Chapter 19
1170 Words
{Emily}
Droplets of water glistened down my milky skin as I adjusted the heat of the water to my liking. I quickly shook off the remaining conditioner in my hair before shutting off the shower. The mirrors in the bathroom were fogged up due to the humidity.
I preferred a warm shower rather than a cold one. My skin is cold enough as it is. Enveloping my hair in the towel I quickly brush my teeth and jump into some shorts and a white tank top. Due to the density of my long black hair, I need to use a hairdryer to dry my hair. Air-drying it makes it frizzy or curly and takes a long while.
Victoria and her daughters have curly hair. For that reason, I prefer to be distinctive and not look like them too much. I shut the bathroom door silently and creep down the stairs, hearing Orion’s voice.
“Yes. Danielle, we never even had a proper relationship. My brother is your mate. In fact, all we’ve been doing this entire time was hurting him. Also, I know that you have more emotional feelings for him rather than me. You cannot ignore your bond any longer.”
I leaned against the wall, twirling my hair.
“Give it a try. Get to know my brother more. I know that once you do, you’ll realize that what occurred between us was a mistake.”
“And what exactly occurred between you two?” I didn’t bother to hide the annoyance I felt.
“I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” he mumbled into the phone before hanging up.
“You’re not really explaining yourself, Orion. I want to know what happened between the two of you.”
“It’s a bit personal and I don’t know how you’ll take it.”
“What if I had an ex-boyfriend that I went on dates and had a special connection with. Wouldn’t you want to know the details?”
He set two bowls of lettuce on the kitchen counter and sat down on a stool. I stared at the bowls. “I’m not a rabbit, you know.”
“It’s an appetizer while the bagels warm up.” He patted his lap, his dark eyes urging me forward. “Sit and I’ll explain.”
“Hopefully,” I muttered, adjusting myself on his lap. He pushed a forkful of lettuce in my mouth.
“Your coven attacked The Dawn Howlers about ten years ago. There was fire and chaos everywhere. That day my parents were visiting my brother and me…” He held a distant look in his eyes. “They didn’t make it out of the burning packhouse. Neither did Danielle’s best friend, Xia. I think that that was something that brought us together.”
I couldn’t swallow the lettuce properly. Ten years ago, at the age of seven, I became a rogue vampire. It was after I was kidnapped by hunters and drained almost dry of my elite fox blood- a prized thing in the black market. To save me, my father had every coven member donate some of their blood to me. The overwhelming new abilities and the sudden thirst for blood drove me savage.
I was an explosion of strong abilities and thirst. Unconsciously, I ended up destroying the Dawn Howler’s packhouse and many died that day. My father made sure to erase me from their memories so that they only thought my coven-in general- attacked them and not a little girl. However, he didn’t erase the memories of my biological parents, aunt, and uncles. I think Bella is her name. Bella and Mark? No. Marco and Marcus.
They are the only ones who remember my savage state. I only have vivid memories of it.
“We befriended each other and became close during our time of mourning. But...guilt haunts me. I feel guilty that I stole my brother’s mate.”
“That’s a low blow.”
“I know….” He looked like he was contemplating telling me more details. I gave him an urging look and he continued. “Danielle was...was my first everything. My first kiss. My first hug. First date. And first...first time.”
Ouch. That stung. It really did. This man gave all his first’s to my sister and my sister gave all her first’s to him. Me on the other hand...I gave my firsts to him while receiving his seconds.
“So I’m receiving my Danielle’s sloppy-seconds?” It was too late to stop myself.
His eyes darkened angrily. “Don’t say that, Emily.”
“Isn’t it the truth?”
“I’m not a piece of material you can refer to as sloppy-seconds so close your mouth and listen,” he growled, his grip tightening on me.
“Whatever.”
“I don’t like your attitude with me.”
“And?”
“Emily.”
“Orion?” I answered mockingly.
“Stop reacting this way. I can handle angry not a hissy fit,” he groaned.
“I’m reacting this way because I gave you my virginity and my first kiss while you had it with someone else.”
“But kissing you didn’t feel the same as it did with others.”
I cringed.
“s**t. That came out wrong.”
As his voice droned on I realized that I wasn’t mad because of his relationship with Danielle. I was irritated because I'd have to tell him that the seven-year-old me destroyed the Dawn Howler’s packhouse, killed his parents, and killed Danielle’s best friend. The pressure was real.
“If you look at it clearly. It was a toxic relationship. We did each other no good- only to fill desires and empty heat.”
The fork quietly thudded into the bowl, the lettuce all gone. I placed my finger on his lips to shush him. “Look, I don’t want to fight now because we need to get a few things straight.”
“Like what?”
“Tomorrow- at school...everything will go back as it was before. We have to act as if none of this happened.”
He flinched. “But it did happen.”
“Precisely because it happened no one can know about it. No one in my coven or the Dawn Howlers.”
“Vanessa and Isaac know.”
“They’re an exception. As far as we know...we both hate each other. We can’t stand each other. Only speak to me when it’s necessary. Understood?”
His finger tapped his mark on my neck. “How would you explain that?”
“I have makeup. I can’t use concealing magic because other vampires will detect that scent on me...but I can use it on you.”
A hand coiled around my waist and the other invaded my hair. “I don’t like the idea of hiding my mark on you but I’ll agree. This is only temporary, right?”
“Hopefully but there is no telling how long this will go on for. My father is dangerous and is not someone you can mess around with.”
“Why do you still call him your father?”
I shrugged. Jasmine constantly asked me this question but I could never give her a proper answer. “I got used to it I guess. He ingrained that idea in my brain. With the way he trained me, I can’t simply drop that name.”
“Why don’t you try connecting with your biological parents?”
“Because I don’t like them. They forgot about me and had other kids- leaving me in the dust. Abandoned. You can’t just forget the child you had. I always asked myself: Why aren’t my parents coming?”
“But-”
“Orion, I’m serious. Don’t mention them around me again. It’s not easy to forgive and forget.”
***
- Writer
