Twelve
Night was getting closer. Calix had had food delivered for us a few times during the day. I sat on the ground, poking at the carton of Chinese food with my chopsticks. I took a drink of my soda, while Calix watched the unmark grave intently from a distance. Turning a human into a vampire was a whole process. My mother would have to drink from me, then drink from Calix.
I looked over to Desmond. “Are you sure that it is a good idea for you to be here?”
Desmond took a sip of the coffee that he had and glared at me. “Don’t even think for a second that I’m leaving.”
“I’m only concerned because historically, werewolves and vampires don’t get along. Especially newly turned vampires. After all, werewolves are supposed to kill vampires…. or at least you were, before the secret cities were created. I’m not quite sure about how the two of you became friends…”
Desmond looked over at Calix. “We were both young.”
“He’s over one hundred and fifty years-old!” I reminded him, pointing at Calix.
Calix chuckled. “Comparatively. Most Alpha’s are around for centuries. Immortals are hard to kill. Because of Desmond’s father dying mysteriously, it made the transition difficult for Des.”
Desmond nodded. “He was responsible for helping to set up the secret cities for people. It was incredibly important to him. He saw humans and immortals battle against each other for centuries. I wasn’t his first child, either. My mother and my father lost a son before me. Two, actually….”
“You and Damien had brothers?” I pressed my fingers to the temple of my forehead. Immortals lived for so long, sometimes their secrets got messy. This was one of those times.
He nodded. “They were born a few centuries ago. They were taken because they were caught up in the fight between humans and immortals. One of my brothers, he fell in love with a human. He was part of the reason why Alpha’s tend to make humans their mates, because my father was trying to broker peace with them. Also, werewolf females…… are rare. They are considered precious when they are given to us because there are so few of them. Sometimes, they end up being targets.”
“Why?” I asked. “Just because they’re women?”
Desmond shook his head. “Female werewolves are able claim the role of alpha without a Trial of the Gods if they are pregnant with an heir. That makes them incredibly valuable. The wrong immortal can use that to their advantage. It’s happened numerous times. Whereas, humans cannot inherit the title of alpha. It makes things easier. It also opens up the bloodlines. Sometimes, in unique circumstances, the gods will mate a human and a werewolf together because they can change the course of an immortal’s destiny for the better. Like what happened with your grandmother.”
I wasn’t certain I heard him right. “I don’t think that what happened with my grandmother and my grandpa made anything better. I loved them both, but they had my mom and…. we all know what happened with my father. He almost destroyed the secret cities.”
Calix, who sat next to me, shared a look with Desmond.
“Okay, what are you two hiding? Do you know something about my father?” I demanded. “You two get weird and shifty every time I’ve brought him up.”
“We’re ancient,” Calix reminded me, “or at least I am. Yes, I know something about your father. What has your mother told you?”
I fiddled with the straw of my soda. “The same thing everyone else has told me. That he was a traitor. He got banished for doing something illegal. I know that it made it difficult for anyone to trust me. I think it’s part of why Nina became so obsessed with trying to be a luna. I think she thought that if she could become one, it would change the way our family was seen…. that’s why it was so nice when you and her got together, Desmond. People looked at us differently. It was the first time we felt accepted in a long time.”
Desmond’s gaze softened. “I didn’t realize it meant that much to Nina to be a luna.”
“I think that’s why she grew close to Damien. They obviously couldn’t do anything right after you went missing, but she’s always trying to protect me and mom. Unless you gave her a reason to, I don’t think she would try to kill you. She used to love you…”
“I wanted to love her,” Desmond admitted, “I wish I could have. But she’s never going to be the one for me, Iris.”
“I know. You’re obsessed with Julia. That’s who you should have been with this whole time. Why won’t you be with her?”
Desmond shook his head. “It’s not safe. Not yet. I’m…I’m working on making it safe, but I need to make sure I can trust the people around me. Only then am I willing to be with Julia.”
There was a twinge in my chest. I shouldn’t have been jealous of him going after Julia. We had an agreement. I was there to help figure out who had tried to kill Desmond. I wasn’t there to be his luna.
As for Calix…
I turned my attention to him again. “How did you know my father, exactly?”
Calix smirked. “Be nice to me. Maybe I’ll tell you.”
“Are you serious? After what you did to my mother, you’re going to withhold information about my father too?” I poked him in the shoulder. He didn’t even flinch. “I don’t know why I put up with you.”
Desmond grabbed hold of me. “Wait—do you hear something?”
Calix shared a look with him. “Scratching. She’s getting ready to rise. We should move.” He helped me up. Or he tried to. I pushed him away. I still wasn’t ready to forgive him for what he’d done. I didn’t think I would ever be.
The connection between a vampire with their sired was a complicated, heated one. With my luck, Calix would fall for my mother.
The scratching got closer. Then, my mother’s hand popped out of the ground. It was time for her to rise.
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