The Forbidden Daughter

CHAPTER 6

Chapter warning: Contains some abuse.  

TALIA’S POV.

“Jane? Are you alright?” I ask. Jane has been acting strangely this past week. She was still the bubbly friend with the loads of questions that I met on Monday morning on my first day here but something felt off… She seemed different since the morning after I dropped her off at her house. She would sometimes stare off into the distance or seemed to be trapped in deep thought and I noticed that she wore more makeup than usual and she politely refused any more offered lifts home from me. And now at lunch she was staring at her lunch and not really eating.

“Huh?” Jane snaps out of her thoughts and looks at me. “Are you okay?” I ask her again and watch her intently. “Yeah. Yeah I’m fine” she replies a little too quickly and I notice her looking down at her lunch before she even finished talking. Yeah. Something is definitely wrong. I say to myself and Nera paces restlessly at the back of my mind like she has been doing the last couple of days and it’s starting to give me a headache. I decide to let it go for now. If she is not going to tell me then I’ll find out for myself.

After lunch, classes went by dreadfully to slow for my liking and the fact that Jake the d**k was still glaring at me every chance he gets is making me irritable. He hasn’t approached me again and I don’t think it is because he is scared but more like he suspects that I wasn’t as human as I appeared to be and not wanting to make a scene in a human environment. We usually don’t see each other after school to continue our little brawl.

Soon enough the final bell sounded for the school day to end and Jane walks me to the parking lot as usual. “I’ve got work in an hour, so I’ll see you tomorrow. She says and turns to walk in the direction of the diner she works part time at.

“Okay, see you tomorrow then” I reply and start up Peppermint. I quickly head home to find only Jack at the house. Mom went out shopping for groceries. “Hay Poppit” Jack greets once I make it inside and plop myself ungraciously on the couch next to him. “Hay Jack.” I say, sighing loudly. My thoughts going back to Jane and the weird feeling returns that I felt that something isn’t right.

“What’s wrong?” Jack looks down at me with a frown between his eyes. I sigh again and shake my head. “Nothing.” I say and I can feel him staring holes into the top of my head.

“Doesn’t feel like nothing Talia, I can feel your wolf’s restlessness. What’s wrong?”

I roll my eyes. “Okay okay.” I give in because I know he won’t let it go easily until I crack and tell him. “I think there’s something wrong with Jane.”

“The girl from school?” he asks.

“Yeah. It feels like she’s hiding something, and my wolf has been restless the past couple of days.” I said. Jack frowns down at me. “Have you asked her?”

“Duh, of course I have.” I roll my eyes at him. “She says she’s fine, but Nera keeps bitching and is restless.” I said. Jack continues to study me with a frown. “What?” I ask him.

“She’s not your mate, is she?” Jack asks startling me. “What? Hell no. I mean not that she isn’t pretty, but I think I would have known if I was attracted to girls.” I say rushing my words.

“Oh. Just strange for you and your wolf to be so… affected by another person and it’s simply weird for your wolf specifically to be attached to someone seeing as that she dislikes everyone.”

“I know, it took me by surprise as well because Nera trusted her from the very first day we met.” I said also frowning while thinking back to that day. “Well if Nera thinks something is wrong then my advice is to follow both of your instincts.” Jack says. “But be careful, If Nera is this protective, she may want to take control to fix the situation.”

I Know, she tried a couple of times, but I was able to reason with her and hold her back.” I reassure Jack. “Wait! Nera allowed you to reason with her. Since when? You two always fight for control.” He says sitting up and looking at me intently.

“You still drink your dosages, right?” he asks, referring to the wolf’s bane to keep my wolf side at bay and I nod my head. “Yes, but Nera has actually been quite calm lately.  No fights actually.” I say and try to think back to the last time when I had to struggle for control and not let Nera go mental.

“Whatever this girl is to you it seems to have a calming effect on both of you. I suggest that you find out what’s going on with your friend.” He says and Nera grunts in agreement. Not really wanting to agree with the vamp but not totally dissing him either.

I nod and glance at my watch, shocked at how quickly the time has flown by. Jane has finished her shift and should almost be home by now. I get up from the couch and wave bye to Jack and leave the house. I start up peppermint and head for Jane’s house. I park my bike about a block away from her house and hurry down the rest of the way. My heart starts racing and I can feel Nera’s restlessness again.

