by T. Aleo
There was the way he called me beautiful and how he looked at me—like I was the most striking creature he had ever seen. I know JJ and Oceanus and my father too would want me to believe he was lying, that it was all a ploy to have me trust him. But I’m having a hard time believing that. Was he that good? Did he have me tricked that well?
Letting out a harsh groan, I drop my face into my hands. I have so many questions and no answers. Only the scraps Oceanus has thrown me, and I need more.
So much more.
Coming off my bed, I go to the door, throwing it open and heading down the hall. I hear JJ scramble to get up and him rushing to catch up with me, but I’m on a mission.
“Rebekah.”
I ignore him, turning down each hall, going down the stairs and then down two more halls before I stop in front of my father’s office door. Taking a deep breath, I go to knock, but JJ’s hand comes around my wrist, whipping me around to face him.
“Rebekah, what are you doing?”
“I need answers,” I say simply, and then I knock, pushing the door open. My father, Samuel, and Oceanus all look up from the meeting table, their eyes wide. I’d expect so, since it’s only seven in the morning and I’m supposed to be sleeping. Standing up, my father runs his hands down his shirt before asking, “Rebekah, what are you doing here? You’re to be sleeping, my dear.”
But I shake my head. “No, I need to know what is going on.”
I drop down into the seat at the end, and my father’s gaze cuts to JJ and then back to me before lowering himself in his own seat. Folding his hands together, he keeps his eyes on me while Oceanus and Samuel are both staring me down, wondering what the hell I’m doing. I don’t know why they assume I’d start doing what everyone wants of me at this point.
Cold day, in my opinion.
“My love, what are you speaking of?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Father. I’m talking about this whole Killian thing,” I say sharply, leaning on my elbows. “It’s been over two days since his cousin came into the club. Over two days with no answers to my questions. None of you will even talk to me, everyone avoids me while I stew, trying to figure out what is going on. I feel it’s my right as the person this concerns to know what is going on.”
I have been practicing that speech for the last two days. I’ve had a lot of time since I can’t sleep for anything. No matter what I do, every time I close my eyes, I see Killian. But he isn’t attacking me or dragging me away. No, he’s bloody, hurt, and alone. I’m worried about him, and though I know I shouldn’t be, I am. Holding the gazes of the three most important men of the Patchwork, I raise my chin up high, hoping my strength is radiating from me. That they don’t suspect the fear that is rattling my soul, or the want and need to know this is all a big mistake and Killian is okay.
That he is alive.
Clearing his throat, my father sits up in his chair and nods. “Is that right?”
I nod. “Yes,” I say, my voice breaking a bit. “I single-handedly took down the guy claiming to be his cousin. I have done what I was told…to an extent,” I add when JJ scoffs. “And I am old enough, Father. I am not a child. I am a woman. I’m turning twenty in a month, I can handle it. I just need answers before I drive myself mad.”
Father thinks over what I have just said and then shakes his head. “What do you need to know?”
“Everything!” I exclaim, frustrated. “What happened? What do you guys suspect? I need to know what happened from the moment I walked into the back onward.”
Oceanus clears his throat, but my father quickly shakes his head, holding his hand up. “But, my love, why? Whatever would that do for you? It doesn’t matter what is going on with all this. What matters is if you are safe. Your need to know things will pass, I’m sure of it.”
He says it like I don’t understand my own feelings, and I’m surprised at my anger. My father does a lot to piss me off, but that right there, that was the cherry on top. Throwing my hands up, I feel my eyes narrow, but before I can even open my mouth to speak, Samuel’s hand comes up at me and my lips snap shut.
“I think she needs closure, William,” he says slowly, leaning back in his chair. “They were friends, and I’m sure she must feel betrayed.”
“Exactly,” Oceanus says, and I look to him as he glances back at my father. “As much as JJ and I didn’t want her around him, they worked together. She isn’t a robot, Father. She has feelings, and she does care for people easily, you know that.”
Father doesn’t say anything right away; he just drinks me in, and I wonder what he sees. Does he see my fear? My anger? My concern? Does he know I’m driving myself crazy? And most of all, does he care?
“Fine, but this boy is nothing. Filth,” he announces with a wave of his frail hand. Oceanus shakes his head as my annoyance bubbles in my chest.
“To us, yes, because we know the truth. But she doesn’t, so she probably thinks differently,” Oceanus says before turning in his chair to face me. Looking directly at me, he clears his throat and crosses his arms over his chest. “When you told me what you’d heard about Christiana, I knew no one knew that but her family. Her brother was the one to discover us, so he would be the only one who knew. When I asked Killian about it, he claimed he knew from school. But it didn’t happen in school. It happened after we graduated. I called him on it, and he tried to flee. We caught him, brought him upstairs, and tried to get him to talk. He is very tight-lipped, though, no matter what we do.”
While his words were light, the meaning was substantial, and my heart ached. Sitting up straight, Oceanus leans forward on the table. “He won’t tell us who he is, he won’t shift back into his original form, he won’t even admit he was here to steal you.”
My face twists in confusion. “Then how do you know he is a shifter?”
“We chained him up with silver,” Samuel adds. “He burned up like a firecracker. And when we unleashed Irvina on him, she confirmed he was of Kelley blood and he was sent here to kidnap you.”
“How does she know that, though?” I ask, still unable to fathom what is really going on here.
“Truth spell, but he somehow fought most of it off. We’re unsure how, but no matter how many times she cast it, he resisted it. It was a rather magnificent thing to see,” Father says, his eyes sparkling, and it makes me sick.
“So you’re holding him captive because he’s a shifter, and some truth spell read that he was here to kidnap me? He never admitted to it?” I ask, my stomach turning. “That doesn’t seem like enough to hold him for.”
“You’re right, and it’s not, but until he speaks, he stays. Well, that was until a shifter came poking around looking for him,” JJ adds, sitting down beside me. “We got the plates off the car he drove off in. It’s linked to Thomas Kelley.”
My jaw drops. “So Thomas shifted into a vampire to come ask questions?”
“Yes, and we feel he’s behind this. We’re going to go meet Frank Kelley tomorrow morning. At that point, we’ll ask if he knows anything about his son’s doings. If he denies it, we’ll ask the son. If he denies it, then we’ll wait, see if anyone else comes around looking for Killian. If they do, we’ll snatch them up. But every day, we’ll push the boy for info. Everyone has a breaking point, and we’ll find Killian’s.”
When my father’s lips curve in a sinister grin, I have to hold back my tears. He continues, “So, see? Nothing to worry that pretty little head about. We have it under control.”
But it doesn’t feel right. None of it. I get that they are on high alert, that Killian was lying and in another form. But what if that was it? What if he wanted to be a vampire? Is that wrong? Am I grasping at straws? The proof is laid out for me, and yet, I’m still trying to find another answer. Something that doesn’t make Killian out to be a monster.
Well, more so than he already is. Than we all are.
“Can I speak to him?” I ask, and everyone’s eyes widen.
“Why on earth would you think we
’d allow that?” JJ is the first one to speak, so I turn in my seat to face him.
“Because we’re friends. I can see where his head is. He trusts me,” I offer, but he seems to have stopped listening to me a long time ago.
“No way. No fucking way,” Oceanus says with a shake of his head. “I won’t allow it.”
“You won’t allow it?” I ask with a laugh. “You aren’t the leader of the clan, for one. For two, I’m a grown-ass woman. And for three, I’ll do what I want!”
Oceanus laughs. Hard. “We both know that’s a load of malarkey, Rebekah. You do as we say, and that’s final.”
Oh, look, there went the final straw. Flying out of my seat, I throw my hands up, my face red as they look at me, shocked.
“I’m tired of these rules. I can take care of myself!” I shout, but everyone shakes their heads, and suddenly, I feel so damn small.
Like always.
Well, except when I’m around Killian.
“Rebekah,” my father says slowly, and I know what he’s about to say. “Please understand—”
“That everything you do is to protect me? Yeah. Well, guess what, Father? I don’t need protecting. I need to be respect—”
“Take down one person, and you think you can take down the world,” Oceanus laughs.
“I can,” I throw at him as I glare. “And plus, what’s Killian going to do? He’s behind bars. He can’t get to me, so what is the worst that can happen?”
“He can brainwash you. Next thing you know, you’re trying to break him out,” Father says, and I roll my eyes, dropping back down in my seat.
“I’m not naïve, Father, I just want to know what his intentions are—from his mouth.”
He doesn’t even think it over. “No. You are not allowed to see him. Stay out of the bastille until further notice.”
I gasp in a quick breath. “But the boys! They need me.”
“They’ll be fine without you.”
“No, they will—”
Before I can finish, Father’s hands come crashing down against the table, his eyes blazing with anger. “No more will come of this. It’s over. You got your closure, now leave it be.”
I glare, my hands shaking against my thighs as I try to figure out what to say. “If you don’t give me some room to grow, Father, I’m not going to last. I will lash out.”
“If you’re implying that you’ll act like a toddler, my dear, we are all used to that.”
Snapping my mouth shut, I feel my eyes burn with tears as he looks at me like I’m nothing.
Just a nuisance.
Slowly, I stand, my heart breaking in my chest as I hold their gazes. “I won’t stand for this.”
They don’t say anything; they only stare at me as I turn, leaving the room as gracefully as I can. Once out of the office, I hear JJ coming, but I don’t care. My mind is reeling.
I have to come up with a plan since I don’t care what any of them says.
I need to get my answers.
From Killian.
I don’t get far before I hear my name.
If it were JJ, I would have ignored him, but it’s Oceanus.
“What?”
I don’t turn around. I keep walking, my shoulders back, looking like a rebellious teen on a mission. In a way, I guess I am…whatever. Oceanus falls into step with me, his big presence overshadowing mine as he says, “I need to speak with you.”
I scoff. “You mean you need to tell me how to live my life and demand I do what you tell me to do? You know what? I think I’ll pass.”
I don’t have to see him to know he is rolling his eyes. When his hand wraps around my forearm, I go to shake him off, but he whips me around, slamming me into the wall. Hard. My head jerks back as pain shoots through my skull, lights flashing, and wow, that was unexpected.
“Oceanus!” I hear JJ yell as he flips me around, his hand coming to my throat, pressing his fingers into my skin.
With force.
Ignoring JJ, Oceanus yells, “You feel that? That pain?”
He then pulls back, and yup, this is going to suck. All I see are lights, and then I feel blood gushing from my nose, down my top lip into my mouth as my hands come up to stop the next hit. “That?” he yells once more, shaking me. “That is pain. You feel that because you are still a fucking human, Rebekah. You are not immortal. You are not invincible like all of us!”
Through the stars I see, I use the wall, angling my legs up and kicking him in the chest, pushing him away. He goes, but not far enough to let me get away. Wiping my face free of the blood, I glare, my heart pounding into my ribs, my face aching, my nose probably broken, and I watch him, ready for the next hit. His eyes are dark, full of stress, and he looks older. I don’t understand that; he isn’t much older than me, but at this moment, he just looks old. Stressed. Worried. I almost feel bad. I’m sure I’m not helping out with the stress, but I don’t care. I’m tired of being told what to do.
“You think I don’t know that? I do,” I yell back at him, but he shakes his head.
“No. If you did, you’d understand why we are on high alert. Rebekah, please understand. This guy being here for you is basically treason from the Kelleys. This may very well start a war between our clans, my sister, and you are treating it like this is all no big deal, like this guy is innocent, like he’s not dangerous!”
“He isn’t. You don’t know him like I do.”
While I know I don’t know him all that well, I feel like this is all wrong. That it almost can’t be happening. Killian wouldn’t do this. I really don’t know why I’m defending Killian. I know he was sent to take me, but I can’t help myself. I slam my fist into Oceanus’s chest, but he doesn’t move before I swing my elbow into his jaw. “I can handle my fucking self!”
“Guys, calm down,” JJ tries, but neither of us pays him any mind, our gazes locked in hostility.
“Rebekah,” Osh tries, but I’m not done.
“You treat me like a fucking baby. I’m stronger than most, and I’m human. What does that even say? Don’t know? Let me tell you,” I yell, going toe-to-toe with him. “That I’m a fucking badass!”
With that, Oceanus pushes me so hard, I fall back and do two rolls, landing on my face with a hard oomph. He stalks me as he closes the distance between us, shaking out of JJ’s hold. “And what if you meet someone like me? You can’t beat me, sister!”
“No one is like you,” I roar, standing up and stretching my shoulders back. “You big dick.”
He doesn’t even smile. “Rebekah, this guy, the one you feel isn’t dangerous because you ‘know him,’ he is obviously on a level we don’t understand. He isn’t like other shifters. He didn’t change automatically when the silver hit his wrist. He fought me off, almost broke my grasp. It took three of us to hold him before the silver should have taken him down. And then it didn’t, Rebekah! It was like a bracelet to the guy. His skin burned, but that was it,” he stresses, his eyes pleading. “My sister, please, I beg of you. This guy is something insane. I don’t even know what to do. I don’t even know how to stress to you how you must stay away.” Letting out a long breath, he bends in closer, his eyes begging as he shakes his head.
“I know you,” he says, his voice dropping an octave as he slowly reaches out to me. I move away, but his touch is gentle as he wipes the blood away from my nose. “I know you want to fix this. I know you want to redeem him, that maybe you have a crush. But, my love, it cannot happen. He was sent to kill you, Rebekah. And I’m sorry, selfish as it is, I cannot lose you.”
My heart is in my throat, my eyes itch with tears, and I almost break. No one can resist a big brother who loves his baby sister, and Oceanus is that guy. He cares for me. He loves me, they all do, and I know this. But I can’t back down. With my chin up, my body tense, I’m ready to fight. That is, until he speaks again. “I love you, Rebekah, so much, and I just want you safe. I know you can fight the lot of them, and you would, but I can’t let you die. I need you to take a step
back. Let us handle this.”
“Why can’t I—”
“Because you are a liability, sister. They got into our home, our sanctuary. This is mind-blowing. If I’m to protect this home, and you, I need to know that you are safe and that you won’t try to see this guy or fix anything. Just stay put.”
“Stay put?” I ask incredulously. “I’m not fucking three, Osh.”
He nods. “I know. We all know, Rebekah. But please understand, we are doing this because we all love you and want you safe.”
I swallow hard as JJ appears beside me, his hand pressing into my lower back. “We don’t doubt that you can take out anyone who comes at you, but we ask that you don’t put yourself in danger, my sweet darling. Losing you would break this family.”
Licking my lips, I look away, begging my tears to stay at bay. This is so hard. On one hand, I want to stand up for myself, to be a badass, and on the other, I want to follow my family’s wishes. I want them not to worry or stress about me. I want them to protect me, but I can’t shake this need to talk to Killian. To ask him myself what the heck is going on. Maybe it’s curiosity or even a stupid crush, but I have to know. From his lips, his eyes on me. And if somehow he comes at me, I’ll take care of it.
If I die, at least it will be by my own doing and not out of nowhere.
I know my family won’t stop coming at me until I promise. I don’t want to lie, I don’t, but I have no choice. They won’t let me out of their sight until I do. “Fine.”
Grasping my face, Oceanus tips my chin up, his eyes locking with mine. “You understand why, though. Please don’t think it’s ’cause we don’t think you can handle yourself.”
I nod stubbornly. “It’s ’cause I could die.”
“Exactly. I love you, my sweet sister. Don’t forget that,” he implores and I nod, but I’m cautious. His eyes are misty, and why does this feel like a good-bye? What the hell is going on?
Eyeing him, I ask, “While I love you too, Osh, why does it sound like you’re leaving?”
His lips curve before he lets go of my face and tucks his hands into his pockets. “So quick.”