I know I fucked up the moment I slept with Keir. I don't know what came over me as I thought about how we were talking one moment, and the next, I was in his bed. It was something I wanted and needed, but I felt like he took control of me. Maybe it was my strong sexual need when I knew Ambrose would not help me with it. I know Brose told me to stay away from him, but Oliver and the other vamps wouldn't take me up on my offer, but Keir was up for the challenge. I saw why.
He wanted something to stick in Ambrose's face.
He played me to get to Brose. Something that he could laugh about later. I was still young and learning the difference in people's thoughts. Like the ones who were out to hurt others, but somehow, I always found the hateful ones. At least Ambrose was upfront with me. He wasn't one of those people who was out to hurt others. Although I wasn't a fool. I knew what he was trying to do the night we met, and I probably would have done it. It made me wonder if I would have ended up in this spot. Me as a vampire or would I still be my human self?
There was no reason to think about it now since it was a month in the past. I should have been focusing on Ambrose and how he was mad. I have seen him mad before, but this time was different. I felt like I hurt or disappointed him, but he did it on a daily basis to me. Every other night, he would leave and come home smelling like three or four different women and force me to sleep in his room to keep a better eye on me. I didn't see what for.
I was still attacking innocent people, and Michael said it would continue until we did what was needed. I hated this was happening to me. It could have been anyone else, but it had to be me. I should have been packing to move to Massachusetts to start my college journey, not here in Romania, doing nothing except sleeping during the day and partying at night.
I had dreams and Ambrose ruin it all. I cursed the day I met the asshole. He was sweet at first but turned into my worst nightmare. I should have listened to my Dad, but I was holding a grudge because of what he did to my mom. Being hardheaded led me to where I was tonight. I was sitting and waiting to see how Ambrose would punish me. Or would he do it at all? I know he was always threatening that he would but never did. However, that didn't mean he wouldn't.
It had my thoughts everywhere as I heard his footsteps, getting closer to the door. I was scared, and a small whimper released from my throat. It was the first time I could truly say I was scared of my mate. He made me think of my mom's favorite saying about how she brought me into this world, and she could take me out, although he couldn't do it. Still, I was frightened as the door opened, and I stood automatically. I didn't know why, but when my eyes came in contact with his, I wanted to run.
"One thing led to another—" Before I could finish, my body went flying into the wall behind me. I barely had time to comprehend what happened, but he hit me. The motherfucker hit me.
He fucking hit me!"
"What the fuck were you thinking?! Keir! Fucking Keir! I hope you know he only slept with you to rub it in my got damn face! You Stupid Little Bitch! Couldn't you play with yourself or some shit?!" I sat there listening to his shit as my anger boiled while he continued to rant. This entire time, I never said a word. I let him talk until he finally turned away, only for me to search the room, picking up the first thing I saw. It was a metal pipe or something, but I launched it into the back of his neck and through his throat. He yelled while he pushed it back through as something told me to run.
I didn't waste time as I ran out of the room and down the steps with the others. They could see the terror in my eyes, telling them something was wrong. Or maybe it was the blood running down my face. Whatever it was made Thana and Oliver stand while Keir and Lucy sat there with smirks on their faces.
"Call Father Now!"
"Why the fuck would we call him? Call Michael, he can get here the fastest. Chantal, why the fuck do you and Brose have to fight like cats and dogs on a daily basis? Just fuck already." Thana spoke, and I glared at her while I hid in the corner while watching Ambrose float into the room with rage written all over his beautiful face.
"I'm going to fucking kill you!"
"It's not fair! It's not damn fair you can treat me like shit, and as soon as I do something back, you're full of rage. You're a hundred and something years older than me, and I still act older. How? Grow the fuck up, asshole! You can't have your cake and eat it too!"
"That made no sense. Yet she is right, Brose. You need to calm down, or Michael will do it for you when he gets here any moment now." Quickly, Ambrose's feet touched the floor, staring between the five of us before glaring back at me.
"When he gets here, tell him to leave. This is my home, and he rules nothing here... Chantal!"
"Cha, you don't have to go." I knew this, but I also knew if I didn't, he was going to lose it again. It was sad to say but Ambrose was my master, and I had to listen. It didn't mean I had to like it. Still, I followed him back to the room, waiting to see what he would do next. I knew he wanted to tear my heart out, and he was too calm at this point, causing me to go stand in the corner of the room and watch as he moved about. Something felt off; he cleaned up his blood, and after, he left and came back with two bowls at hand.
"Eat—"
"I'm not eating this. You could have done something to it. Plus, what is this going to do for me? I need blood—"
"You'll get blood when I give it to your crazy damn ass! Eat, or I will fuck you up again!" I was sure I messed him up, and it wasn't the other way around. It made me laugh to myself as he turned to me. Obviously, he heard me because his eyes narrowed as he shoved the bowl into my face once more. It caused me to smile as I nicely took it. "It's poison, isn't it?"
