Disgraced: Twins of the Zodiac

A Lot Of Explaining To Do

    As the woman stood there in the distance, where both Aurora and the young boy once stood, Aurora watched her, curious and cautious.

    Her skin was porcelain-too pale to be human and her features modelesque to say the least; eyes seductive and extremely dark, her figure lean and fit. She had to have been at the very least 5’9. And her hair was pin-straight and blood red. 

    “Is there something that you want?” Aurora finally spoke after taking in the seemingly youthful woman. Though, she knew by the way she carried herself, that she had been on this earth far longer than her appearance led her to believe.

    The woman smiled at what Aurora said. “I just want to talk.” She insisted, gradually stepping closer to Aurora and the little boy.

    “Oh,” Aurora replied. “Ironically enough, I don’t.” She took the little boy’s hand again and started to leave; she couldn’t help but think that maybe it was time that he went home. There was just something about this woman that granted her pause; sure, she gave off the impression that she meant no harm, but Aurora’s gut told her not to believe it.

    “You are every bit as stubborn as your father.” She chuckled. “Do you know that?” She asked, amusement in her voice.

    “No, I wouldn’t know that at all,” Aurora impatiently replied. “Because I’ve never met the man.” She kept to her stride, however, wanting the woman to know that she would not bait her into standing there to listen to her.

    “And you don’t want to know.” The woman said, there was obviously curious contempt in her tone as she came to this realization. “Why?”

    “Correction, I don’t want to know from you,” Aurora clarified in return, looking at the woman for a moment before turning away. “You’re only trying to bait me, old woman. It will not work.”

    Just as Aurora kept walking, the woman appeared in front of her. Aurora didn’t show her surprise, though she very much so was. She eyed the woman who stared at her, a wry smile covering her lips. She then noticed how her gaze wandered over to the little boy.

    “Beautiful little boy.” She dryly complimented eyeing him longingly before returning her dead stare to Aurora. “Is he yours?”

    “I don’t find that to be any of your business,” Aurora bit back cooly, standing in front of the young lad.

    The woman inhaled the air in prolonged silence, eyes closed for a moment before she returned her amused gaze to Aurora. “Apparently not.” She guessed with a smile. “Are you going to eat the little one? Or may I?”

    Aurora, becoming worn of patience with this one and extremely protective of the little one, turned around and bent to the boy's height. “I never caught your name, little one.” She said. 

    “Isaiah.” The little boy replied, his expression clearly showcasing the confusion and fear of not knowing what was going on. Bravely, he answered anyway. “My name is Isaiah.”

    “Well, Isaiah.” Aurora smiled warmly, while her guard was still strongly up against this woman. “I want you to go on ahead, and I’ll catch up with you. Wouldn’t want you to miss the rest of the game.” 

    “Bu-” Little Isaiah start to rebut when Aurora halted his words. “Go.” She whispered into his ear. “And be careful.” She said, kissing his forehead; and in that one planted kiss, a warning was implanted within young Isaiah, along with a charm to protect him, in case this woman tried to go for him.

    The boy reluctantly nodded and hesitantly walked past the woman who was now standing in front of Aurora, his eyes didn’t waver from her until he was a few feet past her. However, her gaze did not avert either.

    “If I were you, I’d keep that attention on me.” Aurora cautioned the woman. “Now what is it, that you want?” She demanded.

    The woman grinned as her gaze snapped back to Aurora. “As I mentioned before darling, I just want to talk.” She smiled.

    “Then talk.” Aurora disinterestedly replied.

    “You are really volatile.” She said. “Broody little one.”

    “Are we here to talk about my attitude or something more important?” Aurora sarcastically cut. She wanted badly to leave this woman where she stood and to return to little Isaiah’s side and protect him but had a feeling that if she had, things would not turn out so well for either of them. Especially little Isaiah.

    The woman sighed, looking away for a moment before she spoke again. “I am...sort of disappointed at the fact that you can not recognize me through blood alone.” She implied and then shrugged. “Then again, that is my fault, I guess.”

