CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
❝︎Better Control❞︎

AFTER TONY HAD EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO ELOISE, THE WOMAN FELT HORRIFIED. She felt like she could claw her own skin off, shrinking in disgust and discomfort every time that she thought about she. HYDRA had turned her into a vampire, not a full one but one nonetheless. She wasn't dead like a vampire, her heartbeat still very strong, but she might as well be. Her skin was cold all the time, her eyes were a lightning blue which shocked her system every time she looked in the mirror. Her skin was paler than normal, she even had two sharper teeth on the top. The one thing that she did not develop was the desperate thirst for blood, thank God. Was it there, oh yeah, it was there, but it wasn't so overpowering that it made her insane. Plus, she could actually eat human food.

After a few weeks of observations and tests done by Bruce, Eloise was finally a free woman. Wanda had been making her go through training. Eloise knew they wanted Wanda there because she was powerful and she could use her magic to control Eloise if anything went south. One really bad thing that had come with Eloise being half vampire was the bouts of anger. She would fine and happy one minute, something would set her off and she would yell. She hated it. God, she hated it so much. Poor Tony was usually the one on the other side of the anger.

She couldn't count on her hands how many times she's had to profusely apologize to him for raging on him. Tony had always smiled at her and waved it off, telling her that it wasn't her fault that she was like this and that no matter what he would never be upset with her when she got angry like that because he understood why it was happening. Every time he told her that, Eloise would always kiss him and tell him how much she loved him. He really did mean the world to her, she would forever be thankful for him. She couldn't even imagine the amount of worry he was going through when she was missing, even more so when they had tried to get her back.

Her brain was a little foggy, but one thing that Eloise did remember was an angel. One thing these eyes gave her was the ability to see things that normal human eyes couldn't see. When she woke up and saw Celeste standing there, she also saw the angel wings that surrounded her and the soft glow that radiated from her body. Eloise had been truly mesmerized in that moment. Before Celeste left―︎which she seemed to be in a hurry, like she wasn't supposed to be there―︎she had made them promise not to tell anyone she had been there, and to also never speak of her existence.

Eloise didn't know why and as soon as Celeste left, she had quickly turned to Steve and asked him what was up. Steve had been quick to explain that Celeste had been captured by HYDRA too, tortured, almost killed, and that her father―︎who was the real God, something that still shocked Eloise―︎didn't want her anywhere near earth. Basically, Celeste had snuck out of Heaven to help her. She would forever be in her debt. The thought of being in an actual Angel's debt made Eloise uneasy for some reason. How did you repay an Angel for bringing you back to as normal as one could be under HYDRA's torture?

Eloise had her hands wrapped, her jaw clenched as she narrowed her eyes dangerously at the punching bag, almost like it had done something personal to her. She threw punch after punch, listening to the satisfying sound that came with every hit. Her dark hair had grown longer in the past two months that she'd been back, now she had to throw it up in a ponytail every time she trained because hair would constantly stay in her face. It was quite annoying. She wanted to cut it, but she had missed having long hair.

"My God, what did that punching bag ever do to you?" The sound of Theodora's voice made Eloise paused, reaching out to still the punching bag. Theo made her way towards her best friend, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at Eloise with a raised eyebrow. "You alright there sweetheart?"

"Yeah," Eloise breathed. She put her hands on both of her hips, taking deep breaths. "You know, I haven't sent it flying across the room yet, I think I'm starting to get much better control when it comes to my strength."

Theodora smiled at this. "That's good!" She came to a stop in front of her. "Now, as much as I know you'd love to stay here and keep punching that bag that you apparently have a personal vendetta against, my daughter really wants to see you. She's been asking for you since you came back. Two months ago. Every day, Ellie, every damn day. Please."

Eloise chuckled. "I didn't know Avery missed me so badly." She frowned a little, hesitancy clear on her face. She wasn't so sure about this. "I miss her too. You know I love her so much, she knows that. But, I mean, do you think. . . do you think it's safe for me to be around her? Theo, if I hurt her, I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

Theodora frowned, shaking her head as she placed a gloved hand on Eloise's shoulder. "Hey, you have nothing to worry about." She gave her a small smile. "If there is one thing I've learned about my daughter, it's that she knows how to take care of herself. She can manipulate the elements after all. El, if I were worried about you, I wouldn't let you near her. I trust you."

Eloise thought over her words for a moment, biting on the inside of her cheek before nodding her head. "Well, if you're so sure. I don't see why not."

"If it makes you more comfortable, Clint and I will be there in the house the whole time."

"That does make me a little more comfortable." Eloise confirmed. "Alright, let's do this then. I'm missed my sweet girl."

"Sweet," Theodora scoffed. "That's one word for it." Eloise laughed before following her out the door.