"As if that would work. I told you, Chantal, you have to eat. You still have a stomach and organs that need nutrients that blood cannot give you— look. I shouldn't have hit you—"
"I truly don't want to hear it, Brose. Your apology is already weak. You meant what you did just as I meant what I did. There's no need for an apology. I only wish that I had the courage to fight back when I was with Trey." I sighed, but Ambrose laughed, shaking his head.
"Then you're crazy ass would have been in jail. At least with me, you know you can't kill me. Unless it goes through my heart or cut off my head." He was right. I could have killed him if I hit him in the right place. I knew not to because I felt like he was a part of me. I only wanted to hurt him the same way he hurt me. I never tried to kill him.
"Ambrose, I'm tired of the fighting. Why can't we get to know one another and try to make this work? All of this fighting and hurting one another is stressful."
"I don't see the reason to get to know each other or making this work. You'll still be a nagging little bitch. Plus, that would lead to other things I care nothing about." He was unreasonable. I could tell he only liked things to go as he pleased and no other way. Sometimes, you had to draw a line.
"Can we at least try?"
"No, so leave me the fuck alone—"
"My Father left my Ma when I was two. He walked out one day and never came back. I was too little to know what had happened, but my family went from having money to being broke since he was the breadwinner of the family. My Mom wasn't used to working, and it caused us to lose everything. I resented him for a long time because he wasn't there. He wasn't there when my brother Terrell died or when Andre got locked up. They were trying to make up for his responsibility. Be the men of the house."
I was trying to tell him a little about myself, as he turned to me with a confused look. I finally had his attention. "That has what to do with me? Some Father's are bitches. Mine was one, too. He left me on the streets of Transylvania, as they called it back then. For years, I ate from the trash and begged for food. I've been beaten, raped, and left for dead more times than I could count at the time. Cepheus took me in and gave me a home at eighteen. You know nothing about the pains of abandonment, Chantal. At least you had your Mother. Mine abandoned me right along with my Dad."
I couldn't believe what he told me. My heart was breaking for him as I reached over, touching his hand, which he pulled away quickly. He had abandonment issues. That had to be the reason he didn't want to get close to me. I could see it now. Ambrose had built up this wall that he refused to let down over a century later. One, he only let Cepheus in, but he only had one foot in the door.
"You're scared that I will abandon you."
"Hm, where would you go? I'm scared of nothing, Cha." My mouth opened, but Michael walked through the door with a frown. It was the first time I'd seen him with his wings put away, but his look caused Ambrose and I to stand and face him with our heads hanging low.
"Do I have to treat you two like children? What the fuck happened here?! You're not damn siblings. You are mates, so start acting like it and stop acting like teens. What the hell am I saying? You are teenagers."
"That's your problem, Brose. Cep didn't force you to grow up. You've been on this earth for over a century and you're still functioning as if you are a child. Chantal, I expect better from you. You're the daug— You're a brilliant young vamp that's sinking to Ambrose's level. One of you has to be the adult!" We looked at each other with a long sigh. Michael was right. One of us had to be the adult. It should have been Ambrose since he had been here the longest.
"Too damn bad we don't need your advice." That was his problem. Ambrose didn't know how to keep his mouth shut, and the next thing I knew, Michael had him up in the air by his throat. Fire was burning in his eyes as Brose struggled to break free. He was strong, but I could see Michael was stronger as I watched his wing spread and swayed behind him.
"I'm done with your smart mouth, Ambrose! Cepheus may have let you get away with this bullshit, but I will not be the one! Give me one good damn reason not to take your fucking heart right now!" Now, I was scared as he placed his hand against Ambrose's chest. His nails started to dig in as I stepped forward, causing his head to turn to me.
"Let him go. LET HIM GO!" I yelled, making Michael smile. He was challenging me. I knew I couldn't win a fight against him, but I refused to let him kill Ambrose. Something happened within me as I took another step as his fingers dug deeper into Ambrose's chest, making him scream. I didn't even know what happened, but Michael flew across the room as Ambrose fell to the floor. I didn't remember moving, but I had Michael's blood on me as he stood laughing.
"Hmm, your Little Butterfly is stronger than she knows. That shit hurt, and now that you've seen it for yourself, Ambrose. You had better reconsider getting to know her. You don't want Keir to take your place. He's already fucking her." Ambrose quickly stood as I placed myself between them and gently touched Brose's chest.
"Stop Ambrose, and we get it, Michael."
"Ambrose, it's time to stop being an ass and understand she was placed in your life for a reason. Don't let her fall in the arms of the wrong vamp and allow them to take her from you. I was never blessed with a mate, and maybe that's how my Father intended it to be for me. Sadly, I was placed on this earth to create the first vamp, which I did. It was Cepheus. Remember, there's only a handful of vampires who are chosen to have one. It's your destiny, Brose, but it can also be taken from you... and it will kill you."