Chapter Fifteen

“There’s a contract on me?” Vivi pointed to herself. No one moved. All had different variations of respect on their faces except Dom, who undressed the lady with his eyes. Would they not defend her against this woman? Not even Ky?

The petite woman with the blond bob and swoopy bangs radiated a larger-than-life aura in her red draped dress and spiky heels. Not a weapon was in sight, but Vivi sensed the danger in her. This female knew how to kill and had no qualms about doling out death. Maybe even hers.

“Apparently, you’re guilty of terrorism and mass murder or some such nonsense. Are you guilty?” The woman asked as if it’d be fascinating if Vivi said yes.

“Honestly, I’m not sure, given that I just spent two years in a prison, and I thought it’d been only a few weeks. I also just found out the humans were messing with my head to control me.”

“How exciting for you to get dropped into Ky’s life.” The woman clapped her hands. “So glad he decided to bring you to me, then. I’m Evie.”

Ky said, “We didn’t bring her to you, Mom. We brought her to Dom. For help. What are you doing here?”

“Mom?”

Ky nodded at Vivi’s question. He thought it obvious. He had his Mom’s eyes, even though where she was petite, he was huge.

“Come here, love.” Evie held out her arms and pulled Ky into a hug. “Thank God, those brothers of yours got smart enough to finally bring you back to me even if they did let it go on too long. Look how skinny you are.” She drew in a shaky breath and whispered, “I thought I lost you.”

“You almost did.”

She cupped either side of his face with her hands. “Those people who put this curse on you have taken too much from you, all of you. Say the word…”

“You know I can’t. We’d be forced to hunt you down if we said that word.” He smiled softly. “I need you… We all need you here to be fierce for us. Someone has to be.”

“You have to get free of the Crown. All of you. There has to be a way. This mission had nothing to do with the betterment of the world. This was selfish. They intentionally split you three up to do”—she waved at Ky’s frame—“this to you.”

His mother leaned away from him to address Roman. “What good is being a warrior for God if you’re unable to locate Ky for seventeen goddamned weeks?” She embraced Ky again. “Love, you left right after you promised me a repeat of the bread pudding. Who does a disappearing act right before following through on that kind of promise?” She pushed away and fluffed her hair. “At my age, we have so few things to brighten up life.” Evie’s eyes met Dom’s and heated.

“Told you Ky was her favorite,” Flynn muttered to Roman.

“He bribes her with food,” said Roman, affection heavy in his tone.

“Warrior for God?” Ky asked Roman.

“Long story. Has to do with Zadkiel, the angel. Something else you missed.”

“Did you take the contract?” Ky asked as his mom pulled away.

A sly smile transformed her face. “Of course I did. If I hadn’t, someone else would’ve. Her face had lycan written all over it. Given she was located in the part of the world you boys were visiting, I figured she had everything to do with you. I couldn’t wait to meet another girl who’d gotten under one of my boys’ skin.”

“It’s not like that. Are you going to kill her?” Ky asked.

“If I wanted her dead, darling, she wouldn’t have a pulse. We’ll have to find out if she’s tough enough to handle you. You’re a lot, you know. Now…” She squared off with Dom. “Why are we all in here while supper sits on the table?” She clapped her hands again. “Come. Let’s eat before the bread gets cold. Can’t stand cold bread.” With a spin on her ultra-high heels, she marched toward the exit, her red dress twirling around her knees.

Dom shot to a stand. “We eat.”

All three brothers shared a clear what-the-hell glance. They watched Dom follow her and speed to catch up. When he caught up to her, he snaked a hand around her waist and leaned in to whisper in her ear. Intimacy was written all over the move.

His mother had taken lovers from time to time since his father passed a few decades ago. Normally, he didn’t care. She’d never brought one home to the family or indicated anyone was important. But Dom?

Ky rounded on his brothers. “What the bloody hell? I’ve landed in an alternate dimension, haven’t I? It’s the only logical explanation. I’ve died and ended up in the twilight zone where Dom and Mom…” He wagged his head back and forth. “That even rhymes. I can’t. I just can’t.”

“Yeah.” Flynn scratched the back of his neck. “About that.”

“How is that even possible, that she has him wrapped around her pinky? How?” Ky pointed at the hallway where Evie and Dom had gone, though now they’d disappeared.

“I think they’re cute,” Vivi said.

