The father and evil step mother

"Does this mean that the recording will self-destruct in ten seconds?"

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of a person you are.” ~Kurt Cobain

Shaun woke up with a sensory overload. She knew that she was pissed, had a killer headache that gave her a clue that she had died sometime ago, people were whispering around her, and that she was tied up. That was when her brain decided to remember that Malachi had killed her, yet again.

 

Opening her eyes, Shaun saw Isolde and her father, Easley, behind his cluttered desk gesturing madly at one another while they were having their ‘discussion’. While they were busy having their whispering fight, Shaun took the time to look at him. See if he had changed noticeably. Though, she was surprised to notice that his normally shoulder length dark brown hair was shaved on the sides with a little bit of buzz but had a few inches of hair on top that was styled messily. He also had a slight growth of a mustache. Just like any vampire that worked a lot with humans he had taken on wearing clothes that were common nowadays. He opted for of a v neck dark creamy beige shirt and black slacks with a belt.

 

Shaun wondered if his chocolate eyes still held the warmth and laughter like they had always did in her childhood or if they had changed to something else.

 

Relaxing in the chair the best way she could (which was no easy feat, being tied up and all) and made loud groaning sounds.

 

When she had both of their attention she showed them her killer smile that had been known to be seen right before the mayhem had started.

 

“Someone want to explain why I can’t move my hands of my own free will?” Shaun looked pointedly at Isolde.

 

“That’s because they’re tied up,” her father pointed out, concerned why she wouldn’t know that herself. He leaned towards his wife and whispered, “Dear, do you think she hit her head harder than Malachi thought?”

 

“Thank you Mr. Obvious.”

 

“Shaun, you don’t have to be rude to your father. I’m the one who asked Malachi to bring you in.”

 

“Yeah and I bet you are the one who told some yuppies to tie me up. Tell me something, Izzy,” Shaun took relish in the flash of anger of the nickname she had given her step-mother, “the reason why you always send Malachi after me is it because you know that he’ll have no qualms about making sure I’m dead since you don’t have the balls to do it yourself?”

 

“ENOUGH!” Easley’s fists slammed against the desk causing everything on it to jump. “You do not speak that way to your mother,” he gritted out with barely concealed anger.

 

“How many times do I have to tell you? She’s not my mother.” Shaun replied coolly undaunted by the show of her father’s temper.

 

Shaun paid half a mind as Isolde made clucking sounds at Easley. She never did like father to allow his temper free reign, Shaun mused to herself, thought it was a weakness among us. Something that was never to be tolerated while she ruled.

 

“Before this becomes a hallmark moment, can one of you please explain to me why I was brought here? Being tied up I can somewhat understand and,” Shaun paused for affect and tried to phase through the ropes, but couldn’t, “why I was given the uber bad drug for others health?”

 

“Because we didn’t want you to run away before we’re finished with our talk.” Isolde clasped her hands in front of her. With her wheat coloured hair curling slighting around her face and shoulders creating a halo, she looked like an angel. The red dress she wore that clung to her form added to her image of perfection. The flawless creamy skin didn’t help at all, too.

 

Shaun had the irresistible urge to gag. She often found herself wondering if it was all an act. That Isolde wasn’t really perfect that, in fact, she collected beanie babies, had insatiable urges to eat chocolate, and adored chick flicks.

 

“Fine,” Shaun tugged against her bindings meaningfully, “talk.”

 

Easley took his time pulling out his huge brown, overstuffed chair and sat down in it. Instead of looking at his own daughter he stared at the trinkets and papers scattered all over his desk. “The reason why your moth- Isolde asked you here today is simple. We have a mission for you.”

 

“Oh, goody. So does this mean that this recording will self-destruct in ten seconds?” Shaun asked her voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

Easley just frowned at his desk.

 

“Nevermind. Just a human pop culture reference. Continue on with your oh, so intriguing explanation.”

 

“As you know, relations between the humans and our kind have currently been strained since the rash of killings by the Hunters. The humans aren’t trying to stop it, but if a crime is witnessed then, and only then, will the Hunter be dealt with.”

 

“And what does this have to do with me?”

 

“We want you to be an ambassador of sorts to the humans.”

 

“I sense an ‘and’ in there.”

 

“We’re ah… sending you in the midst of negotiations.”

 

“Negotiations? Is that some weird code word for school? Because I’m not doing that again! Sixty years was long enough for me.” With narrowed eyes she hissed at Isolde, “You can’t make me go back. I’d rather eat champagne glasses.”

 

“Didn’t you do that back in 1750’s?” Easley asked with genuine father curiosity his eyes dancing with silent mirth.

 

Shaun scrunched her face as she tried to remember, gladdened that he hadn’t changed in the entirety, “I think it was ’56.”

 

“But why did you-”

 

“That point is moot,” Isolde snapped. “It’s in the past so leave it there. Shaun, we’re not sending you back to school though we probably should for all the trouble you bring onto our doorstep.”

