My Strength Chapter 11

They had only spent a few days in Voltera before leaving. Much against Caius’s will, Athenodora knew that if he were in Charlie’s position, he would want Bella home as soon as possible. Since Bella was still human, Athenodora believed Charlie had a slightly larger claim over Bella’s time than they did. That didn’t mean she was about to let Bella leave, she still very much wanted her daughter in her vicinity at all times, but she could understand her daughter’s need to go back to Charlie. A parents need to have their children safe, even if they were technically adults and could be on their own, was something she understood. It also helped that Athenodora wanted her daughter to have a chance to say goodbye to her father before she would be in Italy to be turned. It was a chance she knew her daughter would appreciate.

What Athenodora couldn’t wrap her head around, what she couldn’t understand regardless of how often Bella tried to explain in, she just didn’t get why her daughter, someone who was about to have eternity at their disposal, wanted to keep going to school.

During their long flight, as much as Athenodora wished her wealth could speed up time it just wasn’t an option in the air, Bella had admitted she was looking forward to going back to school and graduating. Athenodora assured herself that she would be able to shop for graduation presents for her daughter, even as she tried to talk her daughter out of it. Wouldn’t it be a much better use of her time to train to prepare for becoming a vampire and to get a better handle on her gift? Athenodora didn’t understand why anyone would want to go to school to learn something that would likely change within the next decade or so instead of getting a head start on learning control for the new life about to come.

Athenodora was impressed that Zafrina hadn’t objected once as Bella tried to explain her reasoning. The stoic Amazon had kept silent, her hand never loosening her grasp on her mates’ hand. Her eyes had hardened, likely thinking of how hard the separation would be while Bella was on school grounds. But never once had she even attempted to say anything and not once did Bella say something that may have eased a newly mated vampire’s ease of possible separation. Bella was lucky in that respect; she was still human and wouldn’t be affected by being apart. But Zafrina would. Zafrina was in for some difficult times ahead.

“So, what exactly am I going to tell my dad about all of you?” Bella asked as they loaded into two different vehicles. Bella, Zafrina and Athenodora had gotten into a car with Demetri as a driver while Heidi drove the last second approved companions of Kachiri and Senna. Bella had argued that the sisters had yet to be separated, millennia after millennia they had remained together, she didn’t see why that had to suddenly change.

Everyone was sure if Zafrina could, she likely would have teared up from how touched she was about her mate caring so much about her family.

“Tell him whatever you want, whatever you decide Heidi will make sure he believes it.” Athenodora answered with a wave of her hand.

Bella couldn’t help but scowl at that. It was one thing to use Heidi’s power to keep their secrecy and not attract unwanted attention, but it was another thing entirely to use the seductress’s power so half-haphazardly didn’t sit right with Bella. She knew she had to lie to her dad, she didn’t like it but she knew she had to; it was the only way to keep him safe from all the vampire drama that seemed to follow her everywhere. The problem was Heidi would more than likely have to use her powers a lot on Charlie because as a police chief, he could spot a lie a mile away; especially from his own kid that had never been much good at lying to him.

“I don’t want to lie to him.” Bella said, already feeling guilty about the future lies she would have to tell, never mind the massive guilt she already felt from abandoning her dad and leaving Forks. She didn’t want to do more to hurt him by literally brainwashing him with Heidi’s gift. She wanted to rely on that power as little as possible.

“What other choice do you have?” Athenodora stared at her child, trying her best not to scowl or appear to be looking down at her. She was young, she still had silly ideals and notions that everything in the world was fair; she would learn. In the meantime though, she didn’t want her daughter to be disillusioned about the world’s casual carelessness so soon or by her. With a sigh she quickly thought of other options that may work… still with Heidi’s influence, she just wouldn’t tell her daughter that. “Perhaps if you say that I am a tutor that you won on some sort of competition to help you get into some sort of prestigious school in Italy, he would believe it?”

“About as much as he would believe Zafrina is really just over-achieving cosplayer of some rare video game.” Bella said with a snort, images of Zafrina in cosplay fliting through her head. She could picture Zafrina being completely uncomfortable but hot as hell in some of those costumes she had seen others wear when she was in Phoenix and happened by a convention. For just a brief moment, she wondered if she would ever get Zafrina to dress up and what she could actually get the Amazon to wear.

