۞ SIXTEEN ۞

"THAT'S QUITE THE CONSPIRACY THEORY, hm?" I mocked.

He growled annoyed, "Arianna, you aren't taking this as seriously as you should."

"Of course, not. Why would I?"

Sigh, "Jack disappeared around the time you were born. No one saw him for 20 years. However, news traveled that he was seen somewhere in Brazil, on the day of your birthday. Your father happened to also be off the radar for twenty years, raising you far away from everyone else, and only come out on your 20th birthday."

I chuckled bitterly, "Is that all?" He said nothing. "Because that doesn't mean my father is a psychopath that causes a bloodbath wherever he goes. That's probably why the Calandrelli's thought he was my father, since he's my grandpa's son, and they don't seem to know much about my dad. But my dad is young, Isaak. He probably stayed off the radars exactly because of Jack, since, being soft-hearted like he is, he was scared that his brother could do something against me."

"Arianna. You aren't listening."

"No, Isaak, you aren't listening! Damn it. Why do you refuse to be reasonable? I'm telling you, I'm not the hybrid of the prophecy," I gulped, starting to doubt that myself after so many people suggest such bullshit, and after all Nik told me about the other half-breeds of immortals and witches. "And even if I was, which I am not, Jack Saraiva isn't my father, Lucas Saraiva is. Dad probably hid me because he was scared that Jack could find me, and since I am, unfortunately, the daughter of a witch and an immortal, like the stupid prophecy says. He must have been scared that Jack would use me to get back at the Devil Himself," I said and grinned proud of myself, since my explanation was way more reasonable than his.

However, the stubborn jerk disagreed with me, "Can you be more aware? I know that no matter what I say, you won't believe me regarding Jack and Lucas Saraiva. But, can you at least be more wary? Pay more attention. Better yet," the worry in his face disappeared and that crooked grin showed up again. "Why don't we bet on it?"

I raised my eyebrows, "Bet on what?"

"Are you sure that Jack isn't your father?"

"Yes."

"Then you won't complain if I suggest that we bet on it, will you?" Doesn't that mean we'll have to meet again? I don't like that! After today I really don't want to see this jerk again. "If you prove that you are right, and that your father really is Lucas, and not Jack, then you can ask me one thing. I'm rich and powerful, so I can get you whatever is it that you want. However, if I'm right, and Jack really is your father, then you will have to do one thing for me. Whatever is it that I want, you will grant me, with no complaints."

That's a fool's deal. I already won. So, even though I don't want to have to meet him again, I have nothing to lose. "Deal!" I agreed without a second thought, grinning full of myself.

There's no one who knows dad better than me. I trust him, and I know who he is. And there's absolute no fucking way that he's been lying to me for 20 years, and it's actually the biggest monster of our time. No fucking way!

Which means, he'll have to do or give me anything I want. How awesome is that? What a stupid checkpoint.

"It didn't even take you a second to think."

I scoffed, "I don't need to think about it, Isaak. I've been telling you multiple times, my father isn't that psychopath. There's just no way. So, there's nothing to dwell on it. If I'm confident that I know who my father, the man who raised me, is, why would I think twice?" How ridiculous. "Prepare yourself, because you are setting yourself to lose graciously on this."

"Oh, but why would I? I'm pretty confident that you are the daughter of the biggest monster in the immortal race ever," he chuckled. "It seems like all the races have a monster to take care of, no? The humans had and have countless, the witches and wizards have Hitler, and the immortals have Jack!"

"The demons have their King," I added bitterly.

"You keep cursing him like there's no tomorrow. Why don't you tell me what is it that he did to you?" I glared at him the second he said that.

"Are you defending those monsters?"

"I made you a question, Arianna. A simple one. I'm not defending anyone. But since we were on the plane, and now, you've been badmouthing the demons and the devil. It made me curious. Especially because I think this might have been influenced by your dad… Jack," he added while smirking.

I clicked my tongue, "By insisting on such a thing, regarding the person I love the most, you are really making me hate you more and more, Isaak."

"You should tell that to someone who cares," what?

