Page 6 of Brave Spirit (Bound Spirit #6)
“You’re way behind where you should be in your education,” Ellessa states, back to her more familiar bluntness, “but we can tutor you over the next year.”
Kaven’s smile widens with surprising enthusiasm. “We have old textbooks we can send you, and we can do weekly video calls.” He motions between himself and his sister. “Between the two of us, we can get you up to speed on all the vital things you need to know.”
I’m stunned by their offer. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with trying to learn more about vampires, scrounging for information since my parents were always too reluctant to talk about it.
Now I understand that it came from a place of sorrow and bitterness.
Why would they want to teach their son about a people that abandoned and shunned them when they were at their lowest?
It should have diminished my interest in vampire society, but it didn’t, and after all these years, my cousins just handed me everything I wanted on a silver platter.
“Why are you offering to help me?” I ask evenly, doing my best to hide any sign of interest. “I thought you didn’t like me.”
“You’re odd,” Ellessa comments, and then she places her hand on my shoulder, “but you’re family.
As much as we should take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the world you were raised in, shouldn’t you get the same opportunity to learn about where you come from?
Besides, you can only benefit from having more connections, right? ”
“Plus no bagged blood at Rykeworth,” Kaven adds with a pointed look at the tumbler dripping with condensation. “You deserve a chance to be with other vampires, a place where you don’t have to hide who you are.”
Looking at my cousins, I briefly consider what my life would have been like if I was raised among vampire society.
I would have freely consumed fresh blood without the guilt of having to seduce my next meal, allowing me not only to feel clean, but also never feeling dirty in the first place.
I don’t regret my life. If I didn’t grow up in Twin Cedar Pass, I wouldn’t have the guys or Callie, but now I can have both.
“I’ll think about it,” I finally respond, and I’m saved from any further needling when my mom comes out onto the patio.
She walks up behind me and gently scratches the back of my head. “Ellessa, Kaven, you may want to get a move on it. Your mother and fathers are ready to leave.”
They respond with matching promises that they are on their way.
Surprisingly, they hug me and then my mom before dashing inside, calling over their shoulders that they’ll mail the books as soon as they are back at school.
Apparently, I get the reading materials regardless of whether or not I agree to their proposal.
“Don’t send any math books,” I shout back. “Human math is enough.”
Kaven and Ellessa pause inside, frowning at each other.
Through the glass doors, I hear Kaven say with a confused tone to his sister, “Does he think vampires have different math than humans? It’s math. All math is the same.”
“Like I said, he’s odd,” Ellessa replies, throwing her unbound braid over her shoulder.
They smile toward me with a thumbs-up and then continue inside, Kaven commenting, “Catching him up might be harder than I thought.”
“What’s this about books?” my mom asks while smiling softly down at me, strands of her blonde hair falling around her face.
“They offered to share some of their old schoolbooks with me. I think it’s their way of bonding,” I reply in what I hope is a casual tone. I’m worried it will hurt her feelings if she knew how much I’ve wanted to learn more about my heritage.
“That’s… kind of them,” she responds slowly, and then quietly runs her fingers through my hair, pulling it back from my face.
Her lips purse in sad understanding. “Your father and I have done a poor job of explaining where we come from. Looking back was difficult for us, and at the time, it seemed irrelevant to your life here, but you’re growing up, and we’ve done a disservice to you.
” She sniffs back a hint of tears. “You can ask us any questions you have about what you find in those books. Whatever it is you want to know, we’ll tell you. ”
I gently encircle her wrist with my hand. “Thank you. I know it’s not easy for you and dad.”
“I can’t help but feel like your illness was our fault.
Had we been more open, you would have felt safe enough to tell us you were in trouble,” she admits, her voice thickening with painful emotions.
Blotting her eyes with her free hand, she continues, “So from here on out, we’ll tell you everything. All you have to do is ask.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I insist, giving her wrist a light squeeze. “I thought I was protecting you. Also, if I’m being honest, I was ashamed.”
She leans down and kisses the top of my head. “You have no reason to be ashamed. You did what you did to survive. However, from here on out, no more secrets. We’re the parents, and we’re supposed to protect you. Not the other way around.”
“No more secrets,” I echo, feeling the lie on my tongue. There are things I’m not ready to tell them, and there are things I will take to my grave to protect Callie and the guys.
“Now that that’s settled, I actually came out here for a reason,” my mom announces with a happy smile.
“Your friend James is here. We sent him up to your suite to wait for you.” She gives me another kiss on the head before heading back inside.
At the glass door, she calls out, “Don’t forget to finish your blood. You need to stay healthy and strong.”
“Yes, Mom,” I shout with a forced smile.
She gives me a quick wave goodbye and then disappears into another room.
Taking a fortifying breath, I lift the tumbler to my lips and chug the last of it down.
My whole body shivers with distaste. I have no idea how I’m supposed to live the rest of my life on this stuff.
Afraid that the alternative is a little too appealing, I turn off the gas for the fire pit and stride toward the house to see what Felix is up to.