Lifting the sword from the box, he swung it, slicing the air and hearing the trill of the blade’s sharpness. Alistaire took care of the sword, cleaning and keeping it sharp for the day he and Euan finally had their confrontation. Even though they hadn’t found him yet, Alistaire could feel that day drawing closer. Setting the sword back into the case and locking it up he pushed the sword case back under the bed then walked over to the sitting room, flopping down on the couch.
Alistaire smiled as he looked out the window watching Crevan, Ava, and Barret have a snowball fight. He’d been worried Ava wouldn’t adjust to the new changes in her life, but she’d adapted quicker than he’d expected. They were still looking for Trever, and as much as he didn’t want to say or think it, Alistaire believed the man was dead. He’d owed a lot of money to some dangerous people. There was no way they were going to let him live without repayment. Crevan and Alistaire had decided to wait for more evidence before telling the little girl the truth.
Alistaire leaned back on the sofa, loving the sound of his mate’s laughter. It always seemed to calm his mind whenever something was bothering him. However lately, he could tell that something was bothering Crevan. He’d been waking up in the middle of the night nearly every night from dreams and hadn’t been going back to sleep after. Alistaire had tried to use sex to calm his mate’s mind, but it hadn’t worked.
I can’t use sex to solve everything. It’s time we talk.
Alistaire made up his mind. After they put the girls to sleep, he was going to find out what was bothering his mate. Reaching into his pockets, Alistaire pulled out Fox’s dog tags and smiled. He was finally able to let go and let the past rest. He had to think of his future with Crevan and the girls. Raising his eyes, he peered out of the window watching his family play happily.
* * *
After a long,hot shower, Fox walked out of the bathroom and saw Alistaire looking at a sword, his interest instantly piqued.
He walked over and sat beside his mate, observing the blade with him. It was stainless steel with a red and green tapestry cloth wrapped around the grip and a large gold bead on the pommel. Fox had remembered seeing quite a few swords in Montgomery Antiques and wondered if Alistaire had gotten it from there.
“Did you buy that from the antique store?”
Alistaire turned the sword around, and that’s when Fox saw the name McBain on the guard along with a family crest. “It belonged to my father, Lochlan MacBain. I’d lost it after the fire. When I was around eighteen, Synder and I found it at an auction house.”
Fox reached out and traced the name on the guard. Then he looked up at Alistaire, who was staring at him.
“Go ahead and ask me what you want to know?”
Fox smiled and realized his bottom lip was between his teeth. “How did your birth parents die?”
“They were killed by the same man who’s been trying to kill me. Euan Gillies.”
Alistaire placed the sword down in the box on the coffee table and closed it. “When I was five years old…”
Fox sat entranced as he listened to Alistaire tell him about Euan Gillies showing up at his parents’ keep for a feast and the events that had transpired. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing but knew it was all true. To hear Olivia, Alistaire’s mother, had given up her life in return for him made Fox’s heart break for his lover.
“He burned the entire keep down and everyone along with it. If it wasn’t for my mother who’d sacrificed her life making me immortal, I would have died along with them.”
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
Alistaire pulled Fox in his arms and laid back down on the couch. “You don’t need to be sorry. I miss my parents, but I’ve had a good life, and it’s not over yet. ”
“But you lost your parents at a young age. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost Aria or Barret…”
“Shh...” Alistaire soothed. “Yeah, for a while I was lost. Then I found Synder. After he took me in, my life changed. And thanks to you, I’ve already started fulfilling a promise I made to myself.”
“What’s the promise?”
“To rebuild the McBain Clan...with you and the girls in my life I know we can do it.”
“I believe we can. But we have to tell Ava about her father.”
“We will, just not yet. Once we have all of the evidence, we’ll let her know.”
“Okay.”
They were silent for a few minutes, both in their own thoughts.
“Are you going to kill him?” Fox didn’t need to say who he was talking about. If someone had killed his parents, he’d want revenge, as well. No matter how long it took.
“I have to,” Alistair answered. “I can’t play the cat and mouse games anymore. I have a lot more to lose now.” He raised Fox’s chin, so they were eye to eye. “Does that make me a bad person in your eyes?”
Fox cupped Alistaire’s cheek running his thumb along his strong jaw. “No, I understand your reasons.”
