Diedrek

It doesn't take a genius to know who the woman is that just entered the room. The real question is how is she still alive? According to Broderick she had died saving children years ago, when Kyla was only a wee little one, alongside her sister-in-law. She looks at Kyla with what looks to be black eyes. Meaning at some point someone had changed her.

"No, no, no, no. This cannot be. This is a cruel trick." Kyla whispers from where she stands with Darius behind me. Turning I walk to her free side and bring her into my arms. She buries her head in my chest, I can feel the silent tears as they fall from her eyes. My dress shirt is now sticking to my chest from the wetness.

"I assure you darling I am not a trick. I am real, and I want us to be a family once more." Her voice comes off cold.

Sounds like she must force the words from her mouth. I look around the room, looking at all the evil that is sitting here watching the show.

No one shows any signs of controlling her. Not even my father, but I know him better than that. Something tells me he knew she would be needed some day for an important unknown reason, so he sired her to him.

From the little bit of stories, I have been told from Kyla's family she was a very kind-hearted soul. A woman with a warm smile, and the personality that drew people to her. The woman standing before us shows no signs of who she once was.

"Bullshit!" Swinging my head towards Lucas, I beg him with my eyes to shut his mouth.

He's supposed to be a blood slave, they are not permitted to talk freely. I see all eyes are on him, this doesn't bode well for him.

"You dare speak in our presence slave?" Tristan's voice grates on my nerves.

Whenever any one of the monsters in this room open their mouths to speak a moment of dread passes through me. He shuts his mouth abruptly, which could only mean one thing. Looking back to the head of the table, my father sits there with one hand in the air.

"You have something to say there boy?" The way he calls Lucas a boy is condescending. He's doing it purposely. Trying to get more of a rouse out of him.

"Yea I do," Lucas steps up beside Darius. Before he says anything more Darius places a hand on his arm halting his movements. Lucas looks down at the offending limb holding onto his person.

"Don't." That's all Darius says

. Giving him one final warning. He has no idea the game he's walking into here. They will cart him away and torture him if he speaks a word more. There will be nothing we can do, and Kyla will expect me to fight here and now. That cannot happen at this moment. It will bring forth our destruction until we know all the cards my father holds in his hands.

I feel Kyla lift her head off my chest and look directly toward her cousin. He must feel her stare as his eyes leave from Darius's hand towards her. Nonchalantly she shakes her head at him, unless her body is touching yours no one else would feel the movement like me. She must have a pull on him because to my utter shock he bows his head down, mumbles an apology under his breath and steps back.

My father is quiet, a little too much for my liking. Placing Kyla behind me once more, I feel her hands hold onto my arms. The devil himself is glaring in Lucas' direction. Causing my body to grow with tension. I'm not quite sure what he is going to do, but I know I need to distract him this very moment.

"You are Kyla's mother." Not a question.

I'm simply stating a fact as anyone with eyes can see the similarities. Her mothers' eyes swing my way, and a smile grows upon her red lips.

"Yes, my name is Aurora. You must be her mate that was seen within the prophecy so many years ago."

I hear Kyla's gasp from behind me, just as I fall forward in surprise.

"There was a prophecy?" I hear a grumble from the table, looking over I can see my brother Rowland grumbling something I can't quite hear.

"What was that Rowland?" With Kyla still holding onto me I walk closer to the table.

Growing near my brother, I stare him down, and the intimidation tactic works it's magic once more. He slouches in his chair, doing his best to hide from my wrath.

"Nothing." He looks down at the tabletop avoiding my eyes.

"No please share with us all what you have to say." I push him.

I know by doing this he will break. He always does. Sure, enough all the signs are there, his body straightens out, shoulders tense, hands into fists so tight his knuckles are turning white. If I say one more thing to twist the knife, he will flip for certain.

"What's the matter Rowland cat got your tongue?" I see out of the corner of my eye that Darius understands what I'm doing.

He walks up behind me, taking Kyla's hand he leads her away from me. Placing her at a safer distance with him nearest the door in case they must exit out of the room. Sure enough, within the next second the scrape of a chair is heard, facing Rowland head on I see his eyes are a shade of blood red. He growls, showing his fangs as his fists hit the table so hard it cracks beneath him.

"You want me to share asshole? Fine!" He prowls around the side of the table coming closer to me. "You are the oldest of us all. Your mother was a vampire with a witch bloodline that our father became obsessed with, and somehow there was a prophecy the night you were born telling of how you would become the most powerful being in our world once you hit ascension and met your true mate."

He walks right up to stand in front of me. Toe to toe I can feel the air coming from his nose with every deep breath he takes. "How the fuck is that right? I should be the most powerful. I may have been born, two years afterward, but I am the first full-blooded vampire son." His nostrils flare with anger, "That should mean something in our world!" With those final words he shoves me back and I allow it.

"I have more experience than you in this world. I have killed more and taken more women than you can imagine. I have become the greatest son our father has, over all these years!" He moves forward swinging his fist towards my face. I block the hit and shove him back a few steps.

"As much fun as this is," the sound of father's voice makes Rowland pause in his actions, dropping his hands he folds his arms across his chest. He turns away from me, facing him once more. "I'm afraid I have to put a stop to this." Lifting from his chair he walks towards the two of us. Stepping between us he faces head on with my brother.

Don't know what he has said to him privately, but whatever it was causes Rowland to bow his head. When he stands back up to his full height, I can see anger held within his eyes. He walks past everyone, slamming his shoulder into Darius's as he goes by. Slamming the door so hard behind him it cracks the wall.

"Now, I believe everyone needs to be gone. Leave me alone with my son and his mate. We have a lot to discuss." A devilish smirk grows on the corner of his lips.

Tristan, Mendrick, and Alaric all stand from their seating positions at the table. They walk out the opposite door in the room, the one where Aurora had entered not too long ago.

Turning his head to the side, he studies everyone standing in front of the door. Lifting a brow and nodding his chin to the doorway behind them, he wordlessly communicates he wishes for them to leave as well. Darius doesn't move an inch. Instead, he folds his arms across his chest, raising a brow he glares at my father. Causing a full-blown smile to grow on my father's mouth.

Bending forward, the room fills with laughter as he holds his stomach. "You always were a stubborn bastard." He wipes his eyes from the condensation that built within from laughing so hard.

"As entertaining as I find your personality to be, I'm only going to say it once more before I force you to."

Darius's arms fall to his side as he starts to take a step toward my father. I see the worry in Kyla's eyes as she places both hands along her brother's arm. Trying to stop him from doing something stupid. I cannot let this happen. I step in front of him, holding out a hand I withhold him from taking a step further.

"Take Satine to my wing of the mansion and get her to bed."

His eyes shoot to mine. I can see the shock within them, as a look of pure anger reaches his face. His cheeks turning a shade of red, that matches his eyes. "She's had a long night brother. She needs her rest from the events that have taken place here." I try my best to reason with him. A small whimper catches our attention.

Turning toward the doorway, we can see it is now open with Satine standing there shaking. Seeing the monsters, and all the excitement from what has just happened has set her into a fit. He runs to her, lifting her into his arms bridal style he looks at me out of the corner of his eye.

"If you need me don't hesitate to call." With those words he takes Satine out of the room, Lucas following close behind.

Leaving the devil, Kyla, Aurora, and myself left in the room alone. Walking to Kyla's side I pull her into my body. She hasn't taken her eyes away from her mother.

My focus is all on the devil as he walks back to his seat at the head of the table. "Won't you both have a seat. I'm dying for us to talk." He smiles, his fangs have extended for emphasis on his words.