Roman chuckled. “Never underestimate a woman.” When both brothers stared at him, he held up his hands and shrugged. “Mom’s the badass who pussy-whipped the most dangerous magical creature I’ve ever met. Based on what we just saw, she’s enjoying the hell out of it. I say good for her.” He rubbed his hands together. “Let’s eat. I’m hungry. If Mom’s here, she brought her chef. I’m telling you, Vivi, that man is worth every outrageous penny she pays him.”

In what felt like slow motion, Ky took a seat around a rustic table near a lit fireplace emitting heat and the aroma of burning wood. The scent took him back over a century when all indoor gatherings smelled of such.

Laughter surrounded him as the food was passed to him. Silverware clinked against the plates. Wine was poured. He stared at the food, offered on large platters, unable to move to serve himself anything. Everything looked decadent and beautiful, but his stomach roiled in resistance.

“No Lambrusco for you tonight, Flynn?” Evie elevated the glass to look at the light and the bubbles cast through it. Ky recalled how many times she’d gotten Flynn to laugh while drinking a bubbly drink to the point it came out his nose.

Flynn shook his head and put a hand over the glass when the server neared. He never imbibed carbonated drinks in his mother’s presence anymore, not since it’d become a game with her. Even Roman laughed at Flynn’s indignance when offered a glass of the sparkling red wine.

Dom cracked a smile. The mage freaking smiled?

Evie could be playful one moment and a vicious, detached killer the next. She was their most ardent defender and teacher. Her requirement that they come together once a month, something she’d started about a decade ago on the full moon, was for their safety—to prevent lust-induced insanities and to reaffirm their connection as a family. The difficult part had been keeping their location on this particular night once a month secret from their handler. None could know Evie existed, especially the ones who held power over all of them with the curse. But they’d done it. All Gerard knew was that they went into lockdown to cope with moon madness.

Evie raised her glass. “No regrets.”

“Hear, hear.” Roman clinked his glass against hers.

“I second that.” Dom leaned forward to toast, as did Ky.

Ky dropped his head when tears threatened. His heart felt so full to be here that it hurt. Two days ago, he’d thought he might never have this again. He uttered a silent prayer of thanks to God for giving his life back to him. He kissed the bronze archangel pendant and thanked Michael as well. This richness, this fullness with all the people he loved most was the reason he survived. This was why he fought those bastards and refused to give them anything—why he hadn’t given up. To surrender was to put these people in danger. He would protect them to his dying breath.

This wasn’t a hallucination. Or was it? No collar wrapped his neck, threatening to knock him out before he got darted with the amnesic sedative. No more experiments. No more pain to be endured.

His breaths felt tight, he was light-headed, and his ears began to ring. He needed to get out of here.

A small hand wrapped his under the table. “You’re safe.”

Vivi’s words centered him, but he couldn’t formulate a response as his mind remained lost in the scattered memories of what happened. Of trying to convince himself he wasn’t going to wake up to find this all a bizarre dream. Of trying to accept the normalcy of a family meal with his assassin-for-hire mother and her mage boyfriend.

“Look at me, Ky,” she said softly. She brought their hands up from beneath the table. She squeezed and brought his hand to her mouth to lay a kiss on it. “You’re safe.”

He forced himself to stare at her face, swallowing hard. He didn’t trust his voice. His question came out in a shaky rasp. “How do I know any of this is real?”

The voices around the table dropped off. He cared little that they stared. What if all this was his imagination?

Vivi released his hand. She took a slice of bread from the basket, lifted his hand, and put the bread into it. “This is how you know.”

When he made no move as the warm slice of bread rested against his palm, she broke off a piece of the soft center and lifted it to his mouth. “Smell. That’s not something that can be put into a bottle.”

The bread’s yeasty aroma saturated and teased his nose. His brain identified its ingredients and the method necessary to make it. He opened his mouth and let her feed him the bread. The simple flavor washed over his taste buds, real and devastating.

He watched her take a small bite and likewise close her eyes to experience every nuance of the bite. “This is the only way we’ll know what’s real for the rest of our lives. The activation of the senses.”

“How can you be so wise and calm about this when you were in there for so much longer? A few months and I’m not certain of anything.”

She compressed her lips and sighed. “I suspect they weren’t sure how to handle you when they got inside your head. Because of the damage the spirit or whatever it was that possessed you left behind. Because of who you’ve evolved into.”

She glanced around the table. “All of you may be physically strong, but your true strength, Ky and Roman—and even you, Flynn—lies in your conviction in one another.”

“Hear, hear.” Evie raised her glass. “Famiglia.”