Forever Changed (14 page)

Chapter 25

The next morning
, I woke up next to Landon, he had his arms wrapped around me and his legs were entwined with mine. My head was resting on his chest and I felt that things couldn’t get any better than this.

Last night, was the first night that I had slept so well. My father was in the arms and care of my mother and I was in the arms
and care of Landon. I never thought I would know what it was like to be in love and I knew that this was more than love. This would last for the rest of my life.

I let him sleep and just
lay there, wondering how lucky I was right now. He stirred; I titled my head so that I was looking up at him. He opened his eyes and looked down at me.

“Good morning, did you sleep well?” He said with a satisfied grin on his face.

“Yes, yes I did. You?” I asked looking up at him innocently.

“Better than I have in a very long time.” He said stretching a bit.

We laid there for a little while discussing what to do for the day. I decided that I was not going to school and if anyone called or stopped by I would pretend to be sick. He agreed that it would be best to stay home with my father.

I rolled out of the bed wrapping the blanket around me and headed to the
bathroom. I left him lying there naked, with nothing to wrap up in.

“I am going to shower and head downstairs.” I said with a sly smile on my face. “Want to join me?”

“I would be more than happy to join you,” He said crawling out of my bed. He started to run toward me crouched down with his arms up, like he was fixing to tickle me. I screamed and ran into the bathroom, giggling as he shut the door behind him.

                 *******

I decided while getting dressed that I was going to heal my father’s broken body. I needed to talk with him anyways.

Landon and I headed downstairs to get some breakfast first. Julie already had it ready and waiting.

“Good morning, Julie,” I said with happiness wrapped around every word.

“Well hello Elizabeth, feeling
better and looking better today? Hungry?” She asked with a quizzical question in her face. She looked behind me with a small grin while looked Landon up and down.

“Who is your friend?” she asked with
an enormous grin on her face.

“Sorry how rude of me, Julie this is Landon, Landon this is Julie.” Turning to Landon I said, “Julie has been a part of my family since I was five. She is amazing and a great person.”

Julie and Landon shook hands and Julie beamed at me. I could tell she was finally happy to see me happy, but a little hurt that I hadn’t told her about Landon.

“Let’s eat, I am starving,” I said grabbing my plate. Landon and Julie followed suit and we sat down at the table together. Landon sat next to me and Julie sat in front of me. While eating, no one said a word
, we were just enjoying the beautiful morning. The sun was out shining brightly and I could hear birds singing their songs loudly.

“Probably not, my father came home last night from his trip. He ran into some trouble and is beaten up pretty badly. My mother is taking care of him.” I said lying to her once again. I was kicking myself
hard; I so much hated lying to Julie.

“O
h my, is he alright?” She asked with alarm ringing in her voice.

“O
h yeah of course, most of the bruises are healed and such. He is just resting and talking things out with my mother.” I said quickly. I didn’t want her to think that I was telling stories. I came up with something fast. I didn’t want her to see I was lying, when he came down stairs with no bruises. Of course he wouldn’t have any because my plan this morning was to heal him. She had no way of knowing this though.

She looked relieved
, as she finished up her breakfast and headed to the sink, to prepare the dishes for the dishwasher.

“I am
sorry; I have to excuse myself from breakfast this morning. I have quite a bit of work to get done today. It was very nice to meet you Landon and I hope you two enjoy your day.” With that said Julie walked out of the kitchen and disappeared into her maid quarters. I wonder what was wrong with her; she was acting kind of strange.

Landon and I finished up breakfast
. He decided he would go and hang out in my entertainment room today. He kissed me quickly and headed upstairs. I, on the other hand, headed to my father’s room. I had some work to do.

Chapter 26

I knocked lightly on the door. I head no answer, so I gently pushed the door opened. My father was sleeping away, all sprawled out everywhere, in the king size bed. My mother was asleep, too, but was sleeping in what looked like a very uncomfortable chair. I walked over to her and gently tapped her on the shoulder. She opened her eyes quickly and jumped out of her chair.

I pretty much thought
, I was going to have to go to the bathroom and make sure I didn’t shit myself. She scared the shit out of me and I never expected that kind of reaction. However, I couldn’t blame her especially, after all the crazy stuff that had happened.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frightened you,” I whispered loudly to my mother.

She waved her hand at me, “It is ok, I am just worried about your father. He has not moved or anything.” She said looking at him, tears forming in her eyes.

“It is
ok, I came to heal him, he looks much better since he has had a bath.” I said with a grimace on my face. “Why don’t you go get something to eat and I will tend to him.”

“Yes, your right I am starving. He needs to eat as well
, but I will let you do whatever it is you are going to do. If you need me yell. I will come running if I have to.” She said with a weak smile.

“I just may do that,” she said and shut the door softly behind her.

I looked down at my father. The only way I would be able to heal him, is if I became angry.

I sat in the chair
, that my mother had been sitting in and yes, I was right. It was the most uncomfortable chair I had ever sat in. I couldn’t believe that my mother actually slept in it!

