Chapter 30

Mitch nearly threw himself at his schoolwork. Not wanting a moment to himself, knowing he would get the full force of the sadness, grief and anger Mitch could feel just below the surface with Michel, his Beast.

Rebeca... Bless her heart, did her best to keep Mitch distracted. Knowing that's what he was doing, she was always by his side. Mitch would be eternally grateful for her help through this. He tried to keep his emotions down, to a minimum because he knew she would feel what he was feeling and he was very sorry. He had told her so, multiple times and she would always smile and say she was happy to be able to have been here for him. Afterwards, Mitch would smile back and return to his work. In this way, the school day passed quickly.

Mitch and Rebeca went to his car soon after the bell rang signifying the end of the school hadn't seen any of Nathan's crew after this morning. Which Mitch was grateful for, he wasn't sure he could or even wanted to hold Michel back again. They both got in the car and Rebeca put her fingertips on the side of Mitch's face softly and Mitch turned to her.
'Do you want to go to your home?" Rebeca asked softly, calmly. Mitch shook his head, not trusting his voice or words.
"Then to my home and you can show me Michel," She said. That got a response.
"Hell no. My blood is up, Michel is like a half-staved caged beast whom just got riled up. He would tear you apart as soon as he could," Mitch protested.
"You said I could," Rebeca said stubbornly. Mitch sighed, knowing he couldn't argue with her after her mind was made up.
"Fine," Mitch said exasperated.
"My parents want to be there with Rosa," she said.
"What?" Mitch asked surprised. Rebeca looked away, something on her mind.
"What is wrong my love?" Mitch asked her. She took a deep breath.

"I haven't been completely honest with you. Even if I have been I definitely know I haven't been the most forthcoming but... You know how i'm kind of a scholar for my people's history right?" She was on the edge of his seat, eager to hear what she had to say.
"Yes,"
"Well... I've been recently reading some documents supporting a theory I've had about what happened to you," She started.
"I can't be sure without knowing your genealogical records from at least a few hundred years back," She finished.
"My mom has a record of that sort of thing," Mitch said. Remembering a time where his mom offered to teach him a bit about where his ancestors came from. He also remembered he turned her down and now regretted it. He felt his sadness rising and he fought to keep it down.
"It dates back a while, it was passed from my mom's great grandma to my grandma and then to my mom," Mitch finished.
"We don't have to go if you don't want to-" She started but the car was already moving. Mitch was glad to have something else to think about, even if it meant having to go back to his parent's house.

Mitch pulled up to his house and turned off the car but motioned for Rebeca to stay.
"I will grab the book. I do not want to be in that house for longer than I have to," He told Rebeca.
"Please stay here and I'll be back momentarily," Mitch finished and Rebeca nodded her answer. Mitch took a breath and walked up to the front door and almost knocked. He tried to open the door but it was locked. Mitch frowned and fished out his house key and opened the door to a still, silent house.
"Hello!" Mitch said to the dark house, he knew no one would answer but he had to say something. It was dark but between some light from the windows and it was about mid afternoon. Mitch would see perfectly. He steadied himself and was in his parent's room in a flash, using his increased speed to get there. He grabbed the old black leather covered book and ran back down to the car.

On his way he noticed the house had looked untouched for days, he refused to think any further along that line of thought stopped in his tracks in the middle of the gravel driveway, staring at a couple drop gathering of dried blood. He missed it on his way in but not the way out, Mitch went to take a knee. One hand holding the old book and the other one outstretched and he touched the blood. He didn't know what he was doing before his tongue touched his finger tip that had a little blood on it. Mitch turned quick enough not to splatter himself with vomit as he wrenched, violently for a couple seconds. Mitch heard the car door and heard Rebeca run over to him.
"Mitch!," She cried.
"Are you ok?" He felt himself absorb the trace amount of blood though his tongue and he felt a pull...
*Blood calls to blood...* Mitch heard in his what Michel was saying. He could trace whomever spilled this blood back to it's source.
"I'm ok I think..." Mitch trailed.
"Is it normal to immediately reject blood?" Mitch asked, standing up.
"No... I've never heard of that," She said.
*Human blood is anathema to us. Only Pure Blood will sustain us...*
"Pure Blood..." Mitch trailed out loud and Rebeca's face paled.
"What did you just say?" Rebeca asked trailing, looking up at Mitch.
"Michel said that human blood was anathema to us. Only Pure blood will sustain us," Mitch replied trying to use his words. Rebeca paled even more and looked down.
"Pure Blood is what the ten noble houses call themselves," Rebeca trailed. So...Michel was implying that he could only feed from Rebeca and those like her.. That would make it considerably harder to feed...

