Page 240 of Shifting Hearts 1
Lena sighed, grief and pity weighing in her eyes.
“I’ll make sure everyone knows how much you loved him.”
“They can’t know.”
“Not the vampires, child, the Den Mothers.”
I froze, breath catching. That’s why Esmerelda had said those words to me, back when I freed them. I had thought she was speaking of something else entirely. She had been so old then, frail and sickly, barely tasting her freedom before she passed. But before she died, she told me she knew I would come, and that she hoped my wrath would be enough.
Enough for what? I never understood. I searched for answers, but she was gone before I could ask, and no one elseknew the story Lena had promised to pass on. It died with Esmerelda.
Hot tears blurred my vision as I crouched beside Morgan. Her face was battered, one eye swollen shut, bruises blooming across her skin, her lip split and bleeding.
“I love you,” I whispered, voice breaking. “And I promise, when the darkness takes hold of you, I’ll remember.”
SIX
NATASHA
When I returned the heaviness returned with me.
Irene hugged me. I missed her almost as much as I missed Jace.
She touched my face. “It’s going to be okay.”
I didn’t want to argue, even if I didn’t believe the way she did. Nothing would ever be okay. He would wake up, and set me free.
Gaby hovered like only Gaby could, so I slipped into Jace’s room and sat with Dom for a while who was next to his bed.
We started talking about everything.
About the years I tried to find them. My human years. The coven. I told him about Sonia and Reeves. About Lena, my Den Mother, who was probably long dead by now. She was the only one who ever knew the truth, the only one who promised she would pass it down to her children, that I loved him, that I was desperate for immortality, and everything I endured just to try and become a vampire. Even though none of us thought I’d survive it.
I never told anyone about my abilities back then. Cass would have demanded proof, and I had none to give. So I endured whatever pain and humiliation she dealt me. But Lena promised. And I still don’t know if she ever kept that promise.
“Wait,” Dom cut in. “Was she old?”
“She’d have been dead a long time ago. She was already in her seventies when I was human. I think I was Blaze when she died. I had no respect for humans then, so I never paid attention to how she died. For all I know, I could’ve killed her myself and not even realized it.”
Another blood tear slid down my cheek, and I wiped it away.
Dom’s voice softened. “No wonder you’re feeling the way you do. But Irene’s right, Morgan. We all go through this when we’re trying to find ourselves. We’ve all done horrible shit. Jace and Annie were evil once, too.”
“They didn’t have fire,” I muttered.
“It didn’t make them less sadistic. If Jace had taken you on, you would’ve seen he’s not as fragile as you think. He just chose not to be that monster anymore. And it took him almost a thousand years to get there. Longer than it’s taken you.”
I swallowed. Dom had seen Annie’s life. He’d seen Jason’s, too. He knew.
“How was their time with Adrienne, Dom?”
His jaw tightened. “It still gives me nightmares. I thought I was part of that coven, that’s how real it felt. I know what she’s capable of, Morgan. What she can do. I saw it when she broke Jace, when she controlled him like a puppet. He knows her better than anyone.”
“It’s going to break him,” I whispered. “I thought I loved her once. Thought she was my one and only.”
“Hey,” Dom said firmly, “you gave him that choice. It’s not on you.”
I nodded, though my chest still ached.
