Yay! An on time update. And I got 300 reviews! You guys are amazing, and I love you all so much. In honor of the 300 reviews, and because 3 is the magic number, I hope you all find this chapter a little magical or at least it will make you happy. I got a few reviews asking if I already explained Wanda's past, and I did in chapter 7, though it was explained briefly. This chapter really explains Wanda and what she has been through. It is a turning point in the story.

25th day

Wanda

I hold my breath, waiting for Ian's response. "Are you sure?" Ian whispers completely shocked that I offered to tell him about my past. I'm surprised too. The only time I've ever considered talking about my past is in therapy, but I have never told my story. I've mentioned my parents' death to Jeb, but this is different. This time it is Ian.

I nod slowly, and Ian smiles. "Okay." Ian takes my hand and holds it tightly to him. I take a deep breath and begin my story. I want to tell him everything. Not just about my parents. I want to tell Ian about my life after my parents too.

"My mom and dad loved me so much. I don't remember that much about them, but I remember that. I always did. Even when I was told otherwise…" I trail off, thinking of Jack telling me daily how much of a mistake I was. "One day, I was crying all day. My parents want to make me feel better, so we drove to the beach. We played all day, and I was happy. My daddy put me in a small playgroup so my parents could swim out farther for a little bit. I played with the other kids in the sand, but then the yelling started…" I sob and Ian hugs me to his chest, wiping away my tears.

"I turned around, and I couldn't find them. Their yells got the attention of the people on the beach, and they started yelling too. I started crying and screaming for my parents. Even at a young age, I knew something was wrong. People went out but came back without them. The police showed up. One lady picked me up and carried me to her car. I never saw the beach again. I never saw them again."

"Wanda-" Ian starts, but I stop him. If he interrupts, I won't finish. The sob racks through my body, and I try to breathe. My head is aching from the lack of oxygen, but I have to continue.

"They drowned. My parents swam out too far and got caught in a riptide. They never found the bodies. The cop took me back to my home, telling me to pack my things. I took my mother's locket and left. I couldn't stand it in there." I lifted the thin necklace out from under my towel and opened it to show Ian. Inside was a small, worn picture of my mom, dad, and me. It is the only baby picture I have. The only picture I have of my parents. "I have been afraid of water since. Not because I am afraid I will drown too, I am afraid that swimming will bring up more painful memories of that day that I have blocked out. Besides, I don't know how to swim," I say wryly, trying to keep the conversation light even though my body is shaking in sobs.

"I know I told you about my foster fathers that night," I say, referring to the night I almost killed myself. Ian winces, remembering too. But I didn't tell you the whole story. I was put into a foster home with Jack one week after my parents' death. He didn't even let me go to their funeral… At first he was fine, a little distant and strict, but he gave me a home, food, and water so I couldn't complain. Then everything changed the day of my fourth birthday. He told me he got a new job, and I was going to help him. He started to beat me. It used to be every time I made a mistake, like I broke something or fell. When I turned five he started to beat me every night. When I was six he made me be a slave for him. I did the cooking and cleaning, and he would beat me harder at night. I figured out then that every birthday he would add more to his punishments. That was when I started to dread my birthday. Seventh birthday was when I had to do all of the shopping and keep Jack entertained. Eighth birthday was awful. He started "experiments." He would lock me in closets and test my body's strength. Ninth birthday meant that I had to do the taxes. My tenth birthday was the worst. The experiments became tests. I told you about those. He would bring me into the basement and test my physical strength. He could see how long I could stay conscious. My eleventh birthday made the tests even worse, and Jack would test my mental ability. He would tell me awful things about my parents. He said they didn't love me." I had to stop. I throw myself around Ian and sob onto his chest again.

"Wanda, you don't have to finish," Ian says, sounding like he is in pain. I pull away. He needs to know. I continue like I didn't even hear Ian.

