Eternal Ties

“So my dear, your mother was hit by a tractor trailer going at 70 miles per hour, that was not an accident” Christopher smirked as we walked upstairs and into my room.

I stopped dead in my tracks, ogling him as he sat down on my bed covered in purple satin sheets, which were a gift from my grand aunt. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I snapped.

“I staged it, how I did it is not important right now, why I did it is” he said, staring up at me calmly as I walked slowly closer to him, rage building inside of me.

But before I could explode, Christopher murmured, “I know what you are about to do, you are about to lunge at me with all of your strength and scream that I am a heartless bastard and that your father would never be friends with someone like me. That, my dear, would not be a wise choice”

“A-and why not?” I stuttered, my hands clenching into tight fists.

He laughed, standing up, ”Maria, you know it wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do” He cupped my cheek in his hand and stared down at me, amused.

“Let go of me” I said through gritted teeth, not wanting to hit him, afraid of what might happen.

“You used to love it when I touched your face” he whispered, stroking my cheek.

“Look,” I choked out through my tears, “You may know me, but I know absolutely nothing about you, I-I” but he cut across me, impatient, “Look, the subject keeps getting switched, do you want to know how to save your mother or not?”

I nodded and he sat down, pulling me on his lap. I shifted uncomfortably, “Can we be a bit less…close maybe?”

“I’d rather have you close, so you couldn’t run away” he whispered then went on, “So, the only way you could save your mother is if you work for me”

I narrowed my eyes at him. What did he mean ‘work for him’? Like taking out his garbage or something? “What do you mean?” I snapped.

“You are to become my servant and live with me; I have a few tasks that require your service…” Christopher retorted in a low voice.

“If you’re talking about me being your sex slave then you are cr-!” but I was cut off by Christopher giving me a gentle, but sharp slap to the cheek.

“You…you..!” I stuttered, glaring up at him in an accusatory manner.

“And I’ll do it again if you don’t be quiet and listen” he warned.

I continued to glare at him, but didn’t say a word. He smirked and went on, “You will live with me and help me out with a couple of things, and when you are not helping me you will work as a maid, cleaning and cooking”

“No! I am not some little lap dog who goes and ‘runs errands’!” I screamed, struggling once more.

That outburst earned me another smack on the cheek. “Be quiet” Christopher hissed, “You are too much like your father”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” I said, giving him a sour look.

“Not if you’re human” he hissed, “There’s no room in my home for a headstrong human girl

”Then fix my mom and leave us alone!” I exclaimed, and then tensed, waiting for another slap.

Christopher smirked and whispered, “You’re learning, now you just need to learn how to control these little outbursts”

He acted like I was a 4 year old with a temper-tantrum problem.

“Yeah and afterwards you have to take me to my first day of kindergarten” I muttered sarcastically, pursing my lips.

“I actually did take you to your first day of kindergarten because your parents were fighting” he smirked, rubbing my back.

“Oh this is just great, I don’t even remember who the hell you are and you supposedly did everything for me” I exclaimed, half in frustration, half in exhaustion from being told my dead father was actually undead and that the only way for my mother to survive was to work for this guy who just randomly appeared out of nowhere saying he knew me and had helped raise me. Yeah, I know, it’s a lot.

“Correction, your father did everything for you” Christopher whispered.

“I really don’t wanna hear anything about my father right now” I mumbled, staring down at my thumbs.

“You need to, Maria, your mother lied to you, your father isn’t dead and he wasn’t human, nor did he desert you, I could write a novel on the lies your mother has spoon-fed you” Christopher hissed, his voice so menacing all I could do was stare up at him, horrified.

“Y-you’re not being very convincing” I stuttered.

He laughed, “I could be if I wanted to, now are you coming with me or do I have to bring you by force?”

I glared, still not saying anything.

“Would I be able to sway you if I said that one of the tasks you’d help me with would be finding your father?” Christopher said, so quietly I almost didn’t hear him.

I looked up at him, my angry demeanor lost, now replaced with complete shock and hesitation, “We’d be able to find him?”

“I’m almost sure of it” he whispered, his eyes staring at me in quiet desperation.

“But why do you need me?” I choked out.

“You are a vampire’s daughter, Maria, you might be human but you have some powers that I lack and I am in need of a new assistant, my old one is becoming rather…bothersome” he chose his words carefully, his lips pouting slightly.

“Oh so I’m now I’m your assistant” I muttered sarcastically.

“Will you work for me or not?” Christopher growled, irritated.

“If you keep your promises” I mumbled.

He smiled and moved some hair away from my face, “Your mother will be well enough to return home by tomorrow, but now that you work for me, there are some rules you must follow”

“What are they?” I muttered.

“You must refer to me as sir or Mr. Haynes, you may not call me Christopher” Christopher, I mean ‘Mr. Haynes’, said, “Anything I say, you do, without hesitation, no exceptions”

I stared up at him, still wordless. I wasn’t used to obeying someone’s every whim, like some kind of slave.

“Let’s test this out shall we?” he whispered, “Get off of me.”

I quickly scrambled off of him, glad to be free of his tight embrace.

“Good girl,” Christopher cooed, standing up, “I think you will make a perfect assistant.”

“Doesn’t mean I want to be,” I grumbled, not looking at him.

“Come along, Maria.” Christopher said, not seeming to hear me. He took my hand and led me downstairs.

“Wait…what about my stuff?” I said, about to turn around, but that just made me fall to the floor as he kept on pulling me in the opposite direction.

“Don’t worry about your clothes,” he murmured, as I scrambled to get to my feet while we walked down the steps.

“Don’t tell me I have to wear a frilly little maid’s uniform,” I grumbled as he opened the passenger door for me and I stepped in.

Christopher laughed and climbed into the driver’s seat, saying, “No, but you do have to wear a uniform, but only when your acting as my maid”

Christopher started up the car and began speeding down the road again.

“How do you not get a ticket?!” I exclaimed, as he exceeded hundred miles per hour again.

“I guess people just don’t pay attention,” he said, looking down at me with a humorous glint in his eyes.

“No fair! I was speeding 2 miles over the limit and they gave me a ticket!” I exclaimed, my eyes wide in amazement.

He laughed and said, “I guess you are just a police magnet, I hear they tend to go after the prettier girls”

“If you’re trying to flirt with me, it isn’t working,” I snapped, not looking at him.

“Just making a statement, my dear,” Christopher purred, looking back at the road.

He was really getting on my nerves. I mean, it was gross if he wanted to flirt with me, especially if he’d known me since I was in diapers…and probably changed some of them. Hah, Christopher changing diapers, that’s a funny thought, but it was sickening if they were my diapers.