by HK Khan
May laughs again. “Oh, yes, I definitely hear Beth in you!”
Genji raises his hands in surrender, shaking his head. “I mean it, Guine, I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?” He pouts with big, hazel puppy dog eyes, and I can’t help but crack a smile.
“Okay, just—” I hesitate, hating the vulnerability that bleeds out. “Don’t be so quick to abandon me. I’ve been honest with you from the beginning, Genji, and it hurt when you believed the worst of me.” I glance down at my cooling tea. “I’m as confused as the rest of you,” I whisper under my breath. “I’d appreciate it if you gave me the benefit of the doubt.”
Kent kneels in front of me. “Guine, if you and Ash had given me a chance to interrupt Ji, I’d have told him he was being ridiculous. Don’t judge him too hard based on a moment of doubt.” Kent glances sidelong at his friend. “You two are already close, don’t let his idiocy change that.” Focusing on me, he takes my hands in his. “He doesn’t allow many people into his heart, so when he thought you’d betrayed us, he lashed out. Ji was hurt and didn’t want to let that same pain have a chance at the rest of us.” Genji groans at his friend’s revelations. Kent winks at me, eliciting a smile from my dour mood. “He may be a hybrid, but he’s my brother, and he’s not perfect. Remember, we all struggle with something, Guine.”
At my nod, Kent grins.
“Some of that worked?” he jokes.
I smack him on the arm. Clutching it, he falls back, feigning injury and further lifting the atmosphere.
After a moment, he gets up to tend the fire, before motioning to the door. “I’ll be in the office if you need me.”
As he leaves, Genji and I exchange gentle smiles before he follows Kent out.
As soon as we’re alone again, May chuckles and claps a hand over her mouth. “I’d never have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself! That dear, sweet boy has finally come out of his shell.”
“What do you mean?” I question.
She smirks and waves a hand at the office door. “Kent’s always been reserved. You might mistake it for shy, but I know it’s his way of controlling himself and whatever situation he’s in.” She leans closer and whispers conspiratorially, “I raised him since he was eight, and I think I’m safe in assuming it’s you, hon, who’s responsible for his growth.”
I stare at her in wide-eyed confusion, and she laughs again.
Kent’s strong and authoritative. I look to him as a leader. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone more self-assured about who he is and what his role in this world will be.
She literally pulls me from my thoughts as she stands and drags me to the office. She doesn’t bother knocking and walks in like she owns the place.
Who knows, maybe she does?
“Kent, I’m taking Ji and going for a walk in the woods.” She gives Kent a meaningful glare and his rich tan pales. I’m guessing this is her motherly, ‘do as you’re told’ expression. “You need to tell Guine about your past, son. She needs to know what kind of an impact she’s had on you.”
Kent gulps and runs a finger along his collar as though it’s suddenly too tight.
“Show her,” May orders before sweeping a shocked Genji out of the room.
The door closes behind them, and Kent and I both fidget in the resulting silence.
“She’s a force of nature,” I mumble to break the tension in the room.
Kent laughs and offers me a seat at the desk. “She is.”
He paces back and forth across the tiny space a couple of times before stopping dead in his tracks.
“What did she tell you?” His usually vibrant green eyes darken with pain.
Surprised to see him panicking, I rush to reassure him. “Nothing. She said you’re different now, and it’s because of me. I don’t know. I think you’ve probably always been this wonderful.” I bite my tongue at that last thought escaping. “That’s when she dragged me in here and took Genji away.” My tone softens. “She said you used to be more reserved.”
With a nod, he resumes his pacing, his hands laced together behind his back. He mutters under his breath before coming to an apparent decision. Turning sharply, he thrusts his right forearm in front of my face.
My eyes flutter up to his and rock-hard determination stares back.
“Have a look, Guine.” To emphasize the statement, he pushes his arm closer.
Hand shaking, I reach out, unlace the leather bracer, and gently remove it from his forearm. I suck in a breath when I find a familiar, bold, blocky tattoo.
