Blood Born (The Dark Hills Series Book 1)
Page 21
“Dominic.” Her voice cooed out as her hands shakily made it to my face. “Just talk to him.” She pleaded. Her soft palms now pressed to my cheeks, holding my gaze on her. “Please.”
Swallowing hard, I let her touch calm me. Like nothing ever could. Her touch settling the beast that was rising to the surface, quelling my anger so easily.
“Fine.” I remarked to her, reaching to grab her wrists gently. Looking behind her I watched the broken hearted face of my father watching. Looking at the two of us with recognition and sorrow. Like he knew much more than either of us did, and something about the two of us standing there in front of him brought on emotions that hurt him deeply.
There was no doubt, that if what I knew was true, and how he spoke to her, my father obviously cared for Aine very much. I needed to know why. Aine was right. I needed to talk to him. Too many questions were now looming between us three, and one of us had all the answers.
* * *
I tapped the ash from my cigarette silently as I waited for him to speak, but it didn’t seem like he was going to. Uncomfortable silence fell over us like a thick fog. It took every once of patience I had not to knock his teeth out as I waited for the long overdue explanation. The explanation why I grew up without a father, why my mate knew he was alive when I did not. Why he told her he has been “protecting” us for years.
The whole situation was surreal, uncomfortable. Making me wish Aine was still here to keep me calm. Though she had felt us, being alone would make it easier, it inclined me to disagree. Without her presence I was far more likely to do something stupid, or something I would regret. I wasn’t quite prepared for how much just having her around kept me at an even keel.
How much calmer, and more at peace I had been since coming here to be with her, regardless of why I came, or what has transpired since I did. I could feel a significant change in myself when she was with me, and for some strange reason I actually enjoyed it. I liked who I was around her.
It felt like an eternity of silence as I continued to wait on him, and eventually I couldn’t keep waiting under the dense tension. Stubbing my cigarette out on my boot, I cleared my throat.
“You left us. Your mate, your children. You left them behind, yet somehow you still had time to protect my mate. Interesting.” I remarked coldly.
Damien, my father, looked to me with irritation, shaking his head. “I left my children. Yes. I saved Aine, yes. All for excellent reason.” He swallowed hard as he replied. “As for your mother, that bitch was NOT my mate and I have no regrets leaving.” He added calmly. Seeming unaffected by the harsh implications. Ones that I couldn’t seem to internalize, like I had heard him wrong somehow.
“You want the reason I disappeared, son? Why I know your mate? Well, I’ll tell you, but you won’t like it.” He finally began, giving my anxiety a relief. “Starting with that night of the last raid.”
“When the blood born attacked us?” I questioned harshly. Lighting up another cigarette, assuming it would be necessary to stomach the tale I was about to listen to.
Damien looked at me with confusion, then snorted with a hollow humorless laugh. “Is that what she told you?” He scoffed. “I’m not surprised.”
Clearing his throat he lit a smoke for himself as well and released the smoke through his nose like a bull. “The night that changed everything.” He started.
* * *
DAMIEN ~
“Why won’t you train me dad? Mom says that your wolf could help mine. Please, daddy!” Dominic cried out in frustration, puffing out his chest, stomping one foot on the ground. I rolled my eyes subtly. His mother would tell him that even though I had clarified that Dominic was not to see me that way ever. That treacherous snake of a woman would not be happy until all the dirty laundry that brought on this dysfunctional group was aired out for all to see.
“I can’t tonight buddy, maybe tomorrow.” I dismissed him, tousling his mid length hair around, causing him to release his irritation and laugh. Oh, how I wished life was easy like it was when I was a child. Just a little boy who did not know of the beasts that lurked around, disguised as part of us. Ignorance truly is bliss, a bliss left upon the children to help them from baring unmentionable scars.
“Why don’t you run along, your mother will put you to bed soon.” I added, brushing his hair back off of his face so I could see it. The spitting image of myself without the coldness or the evil. I pitied him for having to carry on my face, my only hope, he inherits nothing else from me. Many things I am haunted with, I pray he never has the burdens I do, to carry on his shoulders for the entirety of life.
He gave a precious nod and turned to run inside. I realized that would probably be the last time I would ever see him, if all was to go as I hoped. I swallowed hard as I watched my son run off, completely unaware of how much it would change his life by morning.
“Dom.” I called out to him. He turned around, stopping in his tracks to face me. Innocence pooling from those brave eyes that mirrored my own. Bile built in my throat as I felt my heart crack.
“I love you son.” Was the only thing I could bring myself to say. Wanting to make sure that if I were to die tonight, he would know that I loved him dearly.
“I love you dad.” He replied with a warm smile, then ran into the house without looking back again.
Tonight was the night I would change the future, at least the future of my pack. Even if it was to kill me, more specifically, she would kill me. Maybe I was just getting too old, or maybe having a child changed things for me, but my entire outlook on what we had done, and what we were doing seemed wrong.
