Paris - Belmont

The house looked abandoned, but hopefully, there was at least one person inside. My pulse raced within my body, and I couldn't help but marvel at my body's reactions, even though it was technically dead. 

I wasn't angry anymore; I was almost glad he hadn't come and knocked on the apartment door—it would have made everything so much harder. Now the initiative was mine, and it felt good in a way. My steps echoed outside the door as I tilted my neck to peek up at the upstairs, where I saw a flickering light. What if he was completely different? What if he didn't remember me? What if he really had gone mad from his powers, just like Lumiere seemed to? Thoughts swirled chaotically inside me, and deep down, I promised myself never to try to take someone else's soul like they had done. It felt anything but healthy.

With hesitant movements, I pressed down the handle and felt the door slide open. I stepped into a dark hallway and began walking up the stone stairs with determined steps. On the first floor, I was met by three doors to different apartments, all equally abandoned, but I figured the light I had seen from the street must be coming from the left apartment. For minutes that felt like an eternity, I just stood there staring at the door. 

What the hell was I going to say to him? Hi seemed like a good start, I sighed to myself, recalling all the times I had fantasized about what I would say when I saw him again. For some reason, I didn't feel like yelling and cursing at him anymore. I shook my head and forced memories of a smiling Clocksworth with chestnut-brown eyes to calm my nerves. Whoever I was about to meet inside, a piece of the old Theo must still be within him.

Slowly, I turned the handle and was surprised to find the door unlocked. Three steps later, I had walked through the small hallway and into what looked like a living room. There stood an armchair, a small table with a burning candle. On the floor lay a stack of books, and in the window stood a wilted old rose that had lost all its petals. That was all. With a sigh, I looked around the dark room before deciding to wait. The candle hadn't been burning long, so he should be nearby, I thought.

The armchair was soft, and the pile of books was inviting. Soon, I had crossed my legs and picked up the classic War and Peace, which I began to read through. 

"Hefty reading." The words came from the dark shadows, but I immediately recognized his voice 

"Felt fitting in a way," I replied, putting the book back in the pile before standing up with my hands in my pockets, turning toward the corner where I guessed he was standing. "Hi, Theo," I mumbled uncertainly and could finally meet his eyes as he stepped out of the darkness. 

"Hey there, Little One," he replied with his crooked, self-assured smile and sparkling eyes. "It's been a while."

A hesitant step. Then another. The next two was a bit quicker, and a few seconds later, my arms finally wrapped around those broad shoulders I had longed for. No matter how much I tried to hate him, he would always be there in my heart. Always. 

"God, I hate you," I whispered softly against his shirt collar, inhaling the familiar scent of his skin 

His body tensed with a heavy sigh before his arms enveloped me, and I felt warmth penetrate through my clothes. "I didn't mean to," he mumbled softly, but the words didn't have the effect he might have hoped for. Instead, I quickly backed out of the embrace and wiped the tears from my eyes. 

"So, what was the plan?" I spat, "You could have at least left a better explanation!" 

He didn't answer but simply walked over to the window and looked out at the street 

"Whatever," I muttered irritably but also somewhat desperately, "I got over you eventually. 

"Good," he replied calmly, and frustration bubbled within me. This was so far from all the different scenarios I had imagined; how could he be so cold and indifferent?

Without thinking, I quickly picked up a book and hurled it at him with an angry roar. Seconds before it would have hit him, he turned in a flash and caught it between his thumb and forefinger. 

I froze in my movement, mouth agape. "Who the hell are you?" I finally managed to say.

He sighed and smiled a rather sad smile. "Does it matter? You said it yourself, Bel, your life has moved on without me. I'm just here to visit because I wanted to make sure you're all doing okey."

I shook my head and laughed dryly. "You're lying; If you knew what was going on you would have killed Lumiere in an instant."

He furrowed his brow, and in a split second, I was transported back in time to a moment when my heart had raced a little harder at that worried wrinkle. "What do you mean?"

"Why do you think I'm here, Clock?" I sighed, emotionally exhausted, sinking down onto the floor, leaning against the wall, and rubbing my forehead with my palms. "He's completely insane." I let my hands fall into my lap and met his questioning eyes with something that could only be described as raw despair mixed with horror after hearing the stories from the mental hospital. "He's worse than all the others combined," I nearly sobbed, feeling my hands tremble as I recalled what Dominic had told me about what actually happened in that disgusting old house. 

At the same time, anger burned in my chest as I thought about how one of the two I loved the most had been forced to carry out the most horrific tasks I could imagine.

A dark shadow squatted down in front of me, and I let him gently lift my chin so that I had to look up into his eyes. He carefully wiped my tears and stopped with his thumb by my ear. "Tell me what happened, Belmont."

I nodded briefly and breathed shakily. "Masson, he was ordered to killed all of Lu's opponents," I began. "It's awful how Lu exploits him; you know how he is, Clock—he never says no."

"And you want to protect him."

"He's freaking a child."

"What else?" he asked calmly.

