The Bloodied Candies
Chapter 3- Forgotten Trust
My father was standing there shrouded in shadow. For a moment we all stood frozen in the alley eyes locked onto the other's. This man stood just like my father used to, but this man's eyes pulsed red like Alexander's bloodthirsty ones. For a moment I was afraid, but determination drove me toward him. I touched his hand, just like I used to out of respect and forgotten love.
"Father..." I began, but he raised his hand to silence me.
"I don't want you near my daughter," he hissed at Alexander.
When I turned to face Alexander, his face was dark with anger and his hands were trembling. I grasped one of his hands firmly and stood protectively in front of him. Glaring at my father, I drew up my reserve and flung on the mask that hid all emotion.
"He's not going anywhere," I hissed. "Where've you been all this time anyway?"
And that's when he told me his story. After the massacre at home, he had set out to die in the mountains, but he came along this village where women where abundant, but healthy men were slim. They forced him to basically prostitute himself to the women and give them strong healthy babies. He became a farmer and saved up enough cash to finally leave the village behind. But, while on his journey he became ill and had to stop at the next village. While he was building up strength, he heard a rumor that someone had survived the infamous massacre and was living in the city. When he heard the description of me he knew he had to find me. He gathered up his strength and set off in a desperate search for me. When hope had seemed to be lost, he turned his head and saw my bloody hair.
"But why'd you leave the house so quickly?" I asked, scrutinizing his tough face. "And when did you become a vampire?"
"To your first question, it was because I hoped to lead my hunters away from my family and to the second, I've always been, along with your mother and brother." he replied wearily.
"Well why aren't I one too?" I snarled becoming even more suspicious.
"Because your mother was only a half- vampire, a dhampir. Her human genes obviously went to you and your sister," he said.
Finally I accepted his words and parted with Oxenberry. I led my father to the apartment Annabella and I shared. He seemed surprised that we were able to afford one of the most elite condos in the city. Choosing not to explain that we thought he was dead, I led him inside to find Annabella sprawled on the bed with her face planted into a book.
"Oh, My God," she gasped without looking up. "Rex asked Ashley for her hand in marriage, but Warren already pledged his love for her and..."
When she finally looked up her breath stopped short, her heart pounded, her eyes stared unseeing. "Who, who is this, Zolona?"
I sighed as I looked her in the eyes. "This is our father," I replied.
She grasped her stake close to her heart and got in a defensive position. My hand tried to hold her back but she lunged at our father, stake directed at his heart. He cried out as the stake grazed his arm. Luckily, I had pushed him out of the way in time and by the time I got to Annabella, she was crying on the floor. She refused to believe that her father was a vampire. When she calmed down, I explained everything to her. Finally she allowed it to sink in and when we both took a long look at our father, we saw things we figured had become extinct a long time ago.
We saw hope, love, determination, and worst of all, we saw our family inside those emerald green eyes...