Rebeca shook herself trying to break herself free from thinking about it.
"Blood," She trailed, referencing the dried blood in front of Mitch.
"Yes... Its my mom's. I can feel it in my bones and I can trace this blood back to it's source.
*You know where the prey hides...* Michel trailed in Mitch's mind.
"Wow... There aren't a lot of trackers anymore," Rebeca commented.
"Trackers?" Mitch asked.
"Yeah, they can do what you do. It's a rare trait among my people now an days," Rebeca explained and Mitch immediately felt stupid for asking such a question. Rebeca smiled up at him.
"Your so cute," She said and Mitch looked away, reddening slightly from her comment.
"Is that the book?" Rebeca asked pointing at the book in Mitch's hands.
"Yeah," He answered and handed the book over to Rebeca who flipped though it quickly, scanning the pages.
"Yep, this is what I needed," She said. Mitch felt his eyes drawn to the blood on the gravel driveway. He took Rebeca's hand and she led him over to the car and got in.

Mitch's eyes lingered on his parent's house after turning the car back on.
"I'm sorry for asking you to come back," Rebeca said, downtrodden, her eyes cast down. Mitch turned to her and used a finger to lift her chin up soshe was looking at him, his eyes soft.
"Don't be. I was eager to learn what was going on with me," Mitch explained, he gave her a small smile and she did the same.
"Your smile is cute," Mitch commented and pulled out of his parent's drive way and drove them back to Rebeca's house.

Mitch yawned as he pulled up to Rebeca's house, he had almost forgotten that he normally slept after school. It was almost 4 and school got out around 3, normally Mitch would be asleep now.
"You need to sleep, go to bed. I need some time to figure everything out, also... Do you mind if I tell my parents about yours?" She asked softly and Mitch nodded.
"It's ok," Mitch said, his eyes growing and Rebeca entered and Rosa was looking out the window, watching them and followed them both upstairs. Rebeca gave Mitch a good night hug and kiss before he went into his room. Mitch undressed and put on his PJs before getting into bed. And for the first time in his life, he cried until he drifted to sleep.

It was 10:08 when Mitch woke up. It wasn't as much sleep as he was used to but this was the third time that he had awoken and he was covered in a cold sweat. He took a shuddering breath he didn't think he dreamed so Melissa hadn't sent him any tormenting dreams like he expected but he still had awoken under normal circumstances. Mitch ran a hand through his short brown hair and shook his head before getting up out of bed and going to take a shower in the bathroom that ajoined his room. The warm water felt good on his skin.
*No more tears, no more grief until we find out what happened... And extract vengeance* Mitch heard Michel in his mind and Mitch nodded, the thought of revenge filled him with murderous rage and it felt good but shook himself free of such thoughts. Now was not the time for such things.
*We need more information* Mitch nodded again.
*But first...* Michel trailed and there was a knock at the door.
"One minute!" Mitch cried out before getting out of the shower, drying, changing into a green t-shirt and brown pants and he went to answer the door.
"Oh. Hello Miss Bruno," Mitch said to Rebeca's mother. Anna Bruno, Rebeca had gotten her mother's thick brown hair but her father's piercing green eyes. She was wearing her hair up in a bun and was wearing a brown blouse and a blue skirt that went down to her knees, office wear. She smiled and pulled Mitch into a hug.
"I'm so sorry Mitch," She said hugging Mitch tight. He knew that Rebeca's parents in general liked him but he wasn't so sure since he had learned their secret, especially since his contact with them since had been near non-existent but it seemed that they still did like him.
"Thank you," Mitch said hugging her back quick but short.
"This must be difficult. First your Change and now this..." She trailed shaking her head.
"I appreciate the thought but did you need something of me?" Mitch asked.
"Yes. Rebeca wanted you, me and her father to meet us in the living room," She informed Mitch and he nodded and left his room with Anna down stairs.

