Joe popped his jaw, and Aden squeezed Victorias knee, in warning this time, hoping to stop her from lashing out again. However sweetly she lashed out. Do not poke at the armed bear. Aden could, because wellfine, that wasnt such a good idea, either. Not while Victoria was so vulnerable.
Enough of that. Lets get down to business, shall we? Joe said. Why do you want to travel back through this womans life?
I dont. But why not tell him the rest? Wasnt like Aden had been doing anything wrong. However, she was bespelled, and I need to break that spell. To break it, I need to know what spell was used.
You cant tell? Asked with the same intonation Joe might have used speaking to a special needs kid.
At least he hadnt called Aden a liar. You can?
Wait. You can time travel into peoples pasts, youre apparently king of the vampires and wolves, and you cant hear the echo of the spell cast? Cant feel the vibe of its magic?
Again with the special needs voice. You can? he repeated. Wait. Dont tell me. You have a ward for that, too.
A shake of his blond head. Practice. Then, Why do you care about this woman anyway? Shes nothing to you.
I dont care.
Hey, now, Julian snapped.
Joe frowned. Then why
I dont, he went on, but one of the souls inside my head does.
Okay, then. I can respect that.
The souls. Of course. You always did love them best. Joe turned to Tonya. Be a dear and fetch me a pen and paper, darlin. All right?
Yes, of course, she said, slurring the words. Pen and paper. She stood and stumbled off, unconcerned, unwitting and in a lot of danger.
Victoria made a play to follow her, but Joe shook the gun no-no as if he were shaking his head, and she remained in place. Arent you afraid shell run?
No, was all the man said. The drug opens her mind to suggestion. Shell do only what shes told.
Perhaps not the wisest thing to admit.
Victoria studied him for a moment. You know, youre worse than my father, and I didnt think that was possible. He used to whip me with a cat-o-nine-tails, you know. Just for fun.
Yeah, and whos your father, honey?
Aden squeezed her knee in another bid for silence. Much as Joe hated the creatures of the otherworld, he might try and punish Victoria for her origins or even the sins of others.
Joe offered him a small smile, content to let the mystery of her pass. You picked a damaged girl with daddy issues. I guess were more alike than I ever thought possible.
What was he saying? That Adens mother was damaged? That she, too, had daddy issues? So badly he wanted to ask. Despite everything, he was hungry for information about his mother.
The few times hed allowed himself to think about her, hed wondered what she looked like, if shed been as eager to give him away as Joe had been, or if shed wanted to keep him. Where was she now? What was she doing?
Was she the woman Riley and Mary Ann had seen with Joe that day in his truck?
Dont ask, Joe said stiffly, sensing the direction of his thoughts.
He opened his mouth to do just that, but Tonya returned with the commanded paper and pen and handed them to Joe before reclaiming her seat beside him. Joe balanced the notepad on his thigh and began writing, his other hand never leaving the gun. When he finished he tore off the paper and slapped it against the coffee table.
His gaze met Adens, familiar and once again blank. Now you cant say Ive never helped you.
Do NOT react.
He couldnt stop his heart from pounding in surprise or Juniors consequent slamming against his skull. He slanted his head to the side, motioning to the paper. Whats that?
Ms. Smarts ticket to free will.
Truth or lie? Either way, Father of the Year award, meet Joe Stone. Or not.
Frowning, Joe leaned into the human. Tonya, youre going to be a good girl, sit still and listen to Aden. Youre going to do what he says, arent you?
Yes. I will do what he says.
Those eyes lasered into Aden. Spells are unbreakable unless the caster leaves himself a safe word, I guess is the best way to describe it. I can hear the spell this Daniel person cast inside my head, and he absolutely left himself a way out. Probably in case he stopped loving her and wanted to be rid of her. Or punish her. Or hurt her. Theres always a reason, but those I cant interpret. Anyway, the words on the paper are her way out.
He would not thank the man. Too little, too late.
Dont try to find me, Aden, and dont try to find your mother. Im sure your friends told you about the toys they found in the house. Yes, you have a little sister. No, you cannot see her. Shes not like you, and youll only bring her pain and suffering.
