Alright, this is to make up for the time that I didn't update. Since fixing last night's chapter, I've felt super inspired and decided to write this.
I don't remember if I said this last chapter but I'd like to thank everyone who's taken the time to review, you guys are the best!
Hope you guys enjoy!
Victor was a very safe driver. He sped, but in a safe, calculated way.
Charlie did not have that skill. Driving down the highway pushing 110, she was eager to get home and she wasn't too concerned about weaving through the lanes.
Victor was in the passenger seat, watched amusedly.
"Home will still be there an hour later, Kitten. And we'll be in one piece." She sent him an annoyed glare.
"Excuse me if I'm a bit eager. I want to get there and sleep in my own bed for the first time in almost a week."
"And what's dear old dad gonna say about me?" Victor asked condescendingly. Charlie stiffened at his words.
"Well, being as 'dear old dad' is dead and in the ground, probably not much." Her words were laced with hatred. The reaction surprised Victor.
"And what about mom?"
"She died in childbirth. Are there any other questions?" She snapped.
"Watch the tone, Kitten. Now let's talk about dad, shall we?"
"There's nothing to talk about. He raised me. He took me to Hank when my mutation started manifesting. Then he spent the next five years trying to hide it, trying to hide me so no one would ever see the monster that he lived with."
"Really? And how'd he do that?"
"He tried filing my teeth down. And ripping out my claws. He kept me inside so no one would see me running or climbing. I wasn't allowed to hunt." Charlie hated talking about her father. It did nothing but bring up old memories of times she'd rather forget.
"Well Kitten, he's lucky he's dead. Because if he wasn't, I'd take care of the job myself. How'd he die?" Victor was completely calm in his words. He looked over at Charlie to see her claws growing long, long enough to pierce the palm of her hand. As blood dripped onto the steering wheel, she remained silent. She ground her teeth. Victor could smell her discomfort and fear within the confined space of the vehicle.
"I did it." She mumbled out.
"Pull over."
She looked over at him in disbelief.
"No. We're almost there. We can discuss this at the house." Refocusing on the road, she felt his hand snake into her hair, lightly warning her.
"I said, pull over." He growled in her ear. It was in that moment that she realized that Victor wasn't angry. She could hear it in his voice. He dragged his canines over the side of her neck. He wanted her.
"Victor, stop. "
He settled back into his seat, obviously annoyed at her rejection.
"So tell me about it, Kitten."
"You cannot be serious."
"This is your alternative. Tell me about it." He demanded. She huffed.
"Fine! One day, I came home from work and he'd been drinking. Nothing unusual there. He went on and on about how I was an abomination and a murderer. He always blamed me for my mother's death. So he grabbed his belt. He pushed me down on the ground and just started beating me. Then he threw away the belt, and started punching and kicking me. Finally, I lost it." She stopped, her breath catching in her throat. She waited until she was calm enough to continue.
"The bloodlust took over. I lost control. Cops showed up a few minutes later because someone heard me screaming. After seeing the bruises and hearing testimonies from people around town, it was ruled as self-defense. I lived with my neighbor until I turned eighteen. I moved back into the house and that was that."
Victor thought about the story in silence.
"Bruises? We don't bruise." He said, finding a hole in her story.
"My healing factor used to be a lot slower. Two weeks ago had you sunk your claws in my neck, I would've been dead. At least for a while."
"And this neighbor, who's that?"
"Who, Libby? She and her brother, Connor are my best friends. Have been since we were kids. And their parents, Jill and Adam, are the best. They are my parents as far as anyone's concerned. When they found out about my mutation, they completely supported me, found Hank's information and convinced my dad to take me to him. And after he died, they took me in, no questions asked." She turned her attention towards him.
"So you will be nothing but nice to them. And if you can't do nice, you'll be civil. Are we clear?"
Victor smirked at her protectiveness over her adoptive family.
"You have my word, Kitten."
"Good, because we'll be there in about ten minutes."
Victor had been so caught up in her story that he hadn't realized they'd gotten off of the highway and were now navigating through back roads.
They remained silent for the rest of the ride. They pulled into a gravel driveway and parked the car. Charlie remained in her seat. Victor could smell her anxiety.
"Something wrong, Kitten?"
"Victor, these people are my family. I really, really need you to be at least civil to them. Please." Charlie practically begged him.
"I told you, you have my word."
Charlie beamed at him and placed a chaste kiss to his lips before excitedly exiting the vehicle. As soon as her door closed, the door from the house beside the one they were parked in front of flung open.
