Vacation's Over

Sometime during the evening Callum had produced a laptop and had started working on some project offline. The quiet sound of muttered conversation and the rhythmic click of his keyboard had lulled her into a sense of safety.

Gabriela managed to nestle further into the corner of the booth, partially curled up as she half dozed. Her fingers idly stroked her hair, curling and coiling the lock over her fingers. A sense of peace kept any questions she had about the men Callum had spoken to, about Callum's abilities, or even other patrons of the supernatural bar. 

"Ah so there you are, pet" A too familiar voice broke through the quiet daze that Gabriela had fallen into. A voice that tore her out of the sense of peace.

Her head turned, searching for the source of the dreaded voice only to land on Vincent standing in front of the table. Her feet slid from the edge of the bench to rest with her toes just barely pressed to the floor as her spine straightened. 

"Making friends I see.." The contempt was nearly tangible in the male vampire's voice. A heavy weight of disapproval that had her hackles raising. 

"Better company than I had previously." Her soft voice carried an edge to it as she felt an odd sense of protectiveness towards Callum. He had given her nothing but kindness thus far and she wouldn't let Vincent malign him.

Her lips pulled tight as she fought the urge to hiss and bare fangs at the man once more. To her left she heard Callum sigh as he closed the laptop and turned to look up at the other vampire. 

"Pet? You have such the cutest name for me, Vinnie." Callum leaned back, seemingly at ease with the broader man looming over him. One brow arched in vague challenge; daring the man to make a move.

Vincent just stood there waiting. His eyes remained focused on Gabriela in silent demand. The weight of it made her uneasy; aware that no matter how this moment passed she would have to return back to that house and back to where he had greater influence. 

"Stay out of it, Demon." Vincent finally responded, flicking a quick glance to Callum before dismissing him again.

"Come on little cream puff. Time for you to come home." His hand reached out and Gabriela clamped her fingers against the table as she warred between defiance and need to obey. She knew what he was capable of and knew that Bridget couldn't save her from another round of punishment.

Her teeth once again worried against her lower lip before she caught the subtle movement to her left, of Callum shifting to interject himself and that decided it.

"I am coming, Vincent. There is no need to be nasty to those who haven't done anything to you." Carefully she slid off the bench seat, wiggling between the table and Callum pausing as his fingers curled around her waist.

The gentle pressure, a request for her to pause, a silent offer to keep Vincent from bothering her for at least a little while longer. Gently she pressed her palm against the back of his hand, trying to ignore how her hand shook in nervous energy. 

Impatiently Vincent grabbed her arm and jerked her the rest of the way past the table and into the path. His fingers curled around her bicep holding her firmly in place so she couldn't attempt to flee.

Gabriela didn't fight or try to pull away despite the embarrassment she felt at being handled like a reluctant child in front of so many others and their curious eyes.

"He has done enough. Haven't you" The last scorn filled question was thrown at Callum in a barbed sneer. 

"Have I? I wasn't aware. So this is your family Gabriela? No wonder you are such a hopeless thing." The way his voice caressed over her name eased away any sting that the rest of his words should have offered.

"You really should take better care of your fledglings Vinnie." Gabriela hissed as Vincent's fingers tightened in response to Callum's taunt. Her soft noise of discomfort didn't ease the hold, instead she found herself jerked backwards, like a toy that Vincent didn't want to share. Her ballet flats did little to offer her traction to prevent being tugged further away. 

"How I care or don't for our fledgling is none of your concern. Look to your own house and Eli will manage ours." Vincent turned and pulled Gabriela with him. Silent she walked along side him, half jogging as his longer legs forced her to work harder to keep up.

She gave Callum one last look behind but the man had already turned away; his attention on the waitress as she brought him another drink. 

Too soon she was being shoved into the passenger seat of the car with the door slammed behind her. Vincent folded himself into the driver's seat after shoving it further back.

