Chapter Nine

 I flipped a page in my biology textbook, pretending to be studying when I was really just thinking about Vinnie. The couch cushions sunk slightly as my father sat down beside me.

"Hi dad." I mumbled.

"Son, what are you doing?" He crossed his legs and looked at me expectantly.

"I was studying," I closed the book. "But I can tell you want to talk about something."

"You always have been intuitive my boy." He murmured. "Yes I wanted to ask about Maria."

"What about that bitch?" I snarled.

"Reece! She is the daughter of a very important man. Don't use such...terms when talking about her." Dad looked enraged.

"Well I'm sorry. Would 'princess' work better?"

"I do not appreciate your sarcasm young man." He swatted my arm. "You should be wooing her."

I burst out laughing.

"Wooing? What is this, 1856? Dad, I don't want to woo Maria." I coughed, smothering the rest of my laughter.

"Why on earth not?" He glared at me.

"Because I have a girlfriend." The term 'girlfriend' didn't...fit Vinnie. We were more than that but what was I supposed to say, lover? Soul-mate? I stood up and started to walk out of the room.

 "We are no where near done talking, get back here young man!" He roared following me off the couch. "Now who is this 'girl' that my son is with?"
"I erm..." I had hoped our conversation would have gone better. "Her name's Vinnie."
Dad crossed his arms.
"Is she pretty?" He asked.
"Yeah, here's a picture," I pulled out my phone.

His expression was blank.

I double-checked to see the picture, making sure it was the right one.
"Dad? Are you okay?" I said, putting my phone away. I was never able to read my fathers face but something was definitely wrong.
"Nothing." He snapped, regaining his poise. "She has very lively skin for a vampire. Is that, uh, her natural hair color?"

"Yeah it's natural." I made sure to only respond to the last question. I scratched behind my ear."Uh dad, please please don't freak out but..."
"But what?!"

"She's human." The room was dead silent.
"Human."
"Please Dad, don't hurt her." I grabbed his shoulders. "Please."
Dad lost it.

"How dare you! The Hawkwood family has been PURE blooded for eight hundred years! Does your heritage not mean ANYTHING to you?!" His hand came down on my face.
"Throwing it all away for some human?!"
"I'M NOT THROWING ANYTHING AWAY." I yelled. I'd never really raised my voice to my father like this before. It felt good.
"Did your mother's death not teach you anything?"
"It taught me plenty of things! You never loved her! So what?! She left you for a human. It was love, you obviously don't know what that is!" I restrained myself from throwing a few punches at his face.
"This little fling will be gone soon. In a few years you'll forget about her completely."
"Shut the hell up DAD! You know nothing about me or her! I love her!" I smack my hands over my mouth. Oh great, I just dropped the L-word. I thought, inwardly kicking myself.
"I'm done talking to you!" I yelled.

 I stormed off to my room and collapsed on my bed. I could still smell Vinnie. Tea leaves and sugarcane shampoo. My phone beeped and I pulled it out.
Vinnie: Did you talk with your dad?
My fingers sped across the touchscreen.
Reece: Yeah. I did.
...
Vinnie: How did it go.
Reece: Great.