Forced Affection

‘Has she controlled herself yet?’ Craig roared as he came into the bedroom. I could hear him and I could imagine Leo looking bored as he yawned and refused to answer. It was half an hour after my attempting to murder some Alpha male; I was still in the bathroom now looking very presentable. I didn’t want to brag but after the fighting I felt happier like I was doing something for myself, Uncle Mason and Alex.
I walked out of the bathroom and raised an eyebrow; Craig and Leo were both at my side in a blink of an eye. Craig raised his hand and went to slap me, Leo stopped him and I didn’t even flinch. As much as I have been hit since being here, Leo had never been the one to hit me. He had only raised his hand on one occasion and warned me, but never any more.
‘Don’t touch her’ Leo said in his usual bored tone that I had almost forgotten with all the snarling and snapping.
‘The Circle has left. We won’t be having lunch with them. Especially now that this safe ground has been compromised. It will remain friends and grandparents. Try not to kill anyone. I think I much preferred the insulting of everyone instead of the attempted slaying of one of my best’ Craig said looking down at and turning to leave the room. I glanced at Leo and wanted to say something, anything but knew he would take it out of context just to be angry at me. He looked away and walked over to the balcony.
‘Are we going to yell and argue now? Later? Will we pretend like nothing happened downstairs? Are we playing happy couple between us? Do I tell my friends of our stupid pact? Do I try and get in your grandparents good graces? Will we discuss what I did? What happened out the front before that? Do I stay polite to your friends? What do I do?’ I asked Leo throwing all the questions out there knowing I was making him angry.
‘For someone who is supposed to be so independent you need a lot of advice’ Leo said bored.
‘Yeah well it is only because I’m afraid. Parker I’ve never felt this afraid in my life. I walk on constant egg shells here. I wanted your advice because I can’t ask anyone else.’ I said honestly but not looking for sympathy.
‘Tell your friends everything. Whatever you like. You have no idea but your performance out there already won you the only grandparent you needed to. The others will decide now. My friends treat them the way you always have. Craig, maybe a bit more respect. We. We. We will be ourselves. I’m not faking anymore. It is too much effort to pretend I can tolerate you. Cortez we will discuss everything later. There isn’t enough time now’ Leo answered walking to the door and down to the dining room where lunch was to be held.
I followed Leo and surveyed the stair case. I did quiet some damage. The memory of everything bought a smile to my face. Not the fighting, but the knowing that I could hold my own against the best, that Leo protected me again, that my friends were here-THAT MY FRIENDS WERE HERE! The smile widened and I pushed passed Leo, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back and indicated to be quiet.
I stopped and stood still.
‘Celeste, did you see what she did?’ came a male’s voice.
‘Yes Dmitri I did. I also know that there is no better woman out there for your grandson. There is something about her that is just-perfect. Believe me she is broken at the moment and depressed but they love each other. So when the time comes you will make your acceptance of her very clear. Understand?’ Celeste, Arianna’s mother informed her husband Dmitri.
‘I understand. But if Damon and Ruby reject her?’ Dmitri questioned.
‘Honestly our opinions don’t actually matter. Can you not see that they share the same bond? Dmitri, darling they will last even when everything else falls apart’ Celeste continued. I turned to Leo and wanted to ask. But was afraid of his reaction.
‘They are...wishful’ I mumbled. Leo forced a smile and pushed me down the stairs as he cleared his throat.
‘Nona, Pa’ Leo said walking over to them and hugging his grandmother.
‘Leonardo. I was proud of you. Now introduce us before your father starts getting all formal and then let this amazing woman run off to see her friends’ Celeste said smiling directly at me. I guessing she was the grandparent that accepted of me. I was lucky to have her and Arianna.
‘Nona, this is Cortez, I mean Hallie. Hallie this is Celeste. Dmitri, Hallie, Hallie my grandfather.’ Leo said standing in between us.
‘Nice to meet you both’ I said unaware of the nervous feeling in my stomach.
‘Hallie-I knew your Uncle and we are sorry for your lost.’ Dmitri said shaking my hand.
‘Thank you and I don’t mean to be rude but can we please not discuss that. I don’t think I can deal with it at the moment’ I said icy. I don’t care if they are supposed to be my future family. They were the same race that killed him and I wanted no sympathy from them.