I was about to knock on her door when I heard shouting inside. A man’s voice and then a small whimper. Nera and I move in sync and kick down the door and rush in. I can feel my eyes flashing as Nera tries to take controll, but I try to remain focused and push her back down. I enter the kitchen to find Jane on the floor with a tall man standing over her. He reeks of alcohol and sweat and is swaying slightly.

I feel Nera flash forward again and I pounce on the man sending him flying into the wall. I grab him by his shirt and my fist flies into his face, instantly breaking his nose. Jane screams and I slowly come aware of what I’m doing but Nera has already taken control and I punch him two more times before someone grabs my arm and instinctively Nera rounds on the person.

JANE’S POV.

I feel dead tired by the time I get home. My body is aching and exhausted from not sleeping properly the last few nights. Gosh I wish I didn’t have to go home. I spot my dad’s car in the driveway and fight down the shiver of fear and unlock the door and quietly slip into the house and lock the door behind me again.

As I make my way to my room,I was suddenly grabbed by my hair. “Aaahh” Please daddy d-don’t.” I already start begging, knowing that his in one of his moods again. “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” He shouts and the reek of alcohol and days of not bathing wants to make me gag.

He drags me to the kitchen and throws my already aching back against the kitchen counter and an empty whiskey bottle explode, shards tumbling to the ground or did I simply just knock it over? I frown and grip the hard surface with both hands to steady myself and look at the angry man in front of me. “JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER. YOU WANT TO LEAVE ME JUST LIKE SHE DID!”

“I was at work I swear.” I plead with him. “Please daddy, I was at work.”

“LYING b***h. YOU WANT TO ABANDON ME JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER ABANDONED ME.” He spats at me, spit flying everywhere. “No daddy, mom…” my words got cut off as he hits me hard and feel my lip split open even before I hit the ground and I cry out in pain. Suddenly the sound of a crash and splintering wood echoes through the house and just as suddenly a blur darts over me and my dad is sent flying into the wall as a startled scream escapes me.

Snapping out of my shock, I realize who it is, and I scramble to my feet. Talia! A sickening crunch fill the air as she delivers a blow to his face, then another and another. The flickering lights in the kitchen make the scene before me even more scary but I swallow my fear as I dart forward and grab her arm and instantly, she rounds on me. A small scream escapes me again and I fall flat on my ass in shock.

Talia stands looming over me. Her facial features have changed to something animalistic but still noticeably human. Pointy ears and sharp canines on the top and bottom teeth, sharp clawed for finger tips but it was the eyes that grabbed my attention. They were glowing an orange yellow and she had this wild look in them as though she didn’t recognize me but as soon as her gaze landed on me the glowing dimmed before flashing an electric blue and eventually turning to her normal green eyes. Just as slowly, her face morphed back to normal and the Talia I know was kneeling in front of me with scared and worried eyes.

“Jane? I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” She asks but I’m too shocked to say anything. I can’t even move. I know I nagged Talia to show me what she looks like in her wolf form, but I never expected this. Really Jane? What were you expecting? That she turns into this loving little puppy wolf with cute green eyes.

“Jane?” Talia calls out to me again. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you… Please say something?!” She begs and I snap out of it.

“Talia I-I…” I get momentarily lost for words as I stare into her eyes. “Jane.” She says almost pleadingly. “Please don’t be scared of me, I would never hurt you.”

I mentally shake myself out of it and answer. “I know… I-I’m just shocked that’s all.” I quickly glans over to my dad and feel disgusted to even think of him as such. “I-Is he alive?” I ask and Talia turns slightly to glans at the man that she pounced on to save her. “Yeah he’ll live… unfortunately.”

I look back at her and see that she has the same disgusted look on her face, but she quickly masks it when she turns back to me. “You can’t stay here so you’re coming with me.” She says calmly but with a finality to her tone as she stands up and holds out her hand to help me up. I look at her now normal hand and take it, not trusting my legs to support myself to get up. I wince as a searing pain runs down my back.

