Prologue - the Fire Within

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Copyright © 2011 Tonia Rodriguez.

All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including recording, photocopying, offset, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author, except by reviewers who may quote brief passages to be printed in a magazine or newspaper.

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Thirteen years ago ....

"You whore! I saw you...." She huddled on her bed listening to her father scream at her mother again. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried harder to cover her ears.

"Richard, I didn't..." Her mother tried to explain. Whack! "Lies! Always with your fuckin lies!" He screamed.

I could hear mama trying to quiet him like she always did. "Richard, please! Talya..."

"Little bitch needs to hear this! Know her mamas a WHORE!" She could hear her mama crying now. "But I didn't.."

And that's when her father became enraged. She could hear him smacking her mama around. She pulled her legs up to her chest and started rocking. She bit her fist to keep the sobs quiet as she heard her mom scream, " Run Talya! Run!!" She froze as her mom was cut off and then there was a thud, followed by utter silence.

She slowly climbed down from her bed, still trying to be quiet, as tears of terror fell from her eyes. She pulled her door open and peeked out freezing when she saw her father framed in her parent's doorway.

Her father was a handsome man with shoulder length blond hair and sky blue eyes. He was tall and muscular with heartstopping good looks, but in that moment all Talya saw was a monster.

He stood in their door with his fists clenched and his chest rose rapidly with his harsh breaths. He was staring at the floor as she peeked out. He suddenly looked up at her through the lock of hair that fell over his forehead. "Talya..." He growled.

Her eyes widened as she realized he was covered in blood... her mother's blood! She watched him step towards her as his lip lifted in a snarl. She squealed and slammed the door as he roared. She flipped the lock and dove under the bed.

She huddled against the wall under the headboard as her door burst open, crashing against the wall so hard it was left at an angle. She covered her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Come out, Talya. It's alright. " he crooned moving into her closet. She held still as he walked back into her room. She heard him sniff, like he was smelling the air. She cringed as he sat on the bed and sighed. "Don't do this sweetie. You're making daddy upset..." She scooted back an inch as he pulled his legs up on her bed.

She was suddenly pulled backwards out from under the bed, kicking and screaming. She found herself hanging upside down by the ankle he held. "You shouldn't have hid from me.." He said in a guttural voice and tossed her. She hit the wall and lay still trying to breath. Her chest and stomach hurt, not allowing the air in as she wheezed and coughed, spraying blood onto the floor in front of her.

She watched shadows move quietly in the open door behind him. She whimpered and tried to make herself as small as possible as her father, who hadn't seen them, squatted in front of her. He ran his fingers along her cheek and looked at them. She could see the bright red coating them just before he put them in his mouth. She gasped as he smiled, showing bloody lips and teeth in a grimace.