PICTURE OF CHRISTA ---->
He continued to pace for several more minutes before I gained enough confidence to disturb the pattern. “It’s not your fault.” I said, loud enough for him to hear.
He froze and looked over at me in shock. “Yes it is. Who else’s fault would it be?” he asked his voice softer.
“Mine.” I answered simply and looked down.
“No. no. It’s not your fault Kat. You fell, it was an accident. I should have remained in control.”
I shook my head and glared up at him. “If what I did was an accident then it’s the same for you.” I persisted, shocked at myself for saying so out loud. I covered my mouth and looked away frightened by my actions as well as what he might do.
“No, no. You’re fine. I’m not going to punish you just for speaking or for anything you do. I’d like to hear your opinion more often. I believe that before all this happened you were quite the character by the way I’ve seen you hold back from saying something. Am I right?” he urged. I only nodded. He sat down in front of me and crossed his legs. “So… why are you in the corner?”
I shrugged.
He sighed. “Alright. Um… Do you have any siblings?”
I nodded, my eyes flickering once to his and then back to my legs.
This seemed to give him a kind of jumping off point. “Brother or sister? Or both?”
“I had a brother.” I answered quietly.
“What happened to him, if you don’t mind me asking…” he questioned.
I shrugged once more. I jumped in panic as the door suddenly opened and almost grabbed for Zane, not used to anyone being there but him. He seemed to notice and scooted against the wall beside me and smiled reassuringly. A girl that looked to be around the same age as I was walked in gracefully. She was probably the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and my eyes widened in awe. She had long silky black hair that went down to her waist and her eyes were alight with a happy glow that seemed to make her very presence soothing.
“Zane, Dad wants you. I don’t know why but he just asked me to send you.” She said cheerfully.
Zane rolled his eyes. “As if you don’t know.”
She smiled slyly and I wondered what exactly they were talking about. “Actually he’s blocked me. So I really don’t know.”
I blinked, my mind trying to come up with a solution before looking over at Zane in confusion. “I thought you said that you couldn’t read minds…” I said very quietly, just above a whisper.
The girl’s eyes locked on me and she smiled. “Hello, Kat. I’m Christa, Zane’s younger sister, nice to meet you!” she said smiling while holding her hand out to shake. I timidly and very hesitantly took it and she shook it gently, giving me a curious look.
He smiled at the two of us. “I can’t but Christa can. I’m surprised you were able to figure that out so quickly.”
“She’s a sharp one, gotta watch out for her Zane.” She laughed and winked at me. I smiled a small smile and looked down at my lap.
There was a moment’s pause and Zane got up from where he was sitting. “I won’t be long, I promise and Christa won’t hurt you.” He gave me a reassuring smile before leaving the room.
I looked over to where Christa now sat. She stared back for a moment. “So why exactly are we on the floor?”
I just shrugged.
“Hmm, not one for talking much huh? Well we’ll change that. Come on, let’s go over onto the bed.” She said excitedly and jumped up and leapt onto the bed looking back at me. “Come on, I won’t bite!” she said playfully, winking again.
I smiled for real this time and lifted myself off the floor and timidly walked over and sat on the bed.
“There we go! They must have really been horrible to you if you’re this bad. Mind if I take a look?” she asked, pointing to her head.
I shook my head, I felt like I could trust her already. “Sure.”
There was silence for a few minutes before she sighed and I looked over. “Wow. I understand why you don’t talk or pretty much do anything. Harold’s the worst. I’ve heard of him before but I didn’t know it was that bad. I can’t believe he just raped you and then just took you. It’s beyond vile… I don’t know how to explain it.” She said, her voice holding a passionate rage with every word.
I flinched. No one had ever known about that. I had made sure to lock it away from everyone, even myself. Zane hadn’t even been able to break through the web I had spun around it. “No one but you knows about that. Even Zane doesn’t know.” I said quietly, tears coming to my eyes and spilling over.
She seemed shocked but gently pulled me beside her and rubbed my back, giving me peace. “I won’t tell him if you don’t want me to.” She said quietly.
I looked over at her. “Please don’t. I’ve already stressed him out enough and I don’t want to make it worse.”
She smiled a small smile. “I won’t and believe me you haven’t done a thing. He’s just worried for you. He’s just Zane.” She laughed. “He’s always been the one to want to look out for everybody but never really looking out for himself.”
I nodded. “You’re lucky.”
She tilted her head. “How so?”
