“That’s because I used to read it to you before bed when you were a child,” Isis confessed, a warm and loving expression taking over her.
“Aww!”
Ignoring Star, I offered Isis a smile.
“How did you do that? It didn’t even take two seconds?” Pure shock colored Bjørn’s voice, but I just shrugged.
“It took her about three seconds to read each book.”
Everyone turned to Dante, who sounded proud more than anything else.
“Oooh, she’s so fast because she is a newborn Vampire… blah blah,” Star mocked. “Just wait until you let me out, Bitch. I’m going to run so fast you will eat my dust.”
Lips twitching, I just rolled my eyes.
“She said it was because of myhybridnature, you idiot. It means both your enhanced Wolf Shifter speed and my Vampiri speed mixed, making us even faster.”
“Oh.”
“That’s so cool, Tasha! I, um.” Vanessa’s cheeks turned bright red when she caught her mistake. “Sorry. Natalia.”
“I don’t really care.” I shrugged, being sincere… as long as it was just an honest mistake.
“Are we ready?” Our Vampir Mother interrupted, reminding us all why we were even here.
“Yes, of course,” I assured, stepping closer to Georgette, who motioned for me to settle in the sitting area in front of the fireplace.
“How does this work, exactly?” I hated that nerves stirred my stomach as I sat down, but they did.
“Well, with your permission, I will touch your temples and access your mind. Then I’ll use my power to navigate the darkness and try to unlock the memories guarded there so I can release?—”
“Guarded?” I questioned, glancing from Georgette to Countess Dariah.
“We have to assume that the memories aren’t lost, but they are being kept from you.”
Mother’s words disturbed something inside me, and the chilling, deathly grip of the darkness tightened in my mind.
“No!”Star growled.
“No.” I answered at the same time.
“No, to what?” Georgette tried to clarify.
“You do not have our permission.”
“You do not have my permission.”
“Natalia—”
“I said no.” The tone of my voice alone killed Dante’s protest. My attention returned to our Vampiri Mother. “Do you think Natasha is the one keeping them from me?”
She slowly nodded.
“Why?”
“To spare you,” she confessed with a knowing sigh. “So that you won’t go through the pain she is experiencing right now.”
“She is in pain…”Star confirmed what we already knew—we had felt the sorrow stirring just under the fog.
