Grey Blood - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Angelina barely slept.
The bed was too soft. The silence was too heavy. Every time she closed her eyes, her mind kept replaying the past 24 hours—her aunt and uncle's lifeless bodies, the police station, the ride to this strange, new home.
She woke up before dawn, sitting by the window, watching as the sky slowly shifted from black to gray.
She didn't know how to belong here.
Didn't know if she wanted to.
A knock at the door made her flinch.
"Ange?"
Damien.
Before she could respond, the door opened slightly, and he peeked inside. His brows furrowed when he saw her awake.
"You didn't sleep, did you?"
Angelina hesitated.
"...A little."
Damien sighed, stepping inside. He was already dressed, hair slightly messy, a cup of something warm in his hands.
"I made tea," he said, walking over and handing it to her.
Angelina blinked. She hesitated before wrapping her fingers around the cup.
It was warm. Comforting.
Damien sat on the armchair near her bed, resting his elbows on his knees. "You don't have to force yourself to be okay."
Angelina stared down at the tea.
How was she supposed to respond to that?
She didn't know how to not be okay.
So she just whispered, "I don't know how to... do this."
Damien tilted his head slightly. "Do what?"
She swallowed hard. "Be here."
Damien was quiet for a moment.
Then—
"You don't have to figure it out right now," he said, voice gentle. "One step at a time, alright?"
Angelina nodded, even though she wasn't sure if she believed it.
Damien stood up, stretching slightly. "Come on. Let's get you some food before Jace steals all the good stuff."
Angelina hesitated, looking down at her oversized sweater sleeves.
"...I don't want to bother anyone."
Damien gave her a pointed look.
"You're not a bother, Angelina."
She swallowed.
Damien sighed, running a hand through his hair. Then—he lightly patted the top of her head.
"Just trust me on this one, okay?"
Something in his voice made her chest tighten.
So, after a moment—
She nodded.
And for the first time, she followed him out of the room, stepping into this new life she wasn't sure she was ready for.
Angelina followed Damien downstairs, her heart hammering in her chest.
The smell of coffee, toast, and something sweet filled the air, but it did little to settle the unease curling in her stomach.
She wasn't used to eating with other people.
She wasn't used to existing with other people.
Damien must have sensed her hesitation because he slowed his pace, walking beside her instead of ahead. His presence was steadying, reassuring.
"You okay?" he asked, voice gentle.
Angelina didn't trust herself to speak, so she just gave a small nod.
She wasn't okay.
But she didn't know how to say that.
When they reached the kitchen, all 5 of her brothers were already there.
The room was big, modern, filled with warmth and movement.
Jace sat on the counter, eating straight from a bowl of fruit. Elias stood by the coffee machine, stirring his drink with a look of mild disapproval at Jace's manners. Leo was flipping pancakes on the stove, while Caleb arguing over who got the last piece of toast.
And then there was Nikolai.
Sitting at the far end of the table, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
The moment Angelina stepped in, the room went quiet.
All eyes turned to her.
She froze.
Heat crawled up her neck, and she instinctively shrunk into herself, fingers curling into the sleeves of her sweater.
Jace was the first to break the silence.
"Well, well. Look who finally decided to join us."
His voice was light, teasing, but not unkind.
Angelina hesitated, unsure if she was supposed to respond.
Damien nudged her forward slightly.
"Come sit," he said, leading her toward the table.
Leo turned from the stove, flashing her an easy smile. "I made pancakes, Little Star. Hope you like them."
Angelina blinked.
Little Star?
She nodded shyly and took the empty seat Damien guided her to.
As soon as she sat, Jace plopped down next to her, resting his chin in his hand.
"So," he said, grinning, "what's the verdict? Are you one of those people who drowns their pancakes in syrup or do you eat them dry like a psychopath?"
Angelina stared at him, caught off guard.
Was this a test?
"...Syrup?" she said, hesitant.
Jace grinned. "Good answer, Bunny."
Angelina blinked again. "Bunny?"
Jace shrugged. "You're small and quiet. Like a bunny."
Angelina didn't know how to respond to that.
Caleb, sitting across from her, smirked. "That's actually a good one." He turned to Angelina, his voice softer now. "I like Angel. It fits you."
Angelina felt a strange warmth in her chest.
Leo chuckled. "So what do we have now? Little Star, Bunny, and Angel?"
Damien, who was placing a plate in front of her, added, "Sunshine."
Angelina's head snapped toward him.
Damien didn't look at her directly, just set down a fork next to her plate and murmured, "You remind me of sunshine."
Angelina's throat tightened.
This was too much.
She wasn't sure what to do with it.
She felt Nikolai's gaze from across the table.
"You don't have to force her, you know," he muttered, arms crossed.
The room went tense.
Damien stiffened.
"I'm not forcing her," he said, voice even. "I'm making sure she eats."
Nikolai scoffed.
"She's not a child."
Angelina shrunk into herself.
Jace gave Nikolai an unimpressed look. "Damn, man. Ever heard of being nice?"
Nikolai ignored him, his gaze still on Angelina.
She didn't understand him.
He was her brother—yet, he looked at her like she was intruding.
Like she didn't belong.
Elias cleared his throat, cutting the tension. "Angelina," he said, adjusting his glasses, "do you prefer coffee or tea?"
Angelina hesitated.
"...Tea."
Elias nodded, standing up. "I'll make you some."
Jace leaned toward her. "See? Elias may seem like a boring old man, but he's actually useful sometimes."
Elias shot him a flat look. "You do realize I'm only twenty-four, correct?"
"Yeah, yeah." Jace waved a hand. "Now go be a good butler and fetch the tea."
Caleb and Leo snorted.
Angelina felt the smallest tug at her lips.
Not quite a smile.
But close.
Elias noticed.
And—just for a second—his usual stoic expression softened.
Leo came over, placing a cup of tea next to her plate. "Don't let them overwhelm you, Little Star," he said lightly. "You'll get used to the chaos eventually."
Angelina wasn't sure if that was true.
But...
Maybe she wanted it to be.
Damien—ever the mother hen—noticed she still hadn't touched her food.
"Angelina," he said gently, "you need to eat."
Angelina hesitated.
But the way Damien was looking at her—patient, but firm—made it hard to ignore.
Before she could pick up her fork, Caleb slid his plate toward her.
"Here, try this too," he said. "Leo's pancakes are good, but I bet my French toast is better."
Angelina's eyes widened slightly. "You... made this?"
Caleb smirked. "Obviously." Then, softer—"You should eat more. You're too tiny."
Leo rolled his eyes. "She's tiny because she hasn't been eating properly, Caleb."
Caleb just gave him a knowing look. "Exactly."
Leo turned back to Angelina. "Ignore him. Just eat what you want, okay?"
Angelina hesitated.
But the way they were watching her, waiting for her to be okay—
She picked up her fork.
And took a bite.
It was warm. Sweet.
It didn't taste like the burnt, stale food she had been forced to eat before.
It tasted like home.
Her chest ached.
Jace grinned. "See? Good, right?"
Angelina nodded slowly.
Jace pumped his fist in the air. "Success!"
Caleb rolled his eyes. "Dude, chill."
"Let me have my moment."
Angelina took another bite.
And sighed happily.