Chapter 29 What have you done?
“Grandma?” I ventured forward. Uncertain.
She flinched. My grandma flinched. Then she shook it off and winced in remorse. “You wed them.”
My head jerked back. It was not a question.
She frowned, “Lys Astre Grunder, did you really think you could hide this? They are all over you, you are draped in dragon-veil.” Her eyes went to my head. “And that Alpha gave you a crown.”
My hand instinctively shot up to brush my head, but Grandma was already turning away.
The door slammed shut as she disappeared into her office.
Those dreams. I had realized the wedding was a big deal.
But if Grandma was this pissed off, how could I convince her to get Arthur off my back?
She would likely agree with him, and bundle me off to his penthouse right now.
I hesitated, but remembering the other reason I was here, I pushed the door open and walked in.
She sat cross-legged in the seating area of her office, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows. I hovered by the door.
“You can't act all shy now after running off with them. Come sit,” she said, without turning around.
I winced, and moved to sit opposite her. In the past, I would have settled in the space beside her, and lay my head on her lap where she could stroke my hair.
“What have you done?” Her shoulders sagged, and I felt a prick of guilt.
Her voice was so sad.
“I knew you went with them, but a wedding? How did they convince you to do that?”
I stared at the floor, my cheeks burning with embarrassment at the memory of them informing me about the wedding, Hale's hand curled around the dragon’s cock, stroking. The unspoken question in their eyes, how would you like to be a part of this, Lys?
I looked back up to find Grandma watching me, and blushed even harder.
She gave her head a rueful shake, looking away.
“I did not think you were that kind of girl.”
“Grandma.” I shot out of the couch, licking my lips nervously as I headed for the glass shelf to the right of her office.
“Don't go Grandma now,” she mimicked my voice. “I understand young women will find faces like theirs irresistible, but you? I didn't think you were that type.”
My feet froze, and I spun around. “You have seen their real faces?”
Something like pride jumped into her eyes. “Who do you think created that spell for them?”
My jaw dropped. “You did?”
She smiled and shook her head. “Your great grandma did. But hold your head high when you walk around, my child. Because we are the source of that magic.”
Her eyes trailed to the window, and I turned around and reached the shelf. My heart was pounding.
“Although I was a tiny little girl, I still remember what they looked like when they came here.”
I opened the shelf and picked up the Silverpass. A charm that looked like plain rock and was no bigger than a walnut. Without pause, I grabbed a glass vial of moon-salt and spun around.
“May I take this, Grandma?” I held the vial up, the charm hidden between it and my palm.
Grandma sneered. “You believe a pinch of moon salt would cleanse all these?” Her face wrinkled in disgust as she stared me over again. “Unbelievable.”
I tucked the salt and my stolen item in my shorts pocket as I walked casually back to her.
But she flew out of her seat as soon as I took mine. “That damned dragon smell around you.” She walked off to her large executive desk. “I cannot stand it.”
A wooden shriek of a drawer tearing open, another slammed shut, bottles rattled and jumped as she roughly jerked drawers open in search of goddess knows what.
I licked my lips, palms sweating. I had to get out of here, fast.
She straightened finally, pulling up an elegant bottle shaped like a miniature award. Her heels clicked against the mahogany chevron flooring as she walked back to me.
The bottle was poised in her hand, index finger pressing the atomizer as mist hissed out of it and wafted into the air.
This ‘perfume’ smelled like nothing though. But it apparently was neutralizing the dragon smell I brought with me because her nose was no longer scrunched up.
She stopped before me, and gestured for me to raise my arms as if I was five again.
I pouted, but did as she asked.
She leaned in, hand poised to spray the scent. She froze.
Her head whipped back, and she squinted at me.
That same look of betrayal that had been in Arthur’s eyes not long ago, clouded her green now.
“Vampire?” She whispered with a shaky voice.
My heart stopped.
She backed away, eyes wide. “You have the blood of a witch. What the hell are you messing with a vampire for?”
I opened my lips to speak, but no words came out.
California had seven paranormal districts, fifteen werewolf packs, seven covens and fourteen vampire courts.
Vampires and witches in other districts were not exactly friends. But in the twin districts of Hollywood, they were practically the Nazis vs Jews. And in Grandma’s coven, they were taboo.
Right here was where the war started.
“Lys!” Grandma shrieked now, livid as she slammed the perfume on the coffee table in front of me.
“How can you commit so many disasters in forty-eight hours? Where the hell do you know a vampire from? Is it at that academy? Do they admit vampires there now?”
Her face was twisted in disgust, like she was about to throw up.
My heart hurt for Finn.
This was the same prejudice that ruined his life before the Hearthrown Alphas saved him. The reason why he and his kind could not walk freely here in Silver Summit and Valdorne districts of Hollywood.
“It’s not the academy.”
“Then where! And who exactly are you in a romantic relationship with?” Her right hand shot up to sleek her hair back in distress, “Who? The Hearthrown Alphas, the president’s son, or this vampire?”
She huffed, “Good grief. Why are you letting your parents ruin your life?”
I decided then that she could never find out that Finn and I lived under the same roof.
She could hardly stomach this idea of me and the Hearthrown Alphas. If she learned her precious granddaughter lived with a vampire, she would cause a literal tsunami.
She’s an elder. Rhea warned, but I shoved the thought down.
It was against her coven’s rules to dig into their family’s private lives, and I would like to believe the moon goddess was on my side. She would keep those visions away from her.
I had sacrificed my body to her fellow gods after all.
There was also the option of telling Hale. He could make sure she never found out.
“Grandma,” I called now, and she lifted an eyebrow in irritation. “I will stay away from him. It was an accidental meeting.”
Her eyes softened, but her tone burned like a hot knife, “An accidental meeting where you exchanged body fluids?”
She sank onto the couch beside me, suddenly looking her age. “You’re a smart girl, Lys. You shouldn’t be doing these sorts of things.”
I swallowed, still feeling Finn’s searing lips against mine.
“I will stay away from him,” I winced. “Please help me with Arthur. He wants to take me away from them.”
“As any good big brother should. Only he does not know you were reckless enough to wed them.” She tsked, irritated.
“We made a deal.”
“You…” She paused, and took a deep breath. “I will get you away from those men.” Her voice was a calm, deadly whisper now. “I will do whatever it takes to break this bond you stupidly created beneath that tree. Whatever it takes.”
I stared at her, knowing it was best to say nothing more.
“I will keep Arthur away,” she said finally. “For now.”
With the stolen charm in my pocket, I did not dare idle around for the rest of the day like I would have in the past.
I ached to ask her questions about what the witch had told me in the market. Grandma would be able to give me details if it was true, without needing my blood.
But I had no intention of getting her any more furious than she already was, so I stood up and turned for the door.
“Lys.” She called calmly when I grabbed the doorknob.
I turned.
“What are you going to do about the President’s son? He is planning an engagement for after your South Korea trip.”