A middle-aged woman ran out and pulled Charlie into a hug. Her blonde hair was in waves and mascara ran down her face as she sobbed. Victor got out of the car and leaned against the driver's side, allowing the women to have their moment.
"Where have you been?! Do you know how worried sick we've been?! And what the hell is that on your neck?!" The woman cried as she sobbed, pressed numerous kisses to Charlie's forehead.
"Mom, I know, I know. I'm so sorry. I should've called. I should've-" Charlie sobbed against the woman.
It was then that the older woman pulled away to see Victor's hulking frame leaning against Charlie's small car.
"And who's this? Charlotte Ann, you better have a damn good explanation."
Charlie laughed through her tears and beckoned Victor over.
"Mom, this is Victor Creed. Victor, this is Jill Walsh."
"Well it's nice to meet you but that still doesn't explain why a much older man is here with my daughter."
"Well, she's not your daughter is she?" Victor asked condescendingly.
Before Charlie even had a chance to rebuke him for his words, Jill stepped in.
"Now you listen here! I may not have given birth to Charlie but she's just as much mine as any of my other children! And I will not have that questioned by some mystery man who just happens to show up with her after she's been missing for a week! I ought to call the police!"
Charlie placed herself between Victor and Jill before someone, most likely Jill, got hurt.
"Victor, she is my mom. We talked about this." With this, she turned around to face Jill.
"Mom, Victor is my mate." The admission completely stunned Jill. Her eyes darted back and forth between Charlie and Victor.
"You mean, he's a-"
"Yeah. He's like me." Jill shifted Charlie to the side and held her hand out to Victor.
"Well, obviously, you're going to be around here for a while. Nice to meet you, Victor." Victor shook her hand roughly.
"Well, come inside. We've got leftovers in the fridge." She dragged Charlie in by her wrist with Victor following behind, slightly amused at the display.
As Jill flitted around the kitchen, Charlie and Victor sat at the breakfast bar.
Jill set steaming bowls of chicken and dumplings in front of them. Jill settled for a glass of iced tea as she leaned against the opposite side of the bar.
"So tell me about you Victor."
"Um, Mom? Shouldn't we wait for Dad to get here?" Charlie asked nervously, trying to change the subject.
"Oh honey, he's on his way. As soon as I saw your car, I sent him a message. He's bringing Libby and Con with him. Anyways, Victor where are you from? How old are you? What do you do for a living?" Charlie's sighed nervously, shifting her gaze over to Victor, who was eating his food, not seeming to be nervous at all.
And why would he be? Charlie thought bitterly.
"I'm from Canada. I'm a private contractor." Lovely way of phrasing hitman. Charlie thought.
"Uh-huh and how old are you, exactly?" Jill was very keen to know just how much older this man was than Charlie.
"I was born in 1834." Jill choked on her tea. As she cleared her throat, she glanced at Charlie, gauging her reaction. Charlie nodded nervously, confirming his words. Jill set down the tea and ran her fingers through her hair, similar to how Charlie did when she was stressed.
"Maybe we should wait for Adam." As she said those words, both Charlie and Victor heard the tell-tale crunch of tires on the gravel outside. Charlie sprung up and ran for the door. Victor followed, as did Jill.
When Victor got to the door, Charlie was in the process of embracing a girl who was the spitting image of Jill. She was crying as was Charlie, again.
An older man with glasses entered as the girls broke away from each other, giving Charlie a fatherly hug. Though it was difficult for Victor to restrain himself, he knew that the gesture was harmless.
It was then that Charlie broke away to hug the remaining member of the family, a teen with dark hair and glasses. As soon as their bodies touched, Victor snapped. He growled, and stomped towards the hugging teens. Both were too distracted to notice until Victor separated them, throwing the boy to the ground. Victor stepped in front of Charlie possessively.
"Victor, stop!" She yelled at him. He snarled in her direction before focusing his attention back on the boy still on the ground at his feet.
"Stay the hell away from her, boy."
The young blonde helped her brother to his feet, checking over him to making sure he wasn't injured. Their father stared in shock at the blatant display of aggression. Jill intervened in that moment.
"I think we should go inside and talk. Charlie, I think you and Victor have some serious explaining to do."
Alright, so what'd you think? Next chapter is going to be big on explaining Charlie and Victor's relationship to the family as well as setting up for the big SCENE between our lovely couple. I can't wait to write these next few chapters and I hope you guys can't wait to read them!