I was lost in my thoughts
, when my father starting stirring awake. Not only was he waking up, but he moaned with each slight movement. I felt bad for him, but the thought of my mother crossed my mind. Every time he beat on her, how she would stay in bed crying, not sure if it was from the pain or if it was just from being hurt by the one she loved the most.

He was beaten so bad, swells here and there, bruises, cuts, whip lashes, and slash marks. He had
marks, which looked like someone had drug their fingernails down his skin, leaving huge deep scratches. He had bite marks that were not from ordinary teeth and he I am sure, had plenty of broken bones. He was tortured and punished. He paid a huge price for marrying a witch, having a daughter, and breaking the Marcus Curse.

I watched him for a few minutes, while he struggled
to breath and move. He watched me as well and I wondered what he was thinking about.

“I am so sorry, Elizabeth,” he whispered.
His voice was hoarse and raspy.

“I know, but I am sorry I didn’t tell you before. I am sure
that this last week, you have been an….”he stopped to catch his breath, “….emotional wreck.”

“I am fine and I am even
better now that you are home. I glad to know who I am.” I said with my head a little higher. “I need you to make me angry, though, so you don’t have to endure this pain you are going through.”

“I deserve it,” he spat out so angry that he startled me
making me jump. “How many times did I beat on your mother? I beat her constantly and she was stronger than what I thought. She was harder to break. I deserve everything they did to me in the Underworld, Elizabeth.”

“Yeah, well I need you healed, not for me, but for my mother. She has slept all night in a chair
, worrying about you and you are going to sit there and not let me do anything.” I cried out through gritted teeth.

He sat and thought for a few minutes before he finally answered. He started crying, “I love your mother so much, Elizabeth. I was supposed to be a coldhearted demon and something
happened when I met her. I am confused, but at the same time I am happy to have a second chance. I never want to go back to the Underworld. It is so horrible and awful. I don’t want to be damned there and endure the eternity of torture and abuse.”

“I know you don’t and I am happy you have a second chance. This time we are going to be a happy family and we are going to start over, but we have to take care of the now first. Landon said he foresees the Dark Lord rising
, he will be coming. He is coming to get me for my powers, kill you, and kill my mother. You have to help me fight him. I need you to let me heal you. Please?” I pleaded with him. I really needed his help. He was a demon and all demons possess powers. “Not only that, I killed a kid from school, I need your help with that, too.”

He looked at me with his mouth opened wide and stared. Tears formed in his eyes while he said, “My little girl has grown up on me.” He cried continuously
, his chest heaving up and down, while he tried to get enough air in between each wail.

I watched
him throw a fit with disgust. Are you flipping serious? I need him to be strong and get angry and all he is doing is crying like a two year old sissy. I thought when he came back from the Underworld he would be different. But dayum, I didn’t think he would turn into a blubbering pansy ass.

I rolled my eyes, walked over to him, and shouted, “Quit your damn crying. Act like a man and be one. Yeah
, you came back from damnation a whole new person, ready to get a second chance at life. So now is your chance, but be a man about it. You have another chance and all you’re going to do is cry about every little thing. I need your help, we need your help or we are all going to live in the Underworld and be damned for eternity.”

He looked at me with his eyes shining a smile forming on his lips. “That’s my girl get angry at me,” he said smirking.

I looked at him, my turn with my mouth hanging opened with shock. This is what he is doing. He is trying to make me angry, so that I can heal him.

“What are you doing?” I asked him with my teeth grinding. I probably will have to go to the dentist by the time this is over with!

“I am not completely changed Elizabeth. I am trying to make you angry. I am not going to sit here like some wuss, crying over everything. Don’t get me wrong I should be, considering all that I have put my family through. But in all honesty I am a demon and always will be.” He said with a huge smile on his face.

I looked at him and said, “This is all a game to you.
JUST ALL A DAMN GAME!!” I screamed. I felt my temperature rising, my heart pounding, and my blood pressure going up. A storm was forming above our heads, with lighting, and thunder crashing all around us. My eyes turned red and I was pissed.

“QUICK ELIZABETH
, CHANNEL YOUR ANGER INTO HEALING MY BODY, SO THAT I CAN HELP YOU! HURRY OR YOU ALONE WILL SEND ME BACK TO DAMNATION AND BACK TO THE UNDERWORLD.” His scream sounded distance, but I could still understand what he was saying. He made me angry, risking going back, so that he can be healed and take care of his family.

Instead of concentrating on his lungs constricting and not letting him breathe, which I could see his face turning purple now, I grabbed his ankle
. I concentrated on solely repairing his broken body. I was afraid now, because I watched as a brilliantly white light crept down my arms and engulfed his body.

I watched
, as the light raised my father off his bed. It lifted him up in the air. He was completely covered in this light and I still had a grip on his ankle. I was amazed and wondered how this could be a witch’s source of power. How in the world can this be happening?

I felt a blast of white light coming out of his body, an
d all around the room. The blast from the light coming out of his body slammed me into the wall that was behind me.