Blood Bond

"Give her back!" I screamed, reaching desperately out for the snatched baby in Daren's arms.

"Daren," Daryl hissed, standing up and walking over to him. "Do anything funny and I'll have your head, brother." His stance made it so he was taller than Daren and he glared down at him.

"Look at you, you bothersome rat," Daren cooed in a sick voice.

"Daren!" Rosalie exclaimed in horror.

"You just waltz on into your daddy's life and take his concentration from his work. I have a problem with that. Why do you think that is?" he asked. Delilah reached out and tried to touch his face, but he grabbed her hand tightly. She cried and I tensed. Daryl reached out and grabbed my hand. I could feel how upset he was by how tense his body was.

"Daren, a baby can't talk!" Rosalie protested, trying to go get Delilah, but Aubrey didn't let her go. "Let me go. Our son is being unreasonable. Does that mean nothing to you? What if that were one of your children in someone else's arms and he was patronizing your child, not Tonia's?"

"It would be different." That settles it: he hates me.

"How?" she asked angrily. Her eyes widened. "You are sick! How can you hate such a cute face?" she tore away from him and in two long strides she was standing in front of Daren. "Give me the child."

"No. We have some business to settle." He glared down at her adorable face as she cried from the pain he was causing.

"You're hurting her!" I heard her cry. I started sobbing in my throat and I trembled violently.
"Give me back my Delilah!" I sobbed, going into hysteria. Daryl cast one quick glance to his baby girl, remembering his promise to keep me safe no matter the cost, before striding to my side and pulling me into his arms. I cried into his chest, sobbing feebly.

"Shh, it's okay, love. Shh, calm down." His worry only increased as I got worse. "Daren!" He sounded more than frightened. Daren laughed.

"This family of yours is making you weak!" He laughed sadistically as he practically threw Delilah at me. I snatched her and hugged her close, still sobbing.

"I think you should go," Daryl said coldly.

"I planned on it." Daren strode out briskly, not casting one glance at anyone in the room.

"Aubrey, leave. I can't stand to look at you right now," Daryl snarled. He glared before walking out.

"It was nice seeing you again, darling." Rosalie kissed Daryl's cheek. "Darling, let's go find your Saskia." Damien nodded.

"I'll see you later. Sorry about all that." Damien hugged me and walked out.

"He was always the most supportive of my decision," Daryl said with admiration, setting me down on the bed and laying beside me. He smiled softly. "I think they should get some rest." He took Delilah, Kyle, and Timothy out of the room and was back in an instant.

"Darry?"

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Why does your father hate me?"

They say that curiosity killed the cat, but I'm starting to think the Devil was going to be the one to do me in!