Chapter 123: Chapter One-Hundred-And-Twenty-Four

Ryder

“Matthew was my only real friend back home, especially since Giles came. He is a child by our laws, still growing up, and Milindya is only a few centuries old. Neither of them saw how little control I had in those first centuries, and I’m incredibly grateful for that, but my sister turned against me. He never did,” Catalym said in a pained voice she tried to veil, but the darkness had already spread to Kev’s eyes, as well as mine. “Milindya used to help me. Then Giles came and ruined our lives.”

“How did he do that?” I asked carefully.

Was she finally willing to talk? But the real question remained: could I handle it under these delicate circumstances?

“My Mother has always been a selfish, cold person. I’m sure Corrine has told you that. When Giles came to her and promised power, she allowed him to kill my Father for her so she’d inherit the Coven, and he could take over. She had no use for the daily operations, and she hated my blood, Father.” Her voice had become thick, but it only hinted at how much this upset her.

Catalym took a deep breath before continuing, “After they’d killed him, Giles placed spells, beyond me, on the Coven to make them believe he was our Father. He couldn’t do that with me because I’m too much his elder, and the spells never held. Milindya isn’t as lucky, but I can’t fix that. At least our brother can be free of such trickery since Matt is his son.”

Catalym’s eyes slid away, leaving so much left unsaid. After a long moment of staring at the floor, she continued without prodding.

We were nothing more than her captive audience.

“He controls almost everything Milindya does. I know that, but it doesn’t make me like her anymore. It doesn’t help that he hates me for his lack of control due to what I am, so he uses Milindya to hurt me time and again. Matthew tries to keep the peace and play referee, but Giles loves him and sees no wrong in him so that he can get away with it. He also promises Matt the world and neglects to give him even a fraction,” Catalym finished.

The story wasn’t complete if you could call it that, but I’d forgive her. She’d already trusted me more than I could ever ask for. It was more than I’d entrusted to her, at least willingly.

Cat stilled and then scrambled off of my lap, cocking her head to one side as she looked at Kev.

“What’s wrong?” Cat whispered to him, not facing me.

I didn’t like the look on Kev’s face more than she did. He looked serene but in agony so profound, I marveled that I’d not seen it before now.

“How often are you allowed out of your room at home?” Kev asked strangely.

I winced, knowing precisely what he was thinking.

Kevlar had lived his life in a cage until his Father needed someone killed; he was only able to feed them to keep the trained beast angry and wild. And it wasn’t metaphorical. It had been a five-by-three-barred cage that was hung from an anchor attached to the ceiling, right beside his Father’s chair in their great hall. His brothers had dominated the opposite side.

And this Coven had waged war against us with us, and we could do nothing but oblige them. It was when Corrine and her brood wiped through the vampires to their very heart, their own ruler’s lair, that we found him.

My brother found him still in the box, snarling and hissing. I don’t know what Holly had seen in the monster that day, but it was the only thing that stayed in my hand when I’d burst into the dark, ample room to kill the last survivor of the Brandenburg Coven, a menace to all of Germany.

Plagued by my memories, I resisted the urge to intrude on Kev’s mind, still catching what was on the surface without conscious effort. All he thought about was football. That was it. This meant that, given the conversation, there was something else entirely that he was trying to hide.

Whatever she saw or sensed left her cold.

“For the past few decades, I’ve not been allowed out of my room except to serve my Coven in some minimal way or if I snuck out and escaped. Sometimes, it was only to buy something, and other times, to run away, like now,” Catalym answered quietly, staring at the floor again.

Though I already knew this, the statement raged a renewed fire in my mind, a need for blood so strong it was difficult to think past it.

In a race of energy, Catalym spoke to him, but I couldn’t hear. Kev’s eyes never changed or moved, but I knew he said back.

Long, silent, and still minutes passed before their eyes warmed.

“Think of something more pleasant,” Catalym whispered, and Kev shook his head. Then she laughed softly. “I’m still in your mind.”

“I know,” Kev replied, and his slight smile widened. “Lightened the mood, though, didn’t it?”

“You want to know what happened to the last guy who pictured me naked.” Catalym’s arms crossed over her chest.

Then Kev’s eyes slid to me.

“The guy before him.”

I chuckled to myself, picturing her naked a time or two.

You’ve pictured me naked three times since we woke up.

Isn’t that a good thing?

With you, more than likely.