‘Dear drop the ice queen act. Let your emotions go while you are with us. Because as soon as you get in that room you will be eaten alive by Ruby. You will need all the support you can get’ Celeste said to me calmly. I don’t care if she liked me. I did not have to like her.
‘Thank you for that advice. I will take it into consideration now if you don’t mind I must find my friends’ I said turning my back and leaving. I knew she could feel my disrespect.
‘Hallie, dear never turn your back on a vampire. Especially not one you just insulted’ Celeste said as I walked away. I stopped and hesitated at the kitchen door.
‘Well hopefully she learns respect soon’ Celeste said to Dmitri and Leo. Dmitri sniggered for his wife and Leo said nothing.
‘Deus Averatet’ I said in Latin “God forbid” as I walked through the kitchen door. I saw Rae’s wild hair sitting at the table. My face lit up and I ran to them. I ignored Nathan and Drew whom were in the room.
The girls got up and hugged me.
‘Fuck I’ve, we’ve missed you’ Avery said hugging me again.
‘You have no idea. What about you shadow hunter? You ok now? I’m sorry.’ I said to Billie talking about before.
‘Yeah yeah slayer I’m fine. Fuck you have got one powerful hit on you now!’ Billie said wrapping her arm around my neck and kissing me on the cheek.
‘Yeah I’ve got to tell you a couple of things. Best we all sit down.’ I said taking a seat at the kitchen table that had been left unattended by Nathan and Drew.
‘What?’ Rae quizzed worried.
‘For our own protection. Leo and I made a pact. We kissed and shared blood-honestly it wasn’t that creepy but now we we we’ I said unable to finish the truth.
‘Share the same life line’ Leo said walking into the kitchen.
‘Way to go Hallie. Insult everyone?! Seriously do you have any idea how immature that was-deus averatet might hurt a fledgling but it just pisses us off’ Leo snapped walking over to me furiously. I was taken back that he could say it.
‘Shouldn’t that hurt?’ Avery asked.
‘Another one that asks dumb questions’ Leo said raising his eye brow at me. I went to slap him across the face, but predictable me he caught my right hand, still too slow for my left hand that left a red hand mark on his face.
He took a deep breath and held both of my wrists as the Avery gasped and Rae stood up. Billie took a step back getting ready to defend us.
‘Retreat girls. Honestly I can’t hurt her. I’ve tried’ Leo snarled mocking my friends and walking away from me to the other door.
‘He can say it Billie because he is royalty, you know a prestigious arse’ I said looking at Leo walking away for me.
‘No different than Cortez’ Leo said opening the door revealing Nathan, Drew and Lucas all standing there dumbfounded.
‘Pact?’ Drew said.
‘Soul mates?’ Lucas questioned.
‘Forever!’ Nathan said as if it was the nastiest word ever.

‘Sorry boys guess the bromance is over now that the truth is out’ I snapped mocking his friends the same way Leo had mine.
‘Any dumb questions?’ Leo asked my friends, taking a step closer to me as if it was my fault.
‘Well vamps?’ I asked defending my friends and taking step towards Leo. I was not going to back down now.
‘When?’ Drew asked first.
‘The dinner in Estralia’ Leo said not even looking at Drew but maintaining his glare on me, which I held and glared back.
‘Why?’ Nathan asked.
‘Stupidity.’ I said.
‘Insanity’ Leo said at the same time.
‘Where you going to tell us?’ Lucas asked.
‘No’ Leo replied honestly.
‘So you both die?’ Rae asked.
‘Yep. Suicide pact’ I replied not looking at my friends.
‘Do the honourable thing then!’ Billie said laughing and patting me on the back. I could help but break my contact with Leo. I turned around and burst out laughing. It was the first time that I actually laughed, feeling relaxed, not guilty and having no control over it. Leo stood there unamused. Rae and Avery joined in; nothing was going to stop us now.
‘Wait I still have another dumb question’ Avery said gasping for air. ‘How come Deus hurt the other guy?’ she finished still laughing.
Leo rolled his eyes and knew I couldn’t answer because of the fit of laughter I was currently in.
