her to back off. He was definitely on Santa's naughty list for next year!
The family settled down in the comfortable room. Almost the moment her backside hit the cushion her father made a drastic announcement.
'Your Aspen trip is canceled. Recently, several attempts have been made on Tessa's life recently.'
His announcement was met with stunned silence. After several panicked heartbeats Tessa spoke earnestly, 'That's a lie, Victor.'
In her shock she forgot to call him Father. Victor's eyes glowed a deep angry red and Tessa could literally see little flames dancing in them. Her use of his first name always caused him anger.
'There's a fringe group of humans who know about the Other World. They call themselves demon hunters. Somehow they've discovered you are a demon. On three occasions they have tried to kill you.'
Her mind fought to process what he was saying. Her brain turned off, but her mouth unfortunately, stayed operational. 'Shut the fuck up!'
He raised his eyebrow. Looking at her sister's terrified and surprised faces made her feel even more nervous. The last time she'd seen him things had gotten scary. You could only push a demon so far before it got dangerous. She hated the thought of ruining her sister's holiday -again- with a fight with Victor. His eyes glowed red, not a good sign. Her words were a mistake, and she knew the moment she said them that Victor would make her regret them. Cringing, she waited a second, and then another second passed. Nothing happened, and she glanced up at her father. He hadn't lost his glamour yet; that was a good sign. He didn't look happy; but he wasn't calling his wrath down on her like he would if anyone else talked to him like that. His eyebrow stayed raised, and she wondered if it was stuck.
'No, I will not.'
He could be so literal sometimes, she thought with a sigh. '
Listen to me, Tessa. Your life is in danger. If you take your sisters to the human realm they too will be in danger. I know how much you love them. Stay here; be safe. This is your home, child.'
'This has never been
'Your bodyguards would stop them.'
'My- my- my what? Have you had me followed?' Tessa felt confused. Why hadn't she known? 'How long has it been going on?'
He looked menacing, as if he could slay all these would-be enemies himself. 'Do you think I would let my heir, my eldest, wander around foolishly playing human unprotected? I've always had a security detail charged with your safety.'
It was the greatest outrage she could imagine. Horrified, she didn't even know if she could scream her rage at him. No wonder some crazies knew she was part demon. Demons were
Violated beyond words, Tessa tried to pull herself together. Regally she stood, and with all the demon fury she daily suppressed, she used her magic for the first time in years. Snapping her fingers she teleported herself back to her apartment.
Rushing to her closet, she began to pack. It would be hard to escape his long reach, but determined, Tessa made a mad dash for the door. She would not be house-bound at her father's like she had during childhood.
Because she had left her coat back in Other World she grabbed a thick sweater and left her apartment, knowing she would never see her small, tidy home again. The life she'd built -home, job, and friends- was lost to her.
Taking only the single suitcase and her purse she rushed away; hoping to lose her father's goons. Tessa wasn't his pet. She would make sure her father and the demon haters never found her again.
Chapter 3
As much as Victor hated vampires, this time he made an exception and hired one. Gideon, a badass vampire, stood waiting for admittance to his Grand Master's office. When he'd risen to power the vampires had been his greatest source of opposition. His older brother and father had been killed by vampires, so his hatred for them ran deeply.
Contacting the vampire proved just how terrified he was for his most beloved daughter. Tessa, the strongest and most stubborn of the girls, was also the most talented demon. She fought it, but she certainly took after Victor the most; she shared his stubbornness, his power, and yes, even his ability to ignore facts he didn't want to see. His inability to connect with the traumatized little girl had caused a lifetime of distance between them and he accepted his responsibility for it. However, he would not accept her foolishness. In the human world she was mortal and could easily die.
He should have lied about the reason for cancelling the trip. When she walked into the room the other girls, and even the servants, had lit up brighter than the Christmas tree in the center of the great hall, and his long worry had turned to anger. Tessa honestly couldn't see how precious she was to all of them. When she wasn't brooding or angry with him, the girl had a delightful sense of humor. She'd insisted that her sisters be happy and she'd filled the castle with her love for them. It was a different place when she'd been home. She'd taught her sisters to dance and sing. She'd been fearful, but she was always good to his servants and truly tried to see past the stereotypes she had been taught as a child. She'd earned their love without ever realizing it.
Tessa put her life at risk every day that she lived away from the Other World, her family, and her birthright. Someday -in centuries, he hoped- she would take his place when he died. Tessa rejected the notion entirely, but Victor knew the truth. The moment of her birth he'd felt it; she was the one to carry on his legacy. If only she could get past her anger and resentment.
He could never tell her the truth about her mother. It would devastate her. He accepted her hate to spare her the misery of the truth. Pulling his mind away from the crippling pain of the memories he cleared his throat and spoke into the intercom at his desk.
'Send in the vampire.'
Casually, as if the man were Grand Master himself, the vampire entered and, without permission, sat down. Victor raised his eyebrow, but said nothing. He needed the man's skills too desperately to alienate the vampire right now; Gideon was the best tracker in all the Other World. Victor hated having a vamp in his home, but for Tessa he would tolerate the man. Vampires knew his aversion to their species and resented his rule, probably with some justification. He'd had more trouble with them than any other race in his domain.
The vampire put his feet up on Victor's desk. Insolence! If he didn't need the arrogant creature he would order an immediate execution. Gideon smiled, and Victor knew that the vampire knew he was safe for just that reason. Clearing his throat, Victor spoke with barely restrained anger.
'Vampire… Gideon of Burning Side, I called for your assistance and will tolerate your insolence only so far. You are to return my daughter, Tessa, home, and will receive a handsome payment when you have completed the task. She is using her magic to cloak herself. Human demon hunters have their sights set on her and are determined to end her life. If she dies or is harmed in any way, it will be you I call my vengeance on.'
'Why should I drag some spoiled demon Royal home? It's not my concern if hunters get the foolish girl.' The vampire's eyebrow rose mockingly.
Victor could feel his horns growing long and curled and his fingers became claws at the disrespect to his daughter. His current worries left him absolutely no tolerance for arrogant vampires.
'My child is not a spoiled girl. However, she is stubborn and independent, and needs to be here at home. I expect you to take this task seriously. If she dies I will kill every female vampire in the realm in retaliation. Your choice; save my child or watch your species become extinct.'
