Caitlyn

It was as if the ghosts of her past had combined, resulting in the child sitting in front of her, the same haunted grey eyes as Caitlyn’s own staring back at her. In Kenzie’s gaze, Caitlyn saw her own trauma at the hands of a monster and sorrow at the thought that another of her kin had been forced to endure his treatment. Her mouth was dry, yet Caitlyn was able to cease the tremble that had begun in her hands.

“Shall we begin?”

Kenzie said nothing, her hands now seated on the table in between them, bunched into fists. “I have nothing to say to you. Unless you want to tell me if you want a slow death or a quick one? I promise to make it hurt.”

“Did he touch you?”

“I’m sorry?” Kenzie blinked, and Caitlyn was sure that was the question the vampire hunter was least expecting from her.

“Did he touch you? Did your father force you to lie with him, as he did with me?”

Ignoring Melanie’s gasp of horror, Caitlyn waited for Kenzie to process the information Caitlyn forced upon her. Kenzie didn’t need soft words from her; for those who shared common ground as Kenzie and she did, subtle was wasted upon them. Kenzie glanced down at her hands, and despite the fact her grand-niece was twenty-seven in years, the girl was merely that—a girl trapped in a life that should have never been hers like it had been Caitlyn’s.

“No,” Kenzie whispered after several of her heartbeats. “I’ve not slept with him.”

“Dieu merci. At least that is something to be thankful for.”

Flashes of memory plagued Caitlyn’s mind as she tried to battle the demons who fought against her for control. She was nothing. She was broken, body and soul, and part of her felt a little jealous that Kenzie was not as broken as her, that he had only inflicted this pain on her and her alone.

Caitlyn. Stop. You are not broken. You are mine and I am yours. Now, forever, and always.

Now, forever, and always.

That’s right, darling. Now back to work…the sooner we get this done, the sooner I get to take you home.

Caitlyn pushed Donnie from her mind as she fortified her shields, not to keep him out as he listened in the other room to everything she spoke, but to allow her to say what needed to be said to Kenzie, a wounded bird who needed her now.

“He said I was wrong.”

The words were spoken in such a low tone, even Caitlyn had to strain to hear them. “Pardon moi?”

Kenzie sighed. “Father came to me one night and I could tell he was aroused. It had been so long since I’d been wanted like that, I didn’t care that my clothes were bloody, or my face streaked in flesh and blood, so I kissed him. He kissed me back for a second, then shoved me away so hard that I fell and broke my arm. He ranted and raved that I smelled wrong, that she would have never been so eager for his touch. That I was all wrong.”

Swallowing hard, her heartbeat increased as Kenzie held Caitlyn’s gaze firm. “He meant that I wasn’t you, right?”

“I’m sorry, little warrior. I am so very sorry.”

Caitlyn watched as Kenzie’s eyes filled with tears, yet the girl failed to allow a single drop to fall from her eyes. Their self-proclaimed king had targeted Kenzie because of how she looked, because of the blood that ran in her veins. He needed a replacement assassin and because Caitlyn had been weak and fled, he had sought out Kenzie, simply so he could taunt her some more.

“Why did you call me niece?”

“When I was a teenager, my father had a relationship that I was unaware of. He did so to keep your family from this twisted legacy of ours, where we hunted vampires and monsters and slayed them. My father saw what that life had taken from me and didn’t want that of his son. That son didn’t carry the family name, and his grandchild left Paris to travel the oceans. On a trip to Ireland, he met and married an Irish girl, and they went on to have a daughter. Their daughter had a son, and in turn that son had a daughter and that daughter was you.”

“Is that why you killed them? Because they reminded you of your humanity and the lies your father told?”

Caitlyn laughed a bitter laugh as she regarded Kenzie. “Is that what he told you, Kenzie, that I had killed your family and that he would prepare you to fight me, to kill me?”

“Did you?”

“I didn’t kill them, Kenzie. Why would I? You can ask anyone here and they will tell you the truth. On that September eve when you came across the bodies of your family, I was not even in the country.”

Confusion on her face, Kenzie snapped. “Of course you’d say that. He told me you would lie, that you would spin and weave a tale that would make me feel sorry for you. That you would lie to me about their deaths.”