“Sauvage?” I shoot to my feet and grip him by his shirt. “Wh-what are you trying to tell me?” My fists clench as I glare at the vile ink. This is nothing like the art of the flames covering his back. “A-are you like me?”
My heart races, and I almost don’t catch his answer.
“No, sweetheart.” He takes my right forearm in his hands and traces over the Sanguine. “I never lived as a blood slave.”
He leads me back to his chair and takes a seat on the desk beside me. “My parents were horrible people, Guine. Most of the time, they forgot they even had a son. They were incredibly self-absorbed. My mother was convinced she was destined for more than our pitiful family, and my father and she constantly lived above their means. They spent and spent, and when they were so in debt that the house went into foreclosure, a vampire loan shark approached my father. He offered them money in exchange for blood, and when he came to collect, they let him take my blood instead of their own. It went on for months, and eventually, the vamp gave them a permanent solution. He said he’d buy me and absolve them of their debt. I had just turned eight when my parents sent me away with him, choosing to continue living in excess over raising me.”
Kent’s face hardens, and I reach out in comfort and shock. After what I learned of my own mother, I believe parents are capable of doing anything to their children. It’s difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that such an amazing person had a mother and father who could give Kent up so easily. As my fingers intertwine with his, the lines of anger visibly melt away.
He gazes down at me with something in his eyes I’m not quite sure how to interpret; something that makes my insides squirm with heat. Part of me wants to explore this connection further, but the more rational part of my brain pulls me out of it, cautioning I’m not ready to head down that road.
My stomach flutters, and I’m not quite sure if I can listen to my brain right now. I lick my lips and struggle to keep us on track as I stutter, “H-how’d you get away?”
Kent takes a deep breath, squeezes my hand, and backs away.
“The vamp loan shark took me to a warehouse where they tattooed me and locked me in a dog kennel. There were about a dozen more empty cages, but it was obvious they wouldn’t remain that way.” His eyes glaze over as he relives the entire ordeal. “I was there, alone, for almost a week. The only time I saw anyone was when they brought me this awful oatmeal concoction twice a day. Otherwise, I was left by myself in the cold warehouse.”
“Ugh,” I groan, my stomach churning. “That oatmeal was all I got to eat most days. It’s a ‘specially formulated protein and carbohydrate compound containing all the essential vitamins and minerals’ to keep their food source healthy, but weak.” I gag a little. “It’s disgusting.”
He nods with sympathy. “On the sixth day, there was a huge commotion, and the place was chaos for hours. A group of Hunters came in on a raid and either killed or subdued my captors. They found me and took me in when I told them my parents sold me. I was paired with Genji, who’d recently been left with them, and within the week Auntie May had adopted us both.”
He sighs and peeks at me. “I always kept myself under tight control, Guine, thinking it was the only way to deal with what my family did, but when I met you…when I saw your tattoo…I realized I didn’t have it so bad. Sure, my experience sucked, but I’m lucky. I was really raised by Auntie May, and she not only taught me how to be a good person, but she gave me a path to follow in
this world. A calling, if you will, to do my part to keep other kids safe from what almost became my fate.”
His thumb strokes the back of my hand, and he gives me a genuine, beaming smile. It takes my breath away and my head spins.
“You actually lived the life they saved me from, and you helped me to understand how truly blessed I am. You’re here, after all you went through, and you’re sweet and sassy, loyal and compassionate. You inspire me, Guine. I have a new family who would walk through fire for me, and I’m one of the most elite Hunters on the continent because of my upbringing, but all that pales in comparison to you.” He kisses my knuckles, and my cheeks flush. “Thank you, Guine, for opening my eyes.”
When I find my voice, I quietly say, “No, Kent, thank you. You all saved me. You showed me there’s something more in this world than just surviving. I’m in awe of you.” Standing, I wrap my arms around his muscular frame. “You gave me a name and a voice.”
I bury my head in his chest and lose myself in him.
Chapter Thirteen
May and Genji return to us shortly before dawn, and the noise of several others stirring echoes down the hallway.
