An Unlikely Alliance

Chapter 7: Daddy Issues

Artemis bounded through the trees, following her usual path home. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a shadow as she flitted by. She skidded to a stop and looked back. A cloaked figure stood behind her, a glowing lantern in their hand. Dense fog shrouded them from view, so she couldn't make out their face. Artemis rubbed her eyes just to make sure she wasn't seeing things, but the figure was gone, as well as the fog. Warily, she continued on her way, putting the thought away.

Artemis did not expect HIM to be there waiting.

She opened the door to find her father pacing about the room. His jet black hair was slightly frayed, and his deep blue eyes dull like stone. He froze and glanced up at her, eyes widening, "Where have you been, young lady?! I've been worried sick! Do you know how much trouble you're in?!" Before she could speak, he continued. "Barach informed me that you went off on your own yesterday to hunt a demon! Without his permission or supervision!" Artemis sighed, her face blank. She considered just closing the door in his face, but then he went quiet, noticing her clothes.

"What...happened....." he murmured quietly. Artemis crossed her arms, "Oh, nothing really. Just nearly got blown off the face of the earth by an asteroid." He gagged. "And if you're wondering about the blood, it's mine, and I did it to myself. Not that you'd care anyway, "Lord Bloodfang." She walked inside, brushing past him as she kicked off her sandals, "A lot of stuff happens out here. Pretty interesting stuff, if you ask me. That's probably the reason that I'm not sitting on my ass drinking tea with you and mom in a mansion right now." Artemis smirked and glanced back, "But it's not like you would care to understand. You only hop off your golden perch if Barach calls you and tells you something is wrong."

He seethed, "Mind your tongue, young lady! He is your assigned guardian by law! It is his job to notify me in case of an emergency!" Artemis shrugged him off, "If you haven't already noticed, I don't care one bit about your laws or politics. The Senate can go suck their own blood for all I care. I'm not under their jurisdiction, as far as I'm concerned, so they can't tell me what to do with my life." She gave him a cold stare, "And neither can you."

He scowled deeply, "I will not have you speak to me that way, young lady! You are coming home, and that is final!" Her father turned and stormed out the door, his black velvet coat flying out behind him. Artemis stuck out her tongue at him as he left. Once he was out of view, Artemis walked over and closed the door, walking back to her bed.

She pulled out a black nightgown from the drawer beneath it, stripping off her blood-soaked dress and slipping on the smooth silk. Exhausted, she flopped down on her small mattress, groaning, "Stupid...self-centered...aristocratic...clotpole! He's so full of himself! I swear I'm going to outlive him out of pure spite!"

Her face darkened, "But...if I don't do what he says.....he might use his Pureblood influence to drag me back....."

Artemis curled up in the blankets, her feet sticking off the side of the bed, "I'll have to ask Luka about it tomorrow. Right now...I'll just sleep on it. I can wash off in the morning." She let her head sink into the pillow, drifting off into a dreamless sleep.