chapter 44


    My heart skipped a beat, nervousness kicking in. It wasn’t so long ago that I did a runner from


    these very people. What a great fucking first impression that was. They probably think I am unhinged.


    Maybe I am, now that I think of it, what normal person would be involved in their world. One thing I did


    know was his parents don’t ept me that much is clear from what I overheard thest time.


    I quickly grabbed the first thing Iid my hands on. A pair of tights and an oversized sweater. My


    nervousness making me sweat already. Theo ran downstairs to Tobias to greet them. I didn’t realise


    how bad my hands were shaking until I grabbed the bannister. My hand trembling, my palms sweaty,


    sticking to thecquered wood as I descended. I stopped halfway when I heard angry voices talking in


    the loungeroom. I heard ss break and Theo’s father’s voice rise. I stopped and listened.


    “I won’t give you any more time, the month is nearly up. If anyone finds out about her, we will have


    the council breathing down our neck, especially after the little stunt you pulled with Tom.”


    I heard Theo growl lowly at the mention of Tom’s name.


    “Don’t you start, boy. I warned you both to keep her here until she decided. You think what you did


    went unnoticed. For fuck’s sake. I can’t believe the pair of you. I thought you had more brains then to


    take a weak human as a mate. Not only is it Forbidden but no one will ept her how she is.”


    “Who we choose as our mate, shouldn’t even be anyone’s business but ours,” Tobias yelled.


    “Anyone but a human, Tobias. You’re giving our family a bad name. She is fucking human. Either


    fix it or I will, and you won’t like the consequences if I have to.”


    I heard furniture crashing. I raced down the stairs in panic. Worried about Theo and Tobias. Theo


    had his father by the throat pressed against the firece, the lounge lying on its side, which Theo must


    have pushed out of the way when he grabbed him. His fangs bared at his throat.


    “Nobody fucking touches her. I don’t give a fuck if you’re family. Threaten her again and I will


    fucking end you,” he spat at his father.


    “Please Theo, settle down. Let’s be rational here.” His mother tried to calm him, her hand on his


    arm. No one noticed me standing there watching the entire thing y out, but one thing I would not be


    seen as by this stubborn man was weak. I squared my shoulders and walked further into the room.


    Theo let go of his father as soon as he seen me, his father straightening out his suit jacket before


    turning and ring at me. Like seriously who wears a suit thiste at night or was it early morning, time


    has escaped me.


    Caroline walked past her husband giving him re on her way past before extending her hand to


    me. “I’m Caroline, it’s nice to finally meet you properly, Imogen.”


    I shook her hand she squeezed softly, her eyes glinting oddly under the light. I let her hand go


    before looking towards his father Josiah. Who was killing me with his eyes? I held my chin up refusing


    to be intimidated by him. And I extended my hand.


    “Hello Josiah, I’m Imogen the weak human,” I said my voiceing out strong showing none of


    the fear I felt inside. He held my gaze for a second and I refused to look away. I raised an eyebrow


    waiting, before I seen his lips tug slightly upward and he grabbed my hand shaking it.


    “Nice to meet you, Imogen. I suppose my boys have told you about me then?” I nodded before he


    let go.


    “Yes, your names but not much other than that. Coffee?” I asked. I was impressed at myself with


    how calm I sounded. I turned my back on him and started walking to the kitchen, not even waiting for


    an answer. I see Tobias trying to hide his smile as I walked past. I am not going to be intimidated by


    one old vampire when I lived with two, meant to be mythical creatures. I may look weak, but I won’t be


    talked about and treated like trash, I don’t care how big and scary he is supposed to be, to me he just


    looks like an ordinary man, the resemnce between Josiah and Theo though was uncanny.


    They both shared the same light brown hair and green eyes. He was shorter than Theo though but


    had a stocky build and looked like a man, used to getting his way.


    I turned the kettle on before leaning against the bench, everyone filed into the room and Theo


    came over and kissed my cheek before leaning against the counter next to me and crossing his arms.


    Tobias got some mugs and handed them to me.


    “Sugar?” I asked looking at Caroline and Josiah. She nodded before answering.


    “Yes, two with cream” she said with a smile, I nced at Josiah, but I had feeling he was a ck


    coffee no sugar type of man.


    “ck no sugar,” he said, my guess correct. I busied myself making coffee.


    I handed them their coffees before leaning on the ind bench my coffee in my hands.


    Caroline went to say something but was cut off by her husband.


    “So, all this trouble for you, although I am surprised you even came downstairs, most humans


    would run.”


    “Well, I suppose I’m not like most humans then,” I stated. Making me question my own sanity.


    Maybe there was something really wrong with me. I do seem to be questioning everything at the


    moment especially my sanity.


    “So, you don’t have a problem with your sons being bisexual but have a problem with me being


    human, correct?”


    “Correct, it is against the rules we have lived by for centuries. I have nothing against you


    personally, Imogen. How could I? I barely know you. But you don’t understand the risk my sons are


    taking by keeping you.” The way he spoke was like I was their pet, not a person. I nodded. I did


    understand their reasons but that didn’t mean I was going to throw my life away for the sake of a few


    broken rules. If no one knows I exist, why is it a problem?


    Caroline cleared her throat awkwardly obviously fearing this was going to be another


    argument that she would be stuck in between.


