Fated To A Vampire

Chapter 19: Family Chatter.

The smells that started to fill the room gave a relaxing aroma. Sighing, I tightened the robe I was given a moment ago. The bubbles rose higher up to the rim as I leaned against the tub, watching as James fussed through a drawer next to me. Watching him with curiosity, I saw the drawer filled with ladies who saw razors, hair accessories like pins and bands. Even a small tray inside with little pads and tampons in it. Furrowing my brows, I am curious as to why. As if he could sense my question, he turned to me smiling, holding a thin hair-tie. Seeing me, his face scrunched slightly and glanced back down.

"I had a drawer filled when you moved here..." His quick defense was followed by him rubbing his neck. "I wanted you to be comfortable if you were ever in here."

"Oh, so it's not for anyone else?" I looked at him teasingly. I turned to face him, and I could see the smile that spread across his lips. The water splashed in the background as my world swayed towards him.

"No, just you, my beautiful queen." He bowed sarcastically, one hand across his middle and the other holding the hair tie to me. My heart pinched in my chest, emotion filling my heart. I could feel the slight blush already creeping up my neck. Giggling, I reached to grab it. In a second he was no longer in front of me, I could feel his hands gently touch my waist from behind. "Let me." He pulled my hair together, gently twisting it into a bun before securing it. I felt chills running down my spine all the way to my toes, the sensation was like a buzzing that was electrifying me to my bones. Turning towards him, he pulled me in and kissed my forehead. Walking away to turn the tub off, and turning back to face me. "I'm going to let you have your bath, and I will be right out there, okay?" His polite gesture was sweet, and he was trying to give me my space. Pacing a few steps towards him, he grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently as he walked by. With recent events though, I wouldn't mind the company..

"What if you stayed?" I said as I turned around to face his paused statue. Turning slowly, he looked at me with a confused expression before nodding his head.

"Sho-Should I turn around?" His question came out awkwardly, and it made me laugh. His eyebrows shot up as I undid the robe tie and dropped it on the floor. His eyes trailed down my body hungrily, and I could see the desire written all over his face. Laughing, I turned around and walked toward the tub. Dipping my foot down into the in-ground bubbly pool of warm water, a sigh escaped my lips. Lowering myself in, James came into view. He set a chair just at the edge and took a seat on it, his eyes watching me carefully. His face had changed though, from desire to something else...

"What?" I raised a brow as he watched me.

"The scar on the nape of your neck...where did it come from?" The question confused me for a moment before I was thrown into the memory..

~FLASHBACK (ATHENA IS 15)~

"Athena!!" My sister's voice called to me from below the tree I was perched on. I tried to run again, father saying it was my turn to leave with him. Like hell. My sister and brother may fall for his tricks, but I won't.

"Athena," My brother's deepening voice called right below me, "Dad said you don't have a choice. Mom isn't going to stop it either." He said calmly. He wasn't shouting, which means... Looking down from the thick branch, I was met with my brother's shoe smashing into my face. The hard impact caused my bare feet to lose traction and scrape against the trunk as I slipped, falling backwards. I reached out to try and stop my crash, but twigs snapped, and they bit at my skin harshly, the quick descent seeming like a slow free fall from a nightmare. My back arched as I hit a thick branch and rolled to hit the dirt on my side. The air completely ripped from my lungs. The hair on my head was ripped as I was dragged from the woods, back towards the trailer park. My small hands are gripping at my brother's hairy muscular arm. My flee had probably caused more damage than good. Trying to scratch at his hands, I dig my nails in roughly, trying anything to be free. My brother is physically fit, and training in boxing, sword arts, and anything he could beg our father to allow.

"HECTOR!!" I screamed at him, digging my soles into the harsh ground as I was dragged. "Please!!" My chest sobbed as we drew closer.

"SHUT up." His hand came over my mouth, and he pulled me roughly to his chest as my sister came into view and grabbed my feet. Thrashing, I kicked and tried to bite. All my efforts for nothing, as I was shoved roughly into the back of my father's car, the trunk slamming shut. The darkness surrounded me as I tried to kick the trunk open, only hurting my feet. My breathing came out fast as the car started moving, the twists and turns tossing me around like cement in a mixer. My screams were never answered, and my voice grew more and more harsh after twenty minutes. Another silent tense twenty minutes and light evaded the trunk space as it was opened. Taking my chance, I leaped blindly into the light swinging my fists, but two arms were quickly wrapped around me. Blinking my eyes adjusted, my father was handing the key to my sister.

"Go home, you know what to do." He was saying to go home and drug my mother more...her addiction is getting worse by the day. My sister and brother always feed into my father's cruel plans. "Now, Athena. My fiery little girl." His hand stroked my cheek and I leaned as far as I could.

"WHAT IS THIS?!" my breath felt fast and jagged. My heart skipping beats as it dared to leap from my chest.

"If you want to defy me, I will just make it clear you can't." My father's breath went out of alcohol as he walked by me and to a small fire that was going. A massive metal poked from the center outwards. He slowly picked it up, and at the end was a glowing letter p. My heart sank as fear consumed me, no amount of fighting saved me though. My screams and pain were ignored.

~FLASHBACK END~

"Baby, hey." James' fingers snapped in front of my face as I jumped. "Where did you just go?" Worry was clear as day in his voice.

"Sorry..I just..I forgot til now.." My voice trailed as I reached up, touching the brand my father forced on me. The scar resembled a p shape. Platz.

"The scar?" His voice was soft. "I hadn't noticed that one before, your hair is usually down.." his voice trailed as he watched my face. "What happened?" He questioned.

Sighing, I turned to face him. "I was branded a few years ago, something my father did as part of controlling me." I said quietly as I watched as his eyes flickered red.

"Why?" His short curt question was angry.

"That was my life, James. My sister and brother just happened to embrace it more, and when I didn't, I got the s**t end the stick about it." I sighed as the truth about my family came to full light. "My sister was the woman you killed, and my brother the man in the alley. My brother wanted me to go with him and live the family line, whatever that means, but clearly that didn't happen." I watched as his steel eyes filled with understanding, standing from his crouched position next to me, he sat.

"Okay, why didn't you say that before?" His face was scrunched as he listened for my answer.

"I want to forget it." I looked into his eyes, and I could see him nodding his head slightly as he chewed on the fact. "My father wanted me to train and be like my brother and sister, but all I ever wanted..." I paused, my hand pushing bubbles around in the water, "was just to paint. Creating something masterful with my own hands..." The words rang truer as I said them out loud, and my heart ached that I was never given the opportunity. Not til my little gang that is. "That's why I am here now though, so I guess it isn't all bad." I smiled softly up at him as I leaned against the tub's edge. His smiling face looking down at me.