Lover's Betrayal: Misfits of the Lore Series

by Hopkins, J. E.

  Transfixed by those eyes, the agent responded, “Yes ma’am. I will give you two seats in first class. Is there anything else I can do for you, ma’am?”

  “You’ve done well. One thing you can do is not call me ma’am again. I’m not your grandmother.”

  “Technically, you’re old enough to be her great, great, great--” Olivia teased before Corinne cut her off.

  “Oh, shut up. As long as I look like I’m in my twenties, I’ll be treated that way. You’re just jealous that I still look so good after all these years.” Olivia snickered as Corinne continued her discussion with the agent. Within a few minutes, Corinne and Olivia had first class tickets to New York.

  While walking to the security line, Olivia whispered to Corinne, “You know, Cori, maybe you shouldn’t have used your ability with the agent. If anyone had seen you do it, it would have caused quite a problem, and that’s the last thing we need right now.”

  “Oh, good grief. No one saw anything. You worry too much. If you would just relax a little bit, you might enjoy yourself once in a while. Anyhow, that was worth the risk. I can’t believe you got us coach tickets. What were you thinking? We’re not servant girls anymore. We get to ride in style like the big boys.”

  “I asked for first class, but they were sold out so I booked the two coach seats that were available.”

  “Olivia, you see how I asked for first class? That’s how you should have asked. I asked nicely first, then I made sure we got what we wanted. That’s how you have to do things. Don’t you know that by now? You’re worse than a newbie vamp at times. You have to toughen up. You have these great abilities and you don’t use them. Our talents are something to be used as necessary to satisfy our needs. I will not shy away from what I am or who I am. I’ll use all of my talents when they suit me. You should try that. Stop being afraid of what you are, and live.” Corinne stared intently into Olivia’s lavender eyes. “I mean it, Olivia. Live.”

  Olivia knew exactly what Corinne meant. She could see the seriousness in her friend’s normally jovial eyes. They could not have this discussion -- not here, not now, not ever. It was better to deflect this to something more light-hearted.

  “You do realize that you don’t have the ability to entrance another vampire, so stop looking at me like that. Also, ‘live, Olivia’? You need a better line than that. It’s cute, in a nerdy sort of way.”

  Corinne could not maintain that serious look any longer. “You know, I thought it sounded pretty cool. We could make a t-shirt or something with that expression. How about, ‘Live, Livy’?”

  “You design it and I promise to wear it. Now, let’s get on that plane and enjoy our first class seats.”

  Olivia started to walk away, but Corinne stopped her. “Livy, why are we going to New York?”

  When Corinne was in her interrogation mode, there was no stopping the questions. She should have been a litigator.

  Olivia hated that Corinne was being so serious again, but she knew she owed it to her friend to answer her questions honestly, as honestly as she could. “As I told you yesterday, I need to see my boys. I didn’t mention at the time that Julian is living in an estate in upstate New York and Kaden recently moved in with him.”

  “Julian and Kaden are living together?” Corinne asked incredulously. Olivia could relate to her friend’s shock. She had the same reaction when she heard the news. Kaden and Julian were once extremely close, as only ten years separated them, but as they grew older, they became more distant with each other. The competition between them intensified. Both seemed to vie for attention, Kaden more desirous of his mother’s love and Julian more attached to his father.

  Their personalities were vastly different. Kaden was more aggressive, temperamental, and manipulative. Julian was the more sensitive, generous, and honest brother. Kaden was more like his father; Julian, like his mother -- and yet they each had the worse relationship with the parent whose personality they most resembled. Olivia never understood why the similarities between her and Julian led to more tension between them while his relationship with his father, whom he shared nothing in common with, flourished. Julian saw only the good in his father. His father, the master manipulator, made sure that his younger son saw him as the victim while Olivia was the oppressive wife. Kaden always knew the truth about his father and resented Julian’s blindness.

  “Well, it looks like Kaden sort of barged in and invited himself into Julian’s home. Julian was not pleased, but as the good younger brother he allowed Kaden to stay. Julian phoned a few days ago to complain about Kaden’s behavior. He is acting out and is involved with some dangerous things. He won’t listen to Julian and he’s afraid that Kaden is going to reveal himself and bring the wrath of the Council upon him. Julian was hoping I could talk to Kaden, but I know he won’t listen to me. Regardless, I have to try to reach him before it’s too late. I need to help my son.”

  “Livy, I know you want to help Kaden, but he’s so filled with rage. He’s done some heinous things and you have to face the fact that he may not be able to be redeemed. You can’t protect him forever. At some point, we all have to pay for our sins. Kaden is no exception.”

  “I have to try. He’s my son. All of this is my fault. I failed him as a mother and I have to try to help him before it’s too late.”

  “You didn’t fail him. You did the best you could with him under the circumstances. I could never have done what you did. I wouldn’t have been strong enough. You gave him more that most parents would have.”

  “It wasn’t enough. I couldn’t give him all the love and attention he needed. I couldn’t protect him. Kaden needed special care and I was too much of a mess to give it to him. I left him in the hands of his father, and his evil infected Kaden. I know there’s so much good in him and if I can help him find it before it’s too late, I can save my son.”

  Corinne sighed in frustration. “You can save him only if he wants to be saved. Kaden is not a child. He has to bear the responsibility for the things he’s done. He can’t blame mommy forever and you have to stop blaming yourself. I was there from the beginning and I know the truth. Kaden isn’t your fault. I love that boy, but there’s darkness inside him that he doesn’t always control. We all have a dark side, but Kaden embraces his.”

  Olivia would never forgive herself for what Kaden had turned into. She had hoped he would find some semblance of peace when he moved away from the family after his father’s death. After years of silence, she had believed her prayers were answered and that Kaden was changing for the better. Julian’s phone call was an unfortunate reminder that Kaden was a long way from being emotionally healed. She might be the only person who could help him before his actions led to his destruction.

  “It doesn’t matter. I have to try to help him while there’s still a chance. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’m his mother.”

  Throughout the six-hour flight, Olivia’s thoughts were on her sons and her failed relationship with them. Kaden was an emotional wreck because of her, and Julian resented her. She tried to be a good mother to both, but she could never give them what they needed. She was so dead inside that she could not be the mother they both deserved. Kaden especially needed more love than she could give, and her failure to love him enough left him cold and emotionless. Kaden reveled in his vampiric abilities and used them to control others. He was reckless with his feeding and violent with other immortals. Kaden had a reputation for danger, and trouble followed him. He gladly welcomed it as danger was a release of all this pent-up rage eating away at him. This rage prevented Kaden from connecting with her and his brother. He hurt deeply and wanted nothing but to hurt others. Her precious boy would turn into a monster unless she did something soon. Otherwise, he would be lost forever.

  Julian was also haunted by an overwhelming sadness that left him lonely and detached. He enjoyed the peaceful remoteness of upstate New York where he could focus on his art and distance himself from anyone who would try to get to close to his heart. Although
Julian was generally polite and cordial to Olivia, she could feel his disdain for her. She knew Julian blamed her for the misery that plagued their family. When he was a child, too smart for his young years, he yelled at her after witnessing an argument between her and Daughton. “Why can’t you be nicer to Daddy? Why you messin’ up our family? I hate you. I wish you’d go away.”

  Those words haunted Olivia for many years. They still haunted her. Julian loved his father and never knew him for the true monster he was -- and Olivia would never tell him. Corinne begged her to tell Julian the truth, but Olivia refused. She did not want to hurt Julian by ruining his perfect image of his father, though she might have hurt him more by letting him believe a lie. Now, it was too late. Julian’s feelings for her were well cemented and nothing would change them. She hoped this trip would be a last chance for her to say goodbye to her son and maybe make peace with him. For he might never love her, but maybe he could not hate her.