‘Really? Hallie seems smart now.’ Leo sighed but still went on to answer ‘she was holding a cross in her hand that no doubt has been washed in holy water. It was also in contact with his flesh. So it burnt like a bitch and will forever remain as a scar there. Something no amount of healing will get rid of’.
‘Oh like the Star of David’ Billie said lifting her sleeve of her jumper to show one of the marking she had on her from her steele as she was a shadow hunter.
‘That is also why he couldn’t touch you’ Leo said.
‘He did’ Billie nodded to Lucas.
‘I was aware of it and I’m Jewish. It has no affect on me. They don’t teach you that do they?’ Lucas said looking smug.
I finally stopped laughing but one look at Rae made me burst out laughing again.
‘Stop’ I gasped. Leo came up to me and put his hand over my mouth.
‘Please some self control. Now. Here’ Leo said grabbing something out of his pocket. It was my necklace. He held it by the chain refusing to touch the cross and handed it to me.
‘Thanks’ I said refusing to laugh again. I placed my necklace back on and followed Leo to the dining room for lunch, in their awaiting was my hell.

We walked through the door and Leo pulled me aside. Everyone took their seats where Arianna had strategically placed everyone’s name cards.
‘Please be good.’ Leo mumbled into my ear as he kissed me on the side of the cheek. I knew that was the best I could hope for. I walked away from him and took my seat next to Rae. Leo sat beside me and placed his hand on my lap. We will be ourselves ran through my mind. Was this being himself? Or was he playing the game again?
‘Well firstly I would like to thank everyone who made it today and would like to begin on a positive note’ Craig began as he stood up around the circular table where no one could be the head of it.
‘Leo and Hallie would like to officially announce their engagement. I’m not asking for acceptance and good graces from our family. I’m saying that it will happen’ Craig said looking at Dmitri and then Damon.
‘Also I would like to say welcome to Hallie’s friends, Billie McKinnon, Avery Moretti and Rae Lopez. I’m glad you were able to make it. Furthermore, you are welcomed in this house for as long as you want’ Craig finished holding up his glass ‘to Hallie and Leo til death do you part.’
‘To Hallie and Leo’ was said by everyone raising their glass in a toast. Leo squeezed my knee and removed his hand.
‘Do you have anything to say son?’ Craig asked Leo.
‘Thank you everyone for making it. But I must inform you that there will be no more luncheons or dinners until further notice. I will be going out of town soon and I hope you can respect Hallie’s time to grieve and come to terms with the lost of her uncle. So please enjoy your meal and take advantage of this time.’ Leo said as his father furiously glared at him and was no doubt yelling at him in his mind. I was thankful for what Leo had done; but I didn’t want to be left alone. The idea of being by myself scared me more than what the idea of being surrounded by a clan of hungry vampires did.
Arianna nodded at Leo’s request and waived her hand as the food was brought out.
‘So can we talk to you or is that too far out of the question?’ Rae whispered into my ear.
‘We are vampires. We can hear Lopez. But feel free ask away. But think what would you want everyone to know at your engagement lunch’ Leo said harshly to Rae. I placed my hand on her lap and raised my eyebrow in disgust.
‘Do you really want to do this here?’ I mouthed not even letting the slightest noise be heard.
Leo raised his eyebrow.
‘No I don’t I would much rather take it outside. Join me?’ Leo snarled at me as he pushed his chair back and stood up. ‘Excuse us’ Leo said grabbing my elbow and almost leading me away. We walked silently through the kitchen, behind the staircase, down the hallway that Leo had left me to cry in once before and out the back door. He didn’t stop and I followed but wondered where he was taking me. I didn’t bother asking because I knew he wouldn’t answer so I just followed suit and made sure of my surroundings. We passed the garage and then the stable; I didn’t even know there was one. We finally got to the beginning of the plantation where the trees got closer and thicker together. Just beyond the trees darkness overshadowed everything. No sunlight was apparent and Leo seemed at place at home.
‘Leo. Stop. I’m scared.’ I said at the trees refusing to go into the darkness.
‘Hallie. I want to be a safe distance away so no one can hear.’ Leo said turning and facing me as he leant on the second row of trees. I took a step into the darkness and leant on the very first tree.
‘How can you walk during the sunlight hours’ I asked looking in the direction of the sun. I had heard of daywalkers but never met any. Apparently they come from drinking shadow hunters blood and or angel blood (not those angels were easy to find).
