The Ordinary Girl and the Cruel Vampire Prince

Forced to Run

Warning this chapter does involve mention of violence and physical abuse. 

Amber smelt the alcohol on her father's breath before she felt the stinging pain on her cheek from the powerful slap he had given her. Her eyes shot open and she sat up, one hand held to her cheek as she met her father's gaze. He sneered at her as he stood there, stumbling a bit as he sat in the armchair facing her. His black hair was stringy and greasy, his chin growing short stubby hairs. Her father's eyes were bloodshot and his flannel shirt and black jeans littered with holes and smelling of urine and beer. Amber knew instantly he was still drunk and refrained from speaking, wanting to avoid a confrontation and hopefully a beating.

"Make me breakfast you useless b****" he slurred, leaning back in the chair and letting out a loud belch. 

"There is no food in the house" Amber whispered, cringing as he backhanded her. The pain shot through her, causing her to cry out.

"Then go to the diner and get it" he roared and she nodded. Carefully she got to her feet, wincing as her muscles protested, and slipped on her sneakers. Amber grabbed her purse, knowing it was pointless to ask him for money and headed out the door. 

It was a beautiful morning with the sun beating down on her and the air was crisp and cool as she walked. Amber would have liked to have slowed down and listen to the birds and animals in the trees but couldn't keep her father waiting. She jogged down to the diner and smiled at a young man who opened the door for her. 

Out of breath she stood in line unsurprised by how busy the diner was so early in the morning. It was called Ava's after the owner and cook, and she made the best food in the whole town. The cashier called out and Amber shuffled to the front. "Good morning Amber" the girl said cheerfully and Amber couldn't help but smile at her. 

Rose was eighteen like her but that was all they had in common. Rose had bright pink hair, green eyes and dressed in jeans with a leather jacket. She was short but wore boots with heels so that she towered over Amber. To be honest Amber loved the look and how confident and vivacious she was. Rose was a kind person and could be rambunctious sometimes but would give you the shirt off her back if she had to.

"Good morning Rose" Amber said softly "Could I get the usual please?"

"Sure hun. A plain black coffee, two bacon and egg muffins and two hash browns coming right up" 

Rose turned around and shouted the order to Ava back in the kitchen, laughing as her voice yelled "Got it". 

Amber went to pay and Rose gripped her hand stopping her. "It's on the house."

She whispered to Rose "thankyou" as she passed the takeaway food to her and Rose winked at her. Waving goodbye Amber rushed out the door and home where her father was impatiently waiting.

"What took you so long" he spat out, infuriated at how long he had had to wait for her to come back.

Amber's eyes widened and she apologized "I'm sorry it was really busy at the diner." 

She tensed waiting for him to tell, cuss or hit her but to her surprise he did neither, merely grunting at her and beginning to gulp at his food. Amber sat in silence, ignoring her growling stomach as she waited for him to finish and issue her orders. Eventually he finished and began to sip the coffee, patting his round and grossly overweight stomach, in satisfaction. 

"You need to pack your stuff up and get ready to leave" he said calmly while she looked at him in disbelief. He knew she had nowhere to go and no family to rely on. Her mother had died a year ago, deliberately overdosing on painkillers that Amber had kept in the bathroom. Nobody had seen that coming or that she was suicidal. Not only had Amber lost her mother but her father had blamed her, simply because the pills had been hers from an injury she had sustained at work.  Not long after he had begun to drink and the beatings and punishments had started.

"I have nowhere else to go" Amber whispered and her father suddenly laughed.

"Madame Layla has agreed to take you in."

Just like that Amber's world collapsed and her chest felt heavy as she struggled to breathe. 

"I would rather be on the streets than work or live in a brothel" she spat out, horrified her father would even make the suggestion. His eyes darkened and with a growl he stood over her and grabbed her throat, tightening it as she struggled to remove it.

"Now you listen to me" he hissed as she cried "I owe a huge gambling debt to someone and Madame Layla has agreed to buy you from me, as well as give me a cut off the money you make."

He released her and Amber fell to the ground on her hands and knees, her hand clutching her throat. Her father stood over her and suddenly kicked her hitting her in the ribs. Amber gave a shriek and rolled over, clutching her side as she breathed through the pain. 

"Now start packing, or I'll beat you until you can't walk to make sure you go with her."

Amber got to her feet painfully and slowly walked to the kitchen to grab a bag. She filled it with the few clothes she owned while her father sat and watched her every move. Amber wanted to scream and shout at him. How could he sell his daughter to work in a brothel. There was no way she would go, she would rather die than go. 

Amber knew she needed to run if she wanted to escape what he had planned. She cast her eyes downward to appear submissive and broken. "Can I please grab my toiletries and use the toilet?" She asked meekly. Her father was suspicious.

"What do you need to get?"

"I need to grab my shampoo and my tampon's" she whispered pretending to be embarrassed. Her father's face went red and he waved a hand at her. Amber rushed into the bathroom gratefully and slowly locked the door, relieved when it made no noise. She banged the cupboard doors, while opening the window so that he would think she was looking for her things. She turned on the tap letting the water run and without hesitation she climbed out the window and jumped to the ground, groaning from the pain in her side.

Knowing she didn't have much time until her dad realised she was gone, she ran directly into the forest dodging tree branches littered on the forest floor. A shout sounded behind her and she panicked running even faster and weaving trying to lose her father as she heard loud footsteps running behind her. 

"You b****" the shout sounded closer and she cried running faster and harder until it felt like she hit a barrier of some kind. She grimaced as she hit some kind of wall but looking up saw nothing of the kind. There was nothing she could have possibly hit and she frowned in confusion. Leaning back against whatever it was, she tried to listen out for the sound of rushing footsteps and broken twigs. It was completely silent and Amber was relieved. The pain in her side was getting worse and she was struggling to breathe. All of a sudden she felt herself going backwards and she screamed as some invisible force threw her on the ground.

The pain became too much to bear and Amber couldn't get any air into her lungs. As her vision began to dim and Amber began to succumb to the darkness, her last thought was that she had escaped her father only to die anyway.