“I will never lie to you, Kenzie. I spent many a decade embedded in his web of deceit. I would rather not utter a syllable than to lie.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Caitlyn reached into her jacket pocket and took out the framed picture, gently dancing her fingers across the images before holding out the frame to Kenzie. The girl took the frame in her hands and peered down at it for a moment before she raised her eyes to Caitlyn’s.

“What happened to them?”

Caitlyn heard Melanie sniffle behind her, and she took a moment to gather herself before she spoke. “The man you call father came into my home, killed my husband, and snapped the neck of my beautiful bébé. As I knelt in a pool of their blood and still refused to be made a vampire, he proceeded to force his blood down my throat before he ordered Markus to rid me of the child growing inside me.”

Kenzie covered her mouth in shock, and Caitlyn continued, “My little boy, or I believed it was a boy for I never got to hold him, was beaten to death as I was. And when I awoke as a vampire, I no longer felt him kick or flutter inside me. So, you see, Kenzie, I would never take another’s family from them, for when mine was ripped from me, I became unravelled and broken and have yet to be pieced back together.”

Kenzie titled her head to the right. “Why do I believe you? Is this some vampire compulsion that’s making me feel this way, that I could trust you?”

Caitlyn leaned forward in her chair. “Non, little warrior. I could not use my power on you, for you have drunk his blood and it is in your veins. It makes you impervious to compulsion.”

All bravado left Kenzie’s shoulders and expression as she slouched in the chair before asking Caitlyn, “What happened to you?”

“Our family legacy, that seems to have passed on to you, was to hunt the monsters of Paris and protect humans at all costs. I put down my blade when I married Bass and cradled my baby girl in the crook of my arm. Blissfully happy I was until my sire came upon my door and coveted what he could not have. He visited me in my dreams, taking me by force when I refused him, told my body that I craved him. And when he could not be patient anymore, I became all that I hated in the world.”

Caitlyn licked her lips and rubbed her knuckles. “As a vampire, I still refused him, and this angered him. He…he…” Her words caught in her throat, for the only person she had admitted this to was her Donnie.

“He raped you,” Kenzie breathed the words Caitlyn could not.

“He did. Many a time. He also bedded women while I was chained next to him, and their bodies pressed against my naked skin while he indulged in every sordid fantasy he had, his eyes always on me. He had broken me when I watched those I loved die. He shattered me when I was forced to snap my father’s neck so he would not become one of us, and when he forced me to take him inside my body, he demolished the humanity in me.”

Caitlyn tried to ignore the sounds of Melanie’s tears as she clutched onto the control of her own emotions. She would not crack now, not when so much was on the line. This girl could be saved. Caitlyn could save her.

“When he sent me out to hunt those who wronged him, I fled. Yet he always found me and dragged me back to Paris. I began to believe I would never be free of him. When I ran away, my lord and master would give me to Markus, who was permitted to inflict as much pain, as much of his sadistic torture upon me, but he was never allowed to take me. That was reserved for the king only.”

“And Esme watched.”

“And Esme loved to watch. She is dead now, her body withered and decaying in the Catacombs like she should have been many a year ago.”

A sparkle came into Kenzie’s eyes. “How’d you kill her?”

“I separated her head from her shoulders.”

Kenzie shrugged. “I would’ve done the exact same.”

Caitlyn and Kenzie shared a smile.

“I can free you, Kenzie. I can protect you from him. But it has to be your choice. We have had much forced upon us over the years, and I will never inflict my will on anyone.”

Kenzie regarded her for a moment, and Caitlyn could almost hear the turmoil clattering around in the girl’s mind. Kenzie lifted up her handcuffed wrist and snapped the metal in half. Melanie growled, taking a step forward, only halting when Caitlyn held up her hand.

Kenzie inclined her head toward Melanie. “They all obey you like that? Without question?”

“Some loyalties are earned, not forced on you.”

“Did he kill them, my family?”

“He did, little warrior. He did.”

Kenzie got up and paced back and forth, her eyes darting toward the door as she calculated the chances of making it to the door and out into the police station, biding for freedom to do what she thought was her obligation. Caitlyn knew the look very well, for her face had borne a similar expression on numerous occasions. Kenzie’s pulse had sped up as anger flooded the girl who was her kin.