‘I’m royalty. There is a symbol passed down from generation to generation, other families have similar things, otherwise vamps take all precautions-drink potions, shadow hunter blood-there is quiet a market for that’ Leo said pulling the chain from this neck that wore the Parker crescent on it.
‘Isn’t it supposed to be a ring’ I mocked. Leo smiled at me and leant forward. I had no idea what he wanted or why he had taken me here.
‘So why did you bring me here?’ I asked him not moving.
‘We needed to talk’ Leo said calmly. I leant on the tree and slid down to the base of it. Leo sat at the bottom of the tree next to me.
‘Could this not wait?’ I asked thinking about the luncheon going on at this very moment that we should be attending and my friends stuck in a house full of vamps.
‘Craig is very angry with you at the moment. I don’t think he will hurt you but please try to avoid being alone with him. Just stay near me.’ Leo said not even looking at me. I crawled over to him and sat next to him.
‘Hallie’ Leo started again. I looked up at him.
‘Billie is in trouble. She is in constant fear. Drew can’t help her. I can’t read her mind it is all jumbled-it makes no sense’ Leo said. This got my attention. Damn him.
‘You can’t read her mind because she has a marking on her that confuses you when you try. It will make no sense to you and constant fear? Really? Might that have something to do with where she is at the moment’ I said facing Leo who continued to sit still.
‘Well?’ he asked expecting me to say more.
‘I will talk to her’ I say not sure what else he expected. Of course I was concerned for my friend, but this was something I would deal with without Leo. I sat silent not sure what else there was to be discussed.
‘You want your happiness. And I know you want revenge. I will find who did this to Mason and Alex’ Leo said to me unexpectedly.
‘Ahh. I see what you want to talk to me about. What happens if I say I don’t want revenge? Just peace. What happens if I ask you to call of the search? After all you might not like what you find’ I say not wanting to discuss any of the pain that I have been feeling since I had found out, I meant what I had said to his grandparents-I didn’t want to discuss this at all.
‘You want revenge. Peace is not something you want anymore. The lust for power runs through you the same it does me. And besides that is your family you want it for. You won’t ask me to call of the search’ Leo said looking into my eyes now as I ignored him.
‘You’re wrong. I don’t want power. I want peace. Don’t call of the search but I don’t think I want to know just yet’ I said looking back down at the ground avoiding eye contact with him.
‘I did it for you’ Leo said.
‘I know you did’ I said as his lips pressed down on mine hard. They weren’t forcing me, or being kind they were just there. I put my hand around his neck and leant up to him. He pulled my hand away and pushed me away.
‘Hallie I want to, but we can’t’ Leo said. I felt as if I was missing something.
‘I’m confused. You came on to me’ I said with Leo still holding my hand.
‘When I kiss you, I can use compulsion on you, I think. Our lips are where we are joined. I think when we kiss I get a stronger feeling of your emotions and I feel as if I can read you. Not your mind. But you’ Leo said staring deeply into my eyes.
‘Why are you telling me this?’ I asked leaning up to him ‘Are you using compulsion now?’ I asked kissing him gently on the lips. I brushed mine to his cheek and removed my hand from his. Wrapping both my arms around his neck I felt his arms wrap around my waist as he picked me up and I leant down to kiss him again.
‘No’ he said when we pulled back.
‘Is that all? Is that the reason you bought me out here?’ I asked. If that was the pain to discuss I was happy to end like that and leave.
‘No. You said you missed your happiness. I want to help you. I don’t want secrets from us. Hallie I don’t love you not even a little bit. I’m not sure if I even care about you but I feel something for you and I can’t hide that’ Leo said staring off into space.
‘So this is our D&M? Well if it is let’s get everything out in the open. I’m so sad at the moment. I have a huge part of me missing. I want my family, I want to go home and I need my friends around me constantly. Please understand I was trained to hate you, I was taught how to kill you. I mean we were destined for greatness but it comes at the price of the other’ I said not leaning on him but still next to him.
‘Hallie I know, I get all this. But I think I’m happiest when I’m fighting with you, or touching you’ Leo mumbled. I elbowed him.
