Song: Forever by Red
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Anya's eyes widened when she saw the intricate design of my home. Everything about America is different than what she's used to.
The roads, the sides in which we drive, the language, and, of course, the homes. Driving in an actual car was also a new experience for her, as I have found out. In Russia, she was always either transported everywhere by simply walking, or, by filthy cattle trucks.
She had never seen the luxury cars behold.
And it's then that I realize I take a lot of things for granted.
I've grown up with the luxuries freedom gives me while Anya has grown up with nothing. She's known nothing all her life. Shambles and ruin made is what she's known all her life, and I do hope she doesn't get too overwhelmed by how much different life is here.
She hasn't said a single word since the I've cleaned her wounds in the motel that one night. I glance in her direction and immediately, her body starts quaking with fear.
I'm lost. I don't really know what to do. How can one handle this situation? She's in constant fear and even the slightest noise causes her to jump.
However, now that she's relaxed in the car, her silver eyes dance around her surroundings. She smashes her face against the window, watching the ground speed by. Little 'Ouuuu's and aweees' escape her lips from time to time when she watches her surroundings whiz passed her.
Every time she makes cute sounds in amazement, I can't help but smile.
Because some where, deep inside, are feelings other than fear. There's more to her than just her timid, abused exterior and I intend to find out every little piece of her.
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
I will except it all.
Pulling back onto my pack lands, I feel anxious. Surely, the wolves will be picking up the scent of vampire any moment now, and that's what I fear. They had been taught to hate vampires because of what they've done to our species.
Many of the werewolves were even alive during the Great War, as they call it. Those who lived through the war tell tales of slavery, abuse, betrayal, and finally, defeat.
They keep the memories alive and strong for all to hear around them.
And I do agree that what the vampires did was horrible and the ones responsible deserve punishment.
But the majority of vampires around today have had nothing to do what their ancestors had done. Most of the ones responsible for the abuse and slavery of werewolves and humans have been executed for war crimes.
So the majority of vampires alive today have had nothing to do with the war from decades ago. Most don't even know about it, as many have been brainwashed into doing nothing but serving their superiors.
Some vampires are almost robotic-like, and it's scary. They travel around with a blank look in their eyes, as if nobody is home inside their heads.
It's not moral what has become of the innocent vampires.
We as werewolves aren't any better from the very beings that we seek to destroy.
It's hypocritical and if I can't persuade the werewolf council to open their eyes, then horrible consequences will follow if they find out about my vampiric mate.
All hell could break loose, and that's what I fear.
Werewolves will look at me with disgust. I won't be excepted into society anymore and I would be banished as a rogue and my rights as well as my mate would be stripped away from me by the werewolf council.
That's the worst case scenario.
But I'd be willing to go through anything for the will of my mate.
I would fight for her even if it means I have to go rogue with my mate.
I would make her go rogue with me over letting the filthy paws of the werewolf council touch her any day. Who knows what they would do with her.
I have faith in my pack, though. I believe that they will support me. Because it's not a matter of if they find out, it's a matter of when.
The scent of vampire is distinguishable. It's hard to explain, but vampires smell like the dead of night. Predators. Beings whom are dangerous and are to be feared.
"We're home." I announce as I pull into the gravel road that leads to my home. I feel anxious to see my family again and I feel excited to be home once more. I do get homesick from time to time, and it feels nice to finally be returning with my mate.
Once a werewolf finds their mate, it is customary for them to move into a new house located on the pack lands. And since the pack land happens to be several hundred miles, I get to choose wherever I want to place my new home.
But of course, that will be a topic later discussed with my mate.
First, she must get used to me and get to know me before any of that happens.
First, I must introduce her to her new family.
And I'm nervous.
My parents, especially my dad, despises the vampires. My mom has suffered tremendously by their hand, and my dad would do anything it takes to protect her.
I can only hope that they except me and my mate because they are my support system. I rely on them and their support so if they don't give me that, it will feel like a silver bullet to my heart.
I stop the truck and look over at my little mate in the front seat. She's huddled up, her knees are pulled to her chest and her skeletal frame hunched over in fear. She refuses to look at me still, despite the many times I've told her she can.
