Immortal Forever: 6. Meeting Darius Brown

I couldn't believe my ears. For a minute, I was blank. Then with a sudden pat on my back, I came back down to earth.
"Earth calling Rosanna", Courtney patted my back again, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine", I cleared my throat.
"Rose", Peter held my hand, "Tell me, do you have any memory of any special power that you possess?"
"Huh?" I shrieked, "Special power? Never!"
"How is this ever possible?" Louis shook his head, "I mean how did she just land up on that island of vampires?"
"We still need to figure out much more", Marian whispered.
"Look", I said, taking deep breaths, "I really dunno anything- anything at all. And I'm not a vampire, okay?"
"Calm down, Rosanna", Theo interrupted, "It's okay, calm down. Guys, she doesn't even have any fang! How can she be one of that kind?"
"Very funny", chimed in Marian. "Rose, you need to come with us right now".
"Now?" I swallowed, "Where?"
"To meet Darius Brown", she muttered.
"What? Are you crazy, Marian?" Peter rose up from his chair, "We can't take her to him at all".
"But we need to find out the truth, right?" Courtney smiled, "It's gonna be fine".
"You guys, listen to me, we are not going to him", Peter shouted, "Not if she is a mundane".
"But she's not a mundane, Peter", Louis yelled back, "She's not. So, let's get going".
"Will anyone tell me what's going on and who is this Darius guy?" I asked without knowing what they were talking about.
"Darius Brown is Seattle's most renowned vampire merchant. He have been living since five hundred years. He knows everything about the vampire history", Theo answered my question.
"That's cool", I stood up, "What are we waiting for then? Let's get going."
Peter was dumbfounded. Marian winked at him and Louis stuck his tongue out. Others giggled.
It was decided that Peter, Marian and Theo would accompany me to visit Darius whereas the others would stay here and discuss about the further plans.
"Peter", I caught his shoulder as we were about to leave the hotel, "What shall we say at home? Megan must be awake in another hour".
"Don't worry", he smiled, "Courtney have already left a sticking note on the fridge, telling that we are out for project".
"Great", I laughed. "Let's go".
We took the subway down to train station and then boarded a train that took us to Pioneer Square which is the historic area of Seattle.
Once we reached Pioneer Square, we walked through the boulevard and came across an old bungalow. It was so old that plants had started growing from its walls. I checked my phone. It was 7am.
Theo knocked the door thrice. Peter an I stood behind him silently. Finally, the door opened and a thin and bald man stepped out.
"Theodore", he smiled, "What brought you here?"
"Mr. Bennett", he said politely, "My friends here need help".
Mr. Bennett looked at us standing behind Theo and smiled.
"Come on in, then", he said, "Master is relaxing today".
He made way for us to go inside. It was brightly lit with huge chandeliers that hung from above. Hundreds of paintings beautified the living room. The sofa was placed at the centre of the huge room. Bennett told us to take our seats while he went to inform his 'master'.
We waited in silence, gazing at the beauty of the room. After awhile, a lean guy of about Peter's age entered the room. He was wearing a silk robe and was barefoot. He had a heart-shaped face with blood-red eyes which I don't think so that I have ever seen. His brown hairs were wet and were still dripping water which meant he just had a shower. His skin was too much pale which made him look almost dead. But his skin had a silvery glaze. He looked like some cheery schoolboy rather than a renowned merchant. Then I remembered that somewhere in stories, I had read that vampires never age.
He looked at all three of us carefully before taking his seat opposite us. His gaze stopped at me. He stared at me with wary eyes. I felt uncomfortable, looking at his red pupils. They were so red that I felt as if burning with the heat which radiated from them.
Finally, he looked away from me to Theo.
"Tell me", he said, his voice like velvet, "Why are you here?"
"Well", Peter began, "We wanted to know some truths about her, sir". And he pointed at me.
"About her?" he stared again at me, "What do you wanna know, girl?"
"I...well...they think that I'm a vampire", I stammered.
