"No the Queen commanded me to sell the vampire blood. I had no choice but to do so" Eric explained quickly as to not receive a punishment. I slowly began to relax, my grip softened as their voices began to get calmer in conversation. Biting my lip slightly I wasn't all too happy with where the conversation was leading. Eric sound vampire blood on his Queen's order and was punished for that. That punishment was turning me and I didn't want to ever remember that night again.
"They didn't have the evidence to prove that I did this, but punishment was needed, they made me turn Anna" Eric said quietly at the end. He reached around making me let go of his shirt and pulled in front of him hugging me. Well it was more of a restraint to keep me in place as all I wanted to do was hide, he could feel that. Now I was in Godric's full view. He listened not saying much until Eric finished.
"How old is she?" Godric asked softly surprising me. I looked up to see that he had relaxed knowing that Eric wasn't doing such acts I could only guess.
"4 weeks" Eric said stroking my hair which I had forced myself to relax into. You know Eric won't hurt you. He's proved himself hasn't he? My thoughts instantly tipped back to the coffin and how he screamed at me. No he hadn't.
"It's too early for her to travel Eric, I told…" Godric began to say sternly sounding almost disappointed. Like he had lectured Godric on this many times and had to repeat himself. It was such a parent role which I guess a maker in theory is.
"I need your help with Anna" Eric said with gritted teeth. I could feel the growl rumbling in his chest that he wanted to let out. But he couldn't disrespect his maker. Godric's eye narrowed slightly at being interrupted.
"You were quite capable with Pamela" Godric said dismissively. Eric suddenly rushed us forward in front of Godric. I yelped trying to pull away from Eric but he gripped my arm slightly. He pulled my sleeve up and I knew what he was showing him. Because of the lack of blood I was drinking the burns that I received from the coffin but also when I had tried to meet the sun, the wounds were still there. I watched as Godric's gaze ran over my arm with anger and fear?
"Why has she not healed yet?" Godric said sounding concerned looking at Eric. I began to get frustrated as they spoke about me like I wasn't here. Eric sighed.
"She won't feed willingly" As soon as Eric spoke those words. Godric instantly looked at me with hard eyes.
"Why not?" Godric said but he said it whilst looking straight at me. He wasn't asking Eric anymore but me. I tried to pull at Eric's hold on me but he just tightened. Old fears were beginning to rise.
"Let me go!" I cried out trying to twist out of my arms. My skin began tingling almost waiting for the pain to come.
"Answer him, tell him how you are trying to meet the sun" Eric said looking down at me. I looked at him right back desperately. I didn't want to be here.
"Meeting the sun, at your age?" Godric said almost in question. His eyes scanned over my face as if looking for an answer, but what I could see in his was understanding.
"You don't understand!" I said a little louder than talking volume. Godric instantly stopped talking and I felt Eric's hold on me tighten in warning of speaking to his maker like that. Freezing in my struggles instantly at what I had just done, I just disrespected him.
"Anna" Eric hissed in warning ready to punish me for my tone, only to have Godric gave him a warning look before looking back to me.
"Make me understand" Godric said simply but I knew I had to answer. That was a command. I swallowed quietly.
"I'm tormented by memories …" I stuttered nervously my eyes darting around the room as I forced myself to speak.
"I'm reminded everyday how much I'm not wanted…" I said. Eric piped up by that.
"That is not..." Eric said and I lost it. My hands tightened in fists.
"It is! Maybe not but you but Pamela certainly makes it obvious!" I shouted at him ripping my hands out of his. I knew he let me there's no way I could have done it on my own. Eric looked down at me in shock at the way I was acting. My fear was completely out the window as I exploded.
"I am hurting you! I see the hurt, the anger..." I said my eyes beginning to water
"I relive the night you turned me and I know you commanded me not to but I can't help it" I said beginning to get quiet as fear began to fill me. Why did I think I could do that without a punishment? And I disobeyed a command from him so I knew the punishment will be coming very soon.
"I hate you for doing this to me and yet I don't want to hate you!" I said sounding very confused and distraught. It was silent as I spoke until my voice raised.
"Watch your tone" Eric snapped glaring down at me stepping towards me his hand reaching raising and moving towards me. With that my shoulders dropped my head ducked. Within seconds I was on my knees in a complete submissive pose. One that I knew all too well. My father taught me.