Looking at how skinny she is, I know I need to get her food as soon as possible. Russia didn't provide any blood bags for vampires. In Russia, the vampires need permission from their masters to go hunting on land specifically reserved for vampire hunts.
In America, though, blood bags are provided and served to the vampires. And by looking at Anya, I need to get her blood quickly.
I get out of my side of the truck and walk around to the passenger side where she sits. I cautiously open the door, hoping not to scare her too much. Her eyes meet with mine for a split second before she quickly averts them back down again, shivering.
I had warned my family about my mate's state beforehand, so I'm hoping that they will tone down their excitement and noise while Anya is around. She's timid around new people and terrified of loud noises.
I lay my hand on hers, and to my surprise, she doesn't flinch back and cripple into a fearful mess. "Anya, we're home. We've arrived at your new permanent home. You won't ever be exploited again. I'm going to help you out of the car. Just a quick warning, my family is very.....loud and boisterous and they are going to be excited to see me. They don't mean you any harm, I promise."
I don't know how much of my words she believed.
But I do hope they comforted her in some way.
I wish I could get into her mind, to see just how she sees the world. What would it be like to be terrified of everyone and everything? I couldn't begin to imagine the things those silver eyes have witnessed. I couldn't begin to imagine the horrors she's been through.
Hell, I don't even know if I want to imagine her suffering.
It gets me and my wolf riled up, wanting red revenge to be spilled by my hands.
Anya still could barely walk. So, I decide to carry her inside. I pull her close to me and cradle her head against my chest. She's as still as a statue and for a moment, I am afraid she's passed out from fear.
But when I peak down at her, I see that her eyes are still wide open and unblinking. Her fingers are tightly latched onto my shirt.
When I walk through the front door for the first time with my mate, I see that my family stands around, some of them are smiling, some of them wear shocked looks on their faces.
My mom looks worried and my dad looks.....upset.
He knows.
They all know.
"The spare room is already set up for your mate. Everything you need for her is found there." My mom says in a hushed tone, her eyes never wavering from the emaciated vampire in my arms who now has her face buried into my jacket and is shivering violently.
She's terrified.
"Thank you. I will explain everything later." I reply, looking my dad right into his eyes. He looks stern and I can tell he's biting back his tongue.
I rush up the stairs, the steps creaking as I go. I find the room at the very end of the hallway and open the door. It is a small, cabin-like guest room with a twin bed and a wood burning stove. The walls are made of real cedar and a little bathroom is to the left.
I pull back the covers of the twin bed, and set Anya down.
"Anya, just relax. I will get you food as soon as I can. Just hang on a little longer for me, okay?"
I notice her eyes widen at the word food and she licks her lips. I can tell she is quite delighted at the thought.
"Master- I-I mean D-Donovan, what did I do t-to deserve food?" She asks quietly, her voice wavering.
"Food is not a privilege but a moral right. You will be served several meals daily until you are healthy again, and once you're healthy you will still be aloud to eat whenever you please. Anya, your life has changed. You will no longer have to face the kiss of the whip or be crammed in cold cages to starve."
She doesn't respond, but her fingers tap against the bed, as if she's thoroughly thinking through what I just had told her.
So, I ordered blood bags right away. It was venison blood that had been freshly hunted by the pack. Of course, I called the doctor who specializes in vampires to ask if she could eat. The doctor said yes, but only two blood bags at each meal.
Since Anya has been starved, her stomach has shrunken down dramatically and can't eat much. She would end up throwing it all up if I gave her access to an open buffet.
The doctor will be over to look at her later tonight, but for now she can drink two blood bags. Braxton, the pack's Beta, delivers the blood bags to the room. I see his eyes glance over at Anya who is tucked up in bed.
I can feel her fear.
"So it's true, then. Your mate is a.....vampire." Braxton says, his green eyes meeting mine and some of his ginger strands falling into his eyes.
I nod my head. "Yes it is. I'm not trying to be rude, but I do need to tend to my mate now."
