Black Rose
chapter 1
Smack, the sound of skin hitting skin echoed across the large room. I peeked around the corner too see my mother curled up in a ball on the floor and my father standing, a menacing shadow, above her.
" You little. . .", I ran up the stairs before my father could finish his insult and before either of them saw me.

I flew through my door and slammed it shut. I fell on my all white bed and sobbed. A soft knock on my window startled me.
" Cess, are you there?", my boyfriend whispered. I wiped my tears away and rolled off the bed to open the window.
" Yes?" my thick voice asked.
" Ceressa, what's wrong?" he asked real concern seeping into his voice, " Did they find out about us?"
" No, Jake that's not it," the resistance to tell him nothing had happened was fading quickly.
" CERESSA MARI DARVATIO,GET DOWN HERE NOW!!!!!" my father voice full of rage raced into my room through the speaker on my wall.
" I'll hide in the closet," Jakes playful tone trying to lighten my mood. I gave a weak smile and walked over to my vanity. I wiped the old mascara off, and put a new coat on.
" CERESSA!!!" my father voice blared through the speaker making the walls vibrate.
" I'll be back soon," I promised Jake in whisper. I ran like lighting down the stairs and into the spacious all black living rooms.

"What took you so long," he snapped as soon as I was sitting on the sofa.
" I was freshing up," I lied easily.
" Oh," he actually sounded shocked, " Well you know that the Macrathys are coming over for dinner with us tonight. And, I want you to look and act amazing."
" Why," I demanded to know.
" Well my rose, they have son your age. Don't wait until I'm finished," he cut me off," The family is wealthy and the background is good as ours," his voice pleaded me to see his reason, but his eyes were cold and cruel.
" Father I do not want to marry," my voice began to turn as cold as heart.
" You will do as I tell you!! Go get ready. NOW!!" his anger only barely reached me as I left.

My door slammed behind me. Ugh!! Why does he do this to me? I don't want to marry anyone but Jake, and my parents would freak out if they knew that I even spoke to him.
Jake's strong, warm arms wrapped around me.
" What did he want this time?" Jake's deep, husky voice whispered in my ear.
" To tell me that another family was coming for dinner, and that they have a son my age," the light sarcasm in my voice showed my true anger.
A warning howl filled the air coming from the forest behind my house.
" I have to go," his voice was slow and heavy. I turned around and slid my arms around his neck. With his soft, warm lips moving with mine we said a silent good bye. After only a few sweet, delicious seconds he forced himself away, and with inhumane speed he was out the window and to the edge of the forest before I could even get to the window.

Chapter 2

I slid the tight silk of my all black dress over the muscular frame of my body. I looked into the orient mirror on my vanity and sighed. I looked to good for just dinner. An angry growl rippled from my chest. Why does my father do this to me? He knows that I will never marry anyone that I do not choose. I heard the front gate slide open over the gravel on the driveway. Within seconds the door of the house opens and my father's voice came through the speaker by my door.

" ceressa our guest are here," his voice was sugar sweet with a, threat lying underneath it. I gave myself one last look in the mirror and deemed myself fit.

I raced down the stairs stopping in front of the pallor doors. Our butler Gilbert looked at me and smiled, he had always been the real father to me. He had comforted me when I had been beaten, he had kept every secret I had told him and he was the only one who knew about Jake and me. I gave him a warm smile and he mouthed 'good luck' to me. He opened the doors and I walked into the room.

All eyes turned to me as I walked towards the couch my mother sat on.

"My daughter ceressa," the evil man on the couch presented me to everyone.

The boy standing behind the high-back chair of looked up and held my gaze for a few seconds. I tried to away but his eyes were so magnetizing the green eyes flecked silver were so beautiful. WAIT!!! What was I thinking this is the boy my father wants to arrange a marriage with. The boy's face twisted into confusion.

Gilbert opened the door and announced "diner is served." everyone stood up and after many 'after you's' the macarthys gave in like good guest and followed Gilbert into the dinning room.

"So darvatio she sure is a looker. You must be so proud!" Mr. McCarthy only looked at the beauty on the outside. My father pulled the chair I was to sit in out. I slid with the grace of the wind into chair. When everyone had been seated my father gave me an approving nod. Oh how I wished I could spoil his precious evening.

After the first course had been served the servents began to bring in the second. I quickly saw my opertunity and little Amber would be the one to pay the price. She carried a large serving bowl of creamy, fresh mashed potatoes. When She was right behind me I gave her a little stare and the bowl went flying. Gosh being a mind reader and controller can be so useful at times, even if its only on weak minded vampires. As the dish soared straight towards him everything stopped in mid- flight. I sensed the magical disturbance coming from my right where the boy was sitting. My moth dropped in shock.

" Well now Macarthy you never told us what a talented boy you had," you could here the jelousy dripping off my father's tounge.

" Well, yes sir thats my Daedalus. As talented as he his smart," Mr. Macarthy chuckled at the attention.

The items settled on the table as i looked at the boy. He gave me a little smile and I gave him a glare. He chuckled and leaned over to whisper in my ear.

" Well, Miss. Darvatio your father never mentioned that you were talented as well."

I gasped as I relized that he would know who had relly tried to cream his father with mashed potatoes.

" Don't worry it will be our little secret," he smiledd as he pulled away.