"Asshole," I mumbled. "You will see. I will show you how dad isn't the monster you are painting." Then I remembered something, "Hey, asshole, when back in the plane you told me you knew who my father was, and that he was older than that, were you referring to Jack?"

He didn't seem fazed, "Of course."

"Hah," I scoffed. "And I almost believed you." What a son of a bitch. Spreading misinformation. "I hate the demons and the demon King because they are sinful and disgraceful creatures. Soulless, without a drop of emotion. Cold blooded psychopaths who only know about chaos, mayhem, bloodbath, and destruction."

"Oh," Isaak mumbled. "Sound like your dad!"

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath not to fucking rip him to pieces. It wouldn't hurt, would it? He seems to be an immortal after all.

But before I could say something, he kept going, "And you are wrong about something, Arianna, the nameless King isn't a demon. He's a devil."

"Same shit."

He disagreed, "That's a misconception. You can even ask the Calandrelli patriarch, Marino, he knows about this. Most patriarchs and matriarchs, as well as the alphas, are aware of this. But it seems like that your dear dad failed in teaching you this."

"What is the difference then, knows-it-all?"

"I'll take that as a compliment," annoying asshole. "Demons are the low grade residents of Hell. The creatures who don't have a soul, and have difficulty on understanding and having emotions, although the strongest of them are able to have them. While the devils aren't necessarily soulless, but don't have a soul like the other races do- it's a complicated concept-, and they are perfectly able to feel emotions, although they can choose to ignore them if they want to."

I bit my lip, trying to hide my surprise, "Who are those devils then? What's the actual difference?"

"The seven Princes of Hell are devils, and not demons. They are a good example. They are incomparably stronger than the demons they reign over in their respective realms. All the seven Princes are perfectly able to be rational, and to mate as well. The stronger they are, the closer they get to the characteristics of an immortal. A way to tell them apart, again, is by their eyes," he said it was very seriously which made it sound like it was the truth.

I clicked my tongue, "What about the nameless King then, knows-it-all? Do you know how he fits on these? I take that he's something else, since he's said to be stronger than all the seven Princes combined."

I'm not really curious, but it's good to know the truth, so I'll be able to curse him more thoughtfully. Demons, devils… they are all pieces of shit. It doesn't really change my thoughts on them. Different names, same class of scumbags.

"He isn't known as the Devil Himself, for being a demon, so, yes, he's a Devil. And it's believed that he's called that, even though the Princes are also devils, because he's something else entirely. The strongest being out of all the races to ever exist."

And Jack went straight to that guy, swearing he would be able to defeat him. What a dumb bitch. "What are you, Isaak? You haven't told me that yet."

"You didn't ask!"

"Fair enough." I got a little bit closer, resting my arms in my knees. "You aren't a demon, are you? I haven't seen your eyes yet, they could be like jewels. Maybe you have using those sunglasses to hide your eyes from me." After what the Calandrelli suggest yesterday, I can't help but think about it now. "So, take them off, please."

Slowly his lips turned into a grin again, spreading chills down my spine, "Do I taste like a demon to you?"

I gasped, "Isaak!"

"What? You drank my blood, didn't you? You must be able to tell. So, do I taste like a demon?" The thought of him being a demon made my stomach hurt.

"Asshole, you know I wouldn't know that, as you know I've never drank someone's blood. Only yours. And it was because it was necessary. Besides," I yelled annoyed out of my mind, "you keep teasing me about that, but you were the one who kneeled down in front of me and told me to drank it. I didn't ask it, did I?"

"What can I do? Teasing you gives me joy."

"Why don't you take that joy and," he stopped me before I could finish, probably knowing what I was going to say.

"Alright," alright? "I'll show you my eyes, since you want to see them so bad." I'm gonna kill him. He can revive later, but I'm going to kill him. "They aren't that interesting," he said holding the sides of the sunglass, while tension filled the car. "But I'll let you see it."

Feeling suddenly anxious, I stared at his face intensely, and when he took it out, they weren't like jewels, meaning he wasn't a demon, but he was heavily wrong when he said they weren't interesting. I felt breathless, they are beyond beautiful. "Red. They are red…" I told myself, trying to believe that. "Not like rubies at all, but like blood." I blinked. "Your eyes are red!"

