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Funny she felt that way and was so vocal because she was still helping Aurora get her pound of flesh for what had been done to her. I’d heard from Alexis several times that Theresa was vicious in a way she wasn’t and giddy at going after her mother’s family.

I would have felt the same if there was any Reed family worth going after.

I swallowed loudly and met her gaze. “You startled me into waking up, and now hundreds of years later, I can see that night more clearly with the information you’ve given me.” I waited until she nodded. “You were muttering that you had to kill me so he’d love you.”

She sighed. “I remember feeling like I was breathing through fire. Things were blurry and it was a miracle I’d even snuck in to find you.

I figured out later that people were paid off, but luckily Aurora was smart enough to fill those holes.

I don’t blame you for that night. I blame both of you for after when no one would even hear me out. ”

“Yes, I would be upset too if Aurora wouldn’t even hear you out. I never said anything either way—”

“You wouldn’t even see me so I could explain,” Theresa snapped. “I was trying to warn you that you were in danger still, not finish the fucking job!”

I blinked at her for a full minute and she slowly lost her anger. “I’m confused.”

She snorted. “No, apparently, I’m still the fool.

” She let out an upset chuckle and quickly wiped under her eyes.

“You were never given my letters. Aurora lied. You didn’t refuse to read them or see me.

She blocked—fucking liar. Gods, why can’t I have at least one decent parent? You did even if you never knew her.”

Which led me to ask the question I needed answered and part of why I had finally agreed to this meeting. “Do you think she’s alive?”

“No, I’m sorry, but I’m very sure Kenneth killed her,” she said gently, pain in her eyes as she met my gaze.

“I looked for her. I desperately looked for her after my escort ditched me. I knew she would help me even if she could never love me. She was kind and decent like that. Truly, she was.” She shook her head. “Nothing. I searched…”

“What?” I pushed after a few tense moments.

“One of her plans was to go back to her family coven where her father or brother was now in charge,” Theresa told me.

“She said it wasn’t worth the gamble until you were ever abused because they might be just as bad if they knew you were special.

I thought that was what she did when she ‘ran.’ I truly did. ”

“She wasn’t there?” I checked, understanding she’d gone to my maternal family’s coven.

“No, and I didn’t just—I worked there for months as a maid to get real information.

She was erased from the family’s history basically.

Your grandfather remarried and acted like his first wife never happened.

And the woman he married was a good woman.

If she—she wouldn’t have killed your mother if she’d shown up. She was too kind. Abused and kind.”

I nodded, hearing her loud and clear. “I have finally received permission to privately ask Kenneth questions under potion. I have an hour next week. If you would like to join me and ask what you need to, I’m fine with it.”

“I would. I need… I need closure on him. There have been some updates and how many years he will spend in prison and where. He was convicted again and the total is up to sixty years,” she told me before pulling out her phone.

It was maybe fate that she had a packed calendar with trials but one had been delayed at the exact time I was to meet with Kenneth.

Theresa seemed to hit her limit after that and stood, clearing her throat as she gathered her things. “I prefer people be clear in their intentions so please don’t take this negatively. It’s my respect for all you’ve done that makes me be blunt.”

I snorted and apologized when she twitched like her temper was ramping up. “I say the same all of the time. I respect people’s time and just say what needs to be said. That doesn’t mean it has to be harsh or crass. Just enough with the bullshit when the world is full of it.”

“Agreed.” She let out a slow breath. “I have no desire for some sisterly bond or trying to have a family relationship after hundreds of years and what we’ve both been through.

However , we are sisters and the world is harsh.

I would like to have you as an ally and vice versa.

If nothing else, I think we are each other’s key to healing from the past.”

I let out the slow breath this time and considered what she said. Yes, she had a lot of information about my mother and such. I did for her. “I’d like that.”

“Good.” She reached for the glass she’d brought with her and snorted when she looked at me. “We bring our own drinks to a coffee shop.” She looked at me. “Do you have an aversion to this place?”

“Not at all, but I prefer my own concoctions and favorites. This place—I ordered treats for my staff. Their bakery is delicious.”

She glanced towards the counter and nodded. “Then I’ll give it a go before the portal opens to bring me back. Any recommendations?”

“Several,” I told her and we went up to the counter. I opened my mouth to say I had an order to pick up but was interrupted by the woman at the counter.

“Oh, finally ordering something instead of bringing outside drinks in?” she mocked.

“There’s nothing posted saying outside drinks are unwelcome and you don’t offer what I drink,” Theresa said easily. “But nice of you to get that in before we order.” She dismissed the woman, focused on me. “She doesn’t make the baked goods, does she? I would worry they were oversalted if she did.”

