“Ladies. Welcome.” He pulled my mother in for a kiss, and she giggled when he whispered something into her ear.
He stepped closer to me, leering at me with a grin that was all wrong on his face. “You must be Lorelei.”
Unable to shake that slimy feeling hanging in the air, I folded my arms over my chest and looked back at the mechanic in the garage across the street. “Yeah…must be,” I muttered.
Following my line of sight, Ezra gave a dry chuckle. “You’re almost his age, you know. You two will get along.”
I blinked and looked back at Ezra. “What? Who?”
He jerked his head toward the garage. “Your new brother. He works as a mechanic. His garage is close to home, as you can see. Since this is a small town, he doesn’t have much work, but he keeps himself busy. There will be time for him to show you around. Titus, come meet your stepmother and stepsister.”
There was an irritated sigh from under the truck, followed by the squeak of wheels on concrete. The mechanic’s fingers, blackened with engine oil, curled over the bumper as he slid himself out from under the car.
My jaw dropped, and my stomach swirled with warmth when I found myself staring at the most painfully gorgeous man. Titus was tall and lithe, with a jawline so sharp a girl could cut herself on that thing. His unkempt hair was jet black, with pieces falling artfully around his eyes. And hiseyes.Holy freaking crap. Those were the showstoppers. One was white like his dad’s, sharp and piercing from the way the pupil stood out, while the other eye was a gentle green hue. There was a vicious burn mark that took up almost half of his face. The scar was ugly but made the good looks of his unmarred side all the more striking.
Awkward silence stretched between us, then was shattered by his dad clearing his throat. “Show Lorelei to her room. Then help her bring in whatever belongings they’ve brought with them.”
With that, Ezra took my mom’s hand and led her toward the house. She sent me a look and mouthed “be nice” before disappearing through the front door.
I turned back to Titus and found his glare slicing through me, like I was some cockroach rather than a person, let alone a welcome addition to his family.
“So, uh…” I swallowed thickly, then opened one of the back doors to my mom’s car and gestured to the boxes. “Are you going to just stare at me like a creep, or are you going to help me?”
Titus’s broad shoulders shook with a quiet chuckle, and my cheeks flared hot.
What was this guy’s deal? He was looking at me like he’d revel in me bursting into fucking flames.
“Hello?” I waved my hand in front of his face. “Help?”
Finally, he reacted. There was a blink, then his lips curved with a cruel grin. “You better get used to asking for my help, little sister.”
My heart squeezed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He wetted his lips with his tongue while I watched, completely entranced, as the appendage slid over his flesh. “It means your mom has married a dangerous man and brought you to a dangerous place. But don’t worry. Big brother will help you survive Bishop for as long as possible. If you’re a good girl, I might not even make you beg for my help.”
Chapter Three
Titus
ThemomentIlaideyes on her, I decided that I’d do everything I could to save her. Which made me instantly annoyed. I didn’t know who this girl was. I wasn’t supposed to give a fuck about her. So why was she melting my cold exterior with those warm, doe-like eyes of hers? She was just a human. A cute one, with curly, brown hair that fell around her shoulders in soft waves, and whiskey-colored eyes. But still human.
Three years after losing mom, I didn’t care about anything other than giving my father the death he deserved. Nothing broke the ice encasing my heart. Except for this girl. So…fuck it. I wouldn’t give her as an offering to the Elder One like my father intended.
There was no saving her mother. The three years the Elder One had given us to find a new offering were almost up, and now that my father had found a human dumb enough to fall into his trap, he wasn’t letting this one off the hook. But maybe the daughter could escape.
I couldn’t just come out and tell her the horrifying truth about the Hell she’d been dragged into. She wouldn’t believe me, but would probably run her mouth to her mother, who’d tell my father. Then he’d find out I wasn’t really loyal to him, the Old Faith or the Elder One.
My cover would be blown.
So the best way to get Lorelei to leave? I’d give her a taste of Hell and run her out of town.
Poor girl. I almost felt sorry for her. Almost. I was only half-human, after all. I wasn’t so heartless that I wanted to see her soul get sucked out, but I wasn’t exactly a saint either.
There’s a part of me that would take pleasure in tormenting her until she couldn’t handle it anymore, and she’d leave this shithole for good.
She looked so confused when I told her Bishop, and the man in charge of it all, were dangerous. Then she’d blushed furiously when I’d said I wouldn’t make her beg for her big brother’s protection.
Not if she was a good girl.