Yeah, theyd told him about the girl, but hearing the wordslittle sisterand once again realizing hed never get to see her, hold her, beat up the boys who hurt her feelings, well, Aden hadnt cried the two times hed been stabbed, but he wanted to cry now.
Thats why Im here, Joe went on, uncaring of the injuries he inflicted. To tell you nothing good will ever come of your search for them.
Bang, bang. Junior, against his skull,
Easy. Easy now.
You didnt kill me, and I didnt kill you, Joe said. Lets leave it at that and parts ways. Forever.
At least give him a picture of his mother, his sister, Victoria said, sympathetic to Aden in a way only she could be.
No. Cutting all ties is best. Believe me. With that, Joe stood and strode from the living room. Though he did pause in the arched doorway for several heartbeats, as if he had something more to say, but in the end, he didnt. He left, the front door slamming shut behind him.
How could Joe do that to him? Let him go like that? Again. The most disturbing question of all, thoughwhat would life have been like if Joe had actually loved him and kept him around? If Joe had trained him?
Junior nearly busted his eardrums with his next screech.
Calm, steady.
Tonya remained in her seat, unaffected.
Victoria threw her arms around him, settled herself in his lap and hugged him tight. Im so sorry. He doesnt deserve you.
Words shed probably said to herselfor Riley had said to herafter her own father had broken her heart. Aden held her, letting her comfort him as only she was able, breathing her in, loving her scent, his mouth watering for a taste, not letting himself have a taste or think about tasting, not letting himself bite her but simply luxuriating in what she offered. Finally he calmed the rest of the way, and so did Junior.
Aden, please, Julian was saying.
Julian. His friend. Whom he would help, no matter the destruction to himself. He kissed Victoria on the temple, settled her on the couch, grabbed the paper, read it and stood. As he closed the distance between himself and Tonya, his hand fisted, crinkling the words. This was supposed to work?
He crouched in front of her. Look at me, Tonya.
She obeyed without hesitation.
Will this work? Julian asked. This has to work.
Aden wasnt sure what his father had proposed, something so simple, so easy a freaking caveman could do ittoo much TV?would do anything more than embarrass him, but he said, Tonya Smart, your heart is your own. Your soul is your own. Love may whither, love may die, but your truth will set you free.
She blinked down at him.
Why hasnt anything happened? Julian again.
Shes still drugged, Victoria said. Maybe thats preventing her from showing a reaction.
Fight your way from the drugs influence, Aden said, and just as before, she obeyed. Not because shed been told to obey him, but because hed used his vampire voice.
Her gaze cleared of that glassy sheen, revealing the shadows churning so violently behind them. A scream ripped from her, her entire body bowing, shaking her chair, then hunching over. She shook, she moaned, she writhed, her fingers gnarling.
Aden backed away from her, unsure how to help her.
Make it stop, Julian begged.
I cant. All he could do was watch, horrified, as those shadows seeped through her pores, rising from her, enveloping her in a dark mist and screams, so many screams, echoing through the room.
Her screams? The ones shed trapped inside herself, every time the spell forced her to do something against her will?
Aden returned to Victoriaand the movement must have scared the shadows or something, because they shot up and out, disappearing through the ceiling. Leaving silence, such heavy silence.
Tonya sagged against her seat, slid to the floor and lay there panting. She was drenched with sweat, tears pouring down her cheeks, her skin flushed a deep red. Iheoh, dear Lord! Sobs racked her entire body as she curled into herself.
Victoria slipped forward and reached out. Tonya caught the motion from the corner of her eye and reared backward.
Dont touch me! Get out! Get out of my house! I hate you. I hate you all. I hate him. Hate, hate, hate. The sobs intensified, nearly choking her.
JulianRobert, Aden said. Is there anything you want me to tell her?
A pause. Then, No. She wouldnt listen now, and besides, I dont know what Id say. I dont love her as I once did, I just couldnt let her rot in the prison Daniel had built for her. Shes free, Julian said. Shes really free, and thats all that matters.
