Ruthless ? Jacob Black [2]

Chris Eldridge's foot began to tap on the carpeted floor, his mind not wanting to unveil the memories he had pushed back for so long. But as he looked at his daughter sitting opposite him, anxiously awaiting what he had to say, Chris knew there was no turning back.

He pushed his body forward in a sitting position, elbow resting against his jean covered knees, "We have been working with the Volturi way before I was born, I remember my father telling me about his experience with them and it was unspoken that I would have to do the same. Every single part of my training lead up to that moment, every weapon my father taught me how to use was preparing me to serve them."

Trying to sympathize with her father was hard, ever since he was keeping so much from her but Haven knew this might be the only way to learn what the Volturi wanted, "Why didn't you just tell them no? Presuming you didn't want to be involved with them. We can kill them after all right? Just some vampires, it's never stopped our kind before."

"These guys aren't just vampires, Haven, they're in a whole other league. Being alive for centuries has only increased their strength, not to mention it would have been one man against a coven in the hundreds."

Haven simply nodded, she had only ever seen a few pictures of some of the members but the fear and anger lacing her father's voice made her rethink how easily she thought she could dodge the coven.

"It was my only option, it was either that or they killed one of my family members. I couldn't let my dad down, I couldn't let my mom down or any of my siblings. I was the best hunter in the family so ultimately I was their number one choice, so when I was eighteen they summoned me to Italy. I stayed with them until I was thirty, that was when they simply let me go." Chris' eyes had glazed over at this point, he felt as if the words were flowing out of his mouth without any prior thought, like his brain was on autopilot so he didn't have to think too much about what he went through in his twelve year service.

Brows furrowed, Haven asked, "Why did they just let you go?"

"I had done them a faithful service, I was compliant and did everything that was asked of me without question. Aro often called me the perfect hunter, probably meaning that every other one in my position usually resisted at some point."

Letting out a breath, Haven pondered whether now was the appropriate time to ask what was truly on her mind, without hesitation she knew it was now or never, "What did they make you do?"

Her question was met with silence.

Chris looked up from where his blue eyes had been trained on an old stain in the carpet, holding his daughter's gaze firmly, "I don't want to talk about that."

Haven scoffed, "Well, don't you think I have a right to know considering they are coming for me next?"

Abruptly standing up at that question, the older man's eyes grew fierce at the thought of them even coming near his daughter. He despised the life he lived with the ancient vampires, there was no way in hell he would let them get to her, "I would never let them take you, you understand that?"

"You said it was either that or they kill someone in my family, and I won't lose you. I can't lose you." Haven's voice came down to a whisper, everything only dawning on her now that she was next on the Volturi's list. Of course she didn't want to go, but she wasn't going to let her family suffer because of her.

She had to be strong, for the sake of her dad, her mom and all of the loved people she would be leaving behind in this gloomy town.

Hands were instantly gripping her shoulders delicately, brown eyes meeting blue as Chris pulled his daughter up to stand opposite him, "You won't lose me or your mother, okay? We will find a way around it, I will do anything to make sure that you don't have to go through what I did."