“I wish I was, but I’m not. These people are the reasons I have kept your mother in this state. As long as they believe her to be innocuous, they won’t come after us. So for now, she is safer where she is.”
Staring down at the folder, Denny closed it and looked over at Gwen. “Mom, all those years with him and you never knew he was from a family of witch hunters?” Then she tilted her head to the side. “Maybe she did.”
Valeria shook her head. “She did not. When a woman is a hunter, Golden, the notion of a normal family life feels like a pipe dream. To meet a man like him, fall in love, and then watch him stay even after he knows what you do for a living...well...that is a pipe dream come true. Your mother did truly love him.”
“So did he love her?”
“Oh yes. I believe he loved her very much.”
“Then what happened? Why try to kill her?”
Valeria looked at Denny waiting for her to get it.
“Oh. You. You took my mother from him.”
“Among other things. Your father tired of the hospital bills, the dangers to you kids, and a wife who would not cease her hunting. He longed, as most will do, for a quieter, more peaceful life. Gwen falling in love with me gave him the perfect motive to be done with her, so I believe he called his family in to assist.”
“Okay, so my father got tired of being with a demon hunter who was in love with another woman. He wanted to take us away from her because of the legacy, and he figured if he killed her, maybe left her there, the legacy would end. Is that it?”
“That is my conjecture, yes.” Valeria reached over and gently stroked Gwen’s cheek. “When I arrived at the hospital, there was a man waiting in the lobby. I’ll never forget those piercing dark eyes or the way he stared at me. I knew instantly who and what he was. He had come to make certain the job was done.”
“The job of killing my mother? But she’s not a witch.”
“Witch hunters hunt more than witches, Golden. With hunters hunt those in alliance with them as well. Your family was safe as long as your mother never claimed a witch, which she never did. Then she fell in love with me, and the rules changed. Robert wanted out of Savannah and he was going to take you all with him to England if he could remove your mother from the playing board. Did it never dawn on you to ask why your mother did not have her weapons with her the night of the crash?”
Denny opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out.
“Exactly. What Robert didn’t finish, his family would have. They wanted the legacy demon dead for fear one of you would pick up the mantel, figure out what had happened, and come after them because they caused the accident. I am sure of it. I assumed if they thought your mother and her demon were in a catatonic state, they would leave her be and therefore leave you kids alone.”
“And they did.”
Valeria nodded. “For the past six years, they have sent someone once a month to check in on her.”
Denny felt the Hanta stir. “So in essence, they’ve become my mother’s jailers.”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. She believes, and rightly so, that her imprisonment has kept her children safe from Robert’s family.”
“Until now.”
“Yes. By now, I am certain they are well aware that Gwen no longer has the Hanta and that it resides within you.”
Denny ran her hand over her scarred chin. “Then she’s no longer safe from them.”
Valeria shook her head, “I don’t believe she is. Not after New Orleans. You and your siblings were safe as long as the Witchers believed you were Hanta free.”
Denny rose and kissed her mom’s forehead. “And I’m not.” Denny straightened up. Her body was still sore and achy. “Thank you for telling me, Valeria. It’s good to finally have some truth.”
“Do not do what I believe you are planning on doing, Golden. They are a powerful family, the Kramers are. I think Robert went against his family’s wishes when he married your mother. I believe he was truly in love with her. But...people change. Things fall apart.”
“I don’t give a shit if they are the King and Queen of England. I won’t have anyone threatening my family, my witches, or my people. You had to know that, Valeria. Surely you didn’t expect me to do nothing.”
Sighing, Valeria rose. “Of course not. It is the singular reason why Gwen never allowed me to tell you. She knew what you would do.”
Denny nodded and she knelt down in front of Gwen. “I got Quick out of prison, Mom, and I intend to do the same for you. You can’t protect me any longer, and if Valeria has already told you about my trip to New Orleans, you know I no longer need your protection, but now, you are in need of mine.” She took Gwen’s hand in hers. “But if you won’t come home because you still fear for me, then I’ll clear a path to make that journey easier.” Rising, Denny nodded to Valeria. “Again, thank you.”
“What are you going to do, Golden?”
Denny pushed her shoulders back and felt the Hanta within her. “The only thing I can do. I am going after my father’s family.”
Pick up with Book IV in the Silver Legacy coming soon to an eReader near you!
Subscribe to Alex’s newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out: www.AlexWestmore.net/Newsletter
More from Alex Westmore
The Silver Legacy
Darkness Descends
The Demon Within
Blood of the Demon
Parts IV-VI coming soon!
***
The Plundered Chronicles
The Pirate’s Booty
Shiver Her Timbers
Fire in the Hole
***
The Timeless Love Saga
Together in Time
The Future of Yesterday
Back to You
***
The Umbra Mortis Saga
The Handler
Dead Again
About the Author
Alex Westmore has lived in a haunted house, has a raging empath for a best friend, and eats up paranormal experiences with a huge supernatural spoon. To get closer to the action, she has spent time with Voodun in New Orleans, medicine men in the Southwest, and a Shaman in the Amazon.
Alex is a five-time award winning author of several series, from zombies to demons to empaths, oh my! When she isn’t writing, she’s thinking about writing and imagining where her next great adventure will take her.
Spice up your life! Join Alex on her next amazing adventure...you will be so glad you did. The journey begins at www.AlexWestmore.net.
Get Inside Access to Alex’s Brain
Blood of the Demon (The Silver Legacy Book 3) Page 27
