Bitter Revenge

Chapter 44

(Stella King's POV)

Sleeping was seriously a challenge after what happened yesterday. I still felt the pounding headache from where my head crashed into the floor. The incident replayed in my head for the millionth time since it happened.

***

Pure indecision. I witnessed the pain Fiona felt just speaking about her sister, but I also saw the spiral of depression my father went through after losing my mother. So when two people I cared so much about were now mortal enemies, my brain focused only on protection. Who? I'm still figuring that out myself. I've never seen Fiona so rocked to her core, so enraged. I tried holding her back, but then her hand met my chest and I was thrown across the room. My head banged on the floor so hard that I felt blood start to leak down my nose and an immediate disorientation struck me. It kept me on the ground as my father explained the story, every single word reaching my ears.

"You think you're so fucking smart." Crack. I could hear venom dripping out of every word spoken, the sound of her knuckles buckling under the stress of her force- but the impact had made my ears start ringing in intervals. I finally stood up and collected my wits, witnessing Fiona throw such a hard punch that the harsh crack of her hand breaking echoed throughout the room along with the thud of my now unconscious father. The look of murder on her face scared me. For once, I saw the textbook definition of a vampire; murderous, wracked with cold venom, and not an ounce of sympathy. She scared me.

I hadn't noticed that she was now looking at me with the most crestfallen look, until my fear went full defense mode and turned to anger. And when she approached me, I just exploded out of fear that she'd hurt me. The words I spewed at her were nothing more than empty nothings meant to protect myself. But the heartbreak she projected at my anger was almost enough to pierce through my fear. Almost.

***

I rose out of bed, immediately dizzy from the action. I stood up anyway and walked to my father's room, still unsure of what I should say to him. I walked in to see him putting down a piece of paper, then he turned to me. "Oh Stella, I'm so glad to see you're safe." Again his distrust of Fiona infuriated me. How dense can he be? "Dad, I want an explanation." He frowned, looking 10 years older at the weight of his actions. He sighed and patted the spot next to him, to which I sat down with a noticeable distance between us.

"You know the death of your mother ruined me. But I let anger guide me for so many long years. It was her who ordered that mission, Sena. I used to love her as well, back when we both attended the same magic academy. I wanted her dead after it all. I looked for years, as you know. And when I found her, I jumped the gun. And that night, I had the perfect chance. She was in the kitchen alone, it was dark but I recognized her long fall of hair and short stature. So I took my shot. The last thing I expected was for a taller girl to run over to help her... I had no idea Sena had a kid. So when that girl heard me outside the window, I knew I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. Even in the dark I could see her face. Wide and sad eyes, her hair tangled around her tear-filled face. She looked so terribly sad, but I saw a fire of vengeance in her that scared me off. I had no idea..."

I stared blankly at him, mostly because I was disappointed. He took a life out of anger. And not just any life, the life of a person so dear to Fiona. How twisted is our history? My aunt wanted to kill Fiona, my Dad killed her sister, and Fiona wanted to kill my father. I sighed and stood up, choosing my next words carefully. "I expected more from you Dad. I need time. I'll come to you when I'm ready." And I left, in my pajamas, and made my way to Harley's place. At least I could trust her to not have such a complicated past.

"Babe, you look like someone just killed your cat. Talk to me." Harley passed me a cup of black coffee, just how I like it. "What's there to say Lee? Fiona nearly killed my father and he killed her sister. How can a relationship blossom from such a gnarly tree?" She smirked a little and sat in front of me on her couch, a coffee table separating us. "Easy. Make beauty out of the ugly. We do it all the time. On top of that, there's gotta be effort from both parties. And right now? Fiona is pulling her weight." She pulled a folded paper out from what seemed like a pocket inside of her robe and held it up. "What's that?" I asked, grabbing the outstretched letter and looking at the soft wrinkles in the paper. "That is a little gift your girlfriend brought me in the butt crack of dawn. It has your name written on it. I'll leave you to it." She stood up and left me to read the letter, to which I turned and saw my name scribbled in semi-cursive handwriting. Goddess, I hope your handwriting is legible Freckles.

"Dear Strawberry,

I'm sorry. You'll never understand the full extent of those two words. I have no excuse to give you for my actions, I can only hope that you will allow me to make it up to you. You're not just my mate Strawberry, you are the witch that I want around for the rest of my time on this dumb rock. I really was lost before you, as cheesy and dumb as that sounds. But it's true. I aimlessly wandered and simply survived. I didn't live. I made a waste of the second chance Scarlet gave me. But now I have things to look forward to, people to care for, to annoy, to love until death does us part.

Your father's actions killed me. They buried me in the ground right alongside my sister. But it also birthed a new me. A life filled with second chances that I've taken for granted. No more, Strawberry. I have a chance with you, despite me almost blowing it. I'll do whatever it takes, cross any ocean, climb any mountain, anything- for your forgiveness. And like I said in your father's letter: You are formally invited to a very special event. An occasion that has not been celebrated in decades. On Valentine's day, go to Devil's Corner at 7:30 p.m. sharp. Please.

With my sincerest condolences,

Freckles."

You big goof, just what do you have in store for me?