Lighting up a smoke, I sat down on the rocking chair, placed just perfectly on the front porch to look out into the golden forest that surrounded it. A heavenly glow filling what would be a deep forest, dark and menacing. A sight I did not understand even existed when I was a child. Well before I even knew there were things like the wolves that lurked in the shadows. Back when the world without mythological beings was all I knew and understood.
“Hey there handsome.” I heard the eerie voice of my wife call out, followed by the slamming of the front door.
I let out an audible sigh and took another drag from my smoke, ignoring her completely. That once upon a time I believed this woman to be an angel, one that I loved, made my stomach turn. Honestly, if she were to kill me, I would gladly welcome death so I could be far away from her. It didn’t matter how vile the creature she made me, I still nothing compared to her. At least the malice was shrouded and controlled by a demon, not me. Hers was all on her, deliberate and intentional.
I felt myself cringe as she came to sit next to me, placing her long bony fingers on my thigh.
“Are you ready for tonight love?” She cooed out her questioning like we were to go for an evening pick-nick, not ransack the home of another pack.
“Is Dominic in bed?” I replied, answering her question with one of my own, stubbing my smoke out into the crystal ashtray that sat beside me. She nodded pleasingly, and I rolled my eyes.
“Then quit the charade and get your damn hand off of me.” I spat at her, pealing her fingers from my leg, practically tossing them back at her.
She giggled like I was joking, smiling at me sickeningly. “Oh come on Damien, don’t be like that.” She murmured, pushing her chair closer to mine. “I know somewhere you still want me.”
“Dead maybe.” I scoffed under my breath. “I told you, after tonight I’m done. Or you call this off now.”
Tonight, I made a promise to myself that I would walk away from all of this. I was done being her puppet. I realized that she could very well just kill me for abandoning her on her quest for power, but possible freedom was worth the risk.
She shook her head mockingly. “I’m not calling anything off. The Dunnam family is here tonight, if we can take them out here on our land, we won’t have to worry anymore. The last of them would be gone. Plus, there’s no way you’d leave us Damien. We are your family.”
“Last run Evangeline, make it count.” I barked at her, entering the house.
Evangeline followed behind me, grabbing my arm to stop me as I entered the front foyer.
“Come on, don’t be like that. We are doing the right thing. Remember what you said? We could be the most powerful and feared pack that ever stood. Don’t you still want that?”
I tugged my arm from her. “Your words, not mine.”
Pushing past her, I went to the kitchen and pulled a glass down from the cabinets. Promptly, I filled it to the rim with fiery amber liquid. Hoping to drown out some sick feeling pooling within me. As per usual, this damn woman wouldn’t let up. With every step I took, she followed behind eagerly. Unwilling to let it go.
“I love you, Damien.” She muttered softly as I tucked the whiskey bottle back up onto the shelf.
Swirling my glass around, I turned to face her, leaning back on the counter. “Do you say that for me? Or are you set on convincing yourself?” I scoffed, taking a drink. Letting the liquid burn its way down to the pit of my stomach. “If you loved me Eva, even a fraction of how much I used to love you. You would have never done this to me. To Dominic. You live in a dream world, and I look forward to seeing you fail when you no longer have your guard dog there to fight your battles.”
I took another sip and watched as her face twisted in rage. Her lip quivered and her fists clenched, making It more than obvious I hit a nerve. Good. In a blink of an eye, her hand shot up, her knuckles connecting with my nose. Black flashed over my eyes and I clutched my glass tightly in my hand, thrusting it into the side of her face. Shards of glass scattering around her as blood oozed from the gash created from Impact.
“Don’t hit me bitch.” I growled to her, exiting the kitchen, not even bothering to turn back to see if she was ok. I didn’t care. Far to many times I let her strike me without repercussion. Way too many times I let her threaten me and destroy me. This was the last night.
* * *
“We’re winning babe!” Evangeline wickedly chirped to me, whipping the blood from her hands. I rolled my eyes, calmly standing amongst the wreckage and chaos that surrounded us. Again, watching wolves at the command of my so-called wife, tearing apart lives and families without a second look. Something that used to bring me great joy. But not as of late.
“You’ve had your fun, Evangeline. Finish them off and be done with it.” I commanded to her roughly, but was ignored.
“Not till we get the Dunnam’s and the children.” She remarked matter-of-factly.
I scoffed, dusting off my jacket. “I don’t give a shit what kind of damn wolf royalty this family is, finish your game and be done.” I stepped away from her, not able to stand being next to her any longer. Walking peacefully throughout the ensuing battle, watching the souls escape the surrounding bodies, feeling every ounce of agony that flooded from their dying masses, I felt calm. The soul that trapped me, feeding off of their anguish and pain. Pleased by the carnage, just like all the times before, only this time, my heart wasn’t In agreement.
This is only what I could imagine walking through the valley of death would be, and I was the evil.
“Alpha! We have a problem!” One of my wife’s most loyal soldiers came crying at me, screaming in a wild panic. “One of the children! It’s gone crazy!” He hollered manically. I rolled my eyes at him.
