Page 76 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five

“Always.”

He gives me a nod. “I was his servant in title, but in truth I was his practice dummy, his plaything.”

My stomach knots. “Did he…did he hurt you?”

He laughs desperately. “Every day.”

I take a breath, holding the emotion back as much as I can. “I’m so sorry.”

I don’t want to believe that I came from a man who could use his power on another living thing just for practice. And how did my mother fall for him if he was so cruel? She left her court for him. But even I know matters of the heart are not so cut and dry. And that sometimes even cruel men can be kind and compassionate.

Baspin goes on. “When I served under your father, I saw it as an honor. I won’t pretend otherwise. He promised to bestow me the title of Lord of Winter for my loyalty and dedication to the court. But when war broke out, he abandoned me and so I fled to Midnight.” He turns his attention back to me. “The fae realm needs all its courts. It was always meant to have four. No more and no less. Someone has to rule it. Why not you? There is no one better.”

“You barely know me.”

“Don’t I? You don’t think Arion and I have been watching you for years?”

I snort. “Arion didn’t know who I was. He said as much to Stanley when he came to the diner that first night after I used my power.”

“Didn’t he?” Baspin gives me a roguish smile. “I believe what Arion said was, ‘You kept this from us, brownie.’”

Shit. He’s right. Hearing it again, I can see the clever twist of words. Arion wasn’t admitting he was ignorant of my identity or accusing Stanley of keeping the secret. He simply made a statement about Stanley keeping secrets.

“Why didn’t he say anything?” The shock quickly morphs into frustration. “He could have saved me a lot of trouble. And if I’d known I had a brother?—”

“It was never the right time. Even you can see that.”

I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest, leaning back into the tree. Okay well maybe I can see the logic. Arion keeping quiet about my identity kept me safe all those years. And if I could go back and change it, would I? Every moment, every part of my life has led to this. To exactly who I am.

“So if you watched me all those years, what conclusion did you come to?”

Baspin says, “Our opinions differed.”

“How?”

“He thought you were too mortal, too bratty.” He laughs to himself. “He wasn’t wrong. But I saw your potential. Heart and bravery and compassion. Those are the things the Winter Court needs. It’s why I was willing to defy Arion after he kidnapped you. It’s why I helped your vampire boyfriend.”

“And now? That opinion change?”

He shakes his head. “I believe it even more now.”

I walk into the center of the clearing where an opening in the trees has let the night sky peek through. Stars glow in the dark, their light blocked out every now and then as bats fly over chasing bugs.

“So let’s say you help me learn to wield my powers. Let’s say you have fifteen minutes, if that. What’s the one thing I need to know?”

“Never let your guard down,” he says and then darts toward me.

Episode Ninety-Eight

SO BE HER

Baspin crashes into me and while he’s nowhere near as big as Bran or Arion, he still manages to lift me off my feet, then slam me into the ground.

From my left, I hear Arion tell Bran, “Hold back. Let her do this.”

Pain radiates out from my spine, through my ribs, squeezing my lungs. I gasp for air.

Snowflakes start falling from the sky.