“I’m okay” I answer before she could say anything and she nods, taking a step closer and takes my chin in her hand to inspect my split lip and I swear I could hear a faint growling coming from her. Before I can ask, a grunting noise grabs our attention and we both look to my father’s bloody face as he tries to sit up. He glares at us and I feel a shiver of fear again, but Talia steps in front of me to shield me from his glare.

He staggers to his feet and supports himself against the wall. “You stupid b***h, you don’t know who you’re messing with.” He spats as spit and blood shoots from his mouth. He painfully wipes the blood from his face as he glares at Talia as I cower behind her.

Talia remains stoic as he steps towards her. He reaches out and fists a handful of her hoody on the front of her chest, sneering at her in an intimidating manner but still she remains still and emotionless but I can feel the anger rolling off of her, almost as if she is emitting extra heat from her body and I instinctively lay a hand on her tense shoulder and almost immediately I can feel the heat retreat as I feel her calm down.

That’s odd. I think to myself, but I can’t help the little spark of power I feel as she reacted to my touch.

Talia Looks up at him as he is about a foot taller than her “You better let go of me if you know what’s good for you!” Talia says in a cold as ice voice that even sends a shiver down my spine, but I keep my hand on her shoulder because I somehow knew she wasn’t talking to me.

My father chuckles drunkenly as he tugs on Talia’s hoody and he snaps back at her. “Who do you think you are to tell me what to do? I’m in charge of this house and I can do whatever I want, to whoever I want!” He spats at her and I try to hold back a sob as tears runs down my face as the lights starts flickering again.

Suddenly Talia’s hand shoots up to grab his wrist that is holding her, and his face contorts in pain as his grip slowly releases her hoody. He utters a muffled scream as he drops to his knees in front of her as I hear a few cracks as she squeezes. “Let me make this perfectly clear… Jane is leaving with me. If you try to see her, talk to her or even if you see her in town and stare too long in her direction… I will come back here and rip your limbs from your body and leave you in the woods for the bears to eat you alive…”

He cries out in pain and continues to try and get his arm out of her hold. I flinch as another crack echoes in the room as Talia tightens her grip and he screams out. “DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?” She yells at him in a voice not fully her own and I can’t help but whimper while cowering behind her while still holding on to her shoulder. My father nods his head vigorously as he is in too much pain to answer and she releases her grip making him crumble to the floor, whimpering in pain whilst cradling his arm.

Talia brushes her hoody’s front as though trying to get rid of dirt and slowly turns to me. By now I’m sobbing freely but I don’t know if it is in fear or relief. She engulfs me in a hug, and I tense but slowly relax in her hold. I compose myself as she releases me, and I look up to see concern in her eyes.

“Where will I go? I-I’ve got no-one else. I don’t even know of any other f-family.” I say as I look at her while fresh tears start rolling. I must look awful I’m sure. My eyes are swollen and red, I can feel my cheek swelling and my lip burns from the open cut.

Talia gives me a small smile. “You’ve got me.” She says. “Gather some necessary things then we can leave. I’ll come back for anything else that that you may need afterwards.”

Is she for real? First, she came to my rescue and now she’s offering me a place to stay. Should I? I look down at my still whimpering father and I knew that I couldn’t stay because he won’t stop. After everything I’ve seen today, of the side of Talia I’ve seen, can I really trust her? I look from my father to her. Yes, yes, I can. I don’t know why but I would trust her with my life even though she scared the s**t out of me earlier.

I nod my head and hurry out of the kitchen to my room and gathered what I could. I quickly wash my face to look at least somewhat better and dab at my lip to clean of the blood. At least it stopped bleeding. As I left my room, I halted in in my tracks. I look back to my dad’s bedroom door. The one he and my mom used to share and before I could change my mind, I quickly cross over and enter the room. The smell of the room makes my stomach flutter unpleasantly, but I quickly step over the strewn clothes and other mess towards the closet. The hinges squeak as I open the doors and I reach up to one of the shelves at the top. After a few moments, I find what I was looking for and retrieve an old looking shoe sized box. This is all that is left of my mom’s things that he for some other reason could not get rid of and I was glad for it. My dad threw everything else out or burned it.

I quickly put it into my bag and head to the front door where I saw Talia already waiting for me when I emerged. She nods to me indicating if I’m ready and I nod back. Ignoring my father’s whimpering I step out the door behind Talia and close the door behind me.