Oh great. Everyone was here.
Peter took us down the familiar hallways and to my dad’s office. Scout’s eyes were wide with curiosity as we walked through the house. I guess it would be more impressive if it wasn’t your own history.
Peter walked into the room first, and all light chatter that had been going on ceased. “Your son, Desiderio, has arrived. He’s brought a guest. Scout.” He said her name as if he had a sour taste in his mouth. I remembered why I could never stand him as a child. He was an asshole.
I stepped into the room, and everyone’s gaze turned to me. I glanced back to see that I was alone. I grinned nervously at my family and backed up. Scout stood next to the door, her feet bolted to the floor.
“Come on, it’s okay,” I said quietly. She shook her head. Her red eyes were large and almost as terrified as she had been the night I tongue fucked her on that balcony. I reached for her hand and pulled her forward and into the room.
Everyone stood then as if we had interrupted an important meeting. They stared at the two of us as if we were ghosts. I swallowed my nerves and introduced Scout to my family.
“Hey guys,” I started awkwardly. My voice was beginning to shrink, much like my balls. “I brought my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?” My older brother, Gianni, snapped.
“Shush!” My mom snapped right back. She was blinking rapidly and pressing her lips together tightly. “Desiderio, I’m confused.”
“Well, let me do introductions,and then we can talk about other things. Scout, this is my mom, Gisella.” I pointed to the dark-haired woman who had given birth to me. She smiled nervously at Scout.
“That’s my dad, Eugenio. That’s Gianni,” I made a face at my brother. “And that’s my older sister Caterina. Family, this is Scout.”
“Scout, who?” Caterina demanded. She went to stand next to our mom. The two looked so similar. If they weren’t vampires,you’d think they were sisters.
“I don’t have a last name,”Scout told them.
“She doesn’t have a last name,”I added right after her, feeling stupid.
“That doesn’t make sense. She’s Bloodborn, isn’t she?” Caterina came forward and began to circle Scout as if apprising a dog. “Her eyes are red. What family do you come from?”
“I don’t know. I was an orphan. What is this?” Scout turned to glare at me. “Did you not tell them about me?”
I gulped. “No, well,not exactly.”
“Not exactly, my ass. He didn’t say shit about bringing some—” Gianni started,but I stepped forward,and he shut his mouth quickly.
“I suggest you choose your next words wisely, brother.” I glared at him. “I brought my girlfriend because I needed to get it through your guys’ heads that I will not be following through with my engagement to Aleida Linotti.”
“And why not?” My dad spoke suddenly. He straightened his suit jacket,and his face hardened. “That was a good match, Desiderio.”
“To you, maybe.” I stayed firm with my decision. “But not for me. There was nothing more to that relationship thanaduty to our families.”
“So? I did it, and so did Cat.You thinkyou get to just do whatever you want because you messed up your turning?” Gianni was furious, but I held my ground. I squeezed Scout’s hand and took a deep breath.
“Yeah, and here’s the reason behind it.” I tilted my head at the short woman beside me. They all shifted their attention to Scout and glared. She shrunk beside me. “She’s who I took the curse for.”
“Her?” Caterina crossed her arms. “You don’t even know her.”
“Yes,I do,” I scoffed. I was actually offended. “She’s my soulmate.”
“Soulmate?” My mom shook her head and came forward. She reached out for me and put her hands on my cheeks. “Oh, sweetie, that’s a silly notion. You don’t just declare someone your soulmate. You have to—”
“Drink each other’s blood?” Scout piped up from beside me. Her voice was tiny, but her words were heard loud and clear. Silence filled the room as they took in what she had said.
My mom pulled her hands from my face as if I were poison. She took a step back,and her mouth fell open in horror. “Desiderio, what did you do?” She asked, shaking her head. I grinned then, knowing that I had won this argument.
“I gave her my blood when she turned and drank from her shortly before I broke my curse. Sorry about your fucking luck.”
4
