Chapter 55: the right choice
Aira’s POV
“Are you sure you really want to do this?” Alex asks as we pull up to the incredibly large golden gates. I let his words sink into me and thought deeply about his answer. Is this really what I wanted to do? I would be breaking my promise to the only woman who has shown me even the closest bit of motherly affection in years.
Her body isn’t even cold in the grave yet. But what really is the point of waiting? What if my powers get out of control and I end up hurting someone? What if I hurt Alex? No, I can’t ever let that happen.
“Yes, I am sure,” I say, and he looks at me like he is waiting for me to change my mind.
When he sees that I am not going to, he says, “I am going to call you every thirty minutes. And if you do not pick up even once, I am bursting in here with my soldiers.”
I roll my eyes before grabbing his face and placing a kiss on his cheek. “Don’t worry about me, okay? And thirty minutes is too small. How about every hour?”
His eyelids narrow to slits. “No. A lot can happen in an hour.”
“A lot can happen in a minute,” I tell him, and he parts his lips to say something, and I already know what it is. “And no, you can’t call me every ten, five, or one minute,” his lips seal shut, and he sinks into his chair without another word. “Hey,” I say, placing my hand on his, and he looks at me softly.
“I just don’t want any more bad things to happen to you. You have suffered too much. All I ever want is to keep you safe and happy.” His words touch a sensitive spot, and I smile at him gently.
“I know that is what you want, and I am truly grateful for all of that. But you have to remember that we are dealing with a force we know nothing about. I could end up losing control and hurting someone. I need to learn how to control it, and Vincent is the only one who can help me,” I say, and he doesn’t say anything; he just pouts his lips.
I take hold of his face softly and make him look at me. “I will be fine, okay? I am strong, remember?”
This time, he smiles at me and kisses my lips softly. “I know. I am just scared that you might be a little too strong,” he whispers against my lips before pulling away.
“Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.”
Before I step out of the car, he says, “I am still going to call you every thirty minutes.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
I hop out of the car and wave him goodbye. I watch him drive further and further away until he is completely out of sight before facing the gates. I press the bell beside it, and a voice comes from the speaker.
“Who is this, and state your business?”
Well, aren’t they just polite?
“I am Aira Kingston, and I am here to see Vincent,” I say boldly. A second later, there is a loud buzz, and the golden gates automatically part. As soon as they do, my jaw drops at the sight before me.
The building before me wasn’t as grand as the Kingston estate, yet somehow it was equally impressive. There is a brick pathway leading up to a fountain; it serves as the center of a roundabout. I am unable to shut my mouth as I walk into the compound. The side of the pathway is decorated with tall trees leading up to the glass mansion up ahead.NôvelDrama.Org: owner of this content.
I could actually see some of the rooms inside, although some were shielded with curtains. I loved the modern concept of their home. The wooden front door opens, and Vincent walks out.
Unlike the last time we saw him, he is wearing a plain gray t-shirt and jeans. “Aira, welcome to my humble abode. Come, let me show you around.”
He takes me into his home, and if it was possible for my mouth to open wider, it did. The inside is way more impressive than the outside. In the living room, there is a platinum flat-screen TV, cream couches, and a center table. A cockpit by the corner and a kitchenette. From where I stood, I could see the spiral staircase leading up to the floor above. My eyes fall on the dining room; there are about ten chairs around the rectangular-shaped table.
The chandelier hoisted above the living room was much larger than the one in the dining room, but they are all beautiful nonetheless.
The lady I met him with at the graveyard walks out of the kitchen with mittens on her hands. She smiles warmly at me, and I am surprised she is capable of doing that. She was awfully quiet at the funeral.
“Aira, how nice of you to join us. I just took the lasagna out of the oven; you are going to love it.”
A grateful smile lifts my lips, and I say, “Thank you, uh.”
“Stephanie. Call me Stephanie,” she says, and I nod. She walks back into the kitchen, and I look at Vincent, hoping that he will give me more information on her and if she is related to me as well.
“Ah yes, how rude of me. Stephanie is my wife. We have been married for over two decades,” he explains, and I nod in understanding.
“What about the others?” I ask him.
“Oh, your uncles Mason and Damon will be joining us for lunch. I told them that you would be here, and they were more than excited to see you. Your aunt Rebekah may or may not come; I never really could tell with her,” he says, waving his hand dismissively in the air. “The others are out of the country. But believe me when I say that they are unpredictable. They could just walk in whenever they like.”
“They sound like a fun family,” I say, trying to take a mental note of the names he mentioned.
“Oh, we are. Trust me, when you have eight siblings, there are a lot of personality clashes. There is never a dull moment when everyone is home,” Vincent says, and for a moment I could have sworn I caught a flash of sadness in his eyes. “I guess I should say six siblings now.”
My heart shatters at those words. I knew what I felt when Ana died; even though we didn’t exactly get along, it still hurt like hell to know that she was gone. And Vincent had to go through that. Twice.
He perks up and says, “Anyways, I am quite famished. Let us have lunch,” he says, then leads me into the dining room, where we take our seats. Stephanie serves us both a plate, and just before we are about to dig in, an unfamiliar voice fills the air.
“My dear Vincent, I am heartbroken that you would start without us.”
I look over my shoulder to find two men standing right behind me. One could easily tell that they are twins by their striking resemblance. I suppose these are Mason and Damon.
Their eyes fall on me at the same time, and their smile is creepily similar as well. “And this must be our long-lost niece, Aira.”
My cheeks heat up a bit, and I am unable to control the excitement that bubbles within me. “Hello uncles. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
My eyes widen, and my heart plummets to my stomach when the one on the left turns from hazel brown eyes to a striking shade of amber. The chill that goes up my spine is similar to the one I felt in the forest with Moriah. The power radiating from him was immense.
Maybe I made the right choice by coming here after all.
He flashes his pearly white teeth at me and says, “Trust me, the pleasure is all ours.”