  III

  “Thank God we’ve landed,” Corinne sighed. “That was the longest flight ever. We’re never flying this airline again.”

  “What’s wrong with this airline?” Olivia asked.

  “What’s right with it?” Corinne yelled, waving her hands in the air. “There were no movies. All we had was the news and the Discovery Channel. I don’t want to hear about politics, nor do I want to watch elephants mate. Do you know how pathetic it makes me feel that Dumbo is getting more action than me? What’s wrong with this picture?”

  Olivia could not help but enjoy another one of Corinne’s rants. Corinne had a natural sense of humor that came from her innate wildness. She was so different from Olivia, but that did not stop them from becoming immediate friends. Even though Corinne was much older, that never affected her relationship with Olivia. They bonded immediately and had been the best of friends for over 170 years. In many ways, Olivia felt that their friendship had prevented Corinne from having the life she deserved. Olivia hoped that her death would also liberate Corinne to live her life without being Olivia’s protector.

  “I wasn’t paying attention to the TV screen. I promise to make it up to you in New York. We’ll do something fun in the city so you can find a nice gentleman and cure that dry spell of yours.”

  Corinne’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as she stared at Olivia in disbelief. “Who are you, and where is Olivia? Never mind. I like you. Stay here. I’m so taking you up on your offer before you change your mind. I’ll find us a club we can go to.”

  “That’s a date. I hope you can control yourself for now. You’re like a dog in heat, Cori.”

  “I told you I liked those Lycans.” Corinne winked at Olivia, giving her that devilish look that always meant trouble.

  “And demons, humans, and every other species that has men,” Olivia reminded Corinne.

  “You can’t knock me for not discriminating. I’m a very open-minded girl. I appreciate beauty in all races and species.”

  “I certainly can’t argue with that. Just remember that before the fun begins, I have to straighten things out with the boys and then we can go to your club. You can mingle with any species you like and I’ll not get in the way.”

  “The boys? I thought this trip was about saving Kaden. You’re trying to fix things with Julian as well? What’s going on, Livy? Why are you suddenly trying to turn your family into the Beavers?”

  “Who?” Olivia wondered.

  “You know, the Beavers? Leave It to Beaver. Do you not watch TV Land or Nick at Nite?” Olivia clearly did not know what Corinne was talking about. “Forget it. The point is -- why are you all of a sudden trying to fix everything with your kids? Why now?”

  “Why not? Stop worrying, Cori. I haven’t seen my sons in a long time and you know I don’t have the best relationship with either of them. I just want to make things right. Kaden is a mess and Julian hates me. It’s hard knowing my kids feel this way about me. I have been dealing with this for years and it’s too long to have this much tension with my children. Now that Daughton is gone, we have only each other, and we should be closer. Maybe now we can bridge some of this distance.”

  “I can solve this for you. The problem with Kaden is that he loves you too much, if you ask me, and he knows far more than he should. That knowledge has caused some damage, but that couldn’t be avoided. The truth was bound to come out and he has to learn to deal even though it hurts like hell. Now, Julian is just jealous. It’s easier to hate you than feel bad about how much closer you are to Kaden. He just wants mommy’s love but doesn’t know how to ask for it. And unlike Kaden, he doesn’t know the whole story and so he assumes you love Kaden more than him and that you’re the bad one and his dad was the saint. The poor boy is so confused because he doesn’t know the truth.”

  Although Olivia knew some of what Corinne said made sense, she would not give her the satisfaction of thinking she might be even partly right. “Did you get your degree in psychology recently? I’m sorry I missed your graduation.”

  “Don’t be snarky. I know what I’m talking about. I watch Dr. Phil. Trust me on this.”

  “Well, that’s fascinating, but Dr. Phil is not an authority on vampire family dynamics, nor is he really an expert on anything. I can’t believe you watch that stuff. You really watch too much television.”