    “If you have to guess...then it is.” Aurora simply stated.

    The woman looked at Aurora again, smirking in amusement. “You are exactly like your father.” Her leer began to fade into something more stoic. “Look like him too...unfortunately, your mother’s genes are just as prominent.”

    “I’d choose my next words wisely...in regards to my mother,” Aurora warned as she felt rage building up, her eyes began to dilate and her incisors began to elongate.

    The woman didn’t respond to Aurora’s underlying threat right away. The smile that had once disappeared from her face, returned.

    “I have not come here to pick a fight, my love-”

    “Then why have you come?” Aurora was tired of the useless back and forth. “So far, I fear it is just to waste my time.”

    “I would never dream of such a thing.” She said. “I just...wanted to meet my granddaughter.” 

    There was a silence between the two of them at first, Aurora scoffing as she found herself about to say something harsh. That is until she saw the look in the woman’s eyes. 

    “Your…” Aurora backed away from the woman. “Your what?” She couldn’t have been referring to…

    “I am your grandmother, Aurora.” She said. “The mother of your father.”

    Aurora shook her head. “You must have the wrong Aurora.” She quickly retorted. “My father’s kin are all dead.”

    “Oh? And who was it that told you that?” There was hostility in her words. “Your mother? The coven?!” She hissed. “Do you even know who your father is?” When Aurora, yet again, did not answer, the woman scoffed. “Of course, you don’t.” She spat. “They probably put a curse on his name just so that it would not be spoken again by the likes of your kind.” 

    The surprise on Aurora’s face of what the woman said, granted the woman with even more amusement than before; though annoyed, it seemed to be.

    “They did, didn’t they?” She said.

    Reluctantly and only because the woman guessed it partially right, did Aurora answer her. “On the compound, yes.” 

    She gestured in frustration and rolled her eyes-the red-haired woman. She sighed. “How predictable of the Zodiac.” She muttered and then turned her gaze toward Aurora. “And I take it, you didn’t have much of an easy time being raised by such wretches, given your...species, I should say.”

    Aurora, instead of answering this time, averted her eye in frustration at the fact that this woman seemed to know so much about the place in which she was raised. 

    “How do you know so much about the Zodiac?” Aurora finally asked bitterly. 

    “As I once said, I am your grandmother, Aurora.” She answered. “And your last name is not Valentine.” She added. “I’m sure that this was a name that your mother was forced to take after your father’s demise. But you...are a Vale.”

    As she said those words, a name came to mind, one that she had heard mentioned before. But she knew that in him being of any relation to her, it would be too much of a coincidence. Still, however, she had to know his name. She needed to know his name.

    “What is my father’s name?”  

    When she asked this question, the lady began to smile. “Your father, my son’s name was Rorick Joaquin Vale.” She answered. “Hybrid Alpha of the Arctic Beast Pack and son of...well...me.”

    “And who are you?” Aurora asked. 

    “I am Bellarossa Vale, former Elder of the Council and leader of the BloodHaven Coven.”

    “Former.” Was the main thing that stuck out to Aurora. “You’re not dead. So I wonder why that is.” She returned. Yes, she was curious about this woman that claimed to be her grandmother and even more curious about her father. Especially, considering who he was now, but she still refused to let her guard down.

    Bellarossa’s gaze faltered a little before she looked at her granddaughter again. “I dabbled in a few things that my fellow council members did not find very...appropriate.” She said. “So, they excommunicated me.” There was an underlying bitterness behind her words. “But only because they could not kill me.” 

    As she said this is when Aurora had the sudden feeling that they were about to get to the real point of why her grandmother was there.

    “You are a true mystery, Aurora Vale.” Bellarossa suddenly commented

    “How so?”

    “Well, I have dropped a considerable amount of knowledge on you-concerning your family-our family. Things that I am sure you did not know until now.” She approached Aurora, her gaze surveying her granddaughter’s form. “And yet you still show no interest...not a bit of surprise...not one iota of curiosity.” She tilted her head in befuddlement. “Why is that?”