“You have such a nice brother. Mine was the same. Max was always there for me and I tried to be there for him but it was hard because he was always trying to get away from us. He was always the dreamer, never wanting what he had and wanting what he didn’t.” I explained. The more I talked with Christa the more comfortable I felt. I truly believed that she wouldn’t hurt me. Not that I felt that way with Zane, it was just he was so on edge all the time, like he couldn’t sit still without knowing I was fine and dandy. Besides, something about Christa just made me want to open up and I could almost forget how different we really were.
She nodded. “What happened to him?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I guess he’s still with my family. I haven’t seen him since they took me.”
She sighed. “I’m sorry. I wish I could help, I really do. Maybe I can convince Dad to let you visit them.”
“No! I don’t want them getting anywhere near here.” I said urgently, my eyes wide with fear. I sighed and looked away. “I just don’t want them getting into this mess like I did. I don’t mean that towards you or Zane or Farion. I can’t help but not trust vampires.”
“Shh, shh. I know. But maybe. There’s always hope. By the way, while we’re here and you’re feeling comfortable talking with me I should let you in on a few tips considering you’re living here now. Alright whenever Zane paces he’s extremely stressed, worried, nervous, scared, anything like that. Whenever he’s feeling any of those he can’t sit still for his life. When he’s mad he’ll get this look on his face that make you want to laugh so badly your stomach hurts but try not to because it just makes everything worse. Believe me!” she laughed and I chuckled under my breath. “Okay when he’s ‘hungry’ his eyes start changing to their iridescent color, we all have that so whenever you see a vampire with eyes like that stay away from them. Um… let’s see. I can read minds, as you’ve already figured out and you know about Zane. We can also talk telepathically to each other, you can’t because you’re mortal but if we start giving each other theses stares you know why. Stay away from Dad, our sister Gwen, Mom, and pretty much any strange vampires you don’t know and who don’t know you. Only I, Zane and our brother Xavier are good with humans. As you already know vampires don’t exactly think of mortals as company. Xavier likes to joke about it but he’s friendlier with humans than he puts off. Okay that’s all I have for you… for now anyway.” She winked before heading to the door just in time for Zane to turn the knob and enter with another guy following. In a flash she was gone, leaving the two of us alone with the other guy standing behind him.
I looked at him in curiosity but didn’t say anything as he and Zane were whispering something to themselves. I saw that he had chestnut brown hair the covered his face and was cut in a choppy and layered fashion.
They looked up after a moment, the one with brown hair smiled. “I’m Xavier, I’m sure Christa already told you about how amazing I am and everything but just so you know I’m the hottest thing on this scene.”
Zane rolled his eyes and smiled. “Well that’s as far as it pretty much goes isn’t it?”
Xavier swatted out indignantly. “I’m not shallow if that’s what you mean.”
Zane ducked away and shrugged playfully. “Anyway I’m guessing that Christa didn’t do anything?”
I nodded.
“Wait a minute. Zane, what did you give her to wear?” Xavier said, eyeing my clothes distastefully.
His eyebrows came together. “Some of my older and more comfortable clothing considering I don’t have anything besides button-ups and anything else I have would be uncomfortable to her. Why does it matter anyway?”
Xavier sighed. “Sometimes I worry. Alright, Kat me and you are going shopping this weekend or whenever you’re ready, got it?” he said smiling slightly.
I couldn’t help but let a small smile play on my lips. I loved him and Christa already and I didn’t even know them. “Alright.”
He smiled again and left the room, giving Zane a look before shutting the door.
“Well it seems that my siblings like you.” He said laughing lightly.
“I like them.” I answered quietly.
“I would let you meet Gwen but she’s more of the immortal lover than a mortal lover. She doesn’t exactly like humans in other words.”
I nodded. “I understand. I’m not exactly the easiest person to be around…” I said, almost to myself.
He blinked. “What do you mean?”
I shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“So? It’s obviously something because you thought about it, or remembered it, or whatever.” He said gently.
I shrugged again. “Just another unhappy memory. Nothing more.”
“Well, I won’t pry but if you ever want to tell someone I’m sure Christa would listen…” he said in fake cheer, making me feel guilty and almost sad in a way. He probably thought that I didn’t like him at all.
“Why Christa?” I asked quietly.
He shrugged after a moment of silence. “I want you to feel comfortable and you seem to like her and I know she likes you.”
He wouldn’t meet my gaze but I felt slightly angered by his comment I wasn’t a dog. I sighed but was a pet. I would never be one of them. Ever. But for even just a moment I wished that I could forget that I was nothing more than a slave.