"I have a mirror, Arianna. I can tell!" Asshole.

But they weren't just red. His pupils were like that of a dragon. I have never seen anything like that. In any of the races. "Why are your pupils like that?" I asked, genuinely surprised.

He blinked some times, showing me how thick and long his eyelashes are. "Well, I don't know. And I lied, I don't have any vision problems. I just constantly use the sunglasses because everybody who sees them act like I'm weird. Red eyes are extremely rare, almost unheard of. And on top of that, I have dragon-like pupils. How unsettling is that?" Sigh.

"Do dragons exist?"

"They used to. At least that's what my parents told me," he chuckled softly. "According to them, they were extinct thousands of years ago. When I was a little kid, a long time ago, I used to believe some of my ancestors were dragons and that's why my eyes are so weird. But well, I doubt that."

"You have parents?" The question came out before I could filter it and I felt stupid.

"Arianna, I know I'm some centuries old and all, but I was born the same way you were, okay? Two people fell in love, and they had me. Just like that. I'm not an alien."

I tilted my head, "But you aren't normal."

He grinned, "No. I'm not. I'm quite similar to you, to be honest. Not really, but kind of. Yeah, we do have some things in common."

Arching my eyebrows, I made sure to show how I was offended, "I don't see anything in common. Quite the opposite. We are absolutely not alike. Not at all."

Chuckling, he rolled his eyes, which I was still low key hypnotized by, "I mean on the hybrid thing," then he winked and I gulped. "You said you couldn't tell what I was back in the plane, didn't you? That's because I'm a half-breed like you, but better."

It was too good to be true. "That's quite condescending of you, you know? To say you are better. Very arrogant."

Isaak scoffed, "I just am. But well, the part we have in common is the immortal side. I'm partially immortal as well. However, opposite to you, my mom was the immortal in the relationship. That's all I'll give you regarding this. I seem different because I am, like yourself. Half-breed like us tend to be stronger than both our two races, and have an unique power, or feature."

"You unique feature is definitely your eyes."

He then looked at himself in the from mirror, "Well, I guess so. None of my parents have eyes like this, and I'm pretty much my dad's lookalike, but they always said I had my mom's personality. So, yeah. Whatever that means."

"Are you a lone child too?"

"No. But it's complicated."

"How so?"

"I'll tell you when we meet again!"

Rolling my eyes, I got back to laying down on my seat. "I still have food packed in my bag, you want some?"

"Hm."

Sitting down again, I opened my bag and took some of the dry food I still had, and a pot full of caramelized peanuts, which I began eating when I first met Guillermo, thinking he was a human driver. Before he made me unconscious and kidnapped me. "You like peanuts?"

"Who doesn't?"

"But what about caramelized ones?"

A nod. "I like both caramelized and salty peanuts, for the matter. Spicy peanuts too. And peanut butter as well. Anyways, I love peanuts. When I was in Brazil, I ate two typical snacks they have there that are made of peanuts. Paçoquinha and Pé de Moleque, but it was the only typical snacks I ate while there, before you ask," then he turned on his Spotify that was connected to the car, and put A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. Yes. The Twilight soundtrack. "If you don't like the song, I can change it."

"That's what a gentleman would do," I said suspiciously. "What's gotten into you? You are an asshole."

"You are paying for the ride. Why wouldn't I let you choose the song, when you are paying for me to take you to Sicily?" He scoffed. "You shouldn't think so deeply about this. I'm just pretending to do a good job as a driver, in my first ride."

"Of course," I mumbled. My gaze went to the book on my side, then to him, "Did you really read this book? Or was that a fake spoiler?"

Through the front mirror I saw as the right corner of his lips went slight up, but my eyes went to his eyes, ignoring his smirk, seeing how beautiful they really were under the sun light, now that he had thrown the sunglasses aside, "Read and you will know."

Sighing, I took my bottle of water and took a long sip, as my precious throat was sore after talking so much. "Asshole. You better not cause an accident and get us both hurt while I'm with my eyes on the book," it was the last thing I mumbled, before turning around with my belly down, and focusing on the book again.