Unforgiven (Wanderers #3) (7 page)

“How do you even know about that?”

“One of the councilmen’s daughters was at that club
that night. She said some very powerful witch took out twenty men
with a single flick of her wrist.”

Shows what she knows. I’m a wanderer not a
witch
. “Obviously it wasn’t me. She said it was a witch.”

“Nice try. Any of our kind knows that there is no
witch that has that kind of power at such a young age.”

“Still that could have been anybody. That doesn’t
mean it was me.”

“She also said the girl had long, black hair with
blue streaks and tattoos.”

Crap.

“Well maybe if you haven’t sent your henchman after
me none of this would have happened. And he’s a tip, if you want to
be a little less conspicuous maybe they shouldn’t have all shown up
in black trench coats.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose indicating he was
trying hard not to flip. “Ella, do you realize you put several of
those men in the hospital?” I smiled smugly, causing him to glare
at me. “Ella, this is serious.”

“What did you expect me to do?” I yelled frustrated.
“I felt threatened. If someone attacks me I’m going to fight back
and how was I supposed to know they worked for you? They could have
been sent by anyone. They could have been working for Jack for all
I knew.”

“You can’t just take off in the middle of the night
and fly halfway across the country! You have idea what could happen
to you? Ella, you don’t get it. There are so many more reasons why
we were so protective of you. We knew you were going to be
powerful, but we had no idea you would be this powerful and this is
just the start. Your powers aren’t even fully developed yet.”

“Well than what’s the problem? If I’m as powerful as
you say I am then I should have no difficulty defending
myself.”

“Because it makes you a constant target,” he sighed,
wiping the sweat from his brow. “Ella, why do you think I stressed
you going to Hamilton Hill. It was because there I knew you could
learn how to defend yourself only if you needed to. To learn about
our kind and keep you safe.”

“A lot of good that did,” I spat.

“I know and I’m sorry. As soon as we heard we hopped
on the next flight out. We thought the school was protected, but we
were wrong.” I knew this was killing him. This meant that he failed
and my father was not one to accept defeat.

“Look dad, I understand you wanting to protect me,
but I’m not a child. You can’t keep me locked away.” I watched his
expression. I didn’t have to hear his thoughts to know he was
thinking locking me away might not be a bad idea. “Okay seriously,
I’m not dropping out of school and locking me away is not going to
solve your problems,” I scowled, letting him know I knew where his
mind was going.

His face softened slightly. “Ella, I understand your
need to get away after what happened. So I’m not going back on our
deal. Your mom is currently at the school guaranteeing your spot
back at school with few repercussions. As for your friends, they’re
on their own. Now, I will wait for you and Dean while you pack your
things and we can discuss this mess you caused and everything
else.”

“Dad, I’m not leaving. You don’t get it. I didn’t
leave because I needed to get away. I left because I came to find
Tristan.”

“Ella,” he said softly, looking almost sad. “Tristan
is dead.”

“No. He’s not. He’s here in Ireland.”

“Where?” he asked, testing me.

“I haven’t found him yet, but I’m not leaving until I
do,” I said, putting my foot down.

He rubbed his forehead frustrated. “I’m not going to
let you waste your time looking for some boy. You are coming back
to the states with me. End of discussion.”

“No I am not. How many times do I have to tell you I
am an adult? I make my own decisions. “

“Yes and every decision you have made lately has been
a bad one. Now is not the time to be running around a foreign
country on a hunch when you have a rogue vampire after you.”

“I already proved I can handle Jack,” I said, holding
my head high.

I could see he was holding back, trying to control
his anger. “What exactly happened?” he asked, needing to know. He
crossed his arms and rested his chin on his hand. This was his
‘I’m concentrating’
face or what I like to call his
‘I
dare you to lie to me because I’m already coming up with a
punishment’
face
.