Mitch could tell that the living room's furniture was re arranged. A great deal of what was in the middle was now pushed to the sides. Rebeca was sitting at a table with about a dozen books all a little heavier with multiple bookmarks, including the one Mitch retrieved from his parent's house. Anna and her husband, Thomas Bruno, Rebeca's father, were standing next to Rebeca and Rosa was sitting on a moved couch that faced the room.
"Can you please stand in the middle of the room here?" Rebeca asked, pointing to the center of the room, she looked up for a second and flashed him a beautiful smile before returning to her writing and Mitch walked to where she wanted him to stand. After a minute Rebeca put her pen down and took a breath.
"Mitch can you please let Michel out?" Rebeca asked. Mitch was silent for about a minute, thinking.
'Yes," Mitch said and took a deep breath and told Michel to be on his best behavior before letting go. It was getting easier and quicker, Mitch wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Mitch stood still. his facial features slightly different, the changes were getting more and more subtle but the thing that hadn't changed was his eyes. Before Mitch's change they were a deep jade green. After the change, they were a pretty shade of emerald and when Michel was in charge... His eyes shined, almost glowed, hypnotic.
"Hello Mr, Miss and Rebeca Bruno," Michel said smiling, his voice not quite Mitch's. Anna and Thomas stiffened slightly and Rosa was still sitting on the couch but her full attention was on the situation. Michel smile... was dangerous, predatory, promising dark pleasures and exquisite agony in equal measure.
"Rebeca... Please come over so we may use our speaking voices," Michel asked, it was a simple question, not one with any power. Not like he had asked Jessica or Ralph. Rebeca got up and started walking over to him. Her face was set, determined.
"Rebeca wait..." Her mother said, not wanting Rebeca to leave her side.
"I'll be fine mom. I'm not afraid," Rebeca answered her mother before continuing to walk over to Michel. It was a slow, cautious walk but not afraid. Michel smiled at Rebeca, maybe it had soften or maybe it was a figment of Rebeca's imagination. When she got closer,Mitch reached out his hand, stroking the side of her face with his fingertips.
"You really are beautiful. I can see what Mitch sees in you... He sees himself in you and is scared that I will change him... That I will make him a monster," Michel whispered so only Rebeca could hear hi.
"Could I have this dance?" Michel asked, his voice a normal volume.
"Of course Mitch, I don't hear any music though," Rebeca replied and took his hand in her's.
"Just follow my moment and you'll pickup the pace in no time," Michel said and they started to slow dance without any music. Michel's pace and moves were easy to predict as he had said, they were close.
"The Man protects the Beast and the Beast protects the Man," Michel whispered in Rebeca's ear which made her shiver. His voice, the almost Mitch voice sent shivers down her spine from being so close.
"That is the agreement both spirits inhabiting the every kindred body agree's to. Mitch and I are no different," Michel explained.
"Kindred?" Rebeca asked. Michel smiled and picked up the pace slightly, still follow able though.
"Kindred are what your people call Slaves," Rebeca's eyes widen.
"Nathan, Melissa and Erin are similar to me... But Mitch and I are wholly unique... I suspect you already understand that though... He will need you. He will feel lost, with no one he can truly call brother or sister. Such isolation is not in his nature, The Man requires others of his kind to sustain themselves and Mitch will have a harder time with this than most would." Michel explained to Rebeca and they closed out their dance. Rebeca smiled up at Mitch.
"Thank you for the dance," Rebeca said, slightly breathless.
"No, thank you," Michel said and turned to Rebeca's parents.
"You have questions for me, please, Ask." Michel said to them.
'Only one that matters. Will you hurt our baby? If no. Even in your most wild moments? If the choice is between death or feed on Rebeca what would you choose?" Thomas Bruno asked. Rebeca could feel her father's power wash over the room. It compels the truth from everyone in the room. Not as directed or powerful as Mitch's domination but potent still.

Michel started to laugh. Softly at first but soon a bellow.
"Your powers can't touch me," Michel said smiling.
"What?" Thomas asked, amazed.
"Any powers that affect me does not work. It is the same for the others, but only when the Beast is in control. The Beast Protects," Michel said. The last part sounded sacred.
"But you have nothing to fear, I would choose death over harm to Rebeca. I will protect her as I will Mitch," Michel promised.
"Were their any other questions?' Michel asked and when no one said anything. He shrugged his shoulders and Mitch took back control of his body.

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