Page 12 of When Day Breaks

I see tears well in Ameliana's eyes as she opens the vial of blood, likely still upset at the fight she doesn't know that I overheard them have just moments ago. I give the pitiful woman a hard glance, making sure she knows I can't stand her.

I back up, hitting the wall. The lashes on my back sting but not enough to make me wince. If he sees me wince, he'd likely give me a few more before making me drink the blood.

The turning of a Royal was supposed to be a whole ritual. An audience and maybe even some finger foods and wine. But I always knew my turning wouldn't be so kind because I made it known I wouldn't be so willing. When I overheard plans of them to sneak attack me in my room while I was asleep, it led me to want to fight to ruin their plans. I just wasn't fast enough.

Weak boy, I can imagine my father telling me.

But maybe, if I just let the beast embrace me, I'd be able to show my father just how strong I actually am; just how much of a monster I can be. If that's what he really wants, then this ishismistake. He'll regret making me turn and he'll get what's coming for him.

Me.

I'll get my revenge on anyone who's ever wronged me no matter how I have to get it.

I watch the both of them practically corner me, Ameliana walking closer to me with the vial of blood and the excited look in my father's eyes makes me cringe. It's then that I promise myself I'll never have children of my own, no heir to continue my legacy. I can only hope that I would choose a path where I'mnothing like my father but the fact that I don't know what causes the switch is what concerns me. I very well could fall down the same path unintentionally.

He wasn't like this, not when my mother was around. That could only mean one thing . . .her.

"Rivian," Ameliana's voice brings me back to the scene before me. The walls caving in knowing that my fate is about to be met, my life is in their hands.

This was always the plan, I know that. But I look between the both of them and steel myself by straightening my back, not letting them know that I am scared, nervous, or disgusted. I think about how I should have just ended my life sooner. I should have been strong enough to evade this unfortunate ending by guaranteeing I wouldn't be available for such a cruel destiny. Lifeless humans don't make very good sacrifices for a monsters' plans.

"Do it," I spit at him, taunting him one last time. He acts unbothered by my threat; his angry eyes pretend to hold command. But I decide that I'm going to take this into my own hands.

I snatch the blood out from Ameliana's hands, she gasps, shocked, and I look my father dead in the eyes as I tip back the small beaker, downing the thick, red liquid. The taste is tangy but sweet and I let it warm my throat as I swallow it down.

His wicked smile reaches me as I wait for him to do what he needs to do next, kill me.

I know vampires can get wrapped up into too many pointless emotions after turning. Another thing we're taught in those stupid classes. Emotions drive us and in vampirism, we tend to strive on the focus of one particular emotion. Usually, the emotion manifests itself to drive the type of character we hold as vampires, but in my case, I decide to channel the emotion I am going to drive off of. If I don't, I know I'll be stuck in theone thing I know I can't fathom to want after all that I've gone through. I need to live in my vampirism for the sole sake of making sure everyone pays for the hand they played in my life.

I require justice for my mother and pain to everyone else who didn't think twice about hurting me.

I close my eyes and force that feeling to the front before securing it in the back of my mind and I push all other trivial feelings out of sight, where I know they'll stay buried until I feel satisfied in my act for revenge.

Next thing I know, the beaker drops from my hand and shatters against the floors as I'm forced further against the wall. I peel my eyes open and force them onto my father, making me sick as I prepare for what comes next.

"Sorry, kid," Ameliana's voice hits my ear. She approaches me, and I take my last breath to whisper back, "Yeah, me too."

Everything goes black and I die.

5

pendulum

Rivian

PRESENT DAY - October 24th

"You have some explaining to do." Troian's tone is harsh but low as she tosses me my dirtied shirt, stepping over bodies with a painfully bothered look on her face.

I won't lie, I am happy to see my sister so . . . effervescent, after death nearly greeted her. I was worried for a moment. Worried that I'd lost the only person who didn't look at me like I was a monster.

I take the shirt and pull my arms through the sleeves, buttoning it up a few notches before walking to stand over my wife's torpid body.

"Where do you want me to start?" I ask my sister, not glancing in her direction as I roll up my sleeves, hoping to avoid the futile sting of regret that I might be prone to feeling at a time like this.

It's not something I allow myself to feel, but in this moment, it's the very thing that haunts me.How did I let it get this far?

"Start with what the fuck you were doing with my mother, Rivian. And why the hell did you lethernearly kill her." I close my eyes as Troian's feigned resolute words fill the space between my ears, knowing that if I spare her the truth, she'll only find out anyway, and her anger might be more warranted than it already is. I can't stand the thought of purposefully hurting Troian. She's the one person I didn't think enough about hurting when I sought out to enact my plans.

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