“Ding. Ding. Ding. Fuck, you’re smart, hot,andferocious. I’m never going to tire of you,” he breathes, turning his attention back to me with desire burning in his eyes.
“And how does any of that information apply to Kael?” I ask, redirecting us to the point we started with, and he shrugs.
“He was happy to go along with whatever our parents said. I, however, found a new appreciation for supernaturals that could do… more.”
I sigh, slightly disappointed, although somewhat relieved that there’s no other hidden agenda for my vampire in question.
“And you decided to use those supernaturals to your advantage,” I clarify, and he shrugs.
“Somebody had to,” he replies without missing a beat, and I scoff.
“And that somebody was you.”
“Why not?” he questions, and I shake my head at the lack of an answer on my tongue.
I don’t know what I was expecting. Some grand understanding as to why he’s such a maniacal dick? But it seems there’s no explanation for his insanity.
Yet one thing plays on my mind.
“And why was I different?”
“Different?” he asks, and I nod.
“I wasn’t the first scythe to cross your path. If anything, what I’ve pieced together is the fact that you played a large role in ensuring I unlocked my magic.” My words hang in the air, each second stretching around us as his grin grows.
“It was your mother’s devotion.”
My eyebrows crinkle as I blink at him. “Devotion?” I repeat, and he nods.
“The way she sacrificed so much for the love of her life, a shadow fae. It was frowned upon, but love trumps all, right? Then, when they came into my possession, she did so without question to protect you, staying loyally at your father’s side.”
Disgust churns in my stomach as he mutters about them coming into his possession, and I want to rage at him, but as my chest heaves, I can’t find the fire inside of me to charge toward him. It’s as if something is holding me back.
“So you wanted me to give you that level of devotion?” I clarify, my toes curling in my shoes as he nods.
“And you will, Little Weapon,” he promises, and the air grows thick around us.
I’m not the only one to notice it this time.
Jude’s hand lifts to his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing against his touch. His eyebrows furrow as his gaze darts around the room, widening in an instant as a crackle of thunder bites through the air.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Jude Forrester.” My mother appears in a puff of air beside me, a snarl curling her lips as she hisses at the man before me.
I startle at her appearance, a hint of awe tingling in my chest as I stare at her, realizing she’s not alone.
One by one, more people appear, as if from thin air, each one snarling and snapping at the lunatic before me. It takes a second, but understanding quickly takes weight inside of me as more and more people appear, each a familiar face from the time I spent within the confines of Jude’s cell.
The anger in the room grows more palpable with every second until Thorne appears, Rion and Ocean right at his side, but unlike everyone else, their attention doesn’t turn to Jude, it spins to me. A silent and thorough gaze over me from head to toe confirms I’m okay, and with a nod, Thorne cracks his neck from side to side as the number of bodies in the room continues to grow.
Kael stands between me and his brother, eyes fixed on me, and flanking his sides are his parents, facing the opposite direction.
My view of the enemy is obscured, and as much as I love the man standing in my way, I’m hellbent on watching his demise that I know is coming. Placing my hand on Kael’s arm, I take a step, placing me at his side, and he reluctantly sighs, letting me see.
Everyone circles him, yet he doesn’t falter, standing taller as he settles his attention on his mother and father, anger burning in his eyes as his shoulders tense. The second his gaze flicks to me, his eyes soften, and it makes me uneasy as silence deepens the atmosphere.
My pulse rings in my ears as I clench my hands at my sides, bracing for what, I’m not sure, but it comes quickly as he darts for me. I move on instinct as Kael tries to shield me, bumping him to the side as my hands slam against Jude’s chest.
I suck in a breath, the release of magic overwhelming as Jude’s head tilts back, his eyes rolling up into his skull. I anticipate the delight to flicker in his eyes, but it doesn’t come as he drops to his knees, cheeks hollowing out. I’m sure there’s a curl to his lips. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were.
