He cradles me to his chest and sways me in a rocking motion. I sob in the darkness, pretending that faint glow isn't shedding a glimmer of light on me. This is real. I'm a monster.
"Where the hell didyou take her?" Kane yells, his fury coming out as soon as Gage materializes us back in Drackus's home.
Drackus, who's now sober and guilt-ridden, rips me free from Gage's grasp and pulls me to him, stumbling out an apology over and over as he hugs me. This still feels awkward, and right now I'm anything but responsive. My world just fell apart.
Mom joins us, stroking my hair affectionately and kissing my head through my hair, letting her sigh trickle down the back of my neck as she rests her head against mine.
"I had to let her cool down," Gage says finally to answer my night stalker, sounding unimpressed with Kane's venomous tone. "The planes offer a quicker cool-down option. Get over it. I kept her from losing it—which is why I know I'm not going to walk her down a path of destruction. The prophecy is incomplete. I know I'm meant to keep her from losing it. I just proved it."
"Any witch or warlock can vaporize someone else," Kane scoffs.
"Not when they're mortal. I'm the only one who can do it without killing them. She doesn't even get dizzy anymore. She's adjusted to it, even without her immortality. I'm designed for her."
"Stop!" I whimper, my voice cracking on the end. "Just stop," I continue in almost a whisper. "I can't do this right now."
I withdraw from my parents and walk over to Kane, ready to be held by only him. He willingly pulls me to him, and I cling to him like he's my lifeline on this sinking Titanic.
"Take me somewhere. Anywhere. I can't do this today."
He tilts my chin up, gently strokes my lips with his, and nods. "I'll get us a hotel somewhere."
I can actually hear Drackus's and Gage's jaws clench, but I ignore them both. Kane loves me. They can both get the hell over it. I'm not going to listen to my estranged father who stayed absent for a huge chunk of my life, and I'm not going to listen to the dark user who kept me out of the loop for his own twisted purposes. I'm tired of being a pawn.
"Alyssa, please stay here. Where it's safe," Mom says, sounding almost desperate.
"No. I just want to be alone right now."
Kane sighs. "I guess that means you want me to get my own room," he mumbles.
"Let me rephrase that. I wantusto be alone," I say to douse his concern.
He stifles the grin he wants to smugly display. Gage vaporizes from the room, a trail of anger following behind him. He's so pissed that I can actually feel his fury vibrating from his usually cloaked aura.
"Alyssa, I really am sorr—"
"It's fine, Drackus," I interrupt, wiping away my tears. "It's not like I didn't try to take you out, too."
He sighs out hard, guilt flowing through his eyes and breath. I look away and up to see the sweet face of the enemy I love, instead of the enemy who helped give me life. I feel so much stronger with Kane's arms around me.
"Let's go."
Kane walks in, carrying threebags of takeout. He looks so helplessly uneasy as he awkwardly sifts through enough food to feed an army.
"Are there people joining us?" I ask, confused.
"No," he says, shrugging. "I had no idea what you wanted, so... well… I might have gone overboard."
"Might have?" I ask, grinning.
I stand up as he lets his own beautiful smile slip free. He closes the distance between us before I even have to take a step, and his soft, perfect lips find mine. I lean into him, happy to let him kiss away all my dread.
His tongue becomes more demanding in my mouth, and I moan involuntarily as he picks me up and places me on the bed, falling between my legs.
"Tell me what to do," he murmurs against my lips.
"You've never needed coaching before," I tease, pretending like the last few days of my life never happened.
He smiles and then pulls back. "I mean what to do to make this better. I know you're going through a lot, but I can help... if you let me."
