Father

[Catherine's POV]

"Eeek!" Jorge leaped back, and he stumbled onto the floor with his butt. "C-Catherine, c-come to your senses. This isn't like you!"

Agh . . . there's the Jorge I know. I thought for a moment that I forgot how cowardly he was. When he fucked that charlatan behind my back, his kind eyes were warping crescent, and his amiable face was twisted in a sadistic grin.

He had fooled me all my life, and now I had come to my senses.

I grabbed him by his collar with one hand. I was stunned with my strength for a moment before I slammed him against the wall.

"C-Catherine," he choked. "D-don't do this . . . t-think about Benjamin!"

I blinked, and the red in my eyes disappeared. My anger ceased as I thought of my son, and I let go of his collar. I looked at the bloody corpse of the woman on the floor, and I grabbed my hair in despair.

Did I . . .

Did I do this . . . ?

Horror washed over my face, and I shook my head in denial. I promised that I wouldn't be like those abominable creatures but . . .

My eyes welled tears that I couldn't control while Jorge scrambled to his feet and screamed to the guards.

I was done for.

Jorge would surely report me to the church. The only thing stopping him before was because I was in my cell, and he could extort my father's money in my condition. He could do whatever he wanted.

But now this happened, he would probably blackmail my father in exchange for him to rule the town.

The door banged open and came in my father and his personal guards. But instead of apprehending me, the guards pierced Jorge's body with their spears.

"Fool," my father spat, "do you think me blind that I couldn't see what you're doing? You and that faked witch fucking is the last draw of my patience."

"N-no . . . y-you can't get away with this . . . . M-my family will . . ." Jorge choked with his blood before his eyes rolled on top of his head.

"F-father . . ." I was stunned, but more importantly, my father knew?

Clank!

I took a step back when the guards' spear blocked my way when I attempted to move closer to the Duke.

"Bring your weapons down," my father commanded.

His personal guards immediately did as they were told, but I still felt their fear. It was palpable even from behind their thick metal armors.

"Ah . . . my naïve daughter. My beautiful innocent daughter." My father's stern face loosened, and he was back to being a doting old man.

My tears burst when he bolted and hugged me in his arms without even an ounce of fear.

"My poor, poor daughter. What did I do for you to suffer so? First, you turned into a vampire, and now . . . you witness the treachery of this dastard."

My father barely reached my blossom. He was a small man, but in his hugs, I felt overwhelmed by his love.

I hugged him back and didn't know my strength when I squeezed him tight.

"Oghf!"

I immediately let him go and apologized. "I'm sorry, father. Are you okay?"

My father rubbed his back and stretched his old bones. "I-I'm fine. Rather . . ." he held my hands and looked me in the eyes.

"Are you okay? How come you can control your thirst now?"

I looked over the guards, and my father knew exactly what I wanted.

"Come with me to my office, my dear."

"But . . ." I was still wary.

"Don't worry. Not a soul in here would tell. I promise you."

I nodded. Though I turned into a vampire, my condition stayed hidden this long because the servant's loyalty in this manor belonged solely to the Duke.

Is that why Jorge was easily found?

I took one last look at the corpse of the man that was once my husband. I didn't know if I had loved him, but I did like him at one point. His flowery words and kindness opened my heart to his affection.

However, at his betrayal, all I wanted was to forget that I ever met him and became my husband. That Jorge was long dead, and the man lying on the cold marble floor was nothing but a stranger.

Such a pity that all I felt now was disgust. I thought even without the Blood Potion, I wouldn't dare lick his blood full of filth.

----

"You know all along, father?" I asked the moment we were alone inside his study.

My father nodded in dismay. "I tolerated him because of you and Benjamin, but when you turned into a vampire, I closed my eyes from all that he was doing while thinking of ways on how to deal with him swiftly without you suffering.

"I was waiting for you to get a little better. I read that newly formed vampires could control their thirst if given days of monitoring feeding. But when I entered your cell, you were gone and I rash in Benjamin's rooms only to hear the screaming . . . and you know what happened next."

"What about . . . ," I swallowed hard, and it was only then that I realized what happened, "Jorge? What will we do with him?"

"You have nothing to worry about. The moment that man knew that you'd turned into a vampire, I had him monitored every day. His death was irrelevant, and his family will keep everything in peace in exchange for money and support. They're more concerned about Benjamin than him ever since I declared my grandson as my hire."

At least I could breathe easy knowing that Jorge's death wouldn't impact anything. "And you know about the fake witch?"

My father gave a slight nod. "I was desperate. Even I knew they were fake, I wanted to hope . . ." his eyes welled tears, and his beard trembled to hold them back.

He held my blood-stained hands without any sign of fear and disgust. "My dearest daughter . . . it's like a dream to finally have this conversation with you again. Can you control your thirst now?"

My heart was bleeding at my father's worn appearance. He lost weight, and he seemed to age more. There were also various books about vampires and witches scattered on his table.

I didn't know where my father acquired such books, and I couldn't imagine what would happen if the church found out about all of this . . . just reading these blasphemous books could get our family hanged until the last generation.

If they found out that I was turned into one of the creatures of the night and my father was hiding me . . . My father and Benjamin will . . .

My face buckled, but my fear ironed my resolve.

I mustn't stay here.

My existence would only bring them harm.

I told my father everything. Even Trinity and my plans to stage my death and go to the Vampire Kingdom where it was safer –– for everyone.

----

A/N

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