Love Sucks

Punishible By Death - Chapter Eight

"You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel."

Tabitha Suzuma, Forbidden

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There were moments in life when being the Subjugate of a vampire didn't seem like the worst thing out there. As Abbi gaped at her father, in the back of her head, she relished that this moment was one of them.

Abigail's father pushed the sordid blond off him as he scrambled up from the couch, his hands were shaking, and already, she could see his eyes reddening. Her dad never cried.

"Abbi bear? Oh baby girl, is that you? Where have you been? We-we couldn't find you ... you were gone." He choked.

Suddenly there was a hand against the small of her back; firm and overpowering. Nathaniel. Abbi looked up at him, the blue in his eyes as frozen as they looked. The loose amusement that had lined his features before was gone, replaced by the angry predator that he was.

"Abigail ... who ... who is that? Did he kidnap you?" Her dad exploded, the vein at his neck was bulging.

"Where is mom?" Her voice was low, and pained. The look on her dad's face was bitter sweet. Guilt shone in his eyes, as he glanced back at the blond.

"Abigail, I-"

"You're a pig." Her voice was dead, holding no emotion at all as she glared at Todd. "I cant believe you."

Moments ago, she would have killed to have the chance to escape Nathaniel; to have an excuse. But right now, with betrayal shaking up her system, Abbi felt like Nathaniel was the only person she could truly rely on--which was a crazy notion in itself.  

Her father took a step towards her, his hand outstretched like he used to do when she was just a little girl. "Your mother and I have been looking everywhere for you. We even put your face on a milk carton. Where have you been?"

She scoffed: as if bringing up the fact that being on a milk carton defused what she just saw. Todd acted like she didn't just catch him swapping spit with Barbie-gone-wrong. Nathaniel took this time to say something; the wrong thing, so be exact.

"With me."

Todd turned on Nathaniel like a rattlesnake about to strike. Only, Nathaniel was the one who had fangs, and her father posed no real danger.

"What have you done to her? You got her on drugs? Is she pregnant?" Todd was enraged.

If Abbi had any more moral for her father, she would have felt shocked by these accusations. Normally, her dad was the level-headed man and her mom the outrageous, melodramatic arguer. But in this case, Abb's father had seemed to lose his top, she imagined steam shooting from his ears like a cartoon character.

"She is mine, as I am hers." Nathaniel said slowly. "She belongs with me now."

In response, Todd, out of character, flung a string of swear words at Nathaniel. She was surprised he didn't flinch at some of them.

"Yeah right she is! Stay away from my daughter. Abigail, get over her right now." He pointed to the open space between him and Blondie. Disgusted, Abbi didn't move. Her fathers eyes flashed painfully, and he walked right up to the two of them and gripped Abbi's arm.

"You are my flesh and blood, Abigail Worthington. You will do as I say, and return with me, to your home." His voice became pleading.

Abbi felt like pointing out the fact that her flesh and blood rightfully belonged to Nathaniel, but decided against it. Her dad had a constipated look on his face as he defiantly tried to pull her back to him. Nathaniel wouldn't have any of this, for the look on his face was deadly cool. His eyes gauged Todd openly before, seemingly without any effort at all, put a hand out and shoved the older man to the ground.