Bloodlines

Part 6

Xxx

We don't deal with outsiders very well

The stare off between you and your father lasted an uncomfortable amount of time, but you refused to shift your weight under his glare. In fact, you felt your spine go a little straighter at the challenge, wanting to smirk when he was the first to glance away, sharing a look with your mother who stood to the side, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her features hard from what you could make out in your peripherals.

"You know, dad," you drawled in a tone Peter would have been proud of, "the time frame for you to give me any type of answer other than an explanation has passed. The fact that you didn't answer immediately means there is a story you're not telling me, and until you tell me, I'm not moving." You crossed your arms over your chest. "Not one inch."

Glancing between you and your mother, your father's face crumbled. "My God, you are a mirror image of your mother right now, and it's scaring me. Stop it!"

"Spill!" You said, not giving him a beat.

"Okay!" He nearly yelled, stopping to take a deep breath, crossing his arms himself before glancing down to them and rolling his eyes before he dropped them back to his sides emphatically. "Okay," he said again, this time softer. Closing his eyes and hanging his head, he let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, to answer your question, I know exactly what we are." Looking back up, he opened his eyes to meet yours, their bright red glow causing your jaw to slowly drop. "I'm a we-"

"Werewolf," you finished for him, softly, the word feeling right coming off your tongue. It had a taste, a feeling, like taking a sip of cold water after being outside in the sun all day.

Your father snapped his mouth shut and nodded once quickly in confirmation, letting his eyes fade, a much less dramatic exit than his entrance.

Glancing to your mom, you raised your eyebrow skeptically. "Why didn't you tell me you guys were werewolves?"

She smiled faintly, looking down to the ground as she rocked back on her heels once before looking up. "Because it wasn't my secret to tell."

A silence settled as you processed the information. Or, rather, tried to. "I don't understand."

"Your father is a werewolf, yes, but I am not."

You stared at her a moment before whining. "Please don't tell me you're a Kanima!"

Your father's "What the hell is a 'Kanima'?" overlapped your mother's "How the hell do you know what a 'Kanima' is?"

The silence was heavy. "You still haven't answered my question," you finally huffed out.

She smiled a bit broader, holding up a hand to silence your father, his face was still screwed up in confusion over the creature you had just mentioned. "I'm a hunter."

Nothing made sense anymore. The world was upside down. Left was right, up was down, and a crooked line was straight. "What?"

Jumping slightly at motion in your peripherals, you turned your gaze back to your father who had flicked out his claws, nodding gently at his mumbled, 'sorry'.

"Why don't I just show you?" His eyes glowed red for a fraction of a second.

Letting out a disbelieving laugh, you stepped back just a fraction of an inch, holding out your hands as a shield. "Nooooo," you elongated the word, laughing on the vowel slightly. "No, thanks. I've already had that done to me, and while it turned out okay in the end, I don't really wanna relive that experience."

"Who?!" Both of your parents yelled in unison.

You gulped. "Never mind, forget it."

Your father shook his head in confusion, but moved on anyway. "We had Talia take your memories before we left because our secret could have gotten you and many others killed."