Mark stood at the window, waiting. God, he was tired of waiting. That seemed to be all he had done for days.
There was a pop and he turned to find someone who looked like the perfect combination of his wife and himself standing between Robert and Preston.
“Valen?” Mark whispered.
“Dad?” Valen blinked, then moved forward.
Cora hopped up. “What are you doing here?”
He turned on a dime. “I was worried about you. And the coven is looking for you.”
Mark leaned against the wall. It didn’t come as a surprise that he chose to go to the woman who’d known him his whole damned life. And to think he almost snuffed that life out.
“Robert and Preston explained some of what’s going on. Is it true?”
Cora laughed bitterly. “I tried to tell you. I wanted you to understand what was wrong with your father, and how he was corrupting your mother. How everything was falling apart, but I didn’t realize just how bad it was.”
“You used to tell me my father was different. I never imagined you meant completely.”
Cora nodded to Mark. “He’s very different than the man I remember, but the important parts are the same. He never wanted to hurt you, probably not even Kindra, even after what she did to him.”
Valen turned to Mark. “Do you hate her?”
Mark winced. “Your mother?”
He nodded.
“I don’t love her. I can’t hate her, but I hate what she did to me, for months.”
Valen nodded. “I think Gerard is pushing her into cooperation. Last time I talked to her, she seemed to regret a lot. Like maybe she’s starting to realize what’s going on.”
“Yeah.” Mark sighed. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you from that thing, or what he’s doing to you, your mother, the whole coven.”
Valen stepped forward, looking into his eyes. “Sounds like no one gave you much choice. That you weren’t believed when you tried to get help. God, I can’t imagine what you went through.”
Mark moved forward, but hesitated.
Valen wrapped his arms around him and squeezed. “I hope I can get to know my father, my real one.”
“Me too,” Mark answered softly.
Morrigan cleared her throat. “I feel the taint on him. I can do what I did for you and Cora, Mark, but it’s going to hurt him, bad.”
“What are you talking about?” Valen asked.
Morrigan sighed. “I don’t know if Gerard changed your memories, but you’re changing into one of them. You probably noticed by now you’re feeling weaker than normal. I can fix that, but it’s going to make you weaker for a time. Not long, I imagine, but still worth the warning. I can push the corruption out of you, if you’d like.”
“If it stops the change and I won’t have to kill in order to live, then do it.” Valen looked at each of them and back at Morrigan. “I’d rather suffer now and be rid of the taint, than become something I’m not.” Valen stated.
Brave kid, and Mark was glad. “Anything you need from me, you got it.”
“I’ll come through this, right?” he asked, only a touch of fear in his eyes.
He nodded. “I’ll be right here.”
“Do it. I have too much to live for and I’m not going to resort to destroying someone else to do it.”
“You’ll want to sit. We both went out like a light after excruciating pain. I wish I had known about you, but they all disappeared.”
“You didn’t know I was alive,” Valen answered. “Look, we can figure that out later. Right now, I want to fix whatever is wrong with me so I can help our coven, and hopefully my mother.”
“Your coven, Valen. There is no chance in hell they’d ever accept me now. You have to know that.”
“Fine, my coven, but when you help save them, they’ll open their eyes.”
“Don’t hold your breath for that outcome,” Mark said.
Valen rubbed at his face. “We’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“It’s not what I want,” Mark admitted. “Doesn’t matter, because I’m not going to let them all die if I have a say.”
“Good, because neither will I.” Valen turned to Morrigan. “Do what you need to.”
Morrigan looked at Mark with a smile. “He’s a lot like his father.”
She took Valen’s shoulders and worked her magic.
Mark moved behind Valen to catch him, and Gina moved beside him to help.
* * * *
Emotions swirled through Valen. His father was so sure no one would accept him. The coven had turned their back on him. Maybe they wouldn’t.
Then again, why wouldn’t anyone believe him if he tried to go to them when it all began?
Valen didn’t have the answers, but the truth in his father’s eyes was heartbreaking. So much guilt for something that didn’t seem to be his fault.
A woman took his shoulders and he felt as if an inferno swept through his brain, then down his spine into his limbs until he blacked out from the pain.
Mark’s memories flowed through his head. He heard the woman’s voice in his mind, A gift so you can understand his choices and why he wasn’t there for you.
The pain washed out everything.
* * * *
Valen’s screams would haunt Mark. He caught his son as he fell. Mark carried him to the guest room he’d once decorated for Gina. He couldn’t imagine Valen coming to anytime soon.
Gina followed him. “You okay?”