"Oh, yes, of course. Good luck with her, Donovan. I truly wish the best for you both....maybe this union could finally bring about peace."
"Thank you, Braxton. I'm hoping so too."
And with those words, I shut the door and cautiously approach my mate. She clutches the covers tightly against her and she looks down in submission.
"Anya, I have your food. I want you to drink these slowly and carefully, okay? I don't want you to throw it all up if you drink too fast. It may be tempting to drink it fast, but you will throw it up if you do."
I open up the first bag full of blood. The scent of the blood wafts through the air and as it does so, Anya's pupils turn into cat-like slits and her iris' turn red. Her hands shakily grab the blood bag and she presses it to her lips.
She drinks greedily.
"Anya, slow down, you'll choke."
A low growl leaves her lips. It sounds ferocious and I'm shocked that my little mate could produce such a sound.
In merely two seconds, the first blood bag is gone. She snatches the second one from my hand and rips it open. She drinks hungrily and blood runs down her chin and dribbles down her neck.
I grasp the bag from her and try to take it from her so that she does not choke, but her grip is strong. She continues to drink hungrily.
And then the next thing I know, she starts choking. Blood starts to ooze out of her mouth and she starts regurgitating her food back up.
"Damn it, Anya. I told you to drink slowly." I mutter as I quickly fetch a rag and a bucket from the bathroom. I prop the bucket in her lap and I hold her hair back as she gags. Blood springs from her mouth as well as stomach acid.
I hold her brittle hair back as she throws up the contents of her stomach into the bucket. I notice tears have sprung to her eyes and quiet sobs leave her mouth. Her eyes have reverted back into their normal, unique silver color.
"I-I'm sorry m-master I should h-have listened." She sobs and trembles in fear. I can tell she is already imagining what punishment she would be enduring for her disobedience. It breaks my heart when she buries her face into her hands and pulls herself into a little ball.
She's so broken.
I gently cup her face so that she is now looking at me. I've never seen her face in such detail before. Her eyes are striking and resemble a wintry wonderland. Her face is boney, though, but every imperfection of hers I can look passed and see the real beauty that matters.
And that real beauty lies underneath, waiting to be flaunted and put on display.
It's something I will find.
She tries to flinch away and her eyes swim with tears because now, she is forced to look me in the eyes. She tries to hold in her tears. "You have nothing to apologize for. I would have probably done the same if I was in your position. I swipe her stray tears awy gently with my thumbs and pick up the rag.
I clean her face and neck from the blood that she had spilled in silence. Her eyes look back down and she shivers.
She hates me touching her.
"I have an idea." I say, getting back up. I take out a very small paper cup from the bathroom and fill it with the some of the blood that she hadn't drunken from the bag. If I give her one tiny cup at a time, then I won't have to worry about her throwing it up as she can't drink it fast enough if there's only a tiny amount given to her at a time.
And so that's exactly what I do. I continue to refill her cup until eventually, the blood bag is empty. "That's all for tonight until the doctor gets here to examine you. Until then, rest. You need it. If you need anything, yell, and I will be here in an instant."
She nods and sinks down further into the covers until the only thing visible is the top of her head which displays her auburn hair.
I walk towards the door and just when I'm about to close it, I hear her muffled, quiet voice from the covers being drawn over her mouth. "Thank you, D-Donovan." She sounds cute and my wolf likes it when she calls me Donovan.
"Anything for you, Anya." I reply before gently shutting the door. I take a moment to lean against the door and take a deep breath.
This situation is a hard and stressful one to be in for both me and Anya alike. Not only because she's injured, but because the werewolf council is bound to catch onto us eventually. It's inevitable.
And now, I have to head downstairs to discuss with my family about matters of my fated union with a vampire.
And I can only hope they support me as we go through this difficult time together.
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I'm going to be gone on Senior Retreat from this Sunday till Thursday. I will be camping with my class and will have little to no reception, so obviously, I'm not going to be able to write in that time.
So if the next chapter is a little late, that's why :)
Thank you for reading and voting, everyone! I appreciate it, I hit 900 reads today! :D
Until next time.....