I wiped away more tears with my shirt sleeve before I continued, "He only has them now, Mass, Nico, and Marianne."

"So he needs more manpower."

I nodded, "So he..." I took a quick breath and looked straight into his eyes, "so he has created some kind of factory." 

Clock moved so quickly that I barely had time to react; suddenly he stood up and hid his face in his hands before running his fingers through his hair with a groan. And for the first time, I saw some kind of emotion in the old body. 

"It's hard to describe; Dominic never wanted me to come back, so I haven't been there," I murmured further, "but from what I've heard, it's anything but pleasant there."

"Tell me everything you know," he asked softly as he sat down beside me, and the little hint of frustration I had seen was gone.

"Mass and Nic capture humans that he keeps in cells," I began, thinking back to everything Nico had told me about—the white corridors, the injured people throwing themselves against the doors, rocking back and forth on the beds, and the smell, the disgusting smell of rotten meat. Suddenly, I felt a wave of nausea mixed with thirst washed over me, and my own memories of days when I also hunted people flickered before my eyes. I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white as I felt my fangs grow.

"Bel..." he began hesitantly, but I pushed aside his voice; I needed to think about something else. "Belmont!" he barked sharply, making me open my eyes. "How long have you been drinking from humans?" he asked seriously, his eyes reflecting the concern that was probably pulsing within him.

"Since you left me," I spat, standing up to head toward the door but pausing before stepping into the stairwell. "If you want to help us, you know where to find us," I muttered before slamming the front door behind me, without looking back.

I immediately took a taxi to the castle and ignore Lumiere's questions when he saw me; instead, I headed straight to Dominic's room. 

It was nighttime, and when I stepped into the bedroom, Nico was in bed, but I could tell from his breathing that he was awake. I felt empty, hollow, and drained of emotions, yet still so damn happy to see him again. 

"How did it go?" he asked softly as I sank down onto the mattress on the other side of the bed and crawled into his arms.

"I think he's going to help us," I managed, struggling to keep my emotions in check.

"That's good, right?" he mumbled hesitantly, placing a hand on my arm. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head and lifted the blanket to crawl down beside him. "I think I hate him even more," I sighed, moving closer so I could hide my face under his chin.

Slim fingers stroked my hair, and I finally managed to relax. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I sighed heavily. "There's barely anything to say," I began. "He had no answers, no reasons, just... just silent promises that it was best for everyone that he left."

His hand wandered down from my head, and soon I felt comforting arms around me. "What are we going to do now?"

"Wait," I mumbled, kissing his neck. "Wait for him to solve our problem, and then we'll leave. For good."

My feet felt unusually heavy as I walked down the stairs to the kitchen. I was completely worn out. For a week, I had endured nights of screams and transformations at the hospital, only to keep us practically locked in our rooms in an attempt to disconnect from the sick reality that Lu had forced upon us. 

Dominic had begged me on his bare knees not to get involved in the work, but how could I live with myself if I let them handle everything alone? Meanwhile, we had learned something; Lumiere's blood didn't seem strong enough for his vision. Most died a painful death instead of transforming.

That morning, I had reluctantly left the bed with a sleeping Nico and deliberately ignored waking him. He took on far too much work, and I knew it was to spare me and Mass. For some reason, he handled all of this better than any of us, and once again, I began to wonder who he had been before we met, what he hadn't told me. It was a mystery that few knew about and that he himself refused to talk about, but I wasn't stressed about it; I knew he would open up eventually.

I switched on the coffee maker and rubbed my eyes before tossing some slices of bread into the toaster and yawning widely. Voices were heard from the dining room, but I pushed the sounds aside. The castle had begun to fill with newborn vampires, and I couldn't help but shiver every time I encountered one of them. They were often empty in the gaze, and I wondered if they didn't remember what he had done to them. Otherwise, they should be bitter and angry, not so sickeningly content and loyal.

With a cup in one hand and one sandwich between my teeth and the other in my hand, I strolled into the dining room and was met by four eyes.

"Good morning, Belmont," Lumiere greeted sourly, "slept well?" 

My gaze swept over the table and landed directly on Clocksworth, who sat at the other end of the table opposite Lumiere with a satisfied smile on his lips. I struggled not to choke on my sandwich or spill coffee on my hand, trying to put on an emotionless mask. 

"You're probably not too surprised by our guest," he continued, fixing his eyes on me, "because I assume it was you who invited him."

"Of course," I smiled with a feigned calmness. "He's family, right? You probably have a lot to catch up on."

"Maybe not quite as much as the two of you?" Lu asked, raising an eyebrow and speaking in an unusually soft voice.

I could feel Clocksworth's amused gaze and decided to sit in the middle of the table so I could keep an eye on both of them. "So, what have you been up to lately, Lu?" he asked, sipping his coffee, and the atmosphere in the room felt anything but familiar.

Lumiere shrugged and appeared unfazed. "The usual."

"So, how's life as king? You must be pleased with yourself."