With every word, his voice had become softer, quieter.
He was leaving, Aden realized, fighting a cry of his own. Just like that, without any other warning. Dont go. Im not ready. He held the words inside himself. No reason to burden Julian with them. Howhow much time do you have left?
Not long. A whisper now.
Victoria linked their fingers. Aden?
Come on. He was shaking as he led her out of the house. He could have teleported them, but he was too emotionally messed up and wasnt sure where theyd land.
Cold air blustered around him, a storm clearly brewing. The sky was gray, the clouds bulky. The scenery fit his mood perfectly. He got them to a thick crop of trees before he dropped to his knees. Julian?
Still here. And I want you to know I love you, Aden. Weaker still.
I love you, too. So much.
Thank you for everything. You were a great host, and I will never forget you.
Once again he wanted to shout, Dont go, but he didnt. Hed just lost Joenot that he wanted to be a part of Joes lifebut to lose Julian, too? Here and now, like this? His eyes were like twin coals just pulled from a fire.
You were a great friend to me.
Julian, Elijah said, sad and happy all at once. Aden understood. He was sad for himself but happy for his friend. We will never forget you, either.
Dude, Caleb said. I knew you were the one with the comb-over.
Julian laughed. I love you, guys. Even when you were being a pain in my ass.
Caleb was the one to laugh this time. You might want to rephrase that. You dont have an ass.
Im going to miss you, Aden said softly. His chin trembled so violently, he barely got the words out.
Would it be gay if we attempted a four-way hug? Julian asked.
Yes, Caleb answered. How about a mental slap on the back, instead?
Another laugh, this one so weak Aden had to strain to hear it. Yep, even when youre a pain.
Justif you see her, tell Eve we said hi.
I will.
I bet shes a babe, Caleb said, his amusement gone. Like everyone else, he was fighting with his emotions.
Julian snorted. I cant believe this is goodbye for us. Cant believe Ill never see you again. Never hear Caleb being perverted, or Elijah bringing down the party or you Aden, the most honorable, loving person Ive ever met, finding his way into the light. Im no psychic, but great things are in store for you, my friend. I know it.
The burning migrated to his cheeks, a wet tide, unstoppable. Well see each other again. Believing otherwise would kill him.
I love you so much, Julian said again, and then, just like that, he was gone. Aden felt the absence of him all the way to his bones.
Another goodbye he hadnt been prepared for.
He remained just as he was and let the tears flow. Victoria wound her arm around him and cried with him. He wasnt sure how much time had passed.
When they both quieted, she whispered, Lets find Riley and Mary Ann and go home, Aden.
Yes. Home.
THIRTY-ONE
WHAT DID YOU DO to yourself?
They were the first words Mary Ann had heard her father say in weeksor what felt like an eternityand she knew they were a precursor to all kinds of trouble.
She sat in the passenger seat of his sedan. Hed bailed her out of jail, or whatever. She wasnt really sure what had happened, only that shed been cuffed, driven to the Tulsa P.D. headquarters downtown, stashed and questioned in a room for hoursnot that shed answered anythingand then uncuffed and ushered to her dad. Who hadnt spoken a word to her until now.
Since she hadnt given the cops his name and number, she could only assume Riley had. A reunion shed wanted to both thank and slap him for.
The moment shed seen her dad, shed nearly run to him and thrown her arms around him. Anything to comfort him. As Penny had told her, he looked like hell. Bruises under his eyes, lines of tension branching from his mouth. His clothes, wrinkled and stained with coffee. But she hadnt let herself hug him, too afraid the strength of her riotous emotions would cause her new wards to fail and shed start draining him, human though he was.
Rationally she knew that wouldnt happen, but fearwell, fear was illogical and all-consuming.
Mary Ann! Im talking to you. You take off without any warning, without calling, and Im left worrying to death about you. Searching for you, begging the police for help, putting out flyers, and youre out there with thatthat Fury crackled from him, so much fury his fingers nearly bent the steering wheel in half.