Declan walks into the living room next.
“G’morning.” He yawns as he pads barefoot across the room and through a door I’ve yet to explore.
I’m momentarily distracted by the fact he’s shirtless and by the way his sleek muscles flicker in the firelight. My first real view of his tattoo takes my breath away. It stands out in vivid detail against his pale skin. The lightning strike that originates behind his ear explodes over his shoulder, and crackles down to his wrist. My fingertips itch to reach out and trace every single electrical offshoot, but I manage to keep them glued to my sides.
Tearing my eyes away, I glance at Kent. “How early do you normally rise?”
“We usually wake just before dawn. We each try to get in a morning workout before work happens, but often end up fitting it in somewhere else throughout the day.” Kent pulls out a tablet and hands it to me. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and shows me how to navigate to the team schedule.
“You guys plan out everything, don’t you?” I ask, daunted by what I see.
They even have a shower schedule! My imagination instantly jumps to each of them shirtless like Declan. I’m undeniably attracted to each of them, and though it should give me pause, it doesn’t.
“Of course. The habit started when we all hit puberty. It’s probably the only way Auntie May survived us and definitely the only way to make sure we each got hot water,” he explains. “We’ll have to add you into the rotation.”
Relaxed with his arm around me, I speak without thinking. “I’m fine with cold showers. I’m used to them.”
His expression darkens, and his arm tightens around me. “You don’t have to live like that anymore.”
He pulls my head against his shoulder, and a sense of finality clicks within me. I’m free. I don’t have to sleep on the floor or take arctic showers. When I’m hungry, I can eat real food and fill up because that’s what normal people do. In the safety of the cabin, I no longer have to walk around expecting the next blow. I’m not a slave anymore, and I need to get used to the idea.
Ashton comes into the room, not helping matters as I end up staring right into his bare chest. He smirks, noticing my gaze, and sits on the small table across from me. The trail of brown hair stemming from his navel distracts me.
“After breakfast, we’re all set to try and figure out where the missing women are. Genji says the blackthorn should wear off soon, so we’ll be able to interrogate the prisoners.” He hands me one of the two steaming mugs in his hands and the aroma makes my mouth water.
“What’s this?” The drink smells sweet and earthy all at once, pulling me out of my stupor as the scent fills the room. Neither of them answers, and Kent and Ashton both do a double take when I hold my mug out to reiterate the question.
“It’s coffee.” Shock fills Ashton’s voice.
I shrug. It’s not like I’ve had a lot of experience with normal food and drink. “I told you earlier, Kent. I lived off protein oatmeal.” I take a small sip and groan at the delicious flavors that dance across my tongue. “Whatever coffee is, I definitely like it,” I mumble before taking a deeper sip. I swish it around in my mouth, savoring the taste.
Kent clears his throat. “This is Ash’s specialty. Coffee with vanilla and cream. He makes it first thing every morning.”
I finish off my drink, and Ashton wordlessly hands over his mug. I smile in appreciation. “Thank you,” I murmur into the cup as I take another deep sip.
Ashton glances over my head at Kent and grins. “If this is how she responds to coffee, I can’t wait to see her reaction to one of Dec’s breakfasts.”
I ignore them and slurp up the last dregs of the second drink.
“Guine,” May interrupts. “Would you care to join me outside so I might see your marks?”
Surprised, I glance up at her. I’d forgotten she was there. The playful early morning banter stops, and I quickly follow May out of the cabin. There’s no reason to be nervous, but years of keeping my tattoos hidden puts me on edge.
With a deep breath, I remove my clothes. I hold my head high and face the first rays of dawn, nude, without fear or shame. I raise my arms and slowly turn to let her scrutinize every delicate swirl of the shimmering blue marks that decorate my skin. I lift my feet, letting her see their continuation on the soles, and then show her my palms, where the flowing blue lines crisscross in a blooming floral design.
Neither of us speaks as she takes in every tiny detail. When the sun rises further, and my tattoos fade, she silently hands me my clothes. I dress quickly. When I turn, tears stream down her face as she sobs silently.