“Revenge is not all that it seems, Kenzie. I killed Esme, yet felt nothing. No satisfaction, no joy…I merely felt empty.”

“Then maybe the revenge you want will come when I kill him.”

“I cannot let you do that.”

Kenzie lunged for Caitlyn. Melanie shrieked, and footsteps came pounding down the hallway. But Caitlyn focused on Kenzie, who had a mere ten years training to her three centuries. As Kenzie lashed out angrily with a fist, Caitlyn caught the fist before it connected with her face, twisted the girl’s arm, and had Kenzie face down on the ground a heartbeat later, a knee pressed to her back.

Letting out a groan of pain, Caitlyn leaned in close to Kenzie’s ear. “Just like him, you underestimated me, Kenzie. He may have broken me, but he broke the wrong pieces of me. He shattered my wings and forgot that I had claws.”

Caitlyn eased off Kenzie, dropping her arm as the girl scrambled to her feet, gingerly rubbing the arm Caitlyn had bent back. Kenzie knew, Caitlyn realized, that she had treated her with more kindness in the past ten minutes than her father had shown her in ten years.

“We are not all evil monsters, Kenzie. Some are simply happy at a second chance at life. We try our best to be more than we were. While some use their new power to cause harm, my team and I make sure we hunt down and reprimand those who skirt around the law. Should you wish to, there would be a job here for you, when you have had time to adjust to the truth.”

Kenzie snorted with her eyebrow cocked. “And what truth is that?”

“That the monster you despised for ten years was hiding under your nose, and that the monster you pictured in your mind is the only family you have left in this world. I do not claim to not be a monster. I am. I have done things I will have nightmares about for the rest of my eternal life. But I will work to right those wrongs for as long as I can. Can you say the same?”

Fear scented the air and Caitlyn gave Kenzie a small smile. “I will let you go, Kenzie, with something I used to tell my daughter when she awoke at night for fear of the monsters that lurked under her bed. I would kiss her forehead and brush the curls from her eyes all the while telling her that ‘To be brave does not mean you are fearless; to be brave means being absolutely terrified, but doing something anyway.’ Be brave, Kenzie Blake. But do not lose yourself in the process.”

Caitlyn stepped to the side and ushered back Donnie and Ricky, who had stood sentry in the doorway. “Let her go.”

They both moved aside. Kenzie froze for a moment, looking at Caitlyn with suspicion laced eyes before darting from the room. The room became smaller and smaller as Caitlyn replayed the conversation with Kenzie in her mind.

He hadn’t touched her because she had not been Caitlyn…and Caitlyn had never been so grateful in her entire life that Kenzie had been spared that fate.

“Hey! You let her go? What the hell? She’s a murderer!”

Caitlyn’s legs buckled, but strong arms caught her before she crumbled to the ground. Titling her chin, Caitlyn looked into the ocean of Donnie’s eyes. “He didn’t touch her. She was spared. Because he still coveted me. He didn’t rape her because of me.”

The dam of her defences opened, Caitlyn releasing a cry of anguish as Donnie pulled her close and growled for Ricky and Melanie to get out. She should have scolded him, yet as the door closed with a snick, she knew she needed the reprieve. She barely heard the murmurs against her ear as Donnie held her while she continued to sob.

For what seemed like forever, Caitlyn could not stop herself from crying, and all the while Donnie held her. When the tears finally halted, she stepped out of his embrace.

“I’m sorry.”

Donnie traced the outline of her lips with his thumb. “You never have to be sorry with me. Not for anything.”

“I do not deserve you.”

“Right back at ya, babe.”

Shaking her head with a smile on her lips, Caitlyn rubbed her eyes, knowing full well they were red from her tears. She must look a state, eyes red and cheeks puffy.

“You still look beautiful to me.”

“Smooth talker. Now let those two back into the room or they may come storming inside.”

Donnie opened the door and whistled, the shrill sound ringing in Caitlyn’s ears as he backed away from the door and came to stand behind her, his arm snaking around her waist, his chin resting atop her head. Caitlyn sighed, though not in annoyance.

Ricky came into the room first, a massive grin on his face as he wiggled his eyebrows. He indicated to Donnie then to Caitlyn. “So that happened. High five, bro.”

“Any word from Derek?” Caitlyn interjected, Donnie having filled her in on the journey to the airport.

