Page 27 of Blood Taken (Blood Mafia 2)
For the first time in my immortal life, I worry I will disappoint them.
* * *
Demi
“Okay, talk.” I collapse onto the bed, placing my hands behind my back and kicking a foot.
Maria insisted we speak in my room, so we suffered in silence on the trek over here. Now she’s standing in front of me and fidgeting with her hair.
Do I take pleasure in the fact she’s so uncomfortable?
Yes.
“Well, I. . . I’m not sure where to begin, honestly.”
I lift an eyebrow. “This is your show, Maria.”
She sighs and turns away from me, placing her closed fists on her hips and dropping her head. “When your father died—”
“The least you can do is face me when you say whatever it is you’re planning on saying,” I sit forward and cross my arms over my chest.
I’m not being difficult on purpose; Maria makes it so easy for me to fall into moody teenager jabs.
Spinning on her heel, Maria turns and sets her brown eyes on me. They’re so similar to my own. Near the edges, the brown is so dark it looks like dark chocolate then as the iris meets the pupil the shade lightens until it’s almost a ruddy tan.
“You’re so angry.”
Her comment takes me by surprise, so I don’t respond to it.
Maria runs a hand through her hair. “When your dad died, I was so mad at Nix. She killed him ruthlessly. Ripped him apart. When they called me to identify the body, the only thing I could recognize was the tattoo he had on his wrist.” She pauses to see how I’ll react. Her eyes search my face and when she nods, seeming pleased I responded how she intended, she continues, “I left you with Irene and Robert because they were good people. Irene desperately wanted a child, so I made the arrangements.”
I shift and drop my crossed arms, clasping my hands in my lap and looking over at the nightstand. I’m not sure I like this story time.
“I did come back for you,” she says, which draws my gaze back to hers. Her eyes implore me to understand. “I came back and saw you with them. You were so happy. . . they had taken you to the zoo and you came back with the biggest stuffed lion. I watched Irene unbuckle you with such tender care. Robert swept you into the air and you giggled. It was so carefree. Almost like you forgot what happened to your father—”
“I didn’t forget.”
She nods. “I know, but to see you so safe. So happy. . . I couldn’t take that away from you. You’d already lost so much. I didn’t want to be responsible for ruining your chance at living a good life. All I could have given you is anger and sorrow.”
Swiping at the tears covering her face, Maria’s shaky breath tugs at my heart strings. Damn her for making me feel something other than anger.
“I think I understand why you did it, Maria. I get it. But I don’t agree with you. I would have been sad to leave Irene and Robert, but you were my mother. My entire heart was ripped out of my chest when you left. There could have been a solution. We could have made arrangements with my parents. You mattered.” My voice catches on the last word so I stop, looking away again and working my jaw to stave off the tears.
This is the talk I wanted to avoid. I’m not good with pouring my heart out. It hurts too damn much.
She’s crying without restraint, and when she collapses to her knees in front of me, I squeeze my eyes shut.
Damn it’s so pitiful. Even I’m not so heartless I’ll let her carry on alone. Slowly sliding off the bed, I envelop her with my arms.
I don’t tell her it’s okay or that I forgive her. I’m a long ways off from that, but I do hold her. Her arms squeeze me tight, making up for all the years of hugs she missed in one go. Her tears soak through my top and wet my skin.
After a minute or so, she pulls back. “Thank you,” she says as she stands.
I stay kneeling on the ground while she goes into the bathroom to blow her nose and wash her face.
She comes back out, her expression closed off to any of the emotions she spilled across my shoulder moments ago. “Wake-up time is six. You won’t get to sleep in tomorrow. I’ll have one of the girls come to get you.”
Maria adjusts her shirt, looks away, and strides out of the room without a backward glance.