"I shouldn't have spoken to you like that, I'm sorry I won't do it again. I know my place" I repeated the words I'd grown to learn. My voice got quieter and quieter as the fear that I had lost returned tenfold.
"Eric" A warning voice said as I spoke. There was no movement towards me but I knelt frozen. I awaited the pain I was oh so familiar with but after another thirty seconds I was met with nothing. Carefully I raised my gaze as much as I was brave enough to. I could see a set of shoes standing in front of Eric. Godric was standing front of Eric slightly, as if blocking his way. When nothing happened again I slowly began to raise my head. My wary eyes hit the cold eyes of Godric as he stared down at me before a low growl left him. My whole body flinched at the terrifying noise but as he couldn't see me. I didn't look down. He turned towards Eric his body tense ready to spring.
"I will ask this only once my child. If I have to ask again then you will be punished" Godric's voice came out very low and very calm. The calm just before the storm. I'd prefer someone to scream at me rather than speak quietly, you couldn't judge how angry they were or their intentions. My eyes watched followed as Eric quickly knelt in front of him, his head tipped up to meet Godric's eyes. His body was slouched submissive like mine. He had been in this position twice in the last 10 minutes which was terrifying. Eric's meant to be my protector but yet he could hurt me, but now there was someone even more powerful.
"Yes master" Came Eric's reply. He was submissive to Godric, which is a sight that unnerved me. Eric was terrifying when he wanted to be but this was a whole other side to him. Eric had explained what him being my maker meant, that he was my father, brother and friend all in one. He was meant to be strong. Swallowing my eyes darted between them wondering why Godric had turned on Eric at my disrespect. I was the one that deserved the punishment.
"Her behaviour why is it this way?" Godric asked demandingly.
"Anna was abused by her family before I turned her, Master" Eric answered truthfully and quickly. There was no hesitation before he answered and no stutter. Why did Godric need to know this? Why did he care why I was acting like I was? When Godric's eyes turned towards me I could see he was angry but his calm posture and his actions were terrifying.
It completely through my though process off. With my Father I knew exactly when he snapped and when he got annoyed. I knew when he needed more drink and when he was about to spring towards me. I knew when the hit was coming or what I needed to do to avoid it. Godric didn't give away anything. I felt almost lost.
"No harm will come to you here little one. You are safe in my home" He spoke his voice soft unlike the way he just spoke to Eric. Eric was still kneeling but his head now tipped downwards as if he was at war with himself, I could almost feel the war of emotions behind the barrier between us. I wasn't sure what to do or how to answer him. His words didn't make me feel any safer or even curb the fear I felt as I watched as slowly Eric rose to his feet.
"Child breathe" Godric said firmly. My eyes darted towards him in wonder whether he was talking to me or Eric. Godric's eyes were settled on me his eyes scanning my body. His hands were twitching at his side, a trait I knew would cause me pain if he acted on the twitches. I hadn't realised I wasn't breathing, and I must admit it did freak me out. My brain told me logically that I need to breathe, but that was my human way of thinking.
"Breathe" Eric murmured from across the room. Reminding me of what Godric had asked me to do. Why did I need to breathe? Slowly my lips parted slightly as I pulled in air and the sent came with it. The scent that I had caught when I first arrived, the one I wanted to roll around in and it relaxed me. My tense shoulders released slightly moving into a comfortable position.
Eric then moved across the room towards me. Kneeling again in front of me his hand reached towards me like he did earlier. His hand came to rest of my cheek even though I flinched away from him, he had paused before proceeding to touch me. Leaning down he kissed my forehead like he does every night before the sun rose.
"My intention was not to harm you. You should know that by now" His voice started soft before it became stern. It became more of a telling off, clear frustration in his voice. But then he jolted slightly almost like a flinch and I noticed he grit his slightly.
I watched confused as to what he was doing. He stared down at my shoulder with narrowed eyes his eyes darting left and right slightly. Concern rushed over me without my control as I wondered what was wrong. Vampires couldn't have brain damage and this was exactly how he was acting, like I wasn't here and he was in his own little world. My eyes darted over his shoulder to his maker to see if he knew what was wrong with him.
But I was met with Godric staring at the back of Eric's head intently. His expression of concentration and his lips in a tight line. What was going on with them two? Were they talking? Was that a Bond thing? I remembered Eric saying as the years went on the Bond did indeed get stronger and abilities come with it. But If I question him about it he got funny about it and sad. He wouldn't speak to me about it.
