Page 74 of Twisted

“Long Island?”I repeat as my mind starts to whirl.

“Mh-hm.The house is quite fine.A few of Xavier’s great-great-great-great progenies live there now.”

“I need a history book just for this family,” I quip and Mabel laughs.“Xavier and Theo are brothers by blood.Xavier was turned, then he turned Theo.”

“Yes.But he never turned his sister because she was pregnant at the time and didn’t want to outlive her children.”

“And she was Ezekiel’s…mother?”

“Grandmother.”

“Okay,” I say.“They’re from Spain.”

“Yes.”

“And they came here, to this area in the south during the Revolutionary War?”

“I think maybe a little after?But yes.They help build this city.”

I sit up, shaking my head.“What about the New York house then?”

She sits up as well and shrugs.“I think it was just good real estate.It’s very fancy.I went there before I was turned.I didn’t know it was a business meeting then.About me.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah.”She shrugs again.“It is what it is.I need to serve tea now.Want to come?”

“No, but thanks.I just need some time to process everything.”

“Of course.I’m here if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” I tell her and watch as she goes out of the room.Waiting just a beat, I get out the map and look at the pale circle stained into the paper.The way Mable said “Long Island” and not New York City makes me think she was talking about the other end of the island all together.

Which falls just on the very edge of the circle.

CHAPTER30

“Wren?”

I turn, tearing my eyes away from the koi pond.The sun just set and I’ve been in the garden, trying to clear my head.I don’t know who to believe or what to do.Vivian said my parents are alive.She could have been lying, of course, to save herself.

Or she could have been telling the truth.

“Yes?”I reply to Xavier.

“Would you like to go out to dinner?”

I cross my arms.“Why?You need me to suss out another human for you?”

“No, not tonight.It’s been a rough day for you.I was going to suggest you pick a place tonight.Anywhere.I have our personal pilot on standby, so distance is no issue.”

“Seriously?We could go to Disneyland?”

He shrugs one shoulder.“If that’s what you want, sure.”

“What about New York?I haven’t been to Long Island before.”

“Do you have a place there in mind?”he asks without flinching.