Forbidden Tragedies

Chapter 20

-Lucien-

The meal was quiet, a thick, unyielding tension more than present in the room despite Adelyn's best efforts to start up some sort of small talk.

She sat to my right, Layla sat hunched and absolutely silent across from me at this rectangular table, and Evelyn sat across from Adi.

Then, of course, Cylas Bronwyn, Lord of this territory, sat at the end closest to his daughters, facing us all.

I couldn't look at him. I was simply just chewing and swallowing out of pure necessity, I couldn't enjoy the food no matter how good it tasted. It was a miracle I could force myself to do even that.

I could feel their stares. Every single one varied in intensity and meaning.

Adi's hopeless pity, Cylas' pure, burning hatred, and everything in between from the rest.

I blocked it out. I had to focus.

Focus on calming the instincts that knew full well what was coming, and dealing with that chaos within me that already insued the closer the time I was dreading came.

I awoke feeling average but knew that whether today started as a good day or not, it definitely wasn't going to end like that.

I blew out a silent breath, daring my eyes up to catch my youngest sister's and seeing that same, tight expression of pity that I hated so much.

All of them were wearing it today, even Evie let hints of it slip through her otherwise stoic face.

I despised every glimpse, every little reminder of what my life was.

The way my sisters picked at their plates to only delay the inevitable while he just sat and stared through the deafening silence, surely planning whatever course of action I'd be wrung through today.

I forced mine down as fast as vampirically possible, knowing that I'm going to need the energy for strength.

I came to this dinner prepared with clothes that wouldn't scratch and my hair tied back to save time later.

Now to just... get on with it.

It was all I wanted, and I could only convey as much through pointed glares at them and their plates.

It felt like it had been another forty-five minutes of the same shit before he finally spoke the words we were all waiting for in one form or the next.

"Ladies, you are excused."

___ __ _ __ ___

I dragged my feet while he lead me to his throne room. The room where he liked to be whenever he had a chance to show off his power as Lord.

Stepping into the darkness of it, a broad stroke of dread blew over me, nearly forcing me to a stop.

The door closed and I was enveloped in it, seeing him turn so two pairs of golden eyes met each other.

Even with the night vision of a vampire, the feeling of darkness wasn't something that we could ignore.

I stopped walking under his ever-narrowing glare staring right through mine.

I often wonder if he sees my mother's eyes through mine. It'd explain that dejection I'd see pass through his eyes amongst the rest of the anger and hatred.

Squaring my shoulders, I refused to back down until he was going to make me. I had to keep as much pride as I possibly could.

"Alright boy," the cynicism ran quickly through his tone, "You know what I want.'"