Bloodline

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

I froze, couldn't even choke on my own breath as I stared at Keros, who held the ring in the same hand as mine, so I could feel the round little piece of metal between us. Keros looked at me expectantly while Blaine and Cerberus just stared, mouths open.

Immediate panic filled me. Marry? Like, husbands? Like, married and having kids and-and what else did marriage come with? A house? Fuck if I knew?

I'm only nineteen! I thought in a panic. I had just escaped a prison that I'd been subjected to my entire life and had only just gotten into the outside world. I'd just learned what a pasty was, just got parents for the first time and still wasn't even sure what that meant for me. I had no idea what went into marriage, had no idea what to expect from it.

So I did the only thing I could do at that moment.

"No," I managed, looking up from where our hands were joined, "I-I can't. I don't..." I didn't know how to explain that it just didn't make sense to get married right now. I waited for disappointment or maybe even anger on Keros's face, but he seemed to completely understand as he nodded, giving my hand a tight squeeze.

"I understand," he said softly, "I just... don't know how to explain to you how much I love you and want to be together, no matter what anyone says. I don't know how to show you that we're meant to be." I swallowed thickly, tears welling up in my eyes against my will, because I didn't know how to tell him I loved him just the same. Whether his parents liked me or not. I wanted to be with him, even with the Beast lurking in the darkest corners of my subconscious.

It wasn't safe. It just wasn't safe. It was dangerous to be around Keros. Blaine was right; what if something happened and the Beast just decided to get triggered? What if he hurt Keros? What if something went wrong? What if?

But my heart ached at the thought of not being with Keros. He'd done so much more than just love me. He showed me the outside world. He exposed me to the foods, the cultures. He showed me what family truly was. He did everything for me.

"I love you," I managed, watching Keros's eyes light up, "I love you so much. I just... I can't marry you. I still don't know everything about you. I don't know what it's like to live with my family for the first time in my life. I don't... I don't know how marriage works. I just don't know."

"And I am perfectly happy waiting for you to learn," Keros said softly, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. I swallowed thickly, reaching up to capture his hand and placed it against my cheek.

"And the Beast," Blaine asked softly, making us blink and turn to look at him, "What happens when the Beast comes back? What happens when you and Keros get into your first argument?"

"He won't hurt me," Keros said firmly, making Blaine look at him in exasperation, "Dad, I don't want to be that guy, but... You're doing it again. This is the same thing you did to Ambrosius, and Ayo." Blaine swallowed hard.

"So I'm the bad guy because I want my babies safe?" He asked. I shook my head quickly.

"You absolutely are not," I said, making Blaine look at me in surprise, "Your reaction is completely understandable. I could never hate you for loving your children the way you do. I just... I just want you to give us a chance." Blaine stood there, looking back and forth between us, like he wanted to say something, anything, to change our minds.

Cerberus sighed and rose to his feet, making Blaine look up at him as he came over to stand behind him. He placed his hands on Blaine's shoulders and gave them a squeeze. Blaine closed his eyes, putting his hand over Cerberus's on his shoulders. His jaw was tight before he loosened up and looked at us.