Nic glanced at Ryan, who looked resigned and was leaning against the wall near the door.Ryan didn’t say anything.He didn’t offer to leave so that Nic and Devon could speak.Nic doubted that Ryan would go anywhere without his mate, especially when Nic was involved.No, if Nic was going to be honest, he’d have to do it in front of Ryan.He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but it wasn’t like he had a choice.
“What makes you think there’s a good reason I ended up with him?”he asked Devon.
“Because I don’t think you’re the kind of person who does what you did without a good reason.I don’t think you’re anything like Parrish, which makes me wonder what happened to convince you to work with him.”
“Fear, mostly.Parrish isn’t a nice person.Once he has his claws into you, he’s ready to do anything to control you, and mostly, he does that using fear.Everyone knows the stories of how he kills people who disappoint him.He won’t let people leave him.It’s either him or death.”
“How did you end up with him, then?”Ryan asked, surprising Nic.
He hadn’t thought that Ryan would speak.He was clearly there to protect his mate, and Nic was pretty sure that if it wasn’t for Devon, Ryan would be as far away as possible from him.Nic didn’t blame him.He and Devon were lucky to be alive, and part of the reason they’d ended up anywhere near Parrish was Nic.He wouldn’t want himself to be anywhere near his mate, either.
He didn’t like talking about his past, but he could tell that he wouldn’t have a choice.He supposed things could be worse.At least Ryan and Devon were willing to listen to him.He wasn’t sure the same could be said for anyone else in the village.The clan leaders might decide to kill him because of what he’d done without listening to any reason he might have.It was what Parrish would have done.
Nic could feel Devon and Ryan watching him.He stepped closer to the window, keeping his gaze on the trees outside.He didn’t have a choice in being honest, but it didn’t mean he had to look at the two as he was.
“My parents were killed when I was six.Kudlaks aren’t like Krsniks.We don’t live in clans.We tend to kill each other too easily.My parents and I lived on our own, and I didn’t have anyone else.I was lucky when Parrish saved me.”Or maybe he hadn’t been.He wasn’t quite sure anymore.
“He took me in,” Nic continued.“He protected me as I grew up.”
“That makes it sound like he’s a good person, but we both know he’s not,” Devon pointed out.“How was growing up with him?”
“Awful,” Nic said honestly.“I was always grateful because I would have died if it wasn’t for him, but he never let me forget it.He used the fact that he saved me against me for most of my life.When I disappointed him, he wondered out loud if he should’ve let me die.When I wouldn’t do something, he reminded me that I was only alive because of him.He raised me, but he was never a parent.He was never loving.”No, Nic had lost all of that when his parents had died.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all of that,” Devon murmured.“And I understand better why you worked with him.”
“I didn’t have a choice.It was either do it or be killed.”
“Maybe.He sent you to befriend me, right?”
“He wanted an in into the village, and since you’re human, he knew you wouldn’t know what I am.”
“He used you.”
“It’s what he does.He uses people.He doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and I don’t think he ever has.He wants to destroy the village and eradicate the clan, and he’ll find a way to do it.He might not have me anymore, but I’m not the only one working with him.He has plenty of Kudlaks he’s terrorized over the years who will do whatever he asks just so they won’t be killed.”
“Has anyone ever left?”Ryan asked.“That seems like the easiest way to stop doing what Parrish wants.”
“It’s not.It’s the easiest way to get yourself killed.People have tried.No one has succeeded.Parrish always finds them, drags them back, and uses them as an example.I’ve had to watch too many people get brutally murdered because they wanted freedom from Parrish.”Nic sucked in a breath.“I know that people think we’re monsters, and I understand why.With everything that happened between Kudlaks and Krsniks and Kudlaks like Parrish still hunting Krsniks and killing them, I don’t expect anyone to think differently of us.Some are all in and want the same things as Parrish, but most just want to be safe.”
Including Nic.He hadn’t felt safe since his parents had died.Even though he’d been relieved when Parrish had taken him in because it had meant he wouldn’t die, he’d known he wasn’t safe.He still wasn’t.
A knock on the door interrupted the conversation before Devon could say anything.Nic was glad.He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what Devon thought of his story.He was sure that Devon and Ryan felt sorry for him, but he didn’t know if that excused what he’d done.He’d been trying to survive, but people could have died.Devoncould have died, and he was Nic’s only friend.Nic had never wanted him to be hurt, which was why he’d put distance between them.He cared about Devon, and he didn’t want anything to happen to him.
Somethinghadhappened, anyway.Nic didn’t deserve a second chance.He certainly didn’t deserve for Devon to forgive him.It didn’t matter what happened to him in the past.He wasn’t six years old anymore.He was an adult, and as one, he should have stood up to Parrish.He should’ve died rather than hurt people.
Ryan opened the door.He stepped aside, and a blond man came in.His hair was tied at the back of his head, and it looked soft and inviting.The man’s blue eyes moved as his gaze jumped around the room, taking everything in, but Nic couldn’t look away from him.The man was handsome, and Nic wondered why he was there for a moment before noticing the tray the man was carrying.
“Hey, Tamsin,” Devon said.“Did Rowan and Clay send you?”
Tamsin raised the tray.“I have food.”
He moved toward Nic without hesitating, which surprised Nic.He’d expected Krsniks and Vila to keep their distance from him.He understood why Devon was here since Devon was human and they were friends, but Tamsin?
Tamsin didn’t only move toward Nic.He smiled at him as he put down the tray on the dresser, then turned to him.“Hi.I’m Tamsin.”
“Nic,” Nic said, then wondered why he bothered.Tamsin obviously knew who he was.
Tamsin leaned closer, offering Nic his hand.Nic reached for it, but before he could touch it, he was hit by Tamsin’s scent.