His eyes became wide with surprise. I regretted saying those words.
Theo might have understood my uncomfortable feeling and so he cleared his throat.
"She has come from North Carolina recently to live with her foster parents and siblings which includes Peter", Theo said.
"Then she saw me killing a demon down the lawn back home", Peter added.
"Strange", Darius bit his lip, "So, you must have thought that she is a vampire and brought her to me".
"No", Theo said, "There's more".
He and Peter explained everything about me visiting the Clave Island in Venice.
"Interesting", Darius sat upright, "Come here, sweet lady". He gestured me to sit beside him on the couch.
I went and sat next to him nervously. He took my hand softly.
"Look me in my eyes", he smiled, "That way, I can tell who you are".
I put my gaze up in his eyes and looked at them while he traced his long fingers on my palm. After awhile of looking at his eyes, he finally let go off my hand and I too, looked down.
"What did you see?" Theo asked warily.
Darius gasped. I almost jumped out of the couch. He was holding his breathe and let it go when I looked at his face. It was paler.
"You are the daughter of Steve and Mia, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes", I said, "I'm their daughter. But they died in a car crash long back".
"They didn't die in a car crash, you know", he answered slowly, "They were punished and executed".
"What?" my mouth fell open, "How do you know? When did this happen?"
"I visit the council of our kind in Clave Island", he muttered, "I know better than any other vampire".
"But what's the connection with me and the vampires?" I asked out loud.
"Your father was one of my kind, Rosanna Valdez", he sat, crossing his legs.
"What?" I gasped, "How can he be a vampire?"
"Let me show you something", he rose up and went towards a small desk at a side. He opened a drawer and took out a hardcover book. He then handed it to me.
It was not a book. It was an album. I opened it to find his photo on the first page. He told me to flip through the pages. Finally, he told me to stop at one page. It was a photo of Darius and a bronze haired guy who was taller than him. They both were in there graduation outfits, holding the graduation caps. Both were arm in arm. The other guy had brown eyes and a long nose and he resembled ME! That was my father, Steve Valdez.
Peter and Theo both looked at the picture and looked at each other's faces.
"That's my dad", I whispered, "You guys were classmates?"
"Yeah" Darius smiled, "We were the best friends in college. But poor Steve. He fell in love with a mundane girl back in North Carolina and he married her. Then they had you. But marrying a mundane is against the rule of the Council. Your parents tried to save you from their punishments and so, they had sent you at your uncle's place. They couldn't escape from the Council and gave up their lives".
I was frozen on the couch. Peter and Theo were shocked.
"But why am I not like you?" my voice trembled as I looked at Darius.
"That's because your mum was a mundane, Rosanna", he answered, "You got your mum's features even though your eyes and your nose are like Steve".
"Does she have any power like other vampires do?" Peter inquired.
"Every vampire possesses fast speed and the thirst for blood. Some of us are special though. Like I own the power of telling the future by looking at their eyes. I couldn't see any such power in her", Darius said.
"Maybe that's because she never tried to use any of the power she owns", Theo muttered.
"Really?" Peter chuckled. "Rose, can you try moving a little fast from where you are right now?"
I stood up and began to move towards the front door. But I moved normally, like every human does. But as I tried moving a little faster, everything changed. I couldn't believe that in a matter of second, I was standing outside, on the boulevard.
"How did I reach here?" I was shocked.
"You possess fast speed, Rosanna Valdez ", Darius was next to me at once along with Peter and Theo.
Suddenly, I heard a beep beep noise from somewhere.
"Excuse me", Peter apologized, "It's my phone".
He took out his phone from jeans pocket and went at a side to speak.
"Hello?" he answered.
"What did you see?"
I couldn't hear the person who was on the other side.
"Really?"
"Yeah, yeah. We are coming".
He hung up and came to us. His face was unreadable.
"We need to go to the hotel", he declared.
"What's wrong?" Theo asked.
"It's the Council. Someone informed them that Rose is still alive. They want her", his face filled with pain.
I gasped.