"Eric?" I asked quietly confused. Lifting my right hand off my lap I went to touch his shoulder as he was starting to scare me. I didn't like him like this as his eye brows furrowed and he looked almost distressed. But the minute I touched him a snarl left his lips and my instincts kicked in. Within seconds I was standing up and had dashed out of the room, down the hallway and down the stairs. Quickly slipping out the door I dashed into the surrounding forest hiding behind a thick tree before listening.
There was no sound of being followed. All I could hear was the sound of small animals scattering around and the leaves blowing in the wind. I looked out into the night to feel and see that I was alone.
"Annabella!" Was suddenly shouted very loudly. I ran instantly as fast as I could go, even pushing myself to go faster. Unintentionally I was actually spreading my scent everywhere as I changed direction wanting to lose them.
…..
"Annabella!" I heard shouted again behind me but it was a good 11 miles away. It would take a good few minutes to catch up to me. Yet I still ran before my sobs over took me making me lean into a tree.
Running didn't need as much thought as when you were human did. My body knew what to do which left most of mind to wander slightly. My life as a human is exactly the same as my vampire life. Running from someone who wants to hurt me when that person was meant to mean the world to me, was meant to be my father. I had then disrespected my maker and his maker who was even older than him. Respect your elders and I had gone against that. My human father wouldn't stand for my disrespect and considering I'm in the same position nor would they.
Godric was dangerous, it was clear when I first met him. His scent caused my thoughts of him to soften, but the way he spoke and the control he had over Eric scared me. He was more deadly than Eric and I couldn't let the catch me. Wiping my face I dashed away again, flying past hundreds of tree's a minute. I pushed myself further and further out into the middle of no-where.
You are my progeny and you will listen to me!
Eric's voice shouted. I cried out slightly disorientated first frantically searching my surroundings for him, but I knew there wasn't a vampire around for miles. I would have picked him up. He had spoken to me in my head. How did he do that? That shouldn't be possible I thought frantically.
How did you do that?
I shouted in my mind after doing one last scan and running. Why hadn't they caught me yet? I felt like was stumbling around the woods surely with how old they were, they were stronger and faster. They were hunting me that was the only conclusion I could come up with.
You will stop running and allow us to find you
Was commanded in my head. I winced slightly as I really wanted to follow that command my whole body fought me. But I knew very well that unless he said the words, 'as your maker I command you' I could fight the order he had given me. He sounded so angry and I knew that if he caught me then I knew what was going to happen.
"Get back here right now!" My father screamed as I ran from the room. My nose bleeding. His footsteps were loud as his feet slammed against the floor as he ran after me.
"I'm sorry" I screamed back as I ran down the stairs trying not to fall down them as I wavered from blood loss. As I reached the bottom I heard him at the top as he drunkenly tried to come down them fast without knocking himself out like last time.
"When I get a hold of your ass…" He drunkenly trailed off. I ran into the living room slamming the door quickly putting on the latch before backing up. My heart pounded in my chest as I heard him jump and stumble down the last few steps.
"Think a lock can keep me out?" He laughed before he slammed into the door. I watched as the latch strained and knew he was getting in. Running towards the window I tried with blood fingers to pull it open. But saw that he had nailed them shut. He remembered I had escaped out of the window last time.
My head snapped towards the door as it flew open slamming against the wall. To reveal an out of breath, red faced man that I call my father. I slowly backed away.
"Daddy please!" I begged as he began marching towards me. His hand flying up as he backed handed me. As I landed on my right side his boots hit my left, my cries had turned hysterical as I tried to handle the pain. But to also breathe.
"I've told you. Don't ever run as I will get you!" He shouted a hand gripping my hair and forcing me upwards my screams filling the air.
I gasped half hitting the tree and collapsing to my knees. He couldn't hurt me anymore! I shouted into my mind. Eric could my thoughts said. He could hurt me. As I placed my hands on the ground to push upwards something was brought to my attention. It wasn't pitch black anymore I thought as I stopped crying. My lack of breathing forced me to notice the birds, the early birds that I always used to hear when I woke up for chores in the morning.
The most important thing however was the fact that there was a glow, a yellow and orange glow.
The sun was coming.