by G. Bailey
“You do realise I’m part vampire, right?” I ask Freddy. Harris helps Leigha up, and they both talk quietly as the wolves who were watching walk away.
“Yeah, but you’re different.”
“No I’m not. Wyatt isn’t that bad, and I love him Freddy. I know you don’t trust him, but do you trust me?” I ask, and he watches me carefully with his bright blue eyes.
“Yes.”
“Then give him a break. Not everything is as it seems,” I say, and he hugs me. I press a kiss on his forehead.
“Come on, they don’t seem to have noticed that we’re here,” I say as he lets go. I watch as Harris lays a hand on Leigha’s arm, and she blushes. Actually blushes. Holy crap, the warrior princess has a crush on a wolf. I have to admit that Harris is hot. He has that sexy, wavy, blond hair and massive build you expect to see on a surfer. I know he did well with girls at the university we went to. The girls would all talk about the hot guy that sometimes came to parties. Even Alex had her eye on Harris before she met Drake.
Freddy walks us through the woods until we see Dabriel and Atti in a clearing.
Dabriel is talking quietly to Atti, who is on his knees in front of a white casket. It's decorated beautifully in lots of white flowers and little lights. Dabriel places his hand on Atti’s shoulder, and they both stare at the coffin. My heart breaks for Atti.
"Freddy, go back, and thanks for bringing me," I say.
"Sure," he says and hugs me before running off.
I walk over, and Dabriel lifts his head as I get closer. Atti goes tense, but he doesn’t face me. They’re both dressed in white. Dabriel’s large wings are resting close to his back. Now that I’m so near, I can see the slits in the back of his shirt that make room for them. Dabriel’s unusually bright-purple eyes watch me; sadness is written all over him, "Winter.”
I rest my hand on his arm as I get close. "Can I speak with Atti alone?" I ask. I glance down at Atti, his hair is a mess, and he has a beard now. The effect suits him; his clothes are in better condition than how I’ve seen him in the last two weeks. Atti has been drinking himself silly and passing out. The guys have taken turns watching him. I tried at the start to be there for him, but he just disappeared on me every time I got close. I don’t think he could stand me being near him. It wasn’t my fault his mother died, but if he wasn’t looking after me, he could have saved his mum. At least, that’s what I think.
"Okay, Winter," Dabriel says and steps away after kissing my forehead. I watch as he spreads his large, white wings and flies away. I've never seen him fly before; it's pretty cool. I wait until he’s just a white line in the trees before I look back at Atti.
I go to my knees next to Atti and slide my hand over the one on his knee. "Atti," I say gently.
When he finally turns to look at me, his face is filled with pain and grief. I place my other hand on his cheek, and he leans into it. We don’t talk as we stare at each other like this, I want to be there for him in any way I can.
"The last time I spoke to her, she told me to be with you. I think she knew her death was coming," Atti says gently into my mind. I wish I could talk back into his mind, so I don’t have to break the strange silence that has happened between us.
"Tell me about her," I whisper as quietly as I can.
“My mother was strong. So strong. She told me once that she slapped my father when they first spoke. He was a rude king, and she didn’t want anything to do with him. The rest of the women at the court would do anything for him, but she wouldn’t. She told me that my dad said he fell in love with her the moment she slapped him.” he says out loud, his voice still quiet.
I chuckle, and he continues,
“My mother said they were so happy when I was born. The castle shook that day, and when it stopped, the castle was full of flowers. They were everywhere, and every witch said the castle glowed like a rainbow.”
“The war was still happening, and my mother won it. It was at the cost of her mate, my dad. Most people would have given up, but she didn’t. Oh no, she won her throne in the arena and brought me up. She was a great mum, even with her responsibility to the city.”
“She sounds like a strong woman.”
“The strongest I’ve ever known. Sometimes acting normal is the hardest thing to do, and she did it well. I always knew she was sad.”
“I am sorry, Atti.”
“I know,” he whispers and pulls me onto his lap. I rest my head on his shoulder and wrap my arms around him as he holds me.