    “I’m not changing. I don’t want to be like Tobias or Theo, I like my humanity,” I said not taking my


    eyes off him.


    “You won’t be given the choice if that’s the case, Imogen. There are only two options for you: death


    or change. You need to hurry up and embrace one.” I heard Tobias growl behind me. It was low and


    deep in his chest. It gave me goosebumps.


    “I never asked for any of this. My choice has already been taken from me. I have been held


    prisoner here for weeks, and now you’re saying I don’t have choice, yet I’m still alive. If you’re going to


    kill me, get it over with then,” I challenged. His lips tugged up into a sly smile.


    “I like her, she has sass, but you boys are aware it’s going to get her killed,” he said looking at both


    of them behind me. I knew they wouldn’t allow their father to hurt me. Them standing behind me, I felt


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    safe enough to say what I needed to say. This choice they were trying to make wasn’t theirs to decide


    but mine and I am fine with being the way I am. Either they all except that or I leave, one way or


    another. I didn’t want this man deciding my fate.


    I looked at the grandfather clock, it was a little after 4AM. Noticing the time made me yawn. I


    quickly swallowed my coffee down hoping to give myself some energy.


    Josiah kept his eyes on me the entire time. I was very aware of his gaze. Reminded me of a snake


    about to strike.


    We sat and stood in awkward silence for a few seconds everyone drinking their coffee.


    “If you refuse to be changed, what sort of future, do you see yourself having with my son? You will


    grow old and then die. I am not sure if they told you this but a mate bond…” Tobias cut him off.


    “She doesn’t need to know anything else father, I won’t have her decision swayed because your


    speaking nonsense.”


    “She has a right to know, not that it will matter when she is dead which by the sounds of it will be


    sooner rather thanter, son.” Tobias went to say something, but I stopped him speaking first.


    “I want to know, finish what you were going to say.”


    His father grinned triumphantly like he won.


    “Like I was saying, a mate bond doesn’t just stop or go away after you die. If something were to


    happen to you, they would never be able to take another woman again. Mates are for life not like you


    humans with this whole death do us part nonsense. Something happens to you, they will forever be left


    with each other, and that’s only if your death doesn’t send them crazy. Losing a mate, I have heard, is


    equivalent to losing part of your soul.”


    His words made my heart skip a beat. They knew even if I said no that me leaving could destroy


    them, yet they marked me anyway. Did they just assume I would bow down to their needs? The


    thought scared me; I didn’t want to be the reason for their destruction. I also never asked for any of


    this. Yet if I choose wrong either way I die or be killed the options weren’t all that appealing. I also


    worried that eventually aging looking beyond their immortal age, I would be older than them if I did stay


    human. Would they still want me when I’m old and wrinkly like a worn-out leather handbag?


    I looked toward them, Theo and Tobias who were watching me. “You knew marking me could


    destroy you yet you still did it?”


    “You will understand once the mate bond kicks in, Imogen. Don’t think too much of it right now,


    please. Ignore my father he is just rambling,” Theo said. The mate bond everythinges down to this


    invisible bond we are supposed to have. I find myself more needy of them, but do I feel the same way


    as they do about me, I wasn’t so sure.


    “Something to think about, Imogen,” Josiah said. I nodded but didn’t answer to busy stuck in my


    own head, which was trying to grasp what the hell Tobias was thinking when he marked me.


    “We will head off; I will give you as much time as I can boys, but either convince her or” He


    nced in my direction, he didn’t finish the sentence instead stood up, his wife following after him. I


    followed them to the door, his mother kissed my cheek softly. Before getting in their red convertible.


    I turned and walked inside with Tobias and Theo chasing after me.


    “I’m sorry, Imogen. I didn’t know they would show up before the month ended,” Tobias said when I


    shut the door.


    “How long do I have?”


    “Pardon” Tobias asked. I could hear the fear in his voice, like he thought I had already chosen


    death. To be honest I was nning on remaining human, but after what his father said could I really go


    ahead with my decision knowing how badly it will affect Tobias and Theo?


    “How long do I have before I have to decide.”


    “Till the end of the month,” Theo spoke up moving next to me. So, we had nine days that was it.


    “What are you thinking?” asked Tobias, his gaze softening from his usual prating gaze.


    “I don’t know what to think, but it’s clear I never had choice in anything, you took that choice, and


    one thing I can’t fucking stand Tobias is not being able to control my own life. You made sure of that


    when you bloody marked me, knowing full well what the repercussions were going to be” I said pointing


    at him. I was so mad at him right now. Not only is he forcing my hand in this, but he also put Theo at


    risk too. What he did was selfish, if he hadn’t marked me, our lives would never have changed and


    none of this would have happened, and I would still be clueless to what they are.


    “It’s not that simple, Imogen. You don’t know what it’s like when you find your mate because you


    are human. We would have marked you eventually anyway, we wouldn’t have been able to help it, the


    bond doesn’t give us a choice” I giggled, they probably thought I lost the plot because I wasughing


    about this entire situation, I was so over, hearing about this bloody stupid mate bond.


    “Fuck you, Tobias, and you can shove this whole mate bond up your ass. I’m done.” I turned to


    walk toward the stairs, only to spin around and smack into Theo who was ring at me. I rolled my


    eyes and pushed past him, only for him to grab my arm. I turned to look at him, but the look on his face


    made me take a step back. I nced at Tobias his face also holding the same deadly stare.