She reaches out and cups my cheek in her palm. “Oh, hon. That must have been agony. I can’t believe Beth did this to you.”
For some reason, her compassion infuriates me. I clench my hands into fists, and my breathing becomes erratic.
Apparently, May’s intuition is stronger than I realized, because she takes my fists into her hands and pulls me over to the training arena. “It’s okay to be angry, Guine.” She hands me a belt of daggers, and I swiftly fit it across my torso. “Let it out.” She waves at the trees across from us. “Go on,” she encourages.
I grab the first blade and bellow an unintelligible war cry as I launch it at a trunk. Before it even makes contact, I let another one fly, and another. The quick succession of thud, thud, thud, cracks through the clearing as they each embed in the wood, one above the other. I let out a primal yell and throw the remaining three daggers at the tree, completing my stepladder of hilts that protrude from the bark.
My hands drop, limp at my sides, and May wraps me into a tight hug. I finally break down into sobs, and she holds me, whispering comfort and wrapping me in love.
“Things haven’t been easy for you, have they? I don’t know how you managed to keep these hidden for so long,” she whispers into my hair as I weep.
“The vamps stayed indoors most of the time,” I mumble into her shoulder. “Old habits, I guess.”
I dissolve into tears again before I can get anything else out, and she holds me tighter. “It’s alright, hon. I’ve got you. It may have taken a while, but you’re with family now.”
We stay like this for an indeterminate amount of time, and my breathing slowly returns to normal. It’s as though a giant weight lifts from my shoulders, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I know I’m not alone.
Kent’s shrill whistle pierces the air.
“He’s calling the boys,” May says as I try to pull away. “He needs to come clean to them, too.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, anxious to make sure they’re okay.
“He needs to show them what he showed you.” At my worried expression, she laughs and links her elbow in mine. “It’s a good thing, Guine. It’s long overdue.”
We head back into the ca
bin, but she pulls me up short as we draw close to the living room. “Let him finish first, hon.”
She leads me down the hallway in silence. I lean against the wall just outside the entrance to the room and listen to the guys talk.
“Ji’s been on my case for years to come clean with you,” Kent says. “I don’t know if it was shame or regret, or outright hatred for my parents that had me bottling it all up and keeping it away from you, but I’m sorry.”
He takes a deep, cleansing, breath, and launches into the story he told me.
When he finishes, silence fills the room for a heartbeat.
“Shit,” Declan hisses. “Sorry, mate, but your parents suck.”
They laugh, and May grins and shakes her head.
“What happened to them?” Phoenix asks. “Did you ever find out?”
“They’re dead.” Kent’s tone holds an edge. “Killed by the same vamps who bought me.”
“I always hoped they got drained,” Hawk growls. They all laugh again, no one reacting as surprised as they should.
“You knew?” Kent asks in astonishment. “Ji, you told?”
Hurt fills Kent’s voice, and May has to hold me back from running in.
“Nah, man,” Ash answers kindly. “Nobody told. We’ve known for a while, though. Since the first time you talked about it, actually.” May rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “We just finished our stealth training. Don’t you remember how many Council conversations we eavesdropped on? We didn’t intend to infringe on your privacy, but by the time we realized what you were saying, it was too late. It’s not like we could un-hear it. We swore to keep it to ourselves until you felt like coming clean. But seriously, Kent, I don’t think any of us were expecting for it to take you ten freaking years!”
“I knew those boys listened in!” May signs to me. “I taught them too well, and I couldn’t catch them in the act.”
I stifle a giggle and barely catch Kent’s response. “It wasn’t that I didn’t trust you, I promise. I just didn’t want to admit to it…to the fact my parents didn’t want me.” He goes quiet for a moment. “Ten-year-old me was afraid that if you all found out my parents couldn’t love me, you’d all give up on me, too.” My heart breaks for him. “I know it’s ridiculous. You’re my brothers, and I’m thankful every day to whatever god brought us together.”
