“I won’t,” Mitchell assured him.
“I had to pretend I didn’t care about my sister so that she wouldn’t be used against me or killed,” Kish snapped. “I had to hide my feelings.”
“But you have her in your life now,” Abram pointed out.
“No, I don’t,” Kish growled. “How long am I going to stay with these witches? You don’t know the answer so don’t even pretend that you do. I could be there for months or even years.”
“No one’s going to put up with your attitude that long,” Abram snarled. “You need to chill the fuck out. Sometimes we have to leave people we love behind to keep them safe. Yeah, it sucks raccoon tits, but that’s the way it is.”
They both stared at Abram for several heartbeats before Mitchell finally spoke. “Raccoon tits?”
“Is that the best you could come up with?” Kish asked. “It’s terrible.”
“Fuck you both,” Abram muttered with no real heat. His lips twitched because, yeah, raccoon tits sounded ridiculous.
“Pass,” Kish told him. “Before you used the term raccoon tits, I was interested. I can’t be with a man who’d suck on raccoon tits. I’m assuming that’s how you know that the situation is similar to sucking on them.”
“At least, he didn’t enjoy sucking on them,” Mitchell added with a laugh.
Abram’s lips still twitched as he did his best to keep his humor hidden. “You’re both assholes.”
“And you’re about to laugh,” Mitchell accused.
The ringing of Abram’s phone was a welcome interruption. “What?” he snapped as he answered the call without checking to see who was calling.
“Why are you calling my number over and over again?” Cord growled.
At least, he assumed it was Cord since he was the only person Abram had called multiple times. “Kish wants to talk to Moon,” was all Abram said.
Cord let out a frustrated breath. “Don’t call me multiple times for this again. I was worried something had happened to Vexx.”
“Vexx is fine,” Abram assured him. “Kish won’t go any farther until she talks to her sister, so this seemed kind of urgent to us. Until we get into witch territory, the demons can track her. Please, tell me Moon is doing well there.”
“Moon is nothing like her sister. She’s welcome to stay here as long as she wants,” Cord replied. “I’d never make that offer with Kishara.”
Though Kish had been a major pain in the ass all day, Abram still felt the desire to defend her. “It’s fucked-up of you to even compare them like that. No one abused her sister. Kish had a messed-up childhood, so it’s no wonder she’s a little bitchy.”
“You’re right,” Cord agreed. “Kish had a rough childhood, but I still hate her.”
“Whatever,” Abram replied. “Can she talk to her sister so we can get moving again?”
“I’m on my way to her now,” Cord replied in a gruff tone. “Here she is. Hand the phone to Kish.”
Abram handed his phone to Kish who tentatively held it to her ear and walked away from them as she talked excitedly with her sister.
“Don’t go too far with my phone!” Abram shouted. When he turned, he found Mitchell smiling and shaking his head. “What? Don’t tell me you’re still on the raccoon tits thing.”
“It’s going to take me time to get over that line.” Mitchell’s face sobered before he asked. “Where is your sister?”
Abram hesitated because he didn’t share information with anyone except Paul. Even then, he kept some things to himself, but he wanted to be open with Mitchell. This wasn’t some obsession he needed to get out of his system to move on. With Mitchell, he wanted something he’d never wanted before—a relationship. That meant he needed to be open and honest. He couldn’t push Mitchell away whenever a situation made him uncomfortable. “I sent her and my mom away when I took over Treasure Island, and no one knows they’re related to me.”
Mitchell nodded. “It must be hard being away from them.”
“Sometimes,” Abram admitted. “It’s easier in a lot of ways. I didn’t see them much even before they left. After I got infected, I avoided them because I didn’t want my mom and sister to see what I’d become. My parents didn’t live together while I was growing up because my mom hated my dad being a guard. She didn’t know how bad things truly were, but she always felt it was wrong that the leadership lived like kings while others suffered. When my dad earned a cozy guard house, my mom stayed behind with my sister. I visited occasionally, but I lived with my dad.”
“So, you didn’t see either of them much even before the change,” Mitchell remarked as he placed a hand on Abram’s shoulder.
Abram shook his head. “I think my mom preferred it that way. It’s not that she doesn’t love me. I know she cares about me, but she never liked seeing how messed up I am.”
“Why did you go with your dad while your sister stayed with your mom?” Mitchell asked.
“I wanted to be with my dad,” Abram explained. “I wanted the nicer house and the better food. To be honest, I didn’t care if others went without. It’s funny considering that it matters a lot to me now that I’m a leader. I don’t want my people to go without the necessities in life.”
“Did you think it would be that way when you took over?” Mitchell asked. “I’m not trying to sound like a dick, but you were willing to torture and kill Claire to gain control. Was that all about power, or were you trying to do the right thing in some twisted way?”
“I did it for revenge and to save my own ass,” he replied.
“Revenge against Roger?” Mitchell asked.
Abram nodded. “He killed my father to make a point. My dad was one of his favorite guards, but Roger was pissed when my dad refused to become a vampire. My dad wasn’t happy about me being a vampire, but I figured it was the only way to survive, and I didn’t like the idea of becoming food for those running the settlement. Even though he did some horrible things, he was still my dad, and he loved me. After Roger killed him, I started plotting my revenge.”
“I’m sorry you had to deal with so much,” Mitchell said softly. “Don’t get me wrong. I still think what you did was messed up, but at the same time, I know what it’s like to see your family killed.”
“Yeah, but your family didn’t deserve to be killed,” Abram pointed out. “My dad probably did a lot to earn him a death sentence over the years. No one who worked that closely with the leadership on the island was innocent.”
Abram was grateful when Kish came stomping toward them because as much as he wanted to be open with Mitchell, it left him feeling raw. He needed a break from true confessions time.
“Is your sister okay?” Mitchell asked when Kish shoved Abram’s phone into his chest.
“She’s fine,” Kish snapped before letting out a sigh and continuing. “Sorry. I’m going to try to be nicer. This isn’t your fault, and I’m going to try to avoid taking it out on you.”
“What’s going on?” Abram asked.
“My sister loves staying with her Papa Cord.” A sneer accompanied the last words. “The weather is great, and the cougars are all nice to her.”
“Need I remind you that you were worried they’d be mean to her?” Abram asked.
“I know what I was worried about,” she said with a huff.
“So, why aren’t you happy that they’re treating her well?” Abram asked.
“She’s worried her sister wants to stay there,” Mitchell explained. “I guess no one told her what happened the last time you were out here.”
“I guess not,” Kish muttered. “If she knew, she’d probably be furious with me for hurting her precious new family. She loves them. Vexx’s sisters are the sisters she always wanted, according to her.”
“Ouch,” Abram said softly.
“I’m sure she didn’t mean that she doesn’t want you as a sister,” Mitchell assured her.
“She did,” Kish replied sadly. “It’s not like she meant to insult me with her words, but
I haven’t been around all that much.”
“That’s not your fault,” Mitchell assured her.
“I know that, and she knows that, but it doesn’t change the fact that she barely saw me before, and now I’m distant,” Kish explained.
“You need to stop blaming everyone for your problems,” Abram told her. “That includes yourself.”
Kish put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “From what I hear, you need to take that advice yourself.”
“Who told you that?” he asked.
“She’s a shifter,” Mitchell pointed out. “She probably heard close to every word of our conversation. I’ll bet she’s heard more than just this one.”
“Exactly,” she agreed. “I may pretend I can’t hear you out of politeness, but I hear every word, and I know you’re as messed up as I am.”
Abram shrugged, refusing to rise to the bait. She was trying to start a fight with him to take attention away from her issues.
“Abram’s trying to help,” Mitchell told her. “You should stop trying to alienate everyone around you.”
“I’m trying,” she admitted with a sigh before turning to Abram. “Thank you for letting me use your phone. Now, I guess we should get moving.”
As she walked off, Abram shook his head. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“Neither did I,” Mitchell agreed. “I’m not holding my breath that it lasts.”
Chapter 50
“It’s just up ahead,” Vexx told them as they walked toward the row of headstones marking the graves of the founders of her coven.
“That is incredibly creepy,” Abram remarked as he eyed the graves.
The arc of graves wrapped around the south side of the coven land. There were arcs of graves on the west, east, and north sides, as well. The property had once been tucked away in a wilderness sanctuary and hidden by magic.
Magic protected the coven land from travelers. Strangers wouldn’t understand why they’d chosen to take a different route, but they wouldn’t question their decision to detour to the east.
“Are you ready?” Jase asked from her side.
“No,” she admitted, knowing the coven wouldn’t be happy to see her with the others. “I guess it’s better than waiting for a demon who might try to slaughter us all to find us.”
“When you put it that way, you make it sound oh so inviting,” Abram muttered sarcastically.
Jase glared at him. “Try to avoid being a dick for five minutes.”
“Don’t ask for the impossible,” Abram shot back.
Vexx shook her head and laughed. “Could the two of you try acting like adults?”
She was so distracted with Abram and Jase glaring at each other that she didn’t notice Lucida’s approach until the witch stood a few feet away from them.
“Why are they with you?” Lucida demanded.
Vexx hadn’t expected a warm welcome, so this was no surprise. At least, she could be grateful that no threats had been hurled her way. Lucida wasn’t known for her tolerance of outsiders, and she’d never been fond of Vexx. She hadn’t been the leader of the Sisterhood of the Shade for long, having taken over after the death of the previous leader, Lucida’s older sister.
Lucida and the four witches escorting her all wore green robes. She wasn’t much taller than Vexx and had the same elfin features and vivid green eyes. The hood of her cape almost completely hid her red hair. She looked similar to Vexx—no surprise since she was Vexx’s aunt.
“I need your help,” Vexx explained. “Several things have happened since I last came to visit you.”
“You seem different,” Lucida remarked as she studied Vexx clinically.
Half a dozen more witches approached, all watching Jase, Mitchell, Kish, and Abram.
“It’s been a while, so things have changed some,” Vexx replied with a shrug.
Surprisingly, Lucida raised an eyebrow and waited for her to say more. It was unlike Lucida to show that much interest in her. While the previous leader had a fondness for Vexx because of her mother, Lucida was much younger, and she hadn’t known Vexx’s mother well. Lucida was the youngest of the three sisters by close to a century, having been born to Vexx’s grandmother near the end of her life.
“What’s happened to bring about these changes?” Lucida pushed.
“Not too much,” Vexx began in a bored tone. “I found a mate, was killed, found out I’m part of some triumvirate of power with a demon and a mage. Oh, and a high-ranking Fae brought me back to life.”
Vexx wasn’t sure why, but she always felt the need to try to shock the witches. Curse their magical hides; it never worked.
“You have a mate?” Lucida asked.
Of all the things she’d said, Vexx couldn’t believe Lucida chose to latch onto that part of the conversation. She didn’t want to talk about Vexx dying or her connection to a demon and a mage. Nope, she just wanted to know about Vexx’s mate.
“I had a mate,” Vexx whispered before clearing her throat and speaking in a confident tone. “My death severed the bond.”
“You should mate with the lynx shifter,” Lucida remarked casually. “Your witch magic is drawn to him. He’s lovely. I like his eyes.” Lucida flashed Jase a rare smile that raised Vexx’s hackles.
She could feel Jase’s tension, and she wanted to put him at ease by explaining that she planned to have Jase as her mate, but it wasn’t the time. Lucida’s suggestion might sound like a blessing, but Vexx didn’t fully trust her.
“I’ll take that under advisement. For now, we need help,” Vexx replied, trying to get the conversation back on track.
“And you came to me?” Lucida asked with wide eyes. “Bringing outsiders with you?”
“A formidable demon is looking for Kishara,” Vexx began, gesturing to Kish. “We need to hide her.”
Lucida moved toward Kish and studied her. If Kish hadn’t grown up around shapeshifters, she’d likely be upset about having Lucida so close. Witches usually had more respect for personal space, but Lucida was testing Kish’s power, looking for any signs of danger. If she believed Kish posed a threat to the coven, she’d send her away without even hearing why they needed help.
“Why is a demon looking for you?” Lucida finally asked Kish as she took two steps back.
Kish shrugged. “All I’ve heard is that he either wants to kill me for being a half-breed, or he wants to use me because of my power. I don’t have much experience with other demons, but it seems more likely it’s the latter.”
Lucida nodded. “I’ve heard demons aren’t very tolerant of half-breeds. The Fae are also like that. It’s disgraceful the way they treat their young.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Kish replied. “I’ve never met another demon. Actually, that’s not true. I’ve met Mitchell, but he’s a half-breed like me.”
“Mitchell? What kind of name is Mitchell for a demon?” Lucida asked with a laugh.
“Humans raised me,” Mitchell explained, drawing Lucida’s full attention to him.
Lucida regarded Mitchell. “You are clearly not human.”
“No,” Mitchell admitted. “I’m a vampire. I guess, before that, I wasn’t human either.”
“Demon and what else?” Lucida asked as she moved closer, seeming fascinated with him.
“Fae,” he replied.
“A dangerous combination,” Lucida mused. “I’m surprised the demons aren’t after you. Or are they after you?”
Mitchell shook his head. “Only one knows about my existence, and he doesn’t want me dead.”
“Why are you here?” Lucida asked.
“To help Kish,” he replied. “I’m the one who warned her of the danger and convinced Vexx to help me protect her.”
“How do you know about the danger to Kishara?” Lucida asked.
“Her brother told me,” Mitchell explained. “Legion stays away from Kishara so he doesn’t draw attention to her. I guess he’s not that worried about drawing attention to me.”
“Y
our Fae heritage likely makes it hard for anyone to figure out what you are,” Lucida mused. “Naturally, that will change as you age.”
“I don’t understand,” Mitchell told her. “Why would my age make a difference?”
“Both sides are powerful, but the power is different. Those sensitive to magic recognize your power, but they can’t pinpoint the origin unless you use it,” she explained. “If you had only Fae magic, it would be easier. Your Fae magic hasn’t reached its full potential yet, but it’s still strong. You’re very young for a demon, and I can tell your magic is starting to surface more. That magic always mingled with your Fae power, confusing those trying to identify the origin. As you age, it will only grow stronger, and it may be hard to control until you reach maturity. Be careful, or you’ll hurt others.”
“Mitchell’s been using his demon magic for months to open portals,” Vexx argued. “Maybe this is as strong as his demon magic will get.”
Lucida shook her head. “Not even close.”
“I don’t mean to push things,” Abram interrupted. “Mitchell needs blood. He can only go so long without it, or his heart will stop.”
Lucida shook her head. “I seriously doubt that, but I’ll be happy to provide Mitchell with blood.”
Vexx’s jaw dropped at Lucida’s offer. Nothing could have surprised her more than Lucida offering to let Mitchell take her blood. Abram only mentioning Mitchell’s need for blood and not his own also surprised her. “He’ll have to bite you,” Vexx explained.
“I know,” Lucida replied with an inviting smile before motioning for Mitchell to follow her.
Chapter 51
Mitchell didn’t know how to respond to Lucida’s offer to feed him, mainly because he knew she was flirting with him. With his heightened vampire sense of smell, he knew she was aroused, and he didn’t want her to get the wrong impression if he accepted her offer. At the same time, he worried she’d be offended if he turned down her offer in front of the others. They needed Lucida’s help.
Inevitable Darkness Page 22
