Darkness of Desire

Celeste sat by the bay window in her living room watching and waiting for the one person that could bring the news that would change her life. This would finally give her freedom she has been wishing for, for years. She kept going back and forth from looking at her watch on her golden brown-skinned wrist to playing with her long brunette wavy hair wondering when they would show up. As she looked out the window, she couldn’t help but sigh at her ‘neighborhood’. Her house sat the middle of a cul-de-sac with only two houses on either side, surrounded by trees. However, no family lived in the two houses and the next human house was about 1 mile away, so the streets were always empty. After what felt like hours, she finally spotted the familiar white car with the blue strips as it rolled to a stop at the front of her house. She waited until the postal worker drove away to quickly run out her home and down the long black driveway. Celeste shifted through the letters until she picked out the three that had her name and smiled and squealed in delight as she ran back inside her house and went to the kitchen. She then tossed the rest of the mail on kitchen counter and quickly opening one of the letters with her name. Thundering steps entered into the kitchen, “Princess why did you leave the house?” A deep male voice questioned Celeste rolled her eyes at her bodyguard, “What? Do I have to tell you if I want to walk down the driveway now?” The brown-haired man with milky white skin frowned, “Yes my princess, you have to constantly tell me where you are going!” Celeste groaned and soon more footsteps were heard entering in the kitchen, “What’s with all the yelling?” Celeste's mother, Karla asked “By the looks of it, it seems like Gabriel's daily lecture to Celeste.” Her father, Shaun, smiled as this happened very often. His brown eyes shifted down as he noticed the letters in Celeste's hand, “Is that-?” “Yeah” Celeste smiled widely. “What?” Gabriel frowned, slightly irritated that he had no idea what they were talking about. “It’s Celeste’s college letters” Karla answered, she looked over at Celeste, but the frown that clouded her daughter’s face made her very aware of the news that the letter carried. “I didn’t get in” Celeste pouted “There are two other letters, Celeste”, Shaun reminded her. Celeste nodded and opened the second letter and Celeste's shoulders sagged even more so than before. “They also rejected you?” Gabriel frowned and Celeste nodded. “How is that possible? You’ve been taught the hardest material and even passed with flying colors on state tests!” “Not surprising that Ivy League schools wouldn't accept a home-schooled kid.” Celeste muttered, but Gabriel heard her and frowned even more. “Maybe the other letter is different.” Karla encouraged, "Besides, there are more letters to come." “What’s the point?!” Celeste yelled, making her eyes go red and thunder crashed, booming through the afternoon sky, “It will probably say the same as the other college letters I sent out.” “Princess calm-” Gabriel began “Don’t tell me to calm down!” Celeste pointed and objects around the kitchen started to shake “It’s because of you that all of this is happening; I bet even the council had their hand in-” “Cece!” Shaun yelled and Celeste's eyes turned towards her father, “I understand you’re upset, but don’t blame Gabriel for doing his job in trying to protect you.” Celeste pouted and her eyes went back to their normal hazel color, “I’m sorry Gabriel” “It’s fine, Princess”, Gabriel smiled “Now how about you open that last letter?” Celeste looked at the letter in her, “I don’t think my heart can take it, Ma?” He looked at his mother and she took the letter. She quickly opened the letter and read it’s contents, “Cece you got in!!!” She exclaimed. Celeste's eyes widened, “I got in?! I got in!!” She jumped and ran to her parents, hugging them in glee. “I’m very happy for you my Princess, what school finally acknowledged your intelligence?” Gabriel grinned Karla looked at the letter again, “The University of Oxford in the U.K”. She smiled, looking at her husband. Gabriel's face paled, “The U.K? A-as in the United Kingdom? England?” Celeste raised her arched eyebrows; it was the first time she ever heard Gabriel stutter before. Her parents ignored Gabriel stuttering and continued on the topic of college“Celeste, of course we want you to go to college and going to another country is-” Shaun began “Completely out of the question”, Gabriel said, making Celeste gasp “Gabriel” Karla furrowed her brow “Wh-what? Why?” Celeste asked, confused, “Gabriel, this is the only school that has accepted me and it’s a very good school. I know it’s far but-” “It’s not happening Princess.” Gabriel declared, “You are not stepping foot in the United Kingdom.” Celeste blanched at his words and as her eyes teared up she ran through the kitchen and headed upstairs to her room. ‘That’s not fair!’ she thought as she slammed her bedroom door Shaun sighed as he turned towards the guard, “Gabriel even though you are Celeste's protector as her parents, we encouraged her to apply to the U.K-” he began “You told her to apply there without consulting me?” Gabriel growled Neither of them were frightened of Gabriel, “As her parents, we didn’t think we would have to. We see no reason as to why our daughter can’t go to the U.K” Karla continued “And stop growling at us" she added Gabriel sighed deeply, “I’m sorry, but you know the dangers that Celeste will face once she leaves here; the creatures, the Hunter’s, the Queen for hell’s sake. If she even steps foot over there they-” “They will do nothing because they know nothing about her, plus she’s in the U.K still far away from them.” Shaun argued, “Gabriel, let Celeste go to there.” Gabriel shaked his head, “It's not my decision, it the council’s. I’ll need to talk to them first.” Shaun groaned, “It’s her life for God's sake and from the beginning we have been letting them dictate her life and its time she took that back!” “I want that for her too!” Karla scoffed, crossing her arms, “My baby can’t even go down a driveway without a lecture from you!” “I’m trying to keep her safe!” Gabriel argued Karla sucked her teeth, “Oh come on Gabriel! Even you think it ridiculous!” Gabriel sighed, “I just want her to be safe.” “As her parents, we want that too, but we also want her to experience life and not wait centuries before your council works up the nerve to fight back and take what was taken”, Shaun stated Gabriel opened his mouth to speak but closed it. They were right. Who knows when the council will finally make their move on the Queen? Celeste would practically stay in an ivory tower before she had to chance to actually enjoy life. Gabriel sighed, “Alright, I will argue for her-” “No, not just argue” Karla interrupted, “You will fight for her.” Gabriel laughed, “I will do my all to let Celeste go to college in the U.K” he then groaned as he pulled out his phone, “Ugh you guys are gonna get me killed.” Both parents laughed, “Try not to die, we really like you compared to the others.” Shaun smiled and Gabriel snorted as he walked away with his phone in his hands “Hurry back soon so we can tell Celeste the good news” Karla said after him