A/N: Thanks Sherry x x
Chapter 36
"Do your people still blame me for everything that has happened?" I asked Edward, several hours later as I watched the bustle in the camp from the crack in the door.
Edward came to stand behind me, putting his hand on my shoulder and turning me to face him. "They are your people too, Bella." I nodded. "And you were never to blame. If anyone was to blame then, it was me."
I shook my head, tears filling my eyes as I was overcome with a memory from the past. One I would rather not remember ...
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," I beckoned the person on the other side.
Alistair walked into the room, bowing his head. "Your father requires your assistance in his chambers."
"Thank you, Alistair," I said, dismissing him.
I hurried to my father's room, wondering what he needed me for. I knocked once on his door and waited until I was bid entry. Caius was in the room with him. They were looking at one of our families old Grimoire's. None of them even bothered to look up at me. I waited several minutes before growing impatient.
"You summoned me, father?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied. "I need some of your blood," he said as he picked up a blade and a goblet.
I complied, without questioning him. It wasn't unusual for him to ask for such a thing.
It wasn't until several hours that I realized my mistake, when my father came storming into my room. His eyes were blazing. I knew I was in trouble then.
"You dare shame this family," he growled. I, of course, had no idea what the hell he was talking about. I stared at him speechless. "Your blood wasn't pure. You're not a virgin," he spat.
My hand immediately flew to my mouth. I had never once thought that our night of love from two years ago would ever come back to bite me. If the truth had been told, I had forgotten all about Edward, he hadn't looked at me in over a year. It had broken my heart, but eventually I had learned to live with the pain.
"You have disgraced this family!" he yelled, grabbing my hair and dragging me from my room. I pleaded and begged for him to let me go, terrified of what he was going to do, but my cries fell on deaf ears.
He took me out the front of our mansion and cuffed me to the stocks. He ripped my top and bra clean off my body as he called me a filthy little whore. Someone handed him a whip. I think it was Caius. That was when the pain began. The most excruciating agony I had ever felt in all my life as he unleashed all his fury on my back.
I thought I was going to die.
I wouldn't have lived if he didn't come to save me.