“Dad, I really don’t want to get into this now.” His
expression let me know that now was my only option. I let out a
breath and told him. “Jack collected an army and attacked the
school. I went after him and he attacked my friends. In order to
keep him from killing Riley I told him he could have me instead.”
He sucked in a breath not believing how I could make such a –
according to him – stupid decision. “I thought I could take him out
before he…” I paused, knowing what I said next would kill him. So I
thought better of it and skipped over a few parts. “Doesn’t matter.
I’m here and I survived proving Jack cannot get me.”

He eyed me for a moment before he turned around to
make a phone call. He whispered so softly I couldn’t hear anything
he was saying. He glanced at me from over his shoulder, made an
uh-hum noise, and then he narrowed his eyes at me before he turned
back around to finish his conversation. He hung up the phone and
turned around to face me. “While I don’t agree with your ambush
tactics, you somehow managed to succeed in your plan.” I smiled
proud of myself. “I won’t tell you how stupid you were,” my smile
faded. “But I will let this slide…for the meantime.” That meant he
just needed more time to think of the right punishment. “Now, will
you come to your senses and pack your things.”

“No! You just don’t get it, do you?”

“I will not let you screw up your life.”

“If I chose to screw up my life than that’s my
choice. I know I’m not perfect and I may not make the best
decisions, but good or bad they’re my choices to make.”

“Ella, I don’t have time for your childish
dribble.”

I laughed harshly. Clearly no matter what I said he
wasn’t going to listen to me. “Just leave.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. It doesn’t matter what I say. You’re
not going to listen to me and I’m tired of living by your rule.” I
crossed my arms and dared him to challenge me. I knew what was
coming next would be ugly, but I was prepared for it.

“Ella, do not defy me,” he growled. “If you don’t
come back with me than don’t bother coming back at all.”

His words hurt, but I refused to let it show. “For
someone who claims they spent their life protecting me, you’re
pretty quick to throw me aside.”

“That’s not true and you know it. Do not twist my
words around.”

“Twist your words? Are you kidding right now? You
just said if I do not leave with you then don’t bother coming back.
You couldn’t have made it any clearer so thanks for that dad. Heard
you loud and clear the first time.”

“Why do you have to be so tiresome and argue with me
all the time?” he threw his hands up in the air. “This behavior of
yours has got to stop. I cannot allow it to go on any longer.”

“Sorry I’m such a burden and cause trouble in your
perfect little existence.” I stared him down and looked him
straight in the eye.

“Ella, you don’t just cause trouble you go looking
for it. You know how poorly that makes us look?”

“Well I guess you just got your wish then because I
no longer want to be part of a family who only cares about how I
make them look.”

He looked at me, surprised by my reaction. “You don’t
mean that.”

“Yes I do. I’m tired of pretending to be something
I’m not. I’m not the perfect daughter who obeys and beckons to your
every need. I’m not going to be bullied by you anymore. I’m done
being controlled by you and if don’t like it then you can leave.” I
pointed to the door, proving I was serious.

He stood there silently for a moment then he looked
at Dean who I forgot was even there. He hadn’t said a word the
entire time. “Dad, I’m sorry, but I’m staying with Ella.” He took a
stand beside me. “And if that means I’m out too, well then, I’m
out.” I took his hand and silently thanked him.

Our dad stood there shocked. Then he left without
another word.

The door slammed so hard behind us I thought it would
have fallen off it’s hinges. I felt my heart drop down to my
stomach. I let out a breath and ran a shaky hand through my hair.
My body was so numb I forgot Dean was holding my hand until he
pulled me into him for a hug. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” I said, pulling away. “You didn’t
have to do that. I mean there’s no sense in having dad pissed at
both of us.”

“No, but it was about time I took a stand too. I’m
not going to deny that dad has been a little easier on Xander and I
but that doesn’t mean we haven’t gotten our fair share of live by
his rules or else speeches. And I know dad puts more pressure on
you than us and that’s not fair. He shouldn’t have come down on you
like that. We all make bad choices, but that’s just a part of life
and that’s how we learn to make the right choices. I also believe
you know in your heart what the right choices are.”

“When did you get so smart?” I teased.

