Allure (The Lilituria Prophecy Book 2)

by Grace White

  He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I deserve that.”

  “You deserve a hell of a lot more, but I’m over it. Me and Mom, we have a good life here. She’s happy. She doesn’t need you coming back and ruining things. I don’t need you back ruining things. How did you find out where we were anyway?”

  He watched me, and a strange mixture of uncertainty and regret filled his eyes. “Your mother wrote to me.”

  “She did?” My head whipped up. Mom had never told me that. But Dad didn’t give me time to digest that tiny nugget of information.

  “I never meant to hurt you, Kai. I only did what I thought was best at the time.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. How was up and leaving your wife and son doing what was best? We needed you, Dad. I needed you, and you left. Just like that. Like we were nothing to you.”

  Credit to the old man, he didn’t shy away from the truth. He kept eye contact with me the entire time. I half expected him to bolt—after all, it was what he did best—but he didn’t. He just sat there, watching me. Waiting. For what, I wasn’t sure.

  “So you went and got yourself a girlfriend?”

  “Excuse me?” My eyes widened at his question.

  “The girl? Daiya, was it? From the other morning. The two of you seemed close.”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “She seemed nice.” He shuffled his chair enough to fold his legs, one over the other, completely at ease. It only irritated me all the more.

  “She is.”

  “Is she local?”

  “No, she’s new in town.” Why was I answering him? He didn’t deserve to know anything about me, yet the way he switched the conversation topic to Daiya was almost like he had the entire thing planned.

  “An out of towner, huh? You’ve got to watch those.” He laughed, but I didn’t like where this was going.

  I pushed off the counter. “I think you should go.”

  He stood, straightening the tie hanging around his neck. “Don’t take your eye off the goal, Kai. Girls come and go. It’s new and exciting, no doubt, but you’re young, and you’re going places. Don’t throw it all away for a girl you hardly know. Who knows what baggage she’s dragging around with her.”

  That was a strange thing to say. “Daiya’s worth it,” I shot back.

  “Aren’t they all? Until you find out they weren’t who you thought they were. Then it doesn’t seem worth it at all.”

  My eyebrows furrowed, confused by his cryptic words. It no longer sounded like he was talking about Daiya and me; it sounded personal. But I had no interest in finding out what he meant.

  “You shouldn’t keep coming around. It’s not good for Mom.” Or me. The unspoken words hung in the air between us.

  “I’m sorry.” He hovered in the doorway. “I only wanted a chance to get to know you again. She’s lucky to have you.”

  Dad disappeared into the hallway, but I didn’t go after him. I had nothing to say to him. Besides, I was too busy trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.

  “What’s up?” Laker asked without so much as a hello.

  “Change of plan. I just need to drop in at Daiya’s, and then I’ll swing by.”

  “You’re blowing me off for your girl?”

  “No, I said I’ll be there. Hour max.”

  He huffed. “Whatever, man. Go do what you need to do and then stop by. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Okay.” I hung up and fired up the engine. I didn’t want to turn up at Daiya’s uninvited again, but my father’s words refused to quiet. What did he know about Daiya and me? Nothing, that’s what. So why couldn’t I shake the feeling that his words were a warning of some kind?

  When I pulled onto her street, the feeling multiplied. Something about this whole thing felt off. I parked and climbed out, making my way up to Daiya’s house. I knocked and waited, hoping I wasn’t going to end up looking as stupid as I felt. What could possibly be wrong? She was busy with her sisters, that was all. But then she opened the door, and my worst fear was confirmed.

  “Daiya?” The words dried in my throat as my eyes landed on my father. Daiya’s eyes fluttered shut as she realized I’d seen him, and she sucked in a sharp breath. “Kai, I can explain …” she started, but the red haze descended too quickly.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” My voice rose, the anger burning through me. Isaac Stanton—the man undeserving of the title father—didn’t blanch. In fact, he didn’t look surprised at all. As if he planned it to happen this way. You’re such an idiot. He baited you, and you fell for it.

  “You two know each other, don’t you? I saw it that first day when you showed up, but I ignored my instinct because it wasn’t possible, it couldn’t be. My girlfriend couldn’t possibly know the man who abandoned me.”

  “Kai.” Daiya reached for me, but I stepped back. If she touched me, I’d simmer. My walls would start to come down because she clouded my judgment. She’d been doing it this whole time. “Let me explain, please,” she begged, but I couldn’t even look at her.

  “I think my son and I need to talk, Miss Cattiva. Kai, shall we?”

  I stared wide-eyed as he moved toward us, his face poised with satisfaction.

  “You wanted this. You wanted to drive a wedge between us, and I don’t know how or why, but you’ve done it. Congratulations, Dad,” I hissed, unable to disguise the anger. “As if you haven’t already ruined my life enough, you had to go one step further.”

  Daiya gasped, but my eyes remained on his with hatred burning deep inside me. “I didn’t think it was possible to hate you any more than I already did, but I was wrong. Who the hell are you?”

  Soft fingers brushed my hand, but I flinched and yanked my hand back. From the look in Daiya’s eyes, she was as surprised as I was at my reaction, but it was too much. All week, I’d tried to figure out what was going on with her, and all along, it was him. My father. Somehow, they knew each other, and they both kept it from me. People didn’t keep secrets unless they knew they could hurt someone.

  “I … I have to get out of here.” I turned away from them, moving down the path on autopilot while Daiya’s pleas rolled off me. I needed space to figure shit out. It felt like one of the pieces of the puzzle had just clicked into place, but more were still missing.

  Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew there was more to this.

  “You look like shit,” Laker said, leaning casually against the door to his pool house.

  “Got any beer?”

  “It must be bad.” He tipped his head toward the refrigerator. “In there. You’re late, by the way.”

  “I got held up.” I’d driven around for a while, hoping to make sense of everything.

  It hadn’t worked.

  “Want to talk about it?” He got us both a beer and handed one to me.

  “No. I want to drink beer, play video games, and forget. And push all thoughts of the piece of shit I get to call Dad to the deepest recesses of my mind.” I didn’t mention Daiya. Her betrayal stung more than anything I’d ever felt—even worse than Isaac’s—but Laker wouldn’t get it. I still didn’t get it.

  They knew each other.

  I’d sensed it that first time in my kitchen, but what did it all mean, and why was he so set on making sure I knew?

  “The guys are coming over in a bit. Is it wrong I’m happy? Things haven’t been the same lately.”

  “I know.” My voice was low. “I don’t know what happened.”

  Laker shook his head. “She happened. If you ask me, it’s not all it’s cut out to be. You’re as miserable as fuck lately. Your game’s off. She’s changing you, dude. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s true.”

  I wanted to argue, to tell him that Daiya was one of the best things to happen to me, but I couldn’t find the words. Laker was right—I had changed. It was like I didn’t know where I ended and she started. And for as much as I hated it, Dad had a point. What did I really know about her
? Daiya guarded her past, and I’d gone along with it because I didn’t want to lose her. Because she blinded me. Wasn’t being in a relationship supposed to be about honesty and openness? About getting to know each other—the good, the bad, and all the ugly bits in between? What was she scared of? Why couldn’t she let me in?

  “Hey, where’d you go?”

  I blinked at Laker, trying to force out the thoughts. “I’m here. I’m right here.”

  “Good. Drink beer, play video games, and forget, yeah?”

  I forced my lips into a flat line. “Yeah.” That was exactly what I intended to do. Even if I was only lying to myself.

  DAIYA

  “Is it true?” Poppy rushed over to me. I’d turned down her offer of a ride, preferring to walk with my thoughts.

  “Is it really the end of Dakai?”

  “What?” I frowned. It was too early for this. I’d hardly slept last night, unable to erase the betrayal on Kai’s face as he fled from my house.

  “You know Daiya and Kai? Or does Kaiya sound better?”

  I stared at her, her words too much for the pounding in my head.