“No. How can he be so willing to accept, when none of my coven was?” he asked. “I should have kept looking. I should have known.”
“You couldn’t have. They weren’t there, and how were you supposed to know they had ever come back?”
He turned to Gina. “Am I going to be a bad father?”
“No. God, no. You just did everything in your power to ease his suffering. You’re promising him to save the coven, and even told him you would save his mother if you could. Just because you weren’t there when you didn’t know he lived, doesn’t make you a bad parent.” She took his hands and smiled up at him. “In fact, I think it makes you a damned good one. Now stop stressing about that, and let’s figure out what we can do now.”
He nodded slowly. “I wish I had more time to talk to him before Morrigan stepped in.”
“Longer he’s tainted, the less likely we can fix him. At least he should be safe from changing now.”
“God, I hope so.” Mark headed downstairs.
Robert watched him. “His mind wasn’t tampered with. Gerard’s hold on Valen had everything to do with wanting to make his father proud, and to protect his mother. He saw the pattern. He knew it wasn’t right.”
Morrigan smiled sadly. “The boy is good at heart. I gave him your memories from that time, so he can’t doubt you. He already believed you. And you’ll find he will fight for your acceptance, even if you don’t care. He’ll want you to be a part of his life. He’ll go so far as asking to be changed into a werewolf.”
“He doesn’t need to do that. He’s a witch. I’m guessing his wife is, which means his child will be. I don’t want him to change for me.”
“He doesn’t have to. But your family has expanded greatly,” Morrigan assured.
Gina pulled Mark closer. “What do we do now? How do we find the doppelgangers and kill them?”
Robert sighed. “We have one already. And I know where they’re supposed to be meeting, but that could change when Valen doesn’t meet them.”
“Even so, we should be able to track them,” Preston said.
“They’ll still need to come here. They think of Gerard as their leader. And he won’t survive without Mark, so they will have to attack eventually,” Robert added.
“I don’t want to wait until it’s too late.” Mark took a breath and let it out. “You have Anthony, don’t you?”
“We do,” Robert answered.
Cora perked up. “I don’t suppose I can talk to him, can I?”
“Why?” Mark asked, baffled.
“He killed my husband and I was powerless to stop it. No one sided with us. He had enough assholes behind him I was stuck for decades. I want to tear him apart.”
“We may need answers,” Robert stated. “But I’ll let you have your shot at him when we no longer need him. Though I’d prefer to try him, so we can make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”
“I’ll let him live, especially if it means he’ll suffer more,” Cora assured.
Mark wasn’t surprised at the venom in her voice or her motivation. God, he wanted to kill the bastard. Daniel had been a good friend. He was just too stupid to see the truth.
“I know better than to go there. I’d wind up killing the bastard.” Mark meant it too. He squeezed Cora’s shoulder. “We’re going to stop this. He will suffer, and we can make sure he suffers worse.”
Cora smiled sadly. “He is like you.”
“Hmm?” Mark asked.
“Valen. He’s so much like you. Why did Kindra have to be such a damned fool?”
Mark clamped his mouth shut. He was happy with where he wound up. He wouldn’t go back for anything. Though, he wished there were a way he could have kept his son. That was about the only thing he would consider changing.
“How is he?” Cora asked.
“Out like a light. We’ll be here when he wakes. If you want to go with Robert, I’ll make sure he eats.”
She smiled. “You’re going to be a grandfather.”
Gina giggled. “I think it’s sweet.”
Cora smiled at Gina. “You’re good for Mark. I’m glad he found you. You two have what I wish I could have.”
“Find someone else. And don’t only look for witches.”
“Maybe. Hell, I’m tired of living in fear,” Cora stated.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Mark answered.
Robert spoke up. “I know where they were going to meet. They may be hoping Valen will show up. We can try there.”
“You’re actually going to let me go this time?” Mark asked.
He glanced at Gina and lifted a shoulder. “You, yes. Not Gina.” He turned to Gina. “No offense, but the way your body is changing, I’m not willing to take a chance with you.”
She smiled sweetly. “Good, because I’m hungry and tired. I may even take a nap.”
Robert chuckled. “That sounds like a plan.”
Mark took her into his arms. “You okay with me going?”
“Stay safe. Whatever you do.”
“I will. I love you.”
Leaning up, she kissed him softly. “Love you too. Go do what you need to do.”
Cora took a step back. “Tell me you don’t need me. Anthony is an asshole, but Gerard scares me. So does the one who took over Germaine.”
“You’re safe here,” Robert assured.