his neck. There was still blood and (now that I was actually looking) traces of black near the bite wound. I lifted my hands to his neck, barely grazing his skin. I leaned closer to see the black, ignoring the way his heart sped up, or even the way mine did. Then I felt his hand against my cheek and my eyes clashed with his. He leaned closer to me, but just before the (likely breath-stopping) kiss, I pulled away.

He looked hurt, which felt like a stake to the heart, but I just knew that if we started, I would never want to stop. I wouldn’t care about replaceing Chris or Kiera anymore.

“We have to replace them. Let’s go hear what The Lady in Red has to say.” Changing the subject always works.

He froze and smiled at me. “Lady in Red? Really, Pipes?” He was teasing me, just like old times. I grinned like a nerd, it was the only way to play off how much that small moment we had shared affected me.

“It was the best thing I could think of to call her. Besides, I just met her. I’m not gonna call her ‘Mum’, and I don’t know her real name.” We started back to the suddenly terrifying looking palace, we didn’t say much. I didn’t know what to say (surprisingly), and he seemed deep in thought. And I knew that if I spoke again, I would ramble on about the shared moment, no way in hell was I doing that. I chuckled silently.

Hell. Such a basic term, always a distant place bad people went. Now, the place I had been born. “Does being born in Hell make me a bad person?” I blurted out, startling Connor.

His response: Laugh.

“What? Did someone make a joke?” I was completely oblivious as to what was so funny.

“Piper, there is nothing bad about you. Do you remember Chris’ thirteenth birthday?” I nodded. “Someone tried to kill a bug but you told them to leave it alone. Then proceeded to ditch your friends to take the bug outside and make sure it wasn’t lonely.” He raised an eyebrow at me, it was as if the awkwardness had never been present. Other than the fact that we were in Hell, it felt like we were back at school again.

I smiled, total flashback moment. I could see it. This kid, Killian, was about to step on an ant but I had literally tackled the kid. Then shielded the ant and took it outside. I was out there for hours until I finally found the little guy’s home. Connor, Chris, and Kiera were outside with me the whole time. We had all become loyal to each other the second that I was there. Even a year after I arrived, I already trusted them with my life.

“Speaking of which, happy birthday.” I had forgotten that it was my birthday today. Since Chris and I were twins, as I found out when I had done the math, we must have been born at midnight, because my birthday is the day after his. “I have something to give you, but first you have to survive the talk with The Lady in Red.” His voice changed so I could tell he was teasing me again.

“I can survive it! The Lady in Red will not get the best of me!” I sounded determined, yet felt completely terrified. Clearly she had a high rank in Hell, and was capable of many things. I just didn’t want to replace out what those things were.

Connor’s laugh was cut short by a familiar voice, “Piper!” She squealed. At first, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

“Kiera!” I launched towards the girl, shoving Connor against the boulder, so I could wrap my arms around her. She was real, thank the gods. I was so happy, I lifted her off the ground and Connor had to pry me from her. My eyes darted around the empty space around Kiera, “Where’s Chris?” My smile faltered when she looked down at her arm. There was the faint smell of blood. I tapped on her forearm and she overturned her arm so that I could see the words carved into the flesh. I gasped.

I have your brother, read the note carefully.

Kiera was clearly biting back tears of pain as she held a folded paper out to me. I opened it hurriedly, listening to the crinkling paper between my fingers.

You can help your brother.

A life for a life.

Your mother messed with the wrong people.

Now she will pay.

I want either you or your precise twin brother dead.

Who do you care more about?

Chris,

Or

Yourself?

I felt weak, but my shock kept me standing. Chris or me? Easy. The answer is Chris. It is always going to be my family before everything.

Connor took the paper out of my hands. Abruptly I heard the sound of paper being crumpled into a ball. Connor stormed off, up the stairs. I was jolted out of my shock as Kiera and I scrambled after him. He almost kicked down the door into my room. ‘Mother’ still was in here, and turned to face us when we had entered.

“This is all your fault!” Connor walked up to her and shoved the crumpled paper against her chest. She looked confused, and briskly smoothed out the paper.

“Oh, my god. They have Chris.” She looked like she was about to scream, but Connor’s fist stopped her. His hand wrapped around her neck, and slammed her head into the wall. She yelped and I felt a strange urge to help her.

I bolted to Connor. “Stop!” I cried, trying to pull them apart. It wasn’t until now that I realized how deeply Connor really cared for us. He was losing control, his eyes were unfocused. Changing between full black, green, and a lighter color I hadn’t seen in a while. His eyes landed on me and his muscles relaxed. He let her go and she stumbled, rubbing her neck. I thought I had done the right thing, helping her. A moment later, her eyes were beady black, her fingernails were claws. She growled and dug her claws into Connor’s neck, shoving him up against the other wall, only she lifted him off the ground.

The Lady in Red no longer looked weak. Her skin was clear, her hair fell upon her shoulders in large waves of black. Her dress had even changed. She now wore an elegant, ruby red, off-the-shoulder boat neck dress, with beautiful designs embroidered all around her waist. Black lined the bottom of her dress. It looked so familiar to me.

Connor tried to break free of her, but her claws were already coated in blood. She would kill him. A second ago, I saw my mother. Now, she was a monster to me.