"One my twelfth birthday, Jack gave up his rights to be a foster father. He said he had enough information on me, and he was sending me to someone else. I was so happy. I should have known the twelfth birthday would be even worse." I look down at my hands. I really don't want to tell Ian about everything David did. "I showed up at David's, and right when social worker left, I was ordered to go upstairs and… and…" I take a deep breath. "T-take off my clothes," I mutter, so quietly that I don't even know if Ian heard. "David raped me every day. I told you that already. I actually had a foster brother there too. He never told me his name. I called him Burns. Sometimes he would come home and rape me too, but he was a fan of burning me while I did it." I drop my towel and stand in front of Ian in my bathing suit. I hesitantly show him my arms that are scattered with the burns I received. "Burns liked to smoke, so he would burn me with his cigarette when we had sex." I pull my towel back up and wrap it around me, twisting it in my hands nervously. "One day when I was fourteen, I woke up and David was gone. There was a note on my desk from him. Apparently he was in some trouble, so he had to leave. He promised to come back soon though." A shudder runs through me while I remember David's promise. It has been a little over a year since that day though.

"Wanda, have you told my dad about this?" Ian interrupts. I sigh.

"No, and I don't want him to know. He will kick me out for putting his family in danger."

"Wanda, you are family." Ian pulls me in for a quick hug. I give him a look. "Well, you are family. But you are a little more than family to me. I don't do this to all my family members" Ian blushes and rubs interlocks his hand with mine.

I ignore his comments and try to continue. I need to finish. "I lived alone for a week. I finally found my social worker's number on a strip of paper in David's office. I called and told them David left. I never told them what David did to me. I would be written off as a bad foster child and a crazy person. They would just stick me in a group home, surrounded by tons of people." I shudder again. Last year, if they put me in a group home with a bunch of other kids, I would be in a constant state of panic.

"They sent me off to Liam. I know you hate when I say this, but Liam was my best and favorite foster father. He really only kicked or punched me, but I still got some food and a small bed. He never touched me, but his friends and clients did…" I trail off and look up at Ian. I've learned a lot from my time with the Stryders, and what I am is illegal. Tear start to well up in my eyes, and a sob breaks through. Ian will be disgusted. "Liam owned a p-prostitution ring. I was one of them. I never had sex, but I had to do o-other things. I'm sorry. I know it is b-bad. Please don't think I a-am a… a… a whore!" I collapse into Ian and sob. Liam always called me a whore. And I am. I am, or was, a prostitute.

Ian strokes my hair gently, making calming shushing noises. I pull away from him, and Ian holds my face in his hands. "Wanda. You are not a whore. You are not any of those things. Everything you did was forced, and that is rape and sexual abuse or harassment. None of this is your fault. The story you just told me shows how strong you are. Never look back on your past unless you are looking to see how far you've come. And that's pretty damn far," Ian says in one breath.

I stare at him, my eyes wide and my mouth parted, gasping for breath. Tear are slowly still dripping down my face, falling into my mouth or down my neck. Ian's face is contorted in pain, but his eyes are full of hope and compassion. His eyes captivate me. Just snow and sapphire and ink.

I slowly move my face closer to Ian's, watching his blue eyes blur into one. I tilt my chin up, touching my lips gently to his. Ian's lips don't move for a moment, and I fear he doesn't want me. Before I can pull back, Ian pulls my face towards his, making my lips crash into his. His lips are soft under mine, and I can feel his scruff on my cheek, making me giggle slightly. The kiss only lasts a moment or two, but it sends tingles through my body. I can feel my chest tighten and heat up, and then warmth is shot through my body as if my heart was a firework.

I pull away, Ian's gentle touch lingering on my lips. I smile widely as I look up to meet Ian's grinning face. "Wow," I whisper, pecking Ian on the lips again.

The kiss was by no means perfect. My face was blotchy and red, while my hair was a tangled mess from me twisting it around my finger. My throat ached from all of the talking and crying. The kiss tasted like tears, chlorine, and something distinctly Ian.

But my lips still tingle and my heart is beating out of my chest as Ian holds me tightly. We lay down together, our bodies entwined. My eyes droop closed, and my last thought is of Ian's lips on mine.

So that happened. I hope you are excited because nowadays almost of all of my reviews are about a kiss. I'm sorry it wasn't a sexy make out session, but the kiss seemed right. I hope you all noticed my Host quote too. Comment if you noticed. Please follow, favorite, and review because Wanda just had her first kiss :)