  “Seriously, you didn’t hear? Crap, this is bad. Okay, I heard it from Jess who heard it from Parker who heard it from Bobby that …” She gulped and then rushed out, “YouandKaibrokeup?”

  A strangled laugh built in my throat, tumbling out quickly followed by panic. “You heard that?”

  She nodded slowly with a sadness in her eyes that only made the panic multiply. “So it’s not true?” Poppy frowned, pushing her glasses farther up her nose.

  Of course, it wasn’t true. Yes, Kai had been MIA since he walked out of my house yesterday. I’d called and texted, but nothing. He didn’t want to see me; I understood that, but it wasn’t really the end. It couldn’t be.

  Could it?

  “We had a fight,” I choked out. As I said the words, the realization of what I was saying hit me. If people were saying we had broken up, it was because someone had told them. Someone close to Kai … or Kai himself. My heart ached at the thought. He wouldn’t do that, not without giving me a chance to explain. But the look on his face when his eyes landed on Isaac had been almost too much to bear.

  “Well, yeah, I kind of figured that out when I heard it was over. Are you okay?” She flashed me an awkward smile.

  I was so far from okay it was almost comical. My sisters wanted to leave Decker County. Kai refused to hear me out—not that I knew what to say to him if he decided to listen. And Isaac seemed to be lurking around every corner.

  “I’m fine.” Tears pooled in my eyes, and I rushed off toward the school. Poppy followed me, but she didn’t push for details. The whispers and snickers were enough.

  By the time I reached my math class, my heart was in my throat at the thought of seeing Kai. As I stepped into the room, I kept my eyes ahead, refusing to give cause to the rumors. Eyes followed me as my classmates watched, waiting for my reaction. It didn’t take long to realize why. Kai no longer sat in his usual seat beside my desk. Instead, he’d traded seats with a girl—some annoyingly cute brunette who kept throwing me a sympathetic smile—putting him a row back and two seats over. He had to feel me enter the room, just as I felt him, but he acted like I was invisible. Sinking into my seat, I gripped the edge of the table, trying to talk myself out of getting up and walking out. A war raged inside me. My conscience versus the demon. And when my eyes swept discreetly over my new neighbor, I had to swallow down the low growl that formed in my throat. The demon didn’t understand. And in all truth, neither did I. Kai’s hurt was overpowering our connection. So much so, he ignored me for the whole class. Like I didn’t exist. Like we were nothing to one another.

  And my rational side—the human part of me—couldn’t help but wonder if it was true.

  Things didn’t get any better. By the end of the day, the rumor of our breakup had spread throughout the school. It hurt. But it was more than my pride at stake. I could handle the smug looks and hushed conversations as I walked down the hallway—it was the effect of our separation on Kai that concerned me the most. He succeeded in avoiding me, but I had spotted him and Laker at lunch, and when Laker saw me, he had pulled Kai in the other direction. My demon had rumbled so ferociously that I had to dash to the restrooms and splash water on my face.

  “Do you want a ride?” Poppy snapped her fingers in front of my face. I was too busy looking for him in the crowd leaving school.

  “No, I think I’ll walk, but thanks.”

  “Hey, listen, he’ll come around. Whatever’s going on with the two of you will blow over. He’s got it bad. Don’t lose hope.” She shoulder checked me, flashing me a reassuring smile, and I managed to return it with a weak one of my own.

  “Yeah.”

  I groaned at the sight of Tamara appearing around the corner. She was the last person I wanted to see.

  “Obviously got bored with her. I mean have you ever spoken to her? She’s not exactly… oh, hey, Daiya. I didn’t see you there.” Tamara smirked, and I wanted the ground to open and swallow me whole.

  “Tamara.” I wrapped an arm around my waist.

  “I was just saying to the girls it’s a shame you and Kai broke up. I guess it wasn’t meant to be after all.”

  Poppy nudged me, and I was grateful for her presence. The demon growled, and I felt hot all of sudden like molten lava was running through my veins. I reached out, grabbing Poppy’s wrist for stability. “Did you want something, Tamara?” I snapped, surprising myself.