Lu was just about to open his mouth when the kitchen door swung open, and Mass dragged himself into the dining room still in his pajamas, arms full of sandwiches and a large bottle of Coke in his hand. He had dark circles under his eyes and barely looked up as he sank into the chair across from me with a deep sigh that turned into a yawn.

"Long night?" I asked, even though I knew the answer. Mass had stayed behind after Nico and I had gone home. Someone needed to clean up after those who hadn't managed the transformation, and we usually took turns with that heavy task.

"A fight full of fucking horrors," he muttered, casting an irritated glance at Lumiere, who sat completely unfazed, stirring his spoon in his teacup.

I leaned back in my chair and bit into my sandwich. Images flashed by from the recent nights' work, and I rubbed my forehead, trying to relax.

"Your boys look worn out," Clocksworth observed, leaning forward and staring at Lu with an intense gaze.

"Worn out? We're fucking exhausted," Dominic snapped as he entered the room and threw himself into the chair next to me, giving Lumiere a challenging look. "How long are we going to keep this up?"

I felt my heart start to race; Nico was walking on thin ice. Even though we were three, maybe four against Lu, he was still powerful and incredibly strong. He had never shown his full potential, and we had no idea if Clocksworth had any chance against him.

Carefully, I placed a calming hand on Nico's thigh, and soon I felt his hand resting on top of mine. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, and he looked as tired as I did, as well as Mass; however, his eyes were furious, and I knew why. He hated seeing the rest of us suffer, and he always took it upon himself to solve our problems. Slowly, I turned my hand so our fingers intertwined, and I noticed how he began to relax.

"Until the job is done," Lumiere stated calmly before he stood up and left the room.

With a groan, Mass shoved his chair back and leaned his forehead against the table, "I can't handle another night, guys."

Nico sighed, threw his feet up on the table, and leaned his head against my shoulder, taking a few sips from my coffee, "Did you stay long?"

Mass nodded, "There were a hell of a lot more than on a normal night."

"Nothing is normal about this," I muttered, running my fingers through my hair and squeezing Nico's hand a little tighter.

"You were right, Belmont," the deep voice from the edge of the table was both sorrowful and full of anger. "What he's doing goes against everything we are," Clocksworth continued, decisively rising from his chair and sitting on the edge of the table next to me so he could look straight into my face. "But we can't just kill him and expect everything to be fine; it's more complicated than that."

"Of course it is," Nico muttered sourly as he sat leaned against me. "Nothing is ever a simple walk in the park."

Clocksworth nodded slowly. "Our biggest problem is; who'll take his place."

Quickly, I raised my gaze and looked directly into his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Without a leader, there will be civil war among the vampires, and they will all fight to become kings."

"And I assume you still don't want that title," I muttered, but Clocksworth just laughed.

"Would you even accept me as king?"

Three unified, "Yes," echoed in the room, and I watched his expression changing from amused to surprised.

"It doesn't matter what has happened between us, Theo," I began, "but everyone in here knows that you are the leader we all need."

"May I come in?" 

I looked up at Clock from the couch in the library and gave him a small nod. 

"I suspected I would find you here," he smiled and sat down on the low table in front of me. I nodded again, closed the book, and set it beside me on the couch. "I guess you're still angry."

 "I'm waiting for an explanation," I replied. 

 He nodded and clasped his hands in his lap."I don't know if it's a particularly good one." 

 "As long as it's the truth, I don't care about the rest," I said bluntly. 

 I watched as he took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts before looking up at me. "Everyone I killed," he began, "I saw their memories and felt their emotions." He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "It drove me to madness, and I was afraid I would go insane—so insane that I would hurt you, Bel." 

 "Okay," I replied, watching him struggle with his emotions. 

 "You don't have to forgive me; that's not why I'm here." 

 I scooted forward on the couch and rested my elbows on my knees so my face was closer to his. "When you left, a small part of me died, Clock. You created me," I locked my gaze on him, "but you left me!" I shouted, my voice cracking, "I saw you in every damn street corner, I hoped for a message. I fucking dreamed of you every night!" I shook my head and whipped my tears. "It went so far that I completely lost myself." 

 "So you began to hunt humans," he whispered, hesitantly placing a hand on my shoulder, but all I could do was nod. "I'm so sorry, Bel," he whispered, sinking to his knees on the floor in front of me, gently cupping my face with his hands and wiping away the tears that flowed down my cheeks. "I thought I was protecting you." 

 I quickly recoiled from his touch and leaned back against the couch. "You have your chance to do that now," I muttered, biting my lower lip. 

 "How bad is your thirst?" 

 I shrugged, "Manageable." 

 He sighed and sat back on the table again. "I'm staying. And I'll help you, because you deserve better than this." 

 "Thank you." 

 "But then I'll leave, if you want." 

 I looked up at him and shook my head, "We're not planning on staying; this isn't home anymore. The castle is yours if you want it." 

 "So where is home?" he asked cautiously. 

 "Noxwood." 

 "With the wolf?" 

 I nodded slightly and met his gaze challengingly, but he didn't say anything. That was the plan; we would fix this mess, and then we'd go home.