Before he could stop me, I wrapped myself in shadows and reappeared in the professor’s apartment. Still preening herself in the mirror, she didn’t see me at first. Then her eyes locked onto mine, and she let out a blood-curdling scream.
This may be easier than I thought.
A half hour later, I licked the blood from my fingers as I appeared on Jack’s doorstep. I made sure there was no lingering blood from the professor on me before I pushed the doorbell.
A few moments later, a human male opened the door. He had Jack’s dark hair and nose and smelled distinctly like someone bonded to a vampire. This must be her biological father, Darren.
“Can I help you?” he asked, skimming me over with a bland expression. He and Jack definitely shared some of the same facial expressions. They could almost be twins, though I had no desire to kiss her father.
“I’m here to see Jack,” I announced.
Normally, I’d have just popped in with my shadows. But, since I knew she was still training with the hunter, I decided this made more of an impression. I wasn’t going to hide in the dark like some dirty little secret. I was loudly and boldly claiming her for all to see.
Darren’s lips pressed into a tight line before he moved to close the door. “She’s busy.”
I opened my mouth to protest when a female voice beat me to it.
“Darren, stop that.” A pretty blonde woman with Jack’s eyes shoved the door back open, scowling at Darren. “Don’t be sorude. Hello.” She grinned at me, holding a hand out. “You must be Kyren. I’ve heard so much about you.”
I stared down at her hand, realizing this was Piper. Jack’s mom. The woman who killed my sire.
For a moment, I just stared at her hand, in awe of how far I’d come. Just a few weeks ago, I would have wanted nothing more than to have this chance. I could get my revenge for Kleon right here and now.
Except all the anger and rage I’d built up over the years was nothing compared to the thought of how it would make Jack feel if I hurt her mother.
Sliding my hand into hers, I shook it. “Yes, I’m here to see Jack.”
“Come right on in.” Piper pushed Darren back, opening the door wider, while shooting a discrete glare over at the male.
“I think she’s in the training room with Julian right now,” Piper explained, gesturing for me to follow her.
I didn’t bother telling her I knew, since to most, my watchful shadows seemed more stalkerish than protective.
Darren followed behind us, not saying anything, but the disapproval wafted off him in waves.
My eyes ate up the house as we walked through the foyer under the stairs and down a hallway. I could feel the presence of several other vampires nearby, which I could only assume were Jack’s other dads.
I didn’t get a chance to wonder if they would appear because, when we reached the training room door, three large, muscled vampires appeared before me.
Two of them were twins, their matching glowers burning into my skin while the taller, darker skinned one simply watched me with an unreadable expression.
“Guys,” Piper drew out, crossing her arms over her chest. “Leave him alone. This is between him and Jack.”
One of the twins pulled his glare away from me to look at her. “But he could be here to hurt her. You killed his sire, remember?”
I had a feeling this was going to come up. Still, it was better to get it all out in the open and show them how serious I was about their daughter.
“Yes, you did,” I stated, turning their attention back to me. “And I would be remiss to not admit that I was angry for a long time. I wanted to hurt your family the way you hurt me. Then…” I trailed off, staring at the closed training room door. “I mether.And none of it mattered anymore.”
Piper cooed, her hand to her heart.
“That doesn’t mean you won’t still try to hurt Jack now,” the same twin snipped at me. “There’s been enough threats to her life. How do we know you were part of them?”
“Because I’d rather die than see her hurt,” I shot back, letting him see the fury in my eyes. “I will rip to shreds anyone who dares thinks to harm her. Even if that person ends up being me.”
For a long moment, we stared each other down before they nodded and stepped back from the door. I reached for the door handle except it opened on its own, revealing Jack and Julian on the other side.
“Oh! Kyren!” Jack pressed a hand to her mouth. “What are you doing here?” She quickly looked at her parents and then back to me, her mouth opening and shutting, unsure of what to say.