 

Me? Bring trouble? Psssssh.

 

“You have disgraced us too many times to count,” Isolde stepped around the desk and approached Shaun. She wasn’t fooled one bit by the soothing tone; even if she was deaf Shaun could still detect the hostility in the words. “You owe us this after all that we have been through because of you-”

 

“What are they?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“All these times that I have brought shame to you and Da. Name them. I want examples.”

 

“During the banquet-”

 

“I was never at any banquet.”

 

“Precisely.”

 

“Hold the phone, are you saying that I did you wrong by not even showing up at some fancy place?!”

 

“That’s exactly my point.”

 

Shaun threw her head back and groaned. “Oh, someone just gag me! You are- You…” Shaun trailed off as she huffed out a breath in anger. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. When that didn’t work she counted to twenty. That calmed her down. A little bit. She raised her head and muttered, “negotiations. You want my part in some negotiations, right? What are they? Why me? What do I have to offer? And what do you two get out of it?”

 

Easley opened his mouth as he was raising a hand to his chest.

 

“Oh, don’t give me that whole ‘I have nothing in to gain from this’ crap. No offense, Da, but you can’t pull off that affronted face. You want something; I might be able to give it to you. Now, what is it that you are after?”

 

Easley studied Shaun and she returned the favor. She knew what he was thinking what he was doing… weighing his options, deciding how much to tell her, and what to lie to her about. “There is a council set up that are working with humans to form a compact of sort between our two races. We want to add you to that council and aid the negotiations.”

 

Suspicious, Shaun watch him through narrowed eyes, “Such ‘negotiations’ have been going on for nearly a hundred years. What makes this any different from then?”

 

When her father remained silent suspicion grew into a mild panic that clutched around her stomach, “What aren’t you telling me?”

 

“The Dire’s seemed to have joined the negotiation tables and are acting as the humans advisors.”

 

Shaun fell through the chair.

Reviews

[Bhavya Kaushik]

hmmmm.....well, you are keeping the story line so strong here I must admit...
Not even for a second my mind got diverted from the text when I was reading it...
Though I guess you should be more careful about grammar :)

[Jocelyn Elizabeth]

I am soo tired. It's 12:30AM here in the good state of PA, and I have a class in seven and a half hours. I must make this quick:

"Shaun woke up with a sensory overload. She knew that she was pissed, had a killer headache that gave her a clue that she had died sometime ago, people were whispering around her, and that she was tied up."

Shaun awoke with sensory overload. She could recall a feeling of extreme anger, yet the headache throbbing in her skull blocked all realization from dawning. The numbness in her fingers and toes told her that she had recently died. No she hadn't died, she'd been murdered. She'd been pushed from a very tall building. People around her whispered unintelligable ramblings, increasing the pain on her aching skull. In an attempt to sit up, she discovered herself bound.

Maybe? Yes, no?

"Opening her eyes, Shaun wittnessed Isolde and her father, Easley, behind his cluttered desk gesturing madly at one another while they were having their 'discussion'. While they were busy having their whispering fight, Shaun took the time to look at him." REPITITION!? WHAT? Haha. That's okay. I fogive you. Blame it on the repitition devil.

Shaun's aquamarine eyes greeted the dim light, and the scene unfolding nearby. Her mother and father paced behind a cluttered desk, gesturing and jabbing fingers at one another like children at a playground. Shaun studied her father for a long and calculating moment. His hair was trimmed in a fashionable crew cut, tousled on top to add a hint of personality. His beige shirt was wrinkled from spending long hours behind his messy desk.

"Relaxing in the chair the best way she could (which was no easy feat, being tied up and all) and made loud groaning sounds.

When she had both of their attention she showed them her killer smile that had been known to be seen right before the mayhem had started."

This bit confused me slightly. Relaxing in the metal chair as best she could, she let out a loud growl. Attention was on her and the drama ceased. Flashing a killer smile, it was her way of warning everyone about the mayhem about to ensue.

"That Isolde wasn't really perfect that, in fact, she collected beanie babies, had insatiable urges to eat chocolate, and adored chick flicks." Haha, again, your humor and admirable randomness shines through.

Okay, despite my exhaustion, you managed a laugh from me. A really laugh out loud moment. Champagne glasses, haha, brilliant tid bit.

Ugh... another cliffhanger. You're killing me. I wish I could, but I will have to return tomorrow for more. I'm going to add this book to my favorites. It's the best I've read on here in a really long time. Today... I read this horrible story called Saving Vampires or something. I was flabbergasted. The "grammer" as the writer put it... was autrocious. That's aright though. I fixed it with a few grammatical bandaids and with a few tweaks I think it would do well. Anyway. Goodnight to you Tiffany. I retire to my bed chambers and Mr. Ferret.

Joce