Disclaimer: I do not own Blood Ties or any of its characters. They are Tanya Huff's creations.
Characters thoughts in italics
Thanks to my beta, Lena! Thanks for all your wonderful suggestions!
Chapter 2
Vicki was standing at the window staring through the blinds. Henry stood in the doorway wondering how long it would take for her to notice his presence. After a while, when his presence still didn't garner any recognition, he spoke.
"Good evening, Vicki."
Her heart leapt but her outer appearance remained composed.
"Hi, Henry." She sat behind her desk trying to busy herself with paperwork.
The vampire settled into a chair opposite her. "Is there something wrong, Vicki?"
"No, of course not. Why would something be wrong?" She denied.
Henry leaned forward in his chair. His cornflower blue eyes looked at her with concern. "Vicki, I know you well enough to notice when something is wrong. Is it something to do with a case?"
"I wish it was that simple." She took off her glasses and massaged the bridge of her nose before returning them to her face. "Remember when you told me that it took you three hundred years to get over your father issues?" She asked suddenly.
The graphic novelist nodded while giving her a calculating look. "Yes."
Her penciled in eyebrows rose. "How did you finally get passed them?"
"I realized I had two choices. I could hang onto my issues with my father and let them haunt me for the rest of my life or I could forgive him and unburden myself of all the negative feelings I had towards him."
"Sounds simple."
"It wasn't. That's why it took me three centuries." Henry's brows furrowed in puzzlement. "Where is this coming from?"
Vicki was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke. "My father showed up out of the blue today."
"What did he want?"
The former homicide detective shrugged. "Beats me. I threw him out."
"So I see that reunion went well." Henry's voice was laced with sarcasm.
Vicki threw a murderous look his way.
"I understand your initial reaction to your father but maybe you owe it to yourself to hear him out. Maybe it's time for you to let go of all the anger you've been holding onto all these years."
"Maybe. I'll think about."
"Good. Have you eaten dinner yet?"
"No, my stomach's been in knots."
"Why don't you let me take you to dinner?"
"I don't know. I think I'll order some take out instead."
"You need to leave this office for a while to take your mind off things. It's just dinner, not a date. I promise."
"Since you put it that way." Vicki rose from her chair, grabbed her black leather jacket and they left her office.