Primal Impulse (COMPLETED!)

35. Opening

    Stacy had been hiding behind my broad frame and I thought she was doing like I told her, but as soon as he said those words I knew.

    "Every time I look at her I think of Ruth. I keep her around just to remind me, you know?" Remind me what a sick fuck Ruth was. Kohle's dark eyes found Stacy again and I could smell the fear pouring out of her. Smell the salt of the tears that threatened her cheeks.

    "I can't deprive you of such a sentimental thing." He got up from his stool and walked around me to her, letting his finger run the length of her shoulders. "But if you ever want to part with her, I would love to finish our play date." His gaze unlocked from her quivering frame and set peacefully on mine. "I still watch the video sometimes. The screams coupled with the look on her face." He closed his eyes and his lips formed into a beautiful smile, perfectly framing white pearls. "I've never wanted to play with the same human twice before." With that he dropped his hand to hers and kissed her knuckles, smiling at her. I know how badly she wanted to pull away. I could see it in her tensed muscle spanning her back.

    Kohle let her hand go and walked away. I never wanted to see him smile again for the rest of my life. How could something so perfect, so attractive, be brought on by something so sinister, so beyond cruel. I knew he and Ruth had something between them. I figured it would be something like this, but I never thought it would be this. I brought Stacy's story to the front of my mind and realized he had been the one to do it. To heat the steal so orange he had to grip it three feet away and use a glove to hand the probe before shoving it, burning it deep into Stacy.

    At this very moment I could feel the tension that was in her. I could feel that she wanted me to wrap my hands around her and tell her everything would be alright. I couldn't do that, not here. Not how she was drawing so much attention to herself crying.

    I caught Liz's eye from across the room. She was feeding a customer right now and when she was done I would have her pull Stacy back together, She needed support that I couldn't lend.

    I waited for the break down, but Stacy was tougher than I thought. She only let a few tears get away from her, and didn't make a sound. Her breathing stayed uneven and it seemed Liz would be a while.

    "Finish your drink."

    I ordered her a double shot and she drank that as well. It was the only comfort I could bring her right now. I was walking away before the shot glass touched the wood grained bar. Stacy was on my heels now, but still in slave fashion. She walked behind me with her head down. She was so submissive all the time and I wondered how much of it was her and how much of it Ruth had beat into her.

    "Stoic, congratulations. I think you have another thriving success on your hands."

    I knew my father was here. I could feel it in the brand on my back. I had learned over the last few months how to deal with the molten lava that seemed to come to life when he was near.

    My mother looked stunning, and I didn't get to take her in completely as she hugged me tightly.

    "I'm so proud of you baby."

    She pulled back and looked like she was about to cry.

    "Mother, cut it out. I'm not getting crowned, or win an award."

    My father laughed at the awkwardness I felt and we soon formed a circle. That's when my father's laugh died. He glanced from Stacy to me and then laid a heavy hand right over the brand on my back that held his blood.

    "Following in your father's footsteps won't always make him proud." His words were solemn and quiet in my ears, meant only for me. He pulled back and transformed his face from the one of disappointment for me. "Who is this lovely woman you have brought with you tonight?"

    "She's just a slave Elex. Something to entertain me if I desire."

    Father squinted one eye at me a hair and moved to take Stacy's hand.

    "One that looks quite lovely tonight. My name is Elex, Stoic's step father." He kissed her hand and I could see the flash of the calling between them. I hadn't thought about his blood being in me, and in turn in Stacy now. I had royally screwed up and my father knew. There was no way I could lie out of it. I couldn't ignore the facts that were forced out.

    "This is Stacy. She's my maid."

    I watched her, the blush on her face from the touch of my father, from the slight pull of the calling towards him and anger started to form deep in my chest. I understood what it was Stacy was feeling, all to well. I had a stronger pull towards my father, and a small tug towards my mother when my father had shared his blood with her. It was different for me though. Those feelings were of nothing but love towards them, towards my family. And now I had connected Stacy.

    Karma was doing her duty, letting Stacy in on my family's secret. My secret after I had forced hers out. She had to have known that all three of us shared blood. She had to have felt the calling from my father. My mother, she might not feel. There was so little blood in the two of them it might be ignored for simple pleasantness towards each other. The kind of feeling a person gets when they meet someone and hit it off right away. I think my father wanted to test this out, because he soon was putting mother into the throw.

    "Stacy, this is my wife, Leona, Stoic's birth mother." Father nudged my Mother forward and they shook hands politely. My mother's head whipped directly to me, knowing in her eyes. She hadn't mastered the nonchalance of being a vampire yet, even after months she still held some human qualities, such as the pissed and shocked look on her face. Or maybe it was a mother thing that would never leave her. I hoped my father would calm her down before she could get me in private.

    Stacy kept quiet, keeping to my rules and soon our little pow wow was broken apart when one of my Father's old friends came to see us. I greeted John and gave a nod to Kye, acknowledging her despite vampire manners. I left my parents to their friends and made rounds one last time before departure. Kohle had already left and it was starting to get late.

    The ride back was silent, as I was too lost in thought of all the damage I had done to everyone I loved. Anger returned to me as my Mother called.

    "Hello."

    "Stoic. What in bloody heaven did you think you were doing? Do you not remember all the loops your father and I had to jump through to cover our tracks? Do you not remember what it did to me, what it did to him?"

    "It was a lapse in judgement."

    "Lapse in judgement?" She scoffed. "Well your lapse in judgement was down right idiotic. You've put lives at risk. Were you being selfish? Are you lonely? I don't understand what could have ever made you do this to yourself."

    "Has father talked to you?"

    "Don't try and push this off on your father. I made that mistake with him not knowing, and the good man he is didn't kill me for it. You need to fix this Stoic. Fix it before it tears you apart." She hung up on me.

    I have never seen her so mad at me, never heard such cruel words from her mouth. She had always been so loving, and caring. Her turning in a demon with a razor tongue only made me hate myself. Hate what I did and I didn't bother to want to know why. I needed to take this out on someone. I needed all this frustration and disappointment gone. What I had in me seemed to grow and grow. Like a sick disease I needed it out of me. I laid a gentle hand on Stacy's mid thigh, catching the chain between my fingers.