We don’t move for a long time. He’s silent, and I just don’t know what to say anymore.
I watch as Jaxson, Dabriel, and Wyatt walk over to us from the trees. They stand behind us, and I see Alex, Drake, Leigha, and Freddy standing near as they come over. The rest of the wolves stand in the trees, holding little white lanterns and bowing their heads. They’re bowing for a queen they didn’t know, a queen that wasn’t even theirs. It’s a sign that one day we can work together, all of us.
"It's time," Atti says. I get up, and offer him my hand to help him up. He accepts and kisses my cheek before he moves away from me. Atti walks up slowly and places his hand on the wooden coffin. The coffin is wrapped in white cloth and flowers are spread all around. The top of the coffin is a crown made out of wood. I have a feeling Jaxson made it for Atti.
"May the true light guide your way. May you find your home. And, may you always know peace," Atti says the words slowly, every word filled with pain and hope.
He steps back and raises both his hands. The coffin bursts into a slow fire, the fire turns white as we watch, and little white lights fly out of it into the sky. We all watch as they fill the sky. The wolves start howling quietly, the noise filling the sad day.
I move forward and hold Atti’s hand as silent tears run down his face.
“Goodbye, my strong mother, I will avenge you," Atti’s voice whispers in my mind. The resounding howls tell me he told everyone that thought.
I hope the dark-witch queen heard it, too.
Chapter 3
Winter
I run my fingers over Atti’s cheek as I'm lying on top of him on the sofa, and he’s fast asleep. I slide off him and cover him with a spare blanket. He grumbles a little, but I think he hasn’t slept in a while. He stayed quiet after the funeral, wanting to just watch movies, and we all just stayed with him. I told the guys to go to bed after the film, and they did. I walk out of the lounge and through the kitchen to the back door. I open it quietly and nod at the wolf sitting outside. The wolf nods its head, and I walk past.
I open the training room door and flick the light on.
The training room looks different these days. There are more weapons around because of all the training going on and the sheer number of wolves they have here. Jaxson has to deal with fights over the female wolves, guys thinking they are the stronger wolf, or simple arguments because they don’t like each other every day. It’s not easy to have so many wolves in one place. His aunt Lucinda and her mates help with a lot of the problems, so Jaxson can focus on training the pack. I smile as fond memories of my time with Jaxson come rushing back as I look over the room. There on the floor is the first place he kissed me, even if he was a dick afterwards. I run my hand over the crossbow on the wall, and think how things were different before.
"You should never run from a wolf. I will always find you," a deep voice says behind me. I glance over, seeing Jaxson stand with his arms crossed at the door to the training room. He has no shirt on, showing off the impressive chest from all the training. His jeans are hanging low on his hips, and I bet he hasn’t got any boxers on.
"I wasn't running," I say with red cheeks and turn fully to face Jaxson. He smiles as he walks over to me.
"A shame, I like to chase you," he says.
"You always catch me in the end," I whisper as he smirks.
"Yes, I always will, lass," Jaxson says and slides his hand into my hair. I let him pull my head to his and press his slightly warm lips to mi
ne. I run my hand up his chest, loving being so close to him.
"How are you?” he asks when we both break away. I stay in his arms as we talk.
“I’m fine,” I say.
He looks at me, “I’m calling bullshit on that, lass.” I shrug. “I know you’ve been focused on Atti, but you just found out about your true family.”
"I’ll be better when I find the strength to talk to my mum about this all," I say.
"There’s no rush, I have ten wolves watching her constantly, and Dabriel has a light angel watching her, too. She’s safe for now. If anything happens, we’ll bring her here and explain everything," he tells me.
"She’s not my biological mother. I doubt I have any relation to her at all. My mother was a half goddess and half demon. What the hell does that make me?" I say, hating every word, but it's all true. She can’t be. The demon king’s last words to me are running through my mind. Did he kill my real mother? His daughter? It makes no sense.
"I know," Jaxson replies.