    “On the contrary, I am quite interested, very surprised...and extremely curious about ‘our’ family.” She confessed. “In fact, I find myself very overwhelmed about this information; especially, if what you speak of is the truth.” She further admitted. 

    “Yet?” Bellarossa furrowed her brows with further curiousness, knowing that a ‘but’ was about to come from what she was saying.

    “One thing that you should know about me, ‘grandmother’,” Aurora said in what was sort of a mocking manner. “I am not easily convinced to let my guard down. No matter who you claim to be.” Her brow raised with contempt and distrust. “As I am quite sure that there is an ulterior motive behind the reason for your telling me all of this.” When Bellarossa did not respond to her question, Aurora found another to ask. “How did you even find me?” She wouldn’t allow her the knowledge that she had a brother, though she couldn’t help but wonder whether she knew this bit of information or not. 

    “I followed you,” Bellarossa admitted. “You do leave quite the trail in your wake, my dear.” She said. 

    “What do you mean?” Aurora asked, the distrust still in her voice as she spoke.

    “You stupid girl,” Bellarossa's easygoingness suddenly turned hostile. “You have familiars all across the board of this hemisphere.” She shook her head. “And one in transition..and you do not even know.”

    Familiars?? Aurora had a feeling in the back of her mind that this was a possibility. But never did she think that she would ever turn anyone. After feeding, she never exchanged blood with another, except…”Marlo!” She whispered.

    “Correct.” Bellarossa chuckled. “Won’t be long before he murders his whole family.” She mused.

    This bit of news was astonishing and was something that Aurora was completely distraught about. She may have come off as some heartless shrew to many-even her brother maybe, but she'd never wish such an atrocious thing on another. Espeicially, Marlo, whose only crime was an innocent crush. She had to fix this!

    “Yes, now you see how careless you are with your gift to turn humans.” She said. “Which is the reason that I am here, darling.”

    Aurora crossed her arms, aggravated with this one’s domineering attitude toward her. “What? You want to spend a little granddaughter-grandmother time together? Teach me the ways of the vampires?” She sardonically inquired. Yes, she could actually use the training but she wouldn’t accept it from one as seemingly calculating as this one.

    “Oh dear, no,” Bellarossa said. “Quite the contrary.” She walked away from Aurora as if in thought, though it was clear that she had already known what she was thinking about. “I’ve come here to take it away from you.” She turned around. “So, I guess I lied earlier when I gave you the impression that I wasn’t looking for trouble.” Bellarossa's grin widened and her eyes narrowed.

    “You must be losing your touch,” Aurora said. “You never gave me the impression that you weren’t looking for trouble at all.” 

       Bellarossa scowled, Aurora apparently having got under skin for a split second before she recovered with a smile and shrugged. “Oh well. I mean, I guess I should have known since you are my granddaughter after all. It's obvious...that you don’t trust a soul.”

    “I wouldn't say a soul...just you...well, along with most other people in this world.” Aurora mockingly smiled. “But you know what really gave you away?” Aurora asked as she approached this Bellarossa. “The stench…” she sniffed the air before a revolting odor hit her and she backed away. It was always subtly there but she would not comment on it until it was necessary, and apparently, it was. “You smell sickly...impure.” 

    Bellarossa chuckled. “It’s a shame that I have to kill you...I have a feeling we would have been good friends had I not needed you to die.” The smile that was once on her face suddenly disappeared. “But then again, that smart mouth of yours makes it a trite bit easier to do what I am going to have to do.”

    Aurora backed away. “You know the funniest part about this conversation?” She said. “The fact that you think that it would be that easy.”

    “Oh, sweetie.” Bellarossa countered. “You have no idea what you’re up against.”

    Aurora could sense her immense power and if she were being honest, she was a little intimidated by it. But it certainly wouldn’t halt her from doing what needed to be done to protect herself. “Neither do you.”