‘I’m so angry when I fight with you. You bring out these emotions that I have never felt before. You talk down to me, you make me feel intimidated and you make me feel worthless a lot of the time. But then you make me feel like nothing else in the world matters beside us’ I say not wanting the risk of looking at him.
‘That's because it doesn’t’ he muttered ‘Are you happy with us though? I mean that is why I had to get out of there. I just wanted to make sure you were happy. That is all I can think about right now after you before at the car and then the vamp I just wanted to look after you and help’ Leo gulped as if he didn’t want the answer.
‘No I’m not happy with this. I’ve left everything behind. Your family doesn’t feel like mine and it hurts. But I’m learning to be happy with us’ I whispered knowing that wasn’t the answer he wanted.
‘Hallie. I am your family now I guess. We also need to discuss something else. This morning at the apartment...’ Leo began before trailing off.
‘Yes? That incident, what was that?’ I asked assuming that was what we were going to discuss.
‘I was sick of hearing what other people thought of you and what they wanted. I was sick of you being in my space. I wanted to be alone to process last night’s outburst and I wanted to just go and hunt but I couldn’t leave you. I didn’t like you calling out some guys name in the middle of the night and I really didn’t like that we slept in the same bed but didn’t even...don’t worry’ Leo said frowning the entire time. I rested my arm on his leg.
‘I can’t help what others think of me, I can’t look into their minds like you and try and change their opinions. I will not return to your space any time soon. If you needed to be alone and hunt then you should have just left. I think we have learnt I can look after myself now’ I said comforting-the next part though would be hell. ‘Well I’m assuming I called out Lachlan. Honestly you shouldn’t worry about him, he was, is nothing to me. Well whatever it was we didn't do last night in bed, we have forever ahead of us and I think I need time. A lot of it.’ I said leaning on the tree. How could he have expected sex in a situation like that?
‘What? No I wasn’t getting at that. I meant that we shared the same bed and you stayed on your side the entire night. We didn’t accidently touch once-bodies are automatically attracted to other bodies in bed. It just isn’t right we should have made some sort of physical contact at least once’ Leo said clearing up the sex confusion.
‘Oh. I didn’t realise. It was the best sleep I had in a while. I can’t remember the last time I felt that...’ I began.
‘Relaxed?’ Leo tried.
‘Comfortable’ I said hoping he wouldn’t be offended.
‘But you looked most comfortable in in the morning after I got out. And the Lachlan guy, I’m not worried about him. This jealousy isn’t something I would normally ever feel!’ Leo snapped as if he was weak.
‘Of course not, why would you be jealous of him? I don’t mean that much to you. I guess it is the same way I feel threatened by Skye but normally I wouldn’t care. I think it is part of the pact and the um soul mate things. I’m pretty sure that is the reason we long for each other as well’ I said trying to cover up everything. I didn’t want to address the first comment and if I could fake a reason for my jealousy I would definitely take it. I mean how I am supposed to say ‘No Leo you were jealous because you love me. The same way I love you. Wholly and entirely with my heart.’ Wait what?! No I do not feel that at all! I mentally hit myself and wanted to leave this environment.
‘Stop with the compulsion.’ I snapped removing all part of me touching him so now there was space between us.
‘Cortez I haven’t used compulsion at all. You idiot don’t you see what is happening to us. As soon as we realise our own emotions we deny it by flaring up at the other just to make sure the hate is still there’ Leo snapped standing up and hitting the tree next to us. The shards burst into a million pieces, flying everywhere in every possible direction. Leo had his back to me and I knew he didn’t want me to see him like this. No doubt his body had taken control and it had gone into fight mode.
‘Fine. We aren’t jealous of one another and we will both continue going on ignoring our emotions. Happy?’ I said standing up and walking away from him back towards the light, I had been in the darkness too long.
‘Now can we please go back inside? My friends will be worrying’ I say walking back towards the mansion.
‘C’mon’ Leo said leading the way again.
‘Is that it?’ I asked knowing that deep down that we still wanted to talk.
‘Nope we still have to discuss what you did before and your outrageous temper and slapping me and mouthing off and the respect you need to learn’ Leo said in his usual bored tone as he opened the back door and let me go through.
‘Thank you’ I whispered kissing him one more time on the lips. This after all was something I could very much get used too.