Page 53 of The Firebrand
Braelyn popped out of her chair, fisted her hips, and leaned over George. “I have a right to learn what kind of monster I am.”
Rein let the comment slide. She had enough shit to deal with.
George slumped into his chair. “Mage.”
“I’m a witch?” Braelyn’s eyebrows raised as she shouted the word. “Great. I don’t like black pointed hats. Bad look with my haircut.” She returned to pacing. “At least I won’t be craving blood. No offense, Rein.”
“None taken.”
George muttered, his gaze planted on the floor. “If you had not come to Scath, you would never have known. Though these centuries-old genetic predispositions do not cause anomalies, Alarik and I believe that must be why Rein cannot wipe your memory. Other symptoms are unlikely. The marker is ancient. It’s like your appendix, once useful but now vestigial.”
“I need time and space.” Braelyn grabbed Rein’s hand. “Come on.”
“What?” He jumped, surprised when her fingers laced through his.
George said, “Braelyn, I’m here to take you home.”
“No. I’ll process this on my own schedule, in my own way. That means far from you.” She tugged Rein toward the door.
He allowed Braelyn to drag him along, his mind spinning, his unconscious feet shuffling forward.
This will never work. I need to regain control of my urges—my raging desire to fuck her, to feed from her. Only distance will curb these impulses. She must return to Earth.
Even while he decided on the best course of action, he pictured the human female naked, straddling him, moaning as his fangs punctured her neck.
Instant erection. Damn.
Breathe. Breathe. Control.
When they reached the door, she turned. “Was Mom aware of our ancestry?”
George cleared his throat. “Yes. Braelyn, you must come home. You can’t do this.”
“I can. And I will.”
“What if you get sick? Your doctor called this morning because you had not phoned him as promised.” Speaking more quietly, he continued, “He told me the tumor is growing again.”
Rein’s heart stuttered.A tumor? Humans die from those.
Braelyn dropped her hold on him, storming over to George, lifting a finger, pointing and shaking it at him. “You be quiet! My plate’s full. He had no right to call you. He had no right to share my personal business. You may be my father, but I’m an adult. There are privacy laws.”
Braelyn stomped back to Rein, locked her arm through his, and dragged him from the office.
They marched through the halls in silence. When she finally spoke, anger dripped from every clipped word. She clenched her jaw tight, maintaining a crushing hold on his hand. “You don’t mind if I stay, do you? I promise it won’t be for long.”
“Do I have a choice?”
Breathe. Breathe.Control.Damn it.
She halted, spinning to face him. “Of course you have a choice. We all have a fucking choice, right? Like it was my fucking choice to have a witchy ancestor. It was my fucking choice to have a brain tumor. It was my fucking choice to have you kidnap me.” She lowered her voice and squinted her eyes. A smirk played on her lips. “I’ll bet I could stay with Ram. Whisk me to his place. Or the stronghold. I’ll just wait for him.” With that, Braelyn stomped off, leaving Rein alone, dumbfounded.
Stay with Ram? Not happening.
Rein caught up and wheeled her around. “You know I won’t let you go with the satyr. Get your shit together and think straight.”
Her fists flew to her hips. “Really? Let’s see. I discovered the world is nothing like I thought. My dad not only knew this but is part of it. I’m in some superhero realm because a macho, traffic-stopping hottie kidnapped me. And if that isn’t enough, I’m part witch. No offense. I don’t want to be a Hogwarts’ reject fromHarry Potter.”
“I don’t know what the fuck that means.”