"I'm quarter goddess, quarter demon, and what human side I had, is now vampire," I say. I'm sure he came to the same conclusion as me.
He nods, "I agree, the human half of you was turned, but the rest of you couldn't, because it's too strong.”
I’m half vampire in a way, but I’m more than that. I guess I have always been strange. I never got sick as a child. Not even a cold. That should have told me that something was up. It’s funny how you make excuses about weird shit in your life until you have to face the problem. I think I’ve always done it. My mother doesn’t like the winter months, but she named her daughter after them? The dreams; I should have guessed from those alone. "I’m complicated," I mumble, and Jaxson laughs.
"That sums you up, lass," he smirks down at me. “Harris and his mother wish to speak to you as soon as possible. I’m not sure what it’s about, but she is a good woman.
“It’s about some books on the goddess. Katy told me her mother knows some things.”
“Anything we can learn could help us,” Jaxson says.
"Can we go and see my mother tomorrow? Atti might take us, or we’ll drive," I say. I know I have to get this over with.
"I’ll take you," Atti says, stepping out of the shadows of the doorway and walking over to us.
"You alright, man?" Jaxson asks. Atti shakes his head, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I’ll take you to your mother, and then we’ll make a plan to take my throne back," he says. The challenge is clear in his eyes; he wants to know if I’m on his side.
"I'm at your side, always." I say, and he nods sternly before he disappears. "Atti has changed," I mumble as I watch the doorway where he once was.
"Don't think too much on his grief. I can understand it, and he will be okay in time," Jaxson says, reminding me that his mother and father are dead, too. That he also lost his sister and brother. When will the men I love stop losing people? "You need to feed," Jaxson says. I guess he’s right, I haven’t fed in a week, and my teeth keep coming out. Normal food starts tasting bland after a while.
"Yes," I say, watching his neck, and he pulls me close to him. I don't refuse his offer when he turns his head to the side. I bite into his neck, and he holds me close as he groans.
“Winter,” he says, and I feel him pull my dress up as I hold his neck close. My underwear is ripped away, and his jeans fall to his feet just before he slides inside me. I let go of his neck to kiss him, and he kisses me back as he pounds into me.
“I’ve always wanted to have you in this room,” Jaxson says gruffly, and I smile for a second as he lays me down on the cold floor and shows me everything he ever wanted to do to me in this room.
Chapter 4
Winter
Atti holds me close as we appear outside my mother’s house, my old home. All day I’ve been fretting about coming here. About seeing her. Alex finally told me I needed to do this, and I asked Atti to bring me.
I only want Atti with me, and the others seem to understand that. I didn’t think about how this might hurt him, seeing my mother when he just lost his, but he didn’t refuse. I breathe in his flower-like scent for a second before turning in his tight arms to look at the house on the empty street. I first spot the car parked in front; it’s not one I recognise. The two wolves sitting in it, I do.
“That is not inconspicuous,” Atti whispers in my mind, as he must be thinking the same thing as me.
The three-bedroom, beach house looms over me as I finally look at it. Everything looks the same about the house I grew up in, the same white, painted, wooden decking surrounding the house. The same blue-panel, wooden walls look like my mum has painted them recently. The grey slate roof and the small, green garden at the front of the house look just like they did when I was a child. The back of the house has a large decking that leads onto a long path towards the beach. The beach is a little rocky, but it's nice to watch the ocean from.
Everything about this house is as homely as my mum. Yet it feels like a lie, and I feel like a stranger as I stand outside. I remember pulling my suitcase out to my car with my mum and Alex at my side. We both hugged mum goodbye and left with tear-filled eyes. She cried the day we moved out, she cried at every one of my plays at school. My mother does care about me, I know that, but I can’t help the anger I feel.
A flash of light from the bright sun hits a car as it drives by. It’s a nice day; the sea air fills my senses.
"I'm glad the whole vampire and sunlight thing is a fake rumour," I tell Atti, and he smiles.