He didn't bother to adjust the mirror before slamming the gear shifter into reverse and just as abruptly throwing it into drive. The angry squeal of tires desperately grabbing at the asphalt gave Gabriela enough warning to brace herself as she was pressed further back into her seat. 

"Do you even know who he is? Of course not." Vincent's hands slammed against the steering wheel as Gabriela sank further into the passenger seat. She didn't bother to reply, smothered instead by the anger that rolled off the man driving.

Her nails sank into the arm rest as her other hand braced against the door as the car fishtailed several times along the trip back to the ramshackle farmhouse.

"His last lover killed herself just last week." He sneered, his tone almost gleeful at divulging that open secret. 

"Don't think, poppet, that he would truly stir himself on your behalf. His kind don't care about what happens to ours." The car stopped suddenly and her hands pressed against the dashboard as the force of the stop slammed her against the suddenly tensioned seat belt.

Her breath left her with a soft oof as she was slammed forward. The sound of the car turning off rang in her ears as she fought to regain her composure. 

"Out. Now" Victor directed a glare at her before opening his door and stepping out. Gabriela quickly scrambled at her door. Her fingers closed on the door handle jerking on it as she half tumbled out of the car.

Her seatbelt caught her before she could get out of the seat, leaving her stalled as her brain worked to remember how to unfasten it. Finally, she found the button and was able to spring out of the car. Her wide eyes searched in the gloom for Vincent, seeking to pinpoint his exact location.

In front of the door she spotted Eli and to one side of him a very chastised looking Bridget. Vincent cocked his hip against the bumper of the car.

"Your decisions don't just reflect on you." He moved faster than her eyes could track and suddenly his hand was wrapped around her bicep as he frog marched her up the driveway.

Her weight was forced to the balls of her feet to remove some of the pressure on her arm. The steps were difficult to manage and his grip was the only thing that kept her from falling until he released her once they were on the stoop.

Gabriela rubbed her upper arm before giving a cry of protest as hard hand shoved her down to the ground, forcing her to kneel on the ground at Eli's feet like a puppy brought to heel.

She tensed, trying to rise and press against the hold against her and the pressure only increased under her nose, practically hovering over the freshly polished shoe leather. A cold hand pressed to the top of her head, touching her hair as fingers curled in the loose strands.

"I have heard you have been rather disobedient, little pet. My Birdie has been too soft on you but that changes now." Eli's solemn voice intoned over her. Gabriela closed her eyes, fighting back the waves of revulsion and humiliation as she remained crouched half on the ground. 

"Vincent will be taking over your lessons." That stated Eli released his hold on her before stepping away. The hold on her shoulder remained until the soft sound of his footsteps faded from her hearing. 

Hot, coppery breath floated across her cheek as Vincent leaned down to whisper in her ear " I won't be merciful, pet."

With that he released her and quickly Gabriela was on her feet, fleeing back inside the fake safety of the house. Her stomach was tight as Bridget grabbed her hand leading them both upstairs to the shared room. 

"Fuck , fuck fuck.." The woman chanted with each step up the stairs. Gabriela couldn't speak, couldn't even think, over the shock.

The first punishment had threatened to break her sanity but more nights of Vincent? She wasn't certain how well she would manage to keep her sense of self.

"Damn it. I told you to keep your head down. What are we going to do?" The door clicked closed behind them as Bridget leaned against the door, leaving Gabriela to slump on the bed. 

"I don't know. I can't do this, I can't..." Her throat felt dry as her stomach ached to bring up the remains of her drink from the evening.

"I am so sorry. I just. I didn't think." The whispered broken words left her as silent tears ran down her cheeks. Only the leaden feel of her body promised oblivion as the sunrise approached.

Her eyes closed as the tears continued to run, wetting her cheeks and hair. Bridget lowered herself to the bed and both women curled together.

"We will figure this out. I will figure it out" Bridget promised as life left them with the first golden streaks of dawn.

The forced sleep became a relief from the nightmare Gabriela would face the next night and those foreseeable after.