A Vampire's Pride

The Disappearance

Viola's POV

I awake to a metallic groggy taste in my mouth and a dizzy sensation. I struggle to open my eyes- and when I do manage to open them, they burn. I groan as the light streams into my room, a thin light ray focusing on my foot. It burns the heel of my foot, so I send some ice magic through my sore palms to coat the heel of my foot.

"Take that." I mutter as I stretch. I sit up and scratch my back, not even wanting to look at the state of my hair. Probably a mess, just like my mental state. I stare at the fireplace, noticing that the fire went out again. What time is it? I glance at my wall clock and it reads ten AM. My eyes bulge out of their sockets as I realize that my dad didn't wake me up for our lessons. Is he expecting me to meet him at the creek?

I leap out of bed and quickly comb my hair into a pony tail, brush my teeth, and throw on a quick outfit. A black pair of workout leggings and a band T-shirt with sheer cutouts at the top. She's stylish, she's trendy, she's miss universe! I think to myself sarcastically. I yank on a pair of Nike running shoes and grab my keys quickly.

As I run through our silent house, I yell out to make sure he isn't home.

"Dad you home? No? Okay I guess. Nice talk!" I yell loudly, grab an apple and dart out of our home.

He's gonna kill me for being late. This has to be a test. He wakes me up every single morning- and out of blue forgets to wake me up? Has to be a set up- this has to be part of training. It's unlike him to oversleep- but it is like him to add different obstacles to training. What was going on?

         My sneakers crunch on the fallen leaves as I shoot through the trees. Our house happens to be in the middle of woods- hidden, just like dad wanted us to be. Forgotten.

        Anything was better than putting our family in danger.

         My breath comes out in huffs as I finally reach the creek, the smell of vanilla and oak creeping up my nostrils. I lean on a tree and take a couple deep breaths.

        "Damn, I'm out of shape." I pant. I wipe sweat off of my neck and lick my lips, starting to walk towards the water.

       "Dad? I'm here." I call out, searching our area. He had to be here somewhere- if not here, then where?

         "I'm ready for our training." I call out again, clasping my hands together nervously. My heart starts to thud in anxiousness as I bite my lip.

      "What the fuck." I mutter to myself. "Please don't tell me I just ran all the way over here for no reason." I put my hand on my forehead and close my eyes in frustration.

        "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news." I hear a taunting deep voice sound out from behind me. I spin around to come face to face with the same glimmering red eyes that were in my bedroom last night. I narrow my eyes at the good looking demon.

        "Kilian." I bite out. "I swear to god- if you have something to do with my dad not being here I will rip your nutsack off and feed it to my fish." I say, out of breath by the last word. He gives me a chilling smirk as his eyes rake up body. I resist the urge to shiver as I feel my hairs raise on the back of my neck.

            "You don't have fish." He says as I take a second to process the fact that he's right. I don't have fish.
       I roll my eyes as he continues.

       "And I have absolutely nothing to do with that man being gone- I'm just here to offer my favorite little icicle some help." He hums, eyes staring at me intensely. I stare at him, trying to read between the lines; searching for the lie. Any lie.
          It's useless, seeing as he doesn't lie-not this demon anyway. I sigh.

"I haven't thought about the deal- I happen to actually like sleeping." I mutter as he chuckles.

"You should be thinking about the deal more than ever right now." He says as I look up at him in confusion.

"And why is that?" I ask slowly, watching as his muscles rise with every breath that he takes. His face takes a serious note as his eyes connect with mine.

"Because" He drawls out. "I may be the only one who can help you find your dad." He finishes, waiting for my reaction.

"It would be so funny if he was at the store getting some milk or something while you're convincing me to make this deal." I laugh nervously as his expression stays serious.

"But-" I stop myself, thinking of where my father could be. All of this made no sense- and I couldn't piece together where on earth he'd be.

"But-" he lifts my chin as he continues. "You know he's not. He's been taken- and I'm the only way that you'll ever find him alive; because I know things that you don't. Think about that." He says, eyes showing nothing but truth. I feel my heart drop three levels down into my ass as I take a shuddering breath.

"Think about it?" I step away from him, watching as he drops his hand away from me and straightens out. I take another deep breath, closing my eyes for what I was about to say.

"No, I don't need anymore time to think. If he really was taken- and you have nothing to do with it- this is just all some big fucking coincidence, I agree to the deal." I say, opening my eyes back up.

"But I'm going to add some more terms to the deal." I say as the corner of his lips tilts up.

"It's so cute when you take charge." He says as I squirm under his gaze. He's completely right- talking the way I am to an all powerful demon wasn't a smart move- but I never claimed to be the smart one out of my family. Just the hard headed one.

"Forget showing me what life would've been like with my family- I want you to take me to them." I say, as he takes a second to think it over.

"I accept." He says.

"And-" I continue as he raises his eyebrows at me. "You need to help me get my father back. Alive." I say. He frowns.

"I can't guarantee-" he starts, but I cut him off, watching as his expression changes. I was walking in dangerous territory now. Matter of fact- I was dancing and stomping in dangerous territory- but there was just something about Kilian, I knew he wouldn't hurt me. Not right now, anyway.

"You need to be able to guarantee, or else I'm not taking the deal." I shrug as his frown deepens. He bites his bottom lip, fangs gleaming in the light. Finally, he takes a glance at me and nods.

"I accept." He says. "If-" He continues.
"If you extend your service to a year instead of six months." He finishes. My heart thuds as I glance at his arms, searching for the tattoo that represents our deal. I find the beautiful inky black rose and stare at it.

"Fine." I bite out.

My eyes find his as I hear myself starting something that would probably end in me dead.

"I accept."

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