Page 112 of The Firebrand
“Rein broke. It was an ugly scene with other occasions to follow.”
A naked redheaded female curled up in the corner of Rein’s cell. Well fed, healthy, and nicely dressed, he drew up his pants to fasten them. When he did so, his long, shiny, clean hair fell forward. A heaviness hung on his brow, though, and his dead eyes avoided the female’s body. “Find more worthy food. I’m still hungry. This one’s worn out,” he shouted.
From a corner of the cell where he monitored, Warrick nodded, leaving to do as Rein bid.
In another scene, the Awakening initiate, trapped in an enclosure, fought a questing beast. Rein’s muscular chest was slick with sweat as it rose and fell with his deep breaths. On one killing pass, the beast’s horn slashed his brow. On the next, the vampire broke the creature’s neck with his bare hands. His reward was the nymph who ran into the ring after he defeated the Darque beast. She carried a towel to wipe the blood from his lips. The prize scooped her hair aside, offering herself while she took Rein’s cock into her hand, guiding him to her core.
“Why are you showing me these ugly scenes?”
“Two reasons. First, Rein’s a real vamp scamp. Believe him when he warns he is capable of great cruelty. Just like any good bloodsucker, he favors a violent sex-and-liquid cocktail. That is who Boyo is. Second, I wanted you to know how he got that handsome scar. Wounds from a questing beast can be healed. He keeps it to remind himself of his Awakening, his savagery.”
“Is the show over?”
“No. Having seen the possibility in the River Am, I warned my brother. The vampire beast in Rein could never be awakened. It was too powerful, too savage. Despite my words, Alarik, with Castia’s urging, sent his son through hell.”
Indigo’s wild hair blew around her head like a banshee. She had bound Alarik and Castia with a truth spell to find out where they held Rein. Once they told her, she stretched out her arm, hand up, flicking her wrist. Wind crashed through their living room, sending Alarik and Castia ducking for cover. Lamps toppled, furniture flew, and pictures smashed to the floor. Lest she kill them, Indigo stormed out of the house, eyes blazing.
Permitted to enter the cavern, she stared at Rein through cell bars, her eyes swollen and red. “I would change what has happened if I could,” Indigo sobbed, her shoulders bobbing with sorrow. “I saw the possibility. I should have done more.”
“This is not on you, Auntie.”
Indigo drew a deep breath, stiffening her spine. “Let’s be practical. Me! Practical! There’s a surprise. Boyo, you cannot control what you refuse to confront. Face the beast within. Understand who you are. A triple aura surrounds you. Impossible as it seems, you are also incubus and warlock. You are more powerful than you can imagine. In time, you will accept yourself. The complete package. The vampire-warlock-incubus.”
“But I have done terrible things. And I enjoy them.” He dropped his head between his hands, refusing to look her in the eye.
She slipped her fingers through the bars to touch his hair. Then she lifted his chin. “We all house evil at our core. That doesn’t mean we uncage it. When you are ready, come to me. I will help you find your way back.”
Indigo released Braelyn’s hand. “A secret between us girls? Rein doesn’t know the naughty thing I did after his Awakening. I cornered Balto and Warrick on the street, bound them in vampire-proof ties, and caged them for a year, twice as long as Rein spent in their hell. I gave them food and water but no blood. When I released them, their skin hung so loose from their scrawny bodies they looked like the monsters they were. It was just punishment. Another scene. Then that’s it. Bitchelicious visited Boyo one last time.”
Castia sat outside Rein’s cell in a green satin gown, her arms folded around her waist. “I am proud of you, son.”
Rein gripped the bars of his cage, a feral grin on his face. “Proud?” With that, he broke the lock and stalked out of the cell.
Castia gasped, backing away.
Rein snarled, fangs bared, his face hardened by cruelty. “That’s right, be afraid. I am the monster of your creation.”
In the next scene, Rein smashed through the entry door of a house, packed, and left.
“That visit to Alarik’s,” said Indigo, “was the last time he called his father’s place home.”
“So Rein’s vampire beast was fed. But he kept his mage and incubus gifts.”
“Yeppers. Boyo is unique among Aeternals. He has retained the power of all his breeds. But he fears his bloodsucker. All I hear from him iscontrol, control, control. He has been at war with a part of himself a long time, never believing he is whole. But he is who he is meant to be.” Indigo set her glass on the table.
Braelyn exhaled, her voice breaking as she bit her lip. “That’s a horrible story. What did Rein do after he packed up?”
“He spent years acting on his sadistic urges, his youthful indiscretions. When he’d had enough, he came to me for help. I sent him to study with a guru in India, where he learned meditation. After twenty years of practicing with his yogic mentor to get his appetites under control, to integrate his powers, he left. Then the Firebrands called him.”
Braelyn mumbled, “His struggle makes me love him more than ever.” Her hand flew to cover her mouth.Oops.She looked at Indigo to see if she caught the slip.
“That’s why I’m here, chickadee. You both wrestle to cage an enemy within. Your similarities draw you together; your differences drive you apart.”
Too much to think about, Braelyn changed the subject. “What happened to his sister, Elisabeta?”
“Her story is different. She always leaned closer to her vamp side. She chose the Awakening. And Elisabeta is … well … Elisabeta.”
Indigo poured herself another whiskey, flashed sparkling white teeth when the corners of her mouth curled up, and raised her glass. “To my nephew. May he need all he wants. May he want all he needs.”
