Forever Touched (Touch of Vampire #5)

CHAPTER 36

36

ADALYN

It was almost dawn when we arrived back at the castle.

Noah had portalled back a few hours ago, but Everett had wanted me to adjust a little bit more to the transition before we headed back. Not surprisingly, the Faircrofts hadn’t returned to the house, so we’d used the alone time to answer each other’s many questions. We’d stayed on my broken bed for hours, resting in each other’s arms while I told Everett everything .

Each word spoken was another weight off my shoulders, a reminder that I was free. Free of thrall. Free of the pactums. Free of my father’s blood debt. And, most importantly, free of the Faircrofts.

We had no idea where they’d slinked off to, but at the moment, I didn’t care. I was free of them at long last. Free to go where I pleased. Mistress no longer owned me. She was no longer my mistress . I could call her whatever I wanted now. She couldn’t stop me. Couldn’t control me.

She seemed so small now. Small and helpless.

I was no longer the fragile creature stuck in a dangerous world. She was.

“We’ll get them. They can’t hide forever,” Everett had assured me as we’d driven off in the Aston Martin, leaving the place that had witnessed the end of my old life and the start of my new one. I’d left it behind without a backward glance, taking nothing with me but the clothes on my back, my familiar, and my soulmate .

The only things I needed for my new beginning.

“You sure I won’t burn when the sun rises?” I asked Everett as he pulled into the circular drive at the castle. There were a few cars still parked there, but most of them were gone now. Some of my tension eased at the sight, and I allowed myself to hope that most of the Venturi had survived the fight. They weren’t completely innocent in all this, but they hadn’t wanted this either, something I could understand.

Once he became king, I didn’t know how forgiving Everett would be toward the males who’d treated me like a blood whore, but knowing that I would soon be their queen went a long way toward repairing the damage they’d caused.

“You’re a vampire witch hybrid , Adalyn,” Everett answered me before killing the ignition. “None of the normal rules apply to you. You’re basically a Venturi with magical powers. Nothing about you is fragile anymore, even if you still look like a porcelain doll.”

I snorted. “A doll? Come on. I’m not that fragile-looking.”

He threw me a crooked grin. “You’re practically a waif, baby girl.”

I scowled at him. “Take that back. I’m not a homeless child.”

With a laugh, he opened his car door and hopped out. “You can’t deny that you currently look like a street urchin. Kind of like the orphan girl in Annie .”

I glanced down at my dress, now hopelessly ripped and soiled. Then scrambled out after him and shot back, “Who does that make you, then? Daddy Warbucks?”

His smile turned wicked. “I am kind of robbing the cradle.”

Huffing, I placed Pepper on my shoulder before saying, “I’m almost twenty-one, and you don’t look much older.”

“Girl, just accept it,” a voice called, and we glanced up to see several figures standing at the top of the stone stairs. “Our mates are dirty, old men.”

Kade barked a laugh. Plucking his wife up with one arm, he twirled her around and sang, “But you love that about us. The older and dirtier, the better.”

When he stopped twirling her, Isla batted her lashes up at him and cooed, “If you always look like this , I don’t mind in the least.”

His bottom lip poked out. “I knew it. You only like me for my abs.”

“And your pecs,” she purred, reaching up to pet his chest. “And a few . . . other things.”

He grinned a mile wide.

“Sure you want to be a part of all this?” Everett muttered to me under his breath. “If you run away screaming, I won’t blame you.”

Smirking, I shut the door and came around the car to stand beside him. “I’m completely sure. I think your family is great.”

“Aww,” Kade said, letting go of Isla to descend the stairs with his arms open. “This calls for a hug. You know it has to happen, so don’t even try to stop it, Everett. Adalyn is part of this family and needs to be properly welcomed.”

Everett released a disgruntled growl, but when Kade reached the bottom and kept coming with those massive arms wide open, he didn’t stop him from drawing me into a bear hug.

“Welcome to the family, sweet Adalyn,” Kade murmured, dropping a kiss on the top of my head. “I’m so glad you’re safe now.”

Unexpected tears sprang to my eyes. Overwhelmed by how quickly he’d accepted me despite all the damage I’d caused last night, I squeezed my eyes shut and returned the hug.

After a few moments, Everett grumbled, “Okay, your time is up. Give me back my fiance.”

“She accepted! ” Isla squealed, clapping her hands .

We were suddenly surrounded by excited voices offering their congratulations. Isla drew me into a hug next, gushing about how cute Pepper was. Loch embraced me after that, and I sensed that he’d forgiven me as well for all that I’d done. I didn’t hesitate to hug Kenna next, but when I caught a whiff of her hybrid scent, my new instincts fired off on all cylinders once more.

“It’ll get easier. I promise,” she said, pulling back to give me a sympathetic smile. “It helps if you focus on your breathing.”

“And don’t think of your friends as food,” Noah added over her shoulder. He threw me a wink but kept his distance, which was a good thing. As a full-blooded warlock, his scent was even harder to resist.

Sensing my struggle, Everett pulled me back against him, and I immediately felt better, using his closeness to distract me from thoughts of blood.

Is this too much for you? he questioned through our bond. We can leave and come back later. They’ll understand .

I tipped my head back to look up at him. Thanks, but I’ll manage. I’m used to hunger pains .

His lips thinned. Well, that ends now. Anytime you need food or blood, you’ll have it. I never want to see you suffer again .

I smiled at him softly. That’s sweet, but you can’t protect me from everything, Everett. I’m still going to feel pain sometimes .

“Not if I can help it,” he said, dipping his head to claim my lips. Pepper squeaked in protest and dug her sharp little nