Garridan waited for just the right moment and raised his fist, punching Bennett in the jaw.
His back hit the wall. He seemed a little dazed so Garridan took advantage of that fact and punched him again. The man grunted as Garridan’s fist connected with flesh for a third time.
“God damn it, would you stop doing that.”
“Give me my mate and give me the boy.”
“The boy?” The man’s eyebrows drew together. “Fuck, Lucas is gonna be pissed. Shit.”
“I want the boy back. Where is he?”
Recognition crossed his face. “I’m not a boy anymore.”
Garridan moved closer, trying to make sense of the words. Samuel flashed into his mind. “Samuel.”
“That’s my dad. Your best friend. He was killed. My mother too. You saved my life that night. Kept me safe for a while after that, but then you disappeared.”
Garridan tried to get a clear picture of the boy in his mind, but he couldn’t. His headache was getting worse. He closed his eyes and brought his hands up, as if he were trying to hold his head on straight, making sure it didn’t explode.
“Are you okay, Uncle Garridan?” Uncle Garridan. Only one person called him that. Garridan remembered.
“I lost track of time,” Garridan said through the pain.
“Yes. If you let me by, I’ll show you a picture of my parents.”
Garridan took a step away from him, giving him enough room to pass. “I won’t hurt you anymore.”
“Good, because I’m not letting you get another shot at it.” Bennett passed.
Garridan followed him into the living room. A tree with lights and ornaments hanging from it sat in the corner. Boxes wrapped in different colored paper lay underneath the tree branches. Garridan remembered that part of his past, although it was in small pictures. He remembered stringing popcorn and tying red bows on the end of branches. He supposed that made him far older than his face appeared in the mirror.
There was a picture on the mantel that Garridan had seen in passing. He hadn’t been able to focus enough to pay attention to it before.
Bennett picked it up and handed it to him. Garridan took it, studying the three people captured in the photo. It was of Samuel, and the woman. The boy stood in front of them with a smile on his face. “This is my child.”
“Yeah, I know. You gave that picture to me the day you disappeared. I was crying because I didn’t want you to leave.”
Garridan didn’t remember it, only the people in the picture. He reached out and grabbed Bennett around his nape, holding him close. “I don’t remember that. I remember you.”
“That’s a start, Uncle Garridan.”
“You are my son.”
“Yeah. After my parents died, that’s how it was.” He felt Bennett’s arms come around his back as if he was scared Garridan would lash out again.
“I won’t hit you again. The vampires lied to me. They told me they held you prisoner.”
“No. I came here to Saint Lakes and Mother Estelle took care of me.”
Garridan nodded once. “I won’t kill you. Just all the rest who keep my mate from me.”
“No, Uncle Garridan. You don’t understand Sage’s situation,” Bennett said, pulling back, letting him go.
“Situation?”
Bennett nodded and started to explain, but the witch interrupted them by coming through the back door.
Lucas pulled his shoes off and hung his coat up on the hook. He had a smile on his face that died the second he saw Bennett’s bruise. “What the fuck happened to your face?”