    “Aurora!”

    As soon as Aurora heard his voice, her attention was averted for that one moment; and that one moment was all Bellarossa needed. She disappeared in the blink of an eye and was suddenly behind Aurora, her incisors bared to bleed her dry.

    Aurora head-butted her and just as she had, a force of energy knocked her back so hard, she hit a nearby car. Aurora looked at Jeriko as he stood there, shock on his face after he defended her. It was then that she noticed little Isaiah standing next to him, concern and fear emanating from him as well.

    “Get him out of here.” She said to her older brother.

    “Not without you.” Jeriko incredulously stated, rushing to assist his sister, when an invisible field blocked him from it. 

    “Get him out of here.” She said, her gaze softening before she added. “Please.”

    Jeriko just couldn’t seem to move. He couldn’t leave his sister; but this didn’t stop Aurora, however, she turned around to face Bellarossa when just as she turned, Bellarossa had struck her across the face, knocking her into the field that she had created to keep her brother and the boy safe.

    As she was on her knees, Bellarossa walked over to Aurora while she was trying to recover and kicked her in the gut. Aurora heard as well as felt her ribs c***k and break. The little boy screaming in terror brought her concern over to little Isaiah. She barely got a glance before she felt the icy grip of Bellarossa’s hand against her neck, shoving her back against the invisible field again.

    “Is that your little boy toy?” She asked Aurora, referring to a worried Jeriko, who had been trying hard to penetrate the shield. A grin appeared across her face as she wiped the black oozing blood from her lips. “Making the same mistakes as your father, I see. Don’t worry, I’ll get rid of your little boyfriend as soon as I am done with you, dear. Wouldn’t want him to have to live long enough to mourn you.”

    “He’s not my boy...boyfriend.” Aurora struggled to say. “He’s...your grandson.” After catching the surprising look on her grandmother’s face, Aurora used her arm to chop Bellarossa’s arm away from her neck. No sooner had she done this Aurora backhanded Bellarossa so hard that her body broke through the shield that Aurora had created. The force of the blow sent her hurling across the street, buckling a small sidewalk tree.

    Bellarossa, seemingly shocked by the force of Aurora’s blow, struggled to get up, holding her side. She incredulously looked over at Jeriko; a grimace appeared across her face when she heard an extremely guttural and loud growl from behind Aurora.

    Aurora turned around to see a beast so large in stature that it was frightening. Its jawline was strong and its teeth were bared, its color pure white, hinted in jet black. It was almost like frost was emanating from his breath.

    If Bellarossa wasn’t having second thoughts of attacking at first, she certainly was in that moment. She knew that she could not handle Aurora, Jeriko, and the large arctic beast standing before her.

    “This isn’t over.” She struggled, before disappearing.

    As she fell to her knees from the pain of her broken ribs, Jeriko ran for his sister, assuring that the little boy was with him as he didn’t want the woman to return out of spite. 

    “Aurora! Aurora are you alright?” Jeriko held on to his sister.

    “Fine. I’m-I’m fine.” 

    “Aurora!” Azul started to rush for Aurora to make sure that she was alright before he thought better of it. His quickened steps slowed when he felt the rage surrounding her brother.

    Both Jeriko and Aurora turned their attention to Azul, both grimacing for different reasons.

    “You take another step towards my sister!” Jeriko stood in front of his twin, bristling up against Azul, his hands still ignited with power as his eyes began to glow. “and I will kill you.” His old world accent had completely shown through.

    “Jer-Jeriko, don-” Aurora struggled to say.

    “Wh-who is this?!” Jeriko snapped. “Aurora, what is going on here?” 

    Aurora shook her head. “I don’t know.” She answered. “But I’m sure that he does.” She looked at Azul; her thoughts and feelings about him were suddenly even more questionable than before. He was keeping secrets from her and she needed to know what they were. “Beta, Azul-” She struggled to speak through the pain of her broken ribs. “You have...a lot of explaining to do. Including what you know about our father.”