Yeahhhhhh, we were related.

“They have a whole bakery in the back,” I assured her before turning to the woman. “I have a large order picked up that I spoke with the owner about. It’s under Reed.”

The woman flinched at hearing that and mumbled she’d go get it.

“Charming,” Theresa drawled when the woman scurried off. “What drink did you make?” She seemed to ask more because we were waiting now and—I didn’t think she was one who liked silence.

Or maybe it was just awkward silence to me.

I snickered. “It’s like an apple pie latte actually.

” I nodded when she glanced at me like she didn’t know how that worked.

“Starbucks came out with a brown sugar cinnamon concentrate. I picked up some real fruit apple syrup and a bit of caramel creamer on top of the milk. It’s delicious.

Ha-joon kept saying he was going to bounce around on the sugar. ”

She snorted. “It’s half the fun of making your own coffee.

That sounds delicious. I’ll have to check and see if we have that in the UK or have it picked up for me.

” She held up her almost-finished drink.

“I basically make their cherry chai latte with shots of expresso. They don’t have the milk I like in my lattes since I can’t have dairy. ”

“You can’t?” I asked, frowning. “That’s very rare for vampires.”

Her lips twitched. “Yes, it is, Doctor. It’s genetic for us, not an allergy like humans. Aurora can’t have it either. At least we don’t have it bad. I would become a murderous wench if someone took cheese away from me.”

“I feel the same,” I teased, glad when she seemed lighter.

Someone else came out to help her and I pointed out what I liked best from the display cases. She asked about a few things I hadn’t, checking I didn’t think they were bad. One I hadn’t tried and the other two were fine but not to my taste.

She nodded and thanked me, giving me a nervous glance. “I’m not picking them because they weren’t your recommendations. Two of my interns are chocolate addicts. One I mentored through law school and—she’s had a rough go.”

“I’m not offended in the slightest, and we’re too old to be that petty,” I said easily.

She snorted. “I’m never too old to be petty, Ellie. There’s no such thing.” She gestured to the display case. “I could just never be so bored I’d be petty with this.”

Fair enough. She had a very valid point and I chuckled.

In another life, I could actually see us being best friends or at least tight.

I ended up adding a few things onto my order to try their seasonal options and Ha-joon loved everything matcha, so that would make him happy.

“I’m glad he’s good to you,” she said when we were done. “Truly. And I’m glad things are better for him with his family. I’m grateful he didn’t make a mess for me.”

“He was beyond furious anyone in his family intimidated you.”

She gave me a dry look. “You haven’t met Myung Clark, have you?” She chuckled when I shook my head. “We could chew him up and spit him out with our pinkies. He’s beyond weak—sheltered and entitled. I wasn’t intimidated. I didn’t want to have to explain why I broke the Alpha’s eldest son.”

I believed it. Studying her and feeling her absolute confidence… I believed it. “Where did you train?”

Surprise flashed in her eyes. “Several places. I learn from my mistakes.” She seemed to think about that a moment and gave a half shrug. “Also, the mistakes others make that affect me.”

Namely that Aurora didn’t have her trained to protect herself in such a harsh world. She’d made sure I had been and pushed with Kenneth to have me safe… But she’d left her own daughter as chum in the water.

“How did it go?” Carla asked me when I walked into the hospital. It was by chance that we crossed paths, but I saw the genuine concern in her eyes.

“The good news is my half-sister isn’t a nutfuck like I thought.”

“The bad news?” she hedged.

I sighed and balanced the bakery boxes I was carrying as I faced her. “That I didn’t know the truth hundreds of years ago and we both went through unimaginable hell because of it. We could have run together or—I wouldn’t have turned her away back then. So much could be different.”

She gave me a sad smile and tucked my hair behind my ear.

“I understand your hurt, but things work out for a reason, pup. You would never be standing where you are if the past was different and this is the place the world needs you to be standing in.” She shook her head when I argued.

“You could have been easier to find if you were traveling together.

“Aurora’s family might have made a monstrous move if they thought they could get both of you.

Kenneth could have gotten more backing if it was two daughters to sell instead of one.

” She reached out and booped my nose. “I’ve looked into your sister and Theresa Reed is fierce .

Beyond fierce, and that’s because of the journey she’s taken. ”

“You don’t know the horrors she went through,” I rasped, heartbroken for what Theresa had told me.

“That’s for her to square up with the gods about when her time comes, not for you to carry, pup. Take your moment to grieve and process, but know that I thank the gods that the Ellie Reed before me is the one we got. She would have been different if her past had been.”

I stared after Carla and thought about what she said. Seriously, I wanted to be that cool when I was older.

Or ever.