“No. Derek, Ever, and Erika are in the wind. Can you believe it? I mean, a goddamn Valkyrie.”

Melanie came into the room then, her own eyes tinged with red, as if she too had been crying. Their eyes met, and Melanie chewed on her bottom lip. She opened her mouth to speak, yet shook her head.

“It is all right, ma petite vampire. I didn’t want to cause you any sorrow.”

Melanie put her hands on her hips. “You just spilled your guts to all of us and you’re worried about me?”

“I have spent most of my life worrying about others. I do not think that can stop now.”

Ricky cleared his throat. “Donnie, man, how’d you do it? How’d you get her to finally pay attention to your ugly ass? I mean, I’m reading the body language right, ya? You two are together. Finally!”

Donnie chuckled. “That is a long ass story to tell, my friend, and right now we’ve got more pressing things to deal with.”

“Like Caitlyn’s little hunter niece who she just waved off with an adios?”

Caitlyn shook her head. “Non, we have bigger problems. The vampire who sired me is in Cork, and he is determined to bring me back to Paris on my knees.”

A snarl rumbled in Ricky’s chest, surprising Caitlyn. “Over our dead bodies. Well, your even deader bodies.”

“If you side with me, Ricky, then we may all perish. Are you prepared for what might happen?”

Ricky shrugged, a twinkle in his eyes. “And here I thought today was going to be boring.”

Caitlyn projected her thought into the warlock’s mind. Protect her at all costs. She is your responsibility. I give you she whom I think of as a daughter to protect.

The warlock said nothing but gave a short bob of his head.

“So what are we gonna do tonight, Brain?” Ricky grinned at Donnie.

“Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Man on the sesh.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes at them, and Melanie giggled.

Ricky said with a serious face, “No, lad, seriously, what’s the story now?”

Donnie pressed his lips to the top of Caitlyn’s hair and came to clasp his friend on the shoulder. “Exactly what I said. We are going to hit the town and draw the bastard out into the open. He won’t be able to resist going after me to get to Cait.”

Melanie turned her attention to Caitlyn. “And what are you going to do?”

Caitlyn curled her lips into a sardonic smile, so much so that Melanie stepped back.

“I’m going to kill the king.”

Erika reeled as Freya slapped her across the face. Freya’s anger at Erika failing in the sole mission to protect Ever and having let Ever slip out of her grasp enraged the warrior. Her cheek stung, but Erika learned long ago not to show weakness, especially not to Freya.

“Send the rest of your siblings in search of her. I cannot trust you to do what you were blood oathed to do. Perhaps I should strip you of your command, General, and bestow the honour to another. Danae would be a more suitable replacement.”

Erika jutted out her chin in defiance. “Only my queen can strip me of my command. I will find her. I always do.”

Power lashed from Freya as she screamed into the void as they stood on the edge of a cliff in the middle of the rainforest. Freya regarded Erika, who stood with her hands behind her back, and her legs apart in the perfect soldier’s stance.

Freya’s lips kicked up into a smile that didn’t touch her eyes. “Forget the search, the wolf will track her down, if Loki does not do so beforehand. That man could never keep his nose out of anyone’s business.”

Erika’s cheeks coloured at the mention of the Trickster’s name, and Freya snatched hold of her show of weakness and snarled.

“Once he has had you, General, Loki will discard you as he has done to God knows how many women, so many times before. You are no different than those women who pine after him.”

“I assure you, Mother, I do not pine after the Trickster. I am far too astute to allow what might be a good fumble or two sway me from my duty.” Like you…

The words were unspoken, but Freya hissed as if Erika had slapped her, and pure delight bloomed in her chest. “Forget the search, General, I have another job for you. Pray tell, you are still as vicious a fighter as you used to be, like a viper poised to attack.”

“I am.”

“Then this is your new challenge, General.”

Freya gave Erika instructions, and her pulse quickened in anticipation. It had been too long since she had sated herself with spilling blood, and now she could do something else to serve her queen.

Freya vanished into the ether, and Erika rolled her shoulders. All the pain, all the confusion, all the terrible things that awaited them should Odin succeed, swept from her mind like the changing of the tides. She had never backed down from a fight in her life, and lived by three words: Never back down. Erika could almost smell in the air the blood she would spill. And it soothed her soul.