CHAPTER 15
Melanie bit her lipagainst calling out to Kyle and asking him to stay as the doorclosed. Her father watched him go before turning back to her. Hedidn’t try to hug her. She could count the number of times they’dembraced over the years on one hand and still have fingers left tospare.
Their relationship wasn’t one of love, ortenderness, or happiness. It wasn’t one of abuse either, at leastnot physical abuse. He’d hit her less times than he’d hugged her,and the one time she recalled him hitting her was to slap her handaway from a fire.
He’d never been emotionally abusive either.He never called her fat, stupid, lazy, or told her she was no good.In all their years together, he never told her much ofanything.
Their relationship was one of neglect on hispart, even as he locked her away from the world. Once confined tothe facility, he forgot she existed most days as he lost himself inhis work.
And that was what she remembered most abouthim; his work consumed him. It became the sole focus of his lifeafter her mother’s murder. She was simply a child he had no timefor anymore.
“Kyle seems like a fine young man,” herfather said. “Is it serious between you two?”
She wasnotgoing to have thatconversation with her father. “Why are you here?”
“Melanie, for crying out loud, we haven’tseen each other in months.” Exasperation finally cracked throughher father’s calm exterior. “You could at leastpretendtobe a little happy to see me.”
“It’s good to see you, Dad,” she said throughher teeth. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“Oh, I’m surprised.”
“Is my mother here?” Lucy demanded.
“Yes. She was tired from the ride, so shestayed at the hotel,” he said.
He made it sound as if they’d traveled acrossthe country instead of two hours from New Hampshire. Lucy rolledher eyes but visibly relaxed, and some of the color returned to herface.
Whereas Melanie’s life with her dad wasmostly one of neglect, Lucy hadn’t fared so well. Her mother was anemotionally abusive, causticbitch. Melanie winced everytime she recalled some of the things she’d heard the hideous womansay to her daughter.
Lucy was one of the strongest, smartest, andbest people Melanie knew. She exuded a vitality few possessed, buther mother caused Lucy’s vivacity to dim whenever she was near.Melanie hated her for that.
However, wherever her father was, Lucy’smother wasn’t far behind. Melanie didn’t know exactly when theirrelationship changed. During her mid-teens, she became aware thather dad and Lucy’s mom, Delilah, were more than fellow madscientists who enjoyed torturing things.
It was exactly the way every true love storyshould start.
Neither of them spoke about the change withtheir daughters, but they were both aware of it.
“Are you going to tell me why you’re here?”she asked.
Her father gave her a look of such blatanthurt she knew it was fake. He was a master manipulator; it was howhe’d gotten so many to go along with his madness, but she’d neverbeen his puppet.
“I’m here because I’m concerned about you,”he said. “We’ve been following newspaper articles and have detectedwhat we believe is an increase in vampire activity in the area.Delilah and I think the two of you should come home until the risklessens.”
Melanie stopped breathing, and Lucy sent hera panicked look. For a second, they stared at each other beforeMelanie’s gaze swung back to her father. She’d known this was whyhe was here, but she still wasn’t prepared for the revelation.
“We’re not going anywhere,” she stated withmore conviction than she felt.
“I see you have a new boyfriend, but—”
“This has nothing to do with Kyle,” sheinterrupted. “We have lives here, and we only have one semesterleft of college. We’re not leaving.”
“No, we’re not,” Lucy stated.
That fake hurt deepened on her father’s faceuntil he looked like a kicked puppy. Melanie didn’t feel so much asa twinge to her heart.
“I’m only trying to keep you safe,” hesaid.