  She stepped closer to me, twirling a finger around a loose curl. “You know you don’t need to worry about Kai. If he needs a shoulder to cry on, I’m always available.” She winked and sauntered away, giggling with her friends.

  “What a bitch.” Poppy stepped around me and planted her hands on her hips. “No moping. I won’t allow it. She’s just pushing your buttons. Stanton will pull his head out of his ass and realize he can’t bear to be without you. You’ll see. Now, come on; I’ll give you a ride home. Let’s go.” She started toward to the parking lot, and I followed.

  All day, she’d tried to get me to explain what had happened, and all day, I’d evaded her questions. It wasn’t like I could tell her that Kai was avoiding me because he’d discovered his estranged father and secretive girlfriend knew each other. And the worst of it was, if he knew the whole truth, Kai would realize my betrayal ran much deeper.

  And that terrified me.

  “Daiya, come on,” Poppy called, jolting me into action. I followed her to her car, the demon quiet for now. But I didn’t know how long I could contain it. It hated Tamara, I hated Tamara, and if she went near Kai … I didn’t want to think about what might happen.

  My eyes flew open as the hand tightened around my neck. Pain zipped through me, mirroring the panic coursing through my veins.

  “What did you do to my son?”

  “I-I-” I gasped, clawing at Isaac’s hand. He relaxed his grip slightly, enough for me to choke out, “Nothing. I haven’t spoken to him.”

  Kai still refused to talk to me. I’d tried. For the past three days, I’d sent texts, waited for him at lunch, and passed him notes in class, but as the week went on, his mood worsened. The physical effects of our separation manifesting in the dark circles under his eyes. I’d heard he and the coach had almost come to blows at practice. Everyone had heard.

  But I didn’t know what to do.

  Isaac studied me, his narrowed eyes pinning me to the bed, but then he released me and stepped away. “Something is wrong.”

  I rubbed my neck. “It’s because we’re apart.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It’s the prophecy. I tried telling you—”

  “What does the prophecy have to do with my son?”

  I stared at him, our faces only illuminated by the sliver of moonlight seeping into my room.

  “Are you really that blind? He’s the one, Isaac.” I lowered my voice further, hoping to reach him. Kai wasn’t just some pawn
in a game of fate; he was Isaac’s son. That had to mean something to him.

  “Impossible.”

  “Is it?” Isaac had already refused to accept his son’s involvement with me. Deep down, I think he suspected this all along. It was exactly the reason he didn’t want Kai anywhere near me.

  “It makes him sick when we’re apart,” I said flatly, remembering how different Kai had seemed. I hated that it did that to me—that I did that to him.

  “How can you be sure?”

  “It’s happened before.”

  Isaac started pacing. “If you’re too close, you’ll hurt him. If you …” He couldn’t say the words, and I didn’t blame him. It was the very reason I was unwilling to let things go too far between us, but I couldn’t ignore that the prophecy demanded that one day, we sealed our bond in every way possible.

  “I would never—” I interjected, but Isaac flashed me a silencing glare as he continued to pace.

  “My son has Venatores blood running through his veins. He doesn’t know it, but it still makes you enemies.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” At least, it didn’t to me.

  “Does he know?”

  “He knows nothing.” My voice dropped as I said the words I didn’t want to admit. “That’s not true. He knows something is happening to him, to us, but he doesn’t know what.”

  He stopped, drawing his hand over his face. Isaac didn’t want to believe me—suspicion clouded his eyes—but what choice did he have? “If what you’re saying is true, if he’s the one, then we need to find a way to unbind you. You will not be able to resist your demon. It will kill him.”

  I flinched; the severity of Isaac’s words—his warning—was too hard to accept.

  “If we’re apart, he’ll suffer.” My eyes fluttered shut. It was easier to pretend that everything would be okay when I had Kai to lean on and to reassure me that things were going to be okay. Without him, everything seemed bleaker.

  Isaac skimmed his jaw with his hand. “There must be another way. I need to go.” And with that, he disappeared into the shadows. Only this time, I didn’t go after him.