Page 108 of Wedlock (Vampire Bachelor Games #3)
I don’t like hurting her, after all, she’s my mother, but by Christ, it feels good right now.
“Falcon,” she gasps, her face turning puce as I squeeze the life out of her, “please, please don’t do this.”
Her eyes flick wildly behind me, and I turn to see Jag enter Mother’s suites. I hadn’t invited him, so I have no idea what he’s doing here. As usual, he’s a fucking killjoy.
“Falcon, I don’t want to break your fingers, but I will if you don’t release your mother.”
Snarling, I let her go and watch, satisfied, as she sinks to the carpet, her breath coming in loud gasps.
“What are you doing in my castle?”
“I was invited.”
“Is that so? The last time I looked, I was lord of this castle. I don’t want you here unless I specifically call on you. You lost the privilege of enjoying my hospitality when you betrayed me. That hasn’t changed.”
“The last time I looked, you had my sword in your guts.”
“And you’d lost an eye and one arm to mine,” I snarl.
“Grew back,” he shrugs, “regardless, I’m here at the invitation of your mother, who is still the lady of this castle.”
“Not for long. If you hadn’t interrupted me I’d have strangled the bitch by now.”
“But you have not. Which makes me think that’s bullshit.”
I snarl and run my hands through my hair in suppressed rage.
He’s right. My whole life I’ve barely raised my voice to the woman now sprawling at my feet, let alone my hand. Killing her is the right thing to do, for my son, for my wife, to ensure no more secrets, but I’m simply unable to do it. Still, it galls that he knows this.
“So, you’d give up your busy Amish lifestyle to sup tea with the woman who poisons babies?”
Jag nods, his face registering no surprise at this revelation.
“You knew this, too?”
“I guessed as much,” he shrugs. “It made sense that she’d want Tiger out of the way to force Angie’s return with Talon. I came to her with my suspicion after you visited to ask about a possible daughter and my intentions towards your wife. Your Mother has been under my supervision since.”
“So, you knew Tiger wasn’t mine. You knew I had a daughter.”
“Yes, I knew.”
“All this time. That’s why you were living with Marianna and Adam! I fucking knew you weren’t turning Amish.”
His eyes, for a second, flash with his old impish humour, and my fangs run out.
“And,” I go on, fists clenching and unclenching by my side, “you said nothing to me about this. Even as we fought and supposedly ‘cleared’ the air.”
“We cleared the air about your wife. The child wasn’t my secret to share. Although, to be fair, your mother told you Tiger wasn’t yours the day she returned from her banishment. You just didn’t take the time, or have the inclination, to listen.”
“She said he was fucking changed ,” I snarl, “not that he was a completely different child!”
“Still, had you listened, much of this drama would not have unfolded.”
“Oh, you and my mother suit each other down to the ground,” I growl, stepping slightly towards her and putting one foot on the edge of her gown to prevent her from rising.
“And what are you working on with her now? Helping her finish the job? Helping her destroy my bastard son for some diabolical plan I haven’t even considered? Or maybe you have a bigger target now?”
“She was never left unsupervised with your boy,” Jag sighs. “Bastard or no, I wouldn’t counsel or tolerate anyone harming him. As it turns out, she’s contrite, and she does have feelings for him. I don’t believe she’ll try to harm him again.”
“I didn’t want to do it, Falcon. He was the price,” Mother groans.
“The price?” I glare down at her.
“The Free Men, they always come with a price. The child was expected to have been killed by Spider, when they learned he was still alive, and your heir…”
“The boy’s life was the price you were willing to pay for their aid in your scheme for my daughter? Both my children were to be sacrificed?”
“Yes,” she whispers, “there’s always a price, Falcon.”
“Good God, no wonder Angie wants no part of my world. Even you, the woman who badgered me not to become my father, a killer of bastards, you would do the same to further your intrigues. You disgust me.”
“I didn’t want to do it. I love him, but I had no choice.”
I scowl down at her.
“Like you loved Viper? The son you never mourned? Or perhaps Asumpta? Another bastard you professed to care for yet forfeited to pursue your twisted goals. God help anyone you love, Mother.”
“She set Asumpta up for a fall after learning she was in league with Viper,” Jag sighs, “from what I can see she had genuine feelings for the girl and grieved her. She’s still loyal to Attracta.
No one can blame her for not mourning Viper; he was a cunt through and through.
Again, had you listened to your friends on this matter you might have spared a great deal of heartache to you and yours. ”
“And you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to fuck my wife!” I snap. “So cut the crap and pray enlighten me as to what you’re possibly working on with the snake who bore me?”
“We’re working to save your daughter,” Mother whispers.
I narrow my eyes at her.
“And what on God’s green earth makes you think I’d trust you after everything you’ve said and done?”
“My question exactly,” Jag says quietly, his eyes dark and deadly as they consider her.
“However, I believe she has come up with a solution that will work. We’ve come up with a compromise to give you and Angie what you both want without you having to abdicate or take any other drastic step you might live to regret. ”
“You were actually going to abdicate?” Mother gasps.
“I am. But first I plan to kill you.”
“Like I said,” Jag interrupts, placing himself between me and the woman on the floor, “our plan will ensure you don’t have to abdicate or kill your mother.”
“And what will prevent me from killing you?” I snarl.