“When you started being the bad seed,” he laughed. He
made me smile which helped lesson some of the pain.

“Hey,” Josie said, peeking her head around the
corner. “Um, I kind of heard what happened. Well, we all heard. Are
you guys okay?” I rushed Josie and nearly crushed her in a bear
hug. “Oh, okay, not so good I take it.”

After the fight with my dad the only thing I wanted
to do was crawl into bed and cry, but that would accomplish nothing
and I’ve spent enough of my time crying to never want to have to
again. Instead I took a walk through the garden and tried to push
everything from my mind. I still had an important task at hand and
now that I was free from my father’s chains I could rest easily. At
least that’s what I thought. My heart had a different story.

I stopped down by the end of the pond and took a
seat. I picked at the blades of grass, ripping them to shreds, and
throwing them into the pond. “You keep that up and you will be
replanting my grass tomorrow.” I let out a harsh laugh. Of course,
next to my father, she was the last person I wanted to deal with.
Deirdre took a seat next to me on the picky grass. I waited for a
lecture but it never came. Instead she surprised me by taking my
hand. “He will forgive you,” she said.

I turned to look at her, stunned by her kindness.
“I’m not so sure of that,” I replied. I tried really hard not to
lose it, but I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I cried. Deirdre
pulled me into her and I rested my head on her lap while my soul
wept. She didn’t speak. She just sat, with her arm around me while
I poured my heart out.

The quiet was soothing and the garden was relaxing.
Eventually I pulled myself together and sat up. I turned to her and
she just looked at me with sadness in her eyes. She wiped away my
leftover tears. “Princesses don’t cry,” she winked. Before I could
comment she started to stand. “Time for bed.”

I looked at my watch. “It’s like seven thirty?” She
narrowed her eyes, showing me the Deirdre I knew. “Okay,” I said,
getting up to help her. She slipped her arm through mine as I
helped her walk back to the house. “Um, Deirdre? I just wanted to
say thank you.”

She gave me a slight smile before her normal scowl
returned. “You complain too much.”

“What?” I said, looking at her confused as hell. “How
was that complaining?” She ignored me and went back into the house.
I just shook my head. I was slowly learning with Deirdre not much
of what she says makes any sense. Now I knew where Tristan got it
from.

Everyone else was in the living. When I entered they
all turned to me expectantly. “I think it’s safe to say we can
check back into a hotel,” I told them.

“You don’t have to. You can stay here,” Josef said.
The look on his face said he didn’t want us to leave.

“That you, but we couldn’t impose.”

“You’re not imposing,” he said with a slight plea in
his eyes.

“Josef,” Caleb put a kind hand on his arm.

“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us.
I don’t know how I could ever repay you.”

“Just bring my grandson back,” Caleb smiled, giving
me a gentle hug.

“I will do whatever it takes to find him,” I
promised.

We gathered our things, said our goodbyes, and headed
out to the car. Since my dad knew where we were there was no point
in hiding anymore. It was safe to go back to a hotel. Plus I could
not take another night of getting beat up by Josie or sleeping on
that couch.

I was the first to wake in the morning. Since it was
early I decided to let everyone else sleep. I went downstairs to
get some breakfast. I sat in the little café, waiting for my food,
and stared out the large glass windows. After the waiter refreshed
my orange juice, I took out my phone and placed it on the table. I
knew I would have to do it eventually and the longer I waited the
worse it would get. I sat there and stared at it as if it was a
ticking time bomb. Before I lost all nerve, I picked it up, and
listened to my voicemails. The first one was from Riley.

Ella
,
where are
you? Billy and Josie are gone and so are Cameron and Dean, but I’m
pretty sure they’re with you. I’m sorry about everything that
happened and can understand why you would want to leave, but
running away from your problems is not going to help. I’m sorry I…I
didn’t mean to lecture…I just…What I’m trying to say is I miss you
and you need to come back. And well I just hope you’re okay…please
call me.

It felt good to hear Riley’s voice. It made me wish I
could have brought her with. I sent her a quick text that said
–