“It may work.” Zafrina said, well aware that Athenodora was not known for her patience and the fact that she was already making so many exceptions made her nervous. Well Bella was very much Athenodora’s bond child, Zafrina didn’t want to press their luck with the warrior queen’s good favor. Her mate clearly didn’t have much fear when it came to the older vampire, and while Zafrina was very much impressed by that, she didn’t want that to backfire on her mate. “Heidi will be needed no matter the story; this story will make sure Athenodora has easy access to Bella’s everyday life.”

“It would make it easier to be around you Bella if Charlie believed me to be a tutor.” Athenodora agreed, more than willing to accept Zafrina’s reasoning.

Bella, truthfully, didn’t truly mind the story all too much. She was more concerned about using Heidi’s power on Charlie too much; was there even a too much? Would he turn into some addict that craved something that he didn’t even know what it was? Or was it something that had limited affects to what Heidi used it for and Charlie wouldn’t even know she was manipulating him?

“How exactly does Heidi’s gift work?” Bella asked. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure what other excuse she could come up with to get Athenodora inside her house with Charlie’s permission. She already knew she would have to sneak Zafrina in through her window; they hadn’t talked about it but Bella hadn’t even thought the dark beauty would pass on that option, she assumed it was a given that Zafrina would bunk in there with her. “Is it like a drug and Charlie would turn into some kind of addict? You do realize he’s Chief of Police, that really wouldn’t work with his job.”

“I doubt it would work for any job.” Athenodora said with a roll of her eyes. Perhaps someday soon her little human would have the same protectiveness for her mate… if her mate would learn to shut his trap he may be able to fall into her good graces instead always arguing. “Heidi’s power is not addictive, it is as if the person or people she’s manipulating loses their entire ability to reason, to understand that whatever Heidi is saying may not actually be true. They lose their ability to think about what they’re being told, they take everything Heidi says at face value. They ignore their gut feeling that what she is saying or doing may not be the truth. Once she stops her affects, which end once they can no longer hear her, whatever she told them to believe or do, stays. They have their reasoning returned, their ability to understand that what everyone says may not be true but they will continue to believe Heidi, even if they can no longer remember her.”

“So, Heidi can just tell Charlie that Zafrina is a new step daughter taken in by Renee and move in?” Bella asked with a skeptical look… though that did sound pretty awesome. As nervous as the stoic woman made her feel, knowing she didn’t have to hide in her room and even be welcomed by Charlie would be nice.

“Technically, yes.” Athenodora answered right away with a sneer, mentally going over all the inappropriate positions she may find the two in when visiting her daughter’s room and all the things, mainly just one, the two may be up to. She had to physically fight herself to keep her eyes from going black. “But we should use stories that are as believable as possible so that if someone from outside the town questions anything, it’s easily defendable. In all cases when lying or averting the truth, simpler is better.” Athenodora couldn’t stop the smile, that may or may not have looked more like a smirk, from appearing on her face as she realized she was finally able to teach her daughter something. That was a very motherly thing to do and she was definitely going to be telling her sister’s as much; serves them right for doubting she would be able to teach her daughter anything outside of warfare.

“Well, good then.” Bella said, kind of upset that she wouldn’t be able to get her human friends to believe something entirely random and hilarious. She wasn’t sure what it would be, but it would have hilarious. “What about the shifters though?” Bella asked, remembering how they had chased after her when Zafrina had taken her away. They more than likely weren’t going to fall for anything Heidi did; especially since the mind link they shared would probably show them the truth since Heidi couldn’t affect them all at once. Bella knew they wouldn’t all be in the same area at once, they would leave at least a couple of the younger ones to protect their homes. She didn’t want Heidi to use her powers on the shifters anyways; they had done so much to protect her, she had to protect them from at least as much as Heidi using her powers. It was the least she could do. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to them; they protected me and I’ll do just as much.” Bella said with meaning, showing the vampires in the vehicle she meant what she said.

“Well, as soon as we can, after you have calmed Charlie and begged for a day or two off school to rest, you can set up a meeting with them and just Zafrina and I. I’m sure I’ll be able to convince them to not fight.” Athenodora said with an absolutely wicked grin that spoke of the fun she was predicting.

“I don’t trust you.” Bella said, concerned about the look on the blonde vampire’s face. She may not have known the vampire for long, but what she did know was that Athenodora was a warrior and would do anything for a fight.

“You likely should not.” Athenodora easily agreed, ignoring her daughter’s persistent requests and demands for her to explain. Meeting these wolves, that were eerily similar to the Children of the Moon that they all detested so much, would likely be the most fun she’s had in decades.