Dahlia scowled at she stared at him in resentment. “So what? You were just going to kidnap me against my will and bring me to the unconscious guy?”
Greyson said nothing then slowly nodded again.
She shook her head in disbelief. “How long have you been watching me, tracking me?”
“I’ve kept watch ever since you were a child of five.”
Confusion still marred her face as she asked, “And what about before then—the time that I can’t remember?” Although shocked and heated, Dahlia felt a sliver of hope that he could shed some light about her unknown past.
Greyson gave a laugh, but no humor shown in his eyes, as hope instantly dissipated from her. “That’s a mystery for us all. As soon as you were born, we couldn’t find you. You simply vanished. We concluded that a protection spell was placed on you but by whom, I do not know. We knew you weren’t dead because Merrick still felt your essence alive. Whoever took you must have wanted you safe. When we did find you, we too made sure you were protected and no harm came your way.”
“Because my blood’s so important,” she said disgustingly with the shake of her head. Dahlia didn’t know what to make of Greyson keeping tabs on her all this time without her even knowing.
But deep down inside, Dahlia always knew someone was watching.
“No. Because you’re important,” implored Greyson, looking down at Dahlia earnestly.
She glanced up at him in distrust, confusion still in her hazel eyes. “Why should I help this guy at all?”
He ran a hand through his hair then sighed. Finally looking back at her he answered bluntly. “You don’t really have a choice in this, Dahlia. The alternative will only lead to devastation. But the reason you should help him is because—”
“Because what?” Dahlia exclaimed angrily as she interrupted him.
Greyson remained quiet for a moment as he slowly mulled over the thoughts in his mind. Then he finally said the words that shattered Dahlia’s world all over again.
“Because he’s your father.”
Chapter 14
“My father?” Dahlia almost choked on the words, her hands shaking uncontrollably.
She quickly got up and started to pace back and forth, needing to release her nervous energy. Greyson just looked on silently, a hint of regret shown on his face.
“Yes, your father. Merrick has a special gift of his own. We all do as lapsus, like your healing ability. With Merrick, he can predict the future, at least to a certain extent. He knew he would be trapped with a spell bounded by lamia blood. Since lamia and lapsus blood repel one another, there’s no way any lapsus could get to Merrick without getting hurt. He had to create a buffer of sort, something that would allow his mind to break free from the lamia blood.”
Dahlia stopped all movements directly in front of Greyson as she stared down at him. “And that’s where I come in.”
He nodded his head in agreement. “That’s where you come in. He impregnated a human and forced a lamia to turn her. Once she changed, he casted a spell to freeze her body until it was time for you to be born centuries later.”
“So I was procreated centuries ago?” What the hell? Dahlia eyed him unbelievably, grinding her teeth together. “Why did he wait so long?”
“The timing has to be perfect and everything has to align properly, like chess pieces. Remember, yours is not the only blood needed. The lamia that trapped him needs to be here and not off somewhere gallivanting and nowhere to be found. So we waited for him to come back.” He paused, giving a dry laugh. “I’m sure Merrick has plans for him for what he did. Us lapsus can be vengeful at times.”
“No,” Dahlia shook her head fiercely, rejecting everything that he was saying. Her eyes darted around the room as she refused to look at his face. “This isn’t happening. This is not happening to me.”
“Yes it is, Dahlia. There’s no point denying it. Your father—”
“He is not my father!” She finally looked up at Greyson, tears forming. This was not the way she planned to learn about her birth parents. “Stop saying he is. I don’t have a father. Merrick is just a man. An evil man that I want nothing to do with.”
“If you just give him what he wants—”
“What he wants? He literally wants my blood. He’s going to kill me. And I can’t believe you’re allowing it.” Dahlia turned away from him, realizing that she was fighting for her life.
From behind her she heard Greyson murmur, “I would never let him hurt you.” He got up from the couch and came up behind her, grasping her upper arms as he brought her back against his chest. He bent his face next to her ear. “I would never let anyone hurt you.”
Dahlia collapsed into his arms. Her knees had given way and if it hadn’t been for Greyson, she would be a mess on the floor. Her mind then flashed to everything that he had told her and she jerked out of his arms, walking away.
“This is all too much. I don’t know what to believe anymore,” she whispered, stumbling on her feet. Greyson tried to balance her by grasping her arm again, but she quickly moved away from his touch, guarded.
He instantly dropped his arms by his side in defeat.
“I’m sorry,” she said regretfully, eyes wide. She moved closely to Greyson and tentatively touched his hand. She looked up into his face and again wondered how someone so beautiful could be so dangerous. Even through all this knowledge, she wasn’t afraid of him, just cautious.
“I just need some time to think.”
Greyson nodded soberly. “That’s fair. It must all be confusing right now.”
“Tell me about it.” Dahlia brought her hand up to her face and sighed in frustration. Then she looked back at him with a shake of her head. Stepping away from him, she turned toward the front door and left the cabin without saying goodbye. Greyson stood alone as he watched her walk away. He refused to leave it at that so he whispered within her mind.
Please be safe. There are other lapsus out there wanting nothing more than to see you dead because you carry lamia blood in your veins. They have hatred toward lamia because they are a reminder of their failed immortality. Therefore, you are a constant reminder. You may have future attacks on your life just like that night in the forest.
Greyson saw Dahlia’s body freeze a few meters away from him as she processed his words. She didn’t turn around to look at him, just began walking again and then finally disappeared from Greyson’s sight. He stood still, focusing his gaze at the spot Dahlia had been previously, dissatisfied at the way things went. If he had just stayed away, things wouldn’t be so complicated.
He was beginning to develop feelings for the girl.
He didn’t even know why. She annoyed him with her own constant badgering of “Why?” and “What?” She frustrated him beyond belief with her stubborn streak and obvious distrust of him. Hell, they were totally wrong for one another.
But she made him care.
It was like he was staring into her soul when he looked into her eyes. She was so delicate-looking, yet he knew a fighter brewed inside. She even smelled like a field of ripened strawberries that he wanted to constantly breathe in. It was like Dahlia shoved her fist into his chest and grabbed a hold of his heart.
Refusing to let go.
“Greyson.” The sultry voice from behind caused him snap out of his thoughts.
He internally cringed then turned around to look at the dark-haired beauty smiling mischievously up at him as she stood in the middle of the cabin.
He gestured toward her with the flick of a hand. “What are you doing here?”
She walked up closer to him as she said his name again, eyeing him up and down. “Greyson. You’ve been a bad boy, haven’t you?”
“What are you talking about?” He tilted his head to the side as he stared back at her, revealing nothing.
She placed her finger to her lip, giving a few taps as if deeply set in concentration. “Let’s just say I’m here to make sure you do your job. You’ve been telling that girl our deep, dark secrets. I greatly disapprove, you know. You are only to watch from afar. And someone’s getting a little restless and is a tiny bit concerned that you won’t be able to pull through in the long run.”
She grasped his elbow tightly with her red tipped nails, digging them deeply into his arm. “He’s not right, is he?”
“Of course not,” spat Greyson as he clenched his hands tightly, holding back the feeling of wanting to punch her face in with his fist.
“That’s what I thought.” She let go of his arm and stroked his cheek with her fingertip, leisurely kissing the same spot before she backed away from him.
“No distractions, okay? I don’t know why you don’t just have your fun with me,” she said with a pout. “Please remember your promise, Greyson.”
And with that, she was gone.
Greyson simmered from her touch as his eyes gleamed dangerously. Then giving a slight growl, he slammed his fist directly into the wooden wall causing a dent in the wood and blood to ooze from his knuckles.
He didn’t feel a thing.
***
At the park, Dahlia sat on the swings, slowly rocking back and forth as she contemplated on everything Greyson had said earlier, not wanting to go home as of yet. The day had turned into late evening, the usual chill of September replaced by a warm breeze. She had pulled off her shoes and socks as she burrowed her naked feet in the sand, wanting to feel the grittiness of the earth against her skin.
“I’m an angel,” she mumbled under her breath, concentrating on how the word sounded. Thoughts of pureness and light sprang into her mind, kind words that definitely weren’t the first descriptors she’d used to describe Greyson, or even herself for that matter. Plus Greyson seemed to regard himself as a fallen angel, a demi-angel, more than anything else. She gathered that had a darker side than the mystical winged beings in the sky.
She bit her bottom lip as she imagined how he would look like as an actual angel, ethereal with feathered wings on his back. His blinding green eyes would look down at her from the heavens in mischief.
Lapsus.
Her body involuntarily shivered as she tried to shake the vision out of her mind. It was then replaced by darkness as she no longer saw Greyson and instead began to see herself with an evil glint in her eyes, long fangs for teeth, her mouth covered in blood as red substance dripped to the ground.
“I’m a vampire,” Dahlia bared her teeth as she playfully growled then sighed in frustration. Was that the reason for her rabid food cravings? Did she actually desire blood, like in her dreams, her memories? She thought of all the instances in her life when she encountered blood, starting with the wolf, and how her body had reacted to it.
She didn’t want to think about that.
The fact that she was the daughter of some evil fallen angel with other fallen angels apparently wanting to kill her was all too much to handle. This entire situation was like some major motion picture that she should be watching on the big screen instead of re-enacting in her own life. Dahlia didn’t want to believe it, believe any of it, but it was difficult not too when it was right before her eyes.
It explained a lot actually.
She got up from the swing and picked up a handful of sand before she threw it right in front of her, venting out some anger.
“Why can’t I just be normal?” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
She was glad no one was around and she felt slightly better at the simple act of throwing and yelling. So again, she picked up some more sand, tossing it with all her might as she released her frustrations, yelling to the skies above.
“Why do vampires and fallen angels even have to exist?”
She reached for a handful of sand for a third time and threw it one final time. Instead of the sand fluttering away though, it slammed against an unforeseen force, abruptly dropping heavily onto the ground.
“What?” Dahlia jumped back in surprise as she stared in front of her, baffled by what had just occurred. Where she stood, it was as if she had thrown the sand at a person. But that wasn’t possible because there was no one standing in front of her. She took a step forward but suddenly, was unable to move. Shocked, Dahlia looked down to see her feet completely buried in the sand. She tried pulling at her legs using her hands, but it was as if she were in quicksand and she rapidly felt herself being dragged down with a lot of force.
“Help!” Dahlia cried out frantically as her voice echoed in the silence, but no answer replied. The sand continued to suck her in, her body sinking further and further until completely immersed from her torso down. She struggled to pull free but it was unsuccessful, her movements only making it worse.
Focusing right in front of her, Dahlia swore she saw the invisible force just watching her. “Help me,” she whispered as she stared up earnestly, her neck, then her head, slowly covered by sand. Her vision blurred until she saw nothing, her entire head enveloped by sand, one hand stretching out for dare life as she held her breath tightly against the pressure. She struggled, wondering how long she could maintain holding her breath as she sank deeper.
This is it. I’m done for.
As Dahlia’s mind started to drift away, she saw flashes of wolves and familiar green eyes. Then something gripped her hand tightly, her arm forcefully pulled upward. Gasping for air, her head was now unburied as she found herself looking up into Greyson’s face kneeling before her.
“Greyson.”
His face was full of fury as he held her tightly with one hand. She continued to gaze in shock as his green eyes suddenly glowed unnaturally bright. She then saw him lift his free hand and slammed it against the sand beneath him. All at once, through the force of his power, the sand exploded upward as the particles froze in mid-air. Dahlia almost collapsed against the now hard ground, but Greyson immediately hauled her up and firmly wrapped an arm around her waist. She barely stood on her feet as he held her, amazed at what she saw as she looked around. All the sand that lay in the park was floating, suspended in mid-air all around them.
She looked back at Greyson in wonder. “You’re doing this,” she whispered.
He didn’t say anything but picked up Dahlia in his arms, bridal-style, causing her to instinctively wrap both arms around his neck. He walked her over to a bench and then gently sat her down against the surface.
As soon as he did, she instantly saw all the sand drop abruptly back into the sandbox as each individual particle rustled back into place, making a thump. She saw Greyson walk back to collect her sand-covered backpack and shoes, then sat down next to her on the bench, dropping her stuff on the ground next to them.
“Thank you.” Dahlia didn’t know what else to say. She took deep breaths as she reached for her socks and hastily placed them on, her shoes following suit. Settling her feet on the ground, she looked back at Greyson to see that the same angry look on his face from earlier still there. He looked disheveled, sand sticking to his face.
She resisted the urge to wipe it away as she brushed her own face with her hand and gave a shake of her head, wondering how awful she must have looked. She almost died again.
Death by quicksand.
She kept her voice light as she spoke, hiding the panic that she felt. “Was that what you meant earlier when you said lapsus were trying to kill me?”
Greyson quickly grabbed her arm tightly, staring at her crossly, his green eyes burning. “God damn it, Dahlia! Didn’t I tell you to be careful? How is hanging out alone in the dark being careful?” He was almost yelling at this point.
“Ow,” Dahlia pulled her arm from his grasp, looking at him accusingly. She had never heard him raise his voice since they met, let alone curse, and i
t made her just as angry. She instinctively hit him in the chest then rubbed her arm where he had held her, refusing to cry. He always seemed to be grabbing her roughly. She’d laugh if she hadn’t almost been killed.
Greyson looked down at where she hit him on his chest then glanced down at her arm, taking a deep breath as he spoke more calmly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“What were you so worried about?” Dahlia got up from the bench and looked down at him in resentment as she went on. “What do you care if I die or not?”
He looked over at her in surprise. “What?”
“It’s not like it’s me you really care about. The only reason you want me alive is to save your sorry ass. You and whatever deal you have with Merrick—that’s all I am to you.” She refused to let the tears fall from her eyes.
“Dahlia.” The demeanor in Greyson instantly changed as he stood up. She stepped back, instantly stopping him in his tracks.
She managed to smile at him even though she felt like bawling her eyes out. “Thank you for saving me,” she started, her voice catching in her throat. She gestured roughly between the two of them. “I don’t know how to deal with all this. I just need you to leave me alone for a bit until I figure things out.”
She reached for her bag and backed away, not looking at him.
“Just—” As soon as he started Greyson suddenly broke off.
Dahlia paused at the defeated sound in his voice and turned to look at him imploringly. “Just what?”
“Just stay away from Ava.” His voice got quiet, as if not wanting to be overheard.
“Ava? What do you know about Ava? She’s like us, isn’t she?” Dahlia knew there was some sort of connection between them.
Greyson shook his head in disgust. “Ava’s nothing like us. She’s a ruthless bitch that always gets what she wants.”
Dahlia (Blood Crave Series) Page 13