  “You’re wrong. First of all, Dr. Phil is a genius. You don’t need to be an expert on vampires to figure out this dysfunctional family. Vampire family issues are the same as humans’. The only difference is that because we’re immortals, our problems last longer. Secondly, TV is the best thing ever. I have learned so much. You need to watch more TV. Have you seen Judge Judy? That’s one bad ass chick. I would marry that woman if I liked women and humans.”

  “We really should not be discussing this here. I appreciate your...insight. I’ll think about it. Now, let’s get out of here and go see my kids.”

  Olivia knew that this was neither the time nor the place to get Corinne going on one of her rants. Corinne was a TV junkie and arguing with her about the merits of television would be a fruitless effort. Olivia also did not want to debate the merits of Corinne’s points about her sons. Despite Corinne’s unusual sources of advice, she made some valid points that Olivia could not -- or rather did not want to -- address. Fixing her fractured family would be the ultimate challenge. Could she heal their wounds and then say goodbye without damaging them forever? Was it too late to fix this? Would her death give her boys the peace they needed to connect with each other?

  Chapter 2

  It was nearly midnight by the time they reached Julian’s home. His estate was located at the end of what seemed like a boundless rocky path. There were no other homes in sight, and no sign of life except for the sounds of the insects and night animals hiding in the wooded area surrounding Julian’s estate. The howling wind swirling the trees seemed to intensify as they approached the home, as if calling out in warning to Julian that he was not alone.

  The house was a sizeable three-story building centered in the midst of this forested pit enclosed by a six-foot wrought-iron gate. Two gargoyles rested on each side of the house. It was as dark and unwelcoming as the old manors the European vampires regularly called home in the Middle Ages. Olivia was surprised that Julian would choose such a dark, isolated home -- a place that would deter any passerby to enter. Even Olivia felt the brief urge to avoid this gothic dungeon.

  Despite its medieval style, the house included a modern camera and intercom that would alert Julian to any visitors. Olivia pressed the button and spoke into the intercom. “Hello, Julian. It’s Mom and Aunt Corinne.” Olivia cursed herself for sounding so nervous, but her anxiety was uncontrollable. The thought of seeing her children, especially Julian, after so many years terrified her. Would he welcome her, or shun her?

  She anxiously awaited Julian’s response. She knew he was home. She could feel him the moment she began walking up the path. His presence grew stronger as she approached the gate. A mother’s bond with her children n
ever severed regardless of time or distance. After several seconds, the gate finally opened.

  “Ok, Livy. I have been quiet long enough, but I can’t keep silent. This house is frickin’ creepy as hell. I don’t get freaked out much, but this house is SCARY. I mean Amityville Horror scary. If this house tells me to get out, I will dematerialize back to California before you blink.”

  Although Olivia shared Corinne’s concerns, she knew she had to go inside. She was on a mission. It would be easier to do this with her best friend by her side, but she would have to do this with or without Corinne.

  “Are you really afraid of a little ghost?” Olivia teased.

  “You know I don’t like ghosts. They are downright creepy,” Corinne shivered. “People think vamps are cold, but ghosts are Antarctica cold and they’re so translucent. That’s just not right. Either come back to life or stay dead. There should be no in between.”

  “Cori, I’m sure there are no ghosts in the house. Julian would not live with a ghost. He would have had it exorcised. Try to relax. The house isn’t that bad. It probably looks better in the daylight. It just needs sun to brighten it up.”

  “It needs a bulldozer,” Corinne replied.

  Olivia ignored Corinne’s remark. “You know, Julian loves to be dramatic. What could be better than a creepy house in the middle of the woods? I’m sure the inside is much more welcoming.”

  “I’m glad you’re so sure. This is the type of house that axe murderers live in. We came here to help Kaden, but I’m beginning to think that Julian is the whacked one. Who would live in place that looks like the home of the angel of death? He can’t possibly bring girls back to this place. Forget humans, but immortal women wouldn’t be caught dead in this haunted house.”