The adrenaline kicked in, and I screamed, pulling her off of him and throwing her easily across the room. She landed like a sack of potatoes and crumpled to the floor. Kiera and I both dropped to Connor’s side. He had fallen with his back against the wall. I was okay for a moment, then I made the mistake of taking in a deep breath. The smell of his blood filled my nose.

Did I forget to tell you that as well? Vampires are especially sensitive to the blood of the ones they love the most. Kiera looked at me. Her eyes widened in fear. Reflected in the pupils of her green eyes, was me. Only, not me. My eyes were bright red, my fangs bared, and my hair changed to match my mother.

I launched myself away from them. You’d think that a vampire, even a halfling like me, would be way more elegant than I am. Connor looked like he might pass out from blood loss. I cursed then cut Kiera’s wrist with my nail. She yelped but allowed me to drip a drop of her blood into his mouth. He stirred and blinked. His eyes were completely black.

Before the Lady in Red was conscious, Demon was up and ready for anything that came his way. His eyes shone the matte color of ink, and there was hardly any blood left on him.

“Okay, let’s move before that one-” I nodded to the unconscious lady on the floor, “-wakes up.” Kiera and Demon both followed me out the door, and into the hellish (get it?) wave of heat outside. Once we’re a considerable distance from the palace, I turned to my friends. “So, how exactly do we get outta here?” I asked them.

“Um, click your heels together and say, ‘there’s no place like home’?” Kiera offered, and I rolled my eyes.

“Uh, yeah, not in a million years will you ever see me click my heels together,” I replied briskly. “Anyone else have any ideas?” Nothing. Of course not. “Fabulous.” Sarcasm dripped from my words. Not even Demon had anything to say. He wasn’t much of his demon self anymore, I could tell because his eyes were starting to turn into a bright green once again.

“Piper!” I froze. Turning slowly, I saw my mother standing there, in the doorway of the palace. Fear etched up my throat, and without thinking, I threw myself in front of Kiera and Connor. The Lady in Red just laughed. “You can run, but you can’t hide. I will have my family back!” At first, I thought she was talking to me, but then I realized her words were aimed at Connor. He side stepped around me, placing his arm across my chest to hold me behind him. Her back was arched in an abnormal way, her arm bent at an awkward angle. She looked like she was trying to bite back screams of pain.

I wanted to leap in front of Connor again, but he gave me a stern look that kept me where I was. “Maiestas.” His voice was laced with anger, and it hadn’t occurred to me until now, that Maiestas was possibly her name. I would have to ask Connor later. Maiestas meant ‘Majesty’. She was royalty, so that made sense. On the other hand, she is a horrible person, and doesn’t seem to care about others. Not even me. Connor’s gaze flickered to me.

“Of course I love you! I love your brother, too!” She looked at me, she both sounded and looked sincere, but I have learned not to believe everything I hear.

“You don’t love me,” I hissed at her. “You never did in the first place, you cynical bastard! If you loved me, you would know what was best for me. What’s best in this situation, is for you to let me go!” Suddenly, she looked hurt. And, to my surprise, I turned my back on her, because I somehow couldn’t feel sympathy for the crazy woman who claimed to be my mother. There was no way she was actually related to me. Hell, she didn’t even look like me! Plus, I hadn’t yet seen the black blood in her, so I still had hope.

I heard a sharp growl escape her throat. Whipping back around, I saw her lunge at Connor. I leaped in front of him. Sure, he’s taller than me, but that doesn’t mean I’m not capable to keep someone -or something - away from him. She went to scratch him with her claws but instead caught my cheek. I cried out and fell, lifting my hand to touch my cheek. My eyes widened, blood covered my fingertips. Kiera gasped and darted to help me up, but I swatted her hand away. I glared at the Lady in Red, I could tell Connor was barely controlling himself. I pushed myself up. I still stood in front of Connor, my eyes swirled and turned a bright red. I hissed and bared my fangs at her.

“If you ever truly loved me, you wouldn’t go after Connor or Kiera or any of the people I actually care about. You only care about yourself.” Without waiting for a response, I wrinkled my nose at her and continued. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go save my brother and fix my real family.” This time when I turned, I made Connor and Kiera go ahead of me. I didn’t hear The Lady in Red move or say anything, which filled me with relief. I made sure we were where she wouldn’t be able to see us, before I hissed in pain and lifted my hand to cover my cheek that was still bleeding.

Connor and Kiera both stopped and looked at me. “Piper, let me take a look at it.” Kiera forced my hand away from my face. “I can heal it, but there may be scars left.” She didn’t even wait for me to say it was okay before pressing the palm of her hand to my aching cheek. I flinched, but relaxed when I felt the pain began to ease. Her eyes flashed a golden color before she pulled her hand from me and her eyes returned to normal. I smiled.

“Thanks Kiera.” My gaze shifted to Connor. Kiera and I seemed to have the same thought. It was weird that he hadn’t jumped straight to my aid or anything. He just stood six feet away, and didn’t step closer. Kiera met my eyes and we exchanged a look. Something was definitely wrong. I cleared my throat, “I don’t know about you guys but I think it’s about time we got some explanations.”