Chapter Ninety Two

Visiting Colton and Damiens home for the second year now I reflected on how much had changed.

Last year when I came to visit, Colton’s parents had just barely accepted me. I hadn’t shifted into a vampire, barely knew anything about my powers. After learning however that I was a Medici, everything had changed. This year I was embraced with open arms, flowers in my room, maids for my bags and clothes.

As I sat at dinner with Coltons many doting and kind siblings, I wondered how differently his family would have treated me if I hadn’t been the last remaining heir to the Medici line. Would they still love me and accept me if I was still the same parentless orphan as last?

“I’m going to go to bed.” I said to Colton with a smile, I felt that everyone in the room could tell it was fake. Alicent, Colton’s kind sister, had been chatting my ear off about her party and preparations. I just couldn’t handle celebrating without Damien here.

“If you wish.” Colton said, kissing my cheek and warmly rubbing my back as I stood to leave.

“Good night.” I said to his family, they nodded and said goodnight back to me.

“She’s very sad about Damien.” I heard Colton say lowly to his family as I walked away. Upon hearing his name tears began to flow from my eyes again. I missed him so much.

I returned to the pink floral room that Colton had designed for me last year. I reached out and touched the soft teddy bear he had given me because his parents were traditional and forbid us from sleeping in the same room, although they knew that their children were quite literally having BDSM sex parties.

The teddy bear, the pink wallpaper. So much of my innocence had died from last year, I thought to myself.

I was not the same little girl I used to be.

With that thought, my mind was made up. I could sit here, planning parties, wearing pretty dresses, crying until my blood ran dry, or I could do something about it. I would freeze time and search the entire earth for him if I had to.

Two years ago, I had no family. Now the other half of my family, Damien, is gone.

“You’re leaving.” Damon said. I turned to face him. He had heard my thoughts and came to join me.

“You won’t stop me.” I replied, us both knowing this was a fact.

“Where will you go?” He asked me.

“I will freeze time and check the entire world if I have to.” I said to Colton. Colton looked sad.

“I had always secretly hoped that you would just choose me.” He said, his voice breaking.

“Don’t do this.” I said to Colton, turning away from him.

“Stay with me.” He said.

“He’s your brother!” I said back to Colton.

“I am not complete without him. I will not be happy without him.” I said to Colton. Colton looked away from me, his tight jawline dripping with tears.

“I know.” He said to me,

“I just wished I was enough.” He said, walking away from me.

I walked into my room and closed the door. I was tempted to break down crying, like the younger version of me would have. However, I did not. I took a deep breath, opened the window, and jumped.

Before I left the castle I decided to make a stop at Colton’s fathers office.

“James,” I said, knocking and entering his office as he approved my entry.

“Isabella, what a surprise.” He said, genuinely happy yet confused to see me. Coltons fathers eyes looked me and my traveling clothes up and down.

“You’re leaving us.” He said.

“You’ll rarely realize I was gone.” I said to him,

“Ah yes, the gift of freezing time. Only four people in history have been known to be able to do that, you know. Would you care for tea?” He asked me. I looked back to the door and then turned to him.

“Sure.” I said, sitting down and watching him pour a cup of tea.

“There are a couple of places where I would guess Damien is.” James said, pushing aside some things on his desk to reveal a beautiful map.

“Scotland, Shanghai, or Iceland” He said, pointing to specific areas in Scotland and Iceland.

“If he was really sad, he’d be in Shanghai with his friends, depressed, Scotland, and angry, in Iceland.”

“And what do you think he is?” I asked James.

“It’s hard to tell, Damien is an emotional fuse. He is calm and has a well-trained mind, but you made a huge soft spot in his heart. When he and Colton had their large falling out he told me years later he swam from Iceland to Antarctica for twenty days straight” James said. I gulped.

“My guess is Scotland, either here, or here.” He said, pointing to two northern locations. I nodded to James.

“Thank you.” I said, standing and shaking his hand.

“Here, take extra blood concentrate.” James said, handing me an extra case from his drawer.

“Thank you James.” I said.

“Try to be back by Christmas.” James said with a wink.

“I will, thank you.” I said to him.

I closed the door and took a deep breath. Time to find Damien, I thought. I pulled in my power and froze the world around me. Time to make things right.