A child? Just kill the damn thing. What child would cause a grown man to come undone in panic? I guess it just goes to show how weak the men my wife rallied really were.
“All right. I’ll handle it.” I replied with a zero intention of doing anything about it. I figured I might as well see what had him so upset though.
Not even bothering to leave my human form I ran over to where the children were being taken. The location Evangeline had set out to place the last of the blood-born blood line on the chopping block.
I wasn’t prepared for what I saw though. Walking straight into a sea of blood and entrails. Man and wolf alike ripped to shreds around me, looking like an army run through a wood chipper. Limbs and pieces scattered every which direction, long gone from their original locations, leaving no distinguishing evidence any of them ever were connected to another.
I chuckled to myself lightly as I scanned over the sight. ‘One hell of a kid.’ I muttered to myself.
Slowly I followed the path of mangled pieces and bloody pools till I came to see the creature responsible. Without surprise, a juvenile hunter stood tall, donning their beast form. Wildly slashing and ripping at all of those who came into contact. I almost felt a need to applaud the child. Their will to live was astounding and nothing like I had ever seen.
Standing in the background I just watched, highly entertained by the fury this child possessed. Then the child turned, and all of It made sense. Tucked in the child’s arm, was an infant. My throat ran dry. A baby.
Taking off into the distance the child ran, far quicker than I had seen even the mature hunters move, making it impossible to follow on human legs. Begrudgingly I brought on the demon form and chased after the child, staying far enough behind not to alert it.
The child didn’t run far before it collapsed onto the ground in an exhausted, spamming heap. Morphing into a youthful girl. Maybe a few years younger than my son. My eyes grew wide as I took in the badly hurt girl who scrambled to her feet, picking the baby back up and running again.
Something in me clicked. The demonic soul living in me pulled to the girl. Filing me with an unfathomable need to protect her. I felt a kinship with the girl. I knew she was special. I couldn’t quite feel why, but I knew I needed to get her and that baby far away from here.
‘Please let this be my redemption.’ I pleaded under my breath before continuing to follow her, watching as she stopped to pay respects to two large hunters that lay dead. My entire heart ached for the girl, making my next decision to save her far easier.
I continued to follow until time had run out. The sound of Evangeline and her goons approaching sent her running deep into the forest. I kept silent as I watched her panic, far too weak to fight her way out. I knew the girl couldn’t take on Eva like she did the others. If I was to get her out of here, it had to be now.
Creeping behind her, I watched as she tried to prepare herself for the fight. Realizing that if she were to see me, her fear would cause her to scream, giving away where she was hiding, I had no other choice. With one swift movement, I plunged the palm of my hand into the back of her head, knocking her out cold. She wouldn’t be out long, but it gave me a long enough window to escape with her.
Scooping the frail girl into my arms, I made my way out of the trees.
“Well well, what on earth are you doing?” Evangeline’s horrific coo echoed behind me.
I turned to look down on the massive white creature that I once found to be the most beautiful thing is this world and snarled.
“What? Have you gotten a pet?” She laughed, looking at the hunter girl and infant I held in my arms closely.
I pulled the girl closer into my chest, the blood pooling from her skin soaking my fur.
“I’ve secured your downfall.” I replied coldly. Speaking the last words I would ever say to Evangeline and took off running.
The farther I ran, the clearer my mind became, and the stronger the pull to this girl grew. A fatherly urge to care for her overpowering me, so I did the only thing I could think of. I took her home.
* * *
DOMINIC~
“There was no way to go back, even if I were to, your mother thought it smart to take you and follow me. Just like she always had.” Damien finished the tale promptly, lighting another smoke. My jaw feel
ing like it was dragging on the floor.
“It was easier to protect you from afar than risk your life coming back. I had four children to watch over then, all of which believed me dead or gone.” He added, taking another drag.
My stomach felt sick, hearing the tale, the true tale of what my mother was. Every single thing she had ever taught me shattering in its deceit around me. I swallowed hard, my anger towards the man in front of me subsisting gradually.
“I can only assume now, the reason I felt a connection to her, was because I recognized her soul as yours as well.”
My heart felt grateful, and far less bitter, and I internalized his words. My anger for him leaving, quickly being replaced with appreciation. Appreciation for the fact, even though I had lost my father, he protected the woman I was meant to be with. Sacrificing everything to keep her alive. If he hadn’t, this day may have never come. I would have never known her.
Still, questions swirled in my mind. “Mom. She wasn’t your mate?” I questioned, looking for some further clarification. Unsure why my father would marry and be with a woman who was not his mate. Tolerate and be used by a woman who truly was nothing to him.
He laughed coldly and shook his head. “Only wolves have mates, son. Have you ever seen a mark on her?”
I shook my head no.
“I’m nothing but a man. Or at least. I was.”
* * *
“However son, I’m sure Aine is worried about you. So we should get back to her. We can finish the story this evening, in fact I’m sure she would like to understand this part as well.” Damien added calmly. Straightening out his jacket, he started to walk down the path that lead back to the pack house. Unaware of how irritated I was, or he just didn’t care. Either way.