Origins *Book 3 Of The Hunted Series*

Chapter 7: Father Elijah

I don't own any of the Twilight characters or events

Caramel skin.

Hazel eyes.

Curly hair with faded sides.

Tall, broad shoulders.

Muscular, tattooed arms folded behind his back.

A black trench coat hangs over his bare chest, showing off his full chest viking tattoo.

A grin that could melt any woman with the canines to match.

"I've been waiting for you." He says, smiling.

Apollo grunts and bows, a growl leaving her chest.

I look at her and lift her head.

Apollo inhales gently and stands up.

Damon taps her arm and tilts her head up, meeting his eyes.

He arches an eyebrow, silently asking if she's ok.

With a nod, Damon let's her face go.

"Interesting." The man says, casually tucking his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Who might you be?"

The man smirks and blurs to me, tilting my head up.

"Father Elijah. You can call me dad." He says, tilting his head, looking me over.

"Dad." Damon says, bowing slightly.

Elijah looks at Damon, smiling.

"My boy." Elijah says, bringing Damon into his chest, hugging him tightly.

"You've grown into your hunter and hybrid beautifully." Elijah says, ruffling Damon's curly hair.

"Yea, thanks, dad." Damon says, clearing his throat.

Elijah looks back at me and sighs.

"I haven't seen you since..." He starts, stroking my cheek.

"You put me up for adoption?"

Elijah smirks and runs his hand through my curls.

"Since your 10th birthday." Elijah says, smiling down at me.

"You weren't at her 10th birthday." Alex says, frowning.

Elijah looks at my mom and chuckles.

"You seem to forget, I'm very much like Christian and his family. Can hide in plain sight. I saw her grow up, she just didn't see me." Elijah says, shrugging.

"I'm Chey. This is my wife Alexis. Natalie's parents." Chey says, holding her hand up to Elijah.

Elijah shakes mom's hand, bowing slightly.

"Pleasure. My wife is doing something with the other wives, I don't know." Elijah says, scratching his cheek.

"Why not meet her? If you were there, why not speak?" Alex wonders, clenching her fist.

I reach back and rub her arm, calming her down.

"Wasn't time. I needed her to grow and come into her hunter. She had business to handle." He says, grinning.

"You needed me to kill hunters."

"I did. They couldn't follow one simple rule, so they had to go." He says, shrugging.

"And that rule was what exactly?" Chey wonders, gripping ma's hand.

"Don't let Nat and I meet." Damon lowly says, glancing down at me.