"I think the garlic rumour is the worst one. I once filled Wyatt’s bedroom with garlic as a joke. He chased my ass around for a month after that. He got me back when he cut my hair off when I passed out drunk with the guys one night," he says with a slight smile.
“Did you have long hair then?” I ask.
“Yes, it used to be as long as D’s. I was growing it out when I met you but–” he stops as I look at him, his grey eyes swirling like an oncoming storm. I’ve never seen his eyes like this; it’s a reminder of how powerful he is.
“But what?” I ask as he stares down at me.
"Winter?" My mum’s voice comes from the house stopping Atti’s reply. I see her drop her bag and run to me, leaving the front door open. My mum has aged well, and she doesn’t have a wrinkle on her face like most women her age. Her blonde hair is cut short in a bob; she has little grey for her fifty-year old self. My mum has on three-quarter length jeans and a white top. She pulls me into a hug the minute she can. Her homey smell hits me, it’s like I can smell the home-cooked food and sweet perfume she has always worn. I hold her closer; I need this second of normalcy.
"You look different," she says as she pulls back.
"Not that much," I laugh and she looks at me closely, too closely. I forgot about the changes in my appearance. At a distance, I look the same, but my mum is too close. She knows my hair wouldn’t behave this well, or my eyes don’t shine so brightly. I best make sure she doesn’t see my marks; she’d have a heart attack thinking they were tattoos. I remember when Alex got one done by her short-term boyfriend when she was sixteen. It’s an infinity symbol on her hip. It wasn’t a bad tattoo, luckily, considering she let her boyfriend choose it. Mum went crazy when she saw it; Alex was grounded for two months and had a list of stuff to clean every weekend.
"Who’s your friend?" Mum says looking at Atti and snapping me out of the thoughts of the past. I can’t be lost in them anymore.
"I'm Atticus Lynx, the boyfriend," Atti introduces himself, and I realise I didn't know his last name. In fact, I only know Wyatt’s last name. I make a mental note to ask them all later.
"A boyfriend? You didn't tell me about this handsome one," my mom scolds me.
"There have been a lot of changes that we need to talk about, mum," I say. We both stare at each other, me watching her dark-blue eyes and eventually she nods.
"You best come in then," she says and walks in the house. Atti links his hand with mine as we follow
.
The inside of the house is a large open-plan kitchen to the left and the lounge has big French doors, so you can see the sea. There's a white, modern fireplace with a white sofa in front of it. Two white armchairs are next to the sofa, and there's a white dresser with a mirror by the start of the corridor to the upstairs three bedrooms.
"Would you like some tea?" she asks us.
"No thanks, mum," I answer.
"Two sugars, no milk. Thanks Winter's mum," Atti says, and I smile.
"Oh, call me Daniella," she waves a hand at Atti, who nods. I sit on the sofa with Atti, while mum makes tea. She comes in and gives him his then sits in the armchair with her own.
"What brings you home?" she asks. It’s best to get straight to the point, I’m too angry not to. I’m twenty years old, and I’ve only just found out who my parents are. I should have known before. Especially because in the world I’m from, not knowing information like this could get me killed.
"I'm not your biological daughter, am I?" I ask, and she turns white. Her hand shakes as she puts the cup on the small, white wooden table next to her.
"How did you find out?" she asks, a quiver in her voice that I hate hearing.
"Doesn't matter, but I need to know where I came from, it's important now," I tell her.
She looks down at her hands. "I told you once that I knew your father from university, you remember?" she asks, and I nod remembering the conversation at the castle when had I called her.
"When he moved onto my street a few years later, he had a two-year-old daughter. You," she says quietly, but I hear every word.
"I helped him with you at the start because he couldn’t find decent childcare. After that, I fell in love with him all over again and you as well. He never felt that way for me. Your father was in love with your mother, he talked of her all the time. Her name was Isa," she says.
"He never told me where she went, and he wouldn’t tell me anything other than stories of how they met, how you were born. Your father’s name was Joey Bloom, and your mother was Isa Bloom.”
