The Extra Wants Control

Verona scoffed. "Spare me the cryptic pronouncements, Father. Tell me! Tell me the ' grand' plan." She said 'grand' sarcastically which the man noticed but shrugged it off.

"It's… confidential," he said his voice steady, voice. "It's secret and this information is shared between me and other individuals. It's not only my secret, if it was I would have told you. Trust me, Verona, it's not something I can just tell anyone…"

"Interesting, so apparently, I'm considered 'anyone'," Verona giving a hollow laugh as she covered her face with her hand. "Is that it? Now I'm anyone?"

The man said. "No, of course not, It came out wrong, listen to me little Ver—"

"Don't call me that," Verona snapped. "Let's not try to pretend this reunion is anything but what it is – it's bad, really bad"

A heavy silence descended upon them. Finally, Verona rose, her decision made. "I think I've heard enough, D.A.D," she announced. "I'll be taking my leave."

He reached out a hand, concern etched on his face. "Wait, Verona. I don't sense the complete progenitor blood on you. Did you…" his voice trailed off, a dawning realization twisting his features. "Wait... You wouldn't right?… you're not considering giving it to that boy, that outsider, are you?"

Verona met his gaze defiantly. "He's my son."

"He's an outsider, Verona!" His voice rose in anger. "He doesn't belong in 'our' world, he is not one of us!"

"He's my son!" she roared, her voice fierce and exhausted from the bickering.

"This is madness!" he yelled, losing his composure. "Don't you dare give that boy that status Verona! YOU HEAR ME! Progenitors aren't made, Verona! They're born!"

"It's I decide who gets it," she countered.

He threw his hands up in disappointed, dissatisfaction and gave up. "Fine," he conceded, frustration evident in his voice. "Give it to him then. But know this – not everyone can handle the power. It consumes the weak and unworthy. And when he fails, when he dies from the strain…" he said grimly, "the fault will lie entirely with you, Your 'precious son' will die and it'll be your faul, Verona."

Verona held his gaze, unfazed by his threats. With a flick of her wrist, she was forcing him to disappear, He then said, " Are you ignoring me... Tell me why did it have to be like this... I hoped for something far more pleasant." And he disappeared.

"I know, maybe this was a bad idea." Said Verona when she was alone.

Silence descended once more, heavy with unspoken words. Verona turned and walked away and she made up her mind. She wouldn't let him dictate her choices.

Neveah was her son, and she would do whatever it took to protect him and give him the best.

Though a small part of Verona's heart clenched in pain as she watched her father disappear she didn't like this being their last memory together.

Yet fury battled with affection, bith feelings she had for her father.

Sh didn't hate him nor did he hate her, well maybe not completely.

But the pain they experienced after her mother's death, how they processed it and his subsequent withdrawal by shutting the world out even his daughter, had driven a wedge between them, something that wasn't bridged yet.

"I don't know what your grand scheme is, Father," she muttered, her voice laced with defiance. "But one thing's for certain – I won't let Neveah be a pawn... Not even to you."

Still his words echoed in her mind. *"Progenitors aren't made, Verona. They're born."* She couldn't risk Neveah becoming a vessel for power he couldn't handle.

Verona had spent the time after their confrontation in deep thought.

She finally made a choice, one for her and another for Neveah, she'd taken a gamble, a desperate gamble fueled by love and concern. The things that had overwhelmed Neveah wasn't just the two bloodlines or the opposing energies but something else entirely...

Was it risky? Yes, Very Risky and that's why she is worried, she made a decision which she wasn't 100% sure. But it was a necessary risk, a desperate attempt to awaken something within Neveah, To make Nev make his own decisions, take control of his life wholly.

Her gaze fell upon Neveah who writhed in the clashing of the powers and bloodlines onslaught. His body convulsed, his face in agony.

She felt guilty...but she held firm. 'This was necessary' she told herself over and over but even she didn't seem to believe it.

' maybe there was another way... A safe one. No it's already done, I'll live with the consequences of the outcome... whatever it is." She thought.

Verona gritted her teeth, her crimson eyes hardening with resolve. This was about giving Neveah the strength to forge his own path.

At first, it was a dance. The chaotic energy, swirling and wild and playfully with the serene energy, cool and calming. They like were two unfamiliar children testing the boundaries of a new playground. Neveah felt a strange tug of war within him, a push and pull, but it was a manageable discomfort.

Then the bloodlines within him, human and vampire, mirrored the energy's struggle, a subtle vying for dominance that felt more like a polite competition than an all-out brawl.

But the 'playfulness' soon devolved into a violent brawl. The energies, became forceful. The chaotic one lashed out and the serene energy, no longer calm, responded with fierce counterattacks. Within him, they tore at each other, vying for dominance.

The bloodlines, too, were no longer content with a 'polite' spar. His human side and His vampire side also wanting to be dominant and be the only one.

Neveah's world narrowed to searing pain. The once-interesting sensations were now ripping him apart from the inside.

Through the haze of pain, they watch in concern. Verona and Valeriana, they wanted him to hold on, to persevere and Valeriana was specially confused as she didn't know what even was happening. And all Neveah wanted was for the pain to stop, for the war within him to cease.

He gritted his teeth, He focused on a single thought, a mantra: "I will not break. I will not break."

The words didn't help with the pain though... The mantra wasn't helping.

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