Blue

Part#17

Declyn watches as Blue make her way up the stairs again. At first mention of the

contract, he noticed her immediate withdrawal from the conversation. Then, and now, he

wants her to accept this new status and he understands it won’t be easy because he must

undo twenty years’ brainwashing.

Every coven uses their own methods and style of teaching their donors, but in the

end, the outcome is the same for every one of them. The children are raised with full

awareness of their status; they’re food. Their knowledge, initially, extends only to

manipulate them, to enforce the rules they must adhere to.

Sleep and stay healthy. Cuts and scrapes will get you killed by those who raise you.

Accept your place and you may live long and happy. Go against it, and you will end up

miserable if not dead. And do not speak of the immortals, the coven or the fact that you are

raised to be food.

This system was introduced to curb the reckless s*******r of mortals. The mortals

who entered this program continues to do so and they reap the benefits based on their

terms. First it was need because they could not provide during times of hardship, disease

and poverty. Now it is greed and the false sense of power.

There are families who retract their support along the way; they suffer greatly for it.

Their fortunes dry up, their histories perverts and their lineage vanishes from genetic time-

tables.

Such is the price to pay for breach of contracts with a race who lives long enough to

remember. It is not ideal, but ideal passed when mortal man decided they need gods, and

immortal man decided they are gods.

He himself saw no potential future in which he may need to call upon this

established trade in life. Until now. And even if he participates by the law of the jungle, he

won’t continue to follow it. Which is why he decided ahead of time what kind of contract to

put in place along with his terms to Maylee. It wasn’t about Blue then, it was about him.

Yet, the look on her face - as if he’s just ripped her world out from under her feet -

will haunt him for a time to come. The change in her energy, the insecurity in her body.

He wants to scream. He wants to go after her and explain, make her see his point –

but right now, he knows that the ingrained triggers are all active and the only way she will

truly accept this new regime, is if she embraces it by her own reasoning.

If she doesn’t?

Declyn looks to the top of the stairs again. Then he closes his eyes and rests his head

back against the couch while his fingers stroke over the backs of Eros and Venus.

I cannot afford to make mistakes. The last one I made is fast becoming a debt I enjoy paying

back, but I doubt it will stay that, if I alienate the only female I do not merely tolerate.

***

In the kids’ room, I move things aside, clear and cover parts in ready to paint it. I

spend the hour thinking over the discussion and the contract. I’ve conclude that my only

real option is to travel down the rabbit hole and find out who I am on the other side of it.

The man who I’d like to dislike, makes it hard because I’ve seen the nicer side to him and

that … I like. I’m more than food now; I’m a nanny and a guardian to two immortal children

who were mortal – that … is complicated. And while her scent lives in this house and

chokes me with jealousy, Anja is moving on with her life and I have no shadow to stand in –

only uncertainty.

I’m twenty years old – I’ve never been free so maybe … maybe this time I can dream

just enough to stand in a tiny light of my own. I do have a new mission to go with this

brand-new awakening.

Your mission, Agent Blue, should you choose to accept it, is to go on an adventure and pass

every quest with flying colors.

It is not easy to do, but I push the turmoil aside and focus on the immediate tasks

first. The room need painting and that is what I’ll do.

“Hey,” Declyn’s voice drifts softly from the doorway, “What are you doing?”

I do not turn around to face him but continue to stack things in the cribs.

“The room won’t paint itself, I figured I may as well make a start,” I keep my voice

low and even. I don’t want Declyn to pick up on the topics from earlier – and if he wants to

shout for me leaving, then he will be doing so all by himself.

“Here, take them, I’ll do that. You can keep me company. I think they miss you,” he

muses. I turn to look at him and melt. Venus and Eros lean all the way over, little chubby

arms stretch out ahead and fingers open and close, reaching for me.

“They can’t be in here while you paint,” I bring my face close to their fingers, kiss the

tips and let them play with my hair.

“I bought odourless, poison-less, echo-friendly, paint. I bet you didn’t know paint

can be vegan? Look, it says so right on the label,” Declyn argues and points to the container,

“We can open the window, and-”

“No,” I shake my head which excites the children, “It is not healthy. I’ll take them to

my room.”

“Argh! They’re immortal, Blue. A little paint won’t –”

I lift myself all the way up and look him dead in the face.

“Let me do my job,” I breathe out residual animosity.

I am unreasonable, I know this, but I need to print a new label for my future since he

ripped the other one up. They are still babies and there is no way on this earth any sort of

paint, vegan or not, is safe for them to breathe.

Declyn’s gaze bores down on my face. His lips pull in a firm line and the muscle at

the corner of his jaw tightens into a bulge.

“Fine, take them,” he growls.

The moment both children each finds a hip to sit on, he vanishes down the stairs.

In my room, I make a play-pen with pillows and blankets before I change and clean

them. They’re a lot more content for the feeds Declyn provides.

Vampire-dad three, Blue zero.

They’re not a complete horror scene like they were after the squirrel episode, but

they’re still a mess. I much prefer their cherub faces rather than the Chucky-children they

look alike now.

Next door, furniture moves across the floor. It bashes against the wall which sends

tremors through the upper floor. I listen, and when nothing smash, move or break, I

conclude it was an accident.

It is better than the alternative, which is an angry Declyn.

Tense, I busy myself by playing with the children, making them scream with

laughter. They become lazy quickly. After a feed, winded and dry diapers, they snuggle

down. Before long, they are sound asleep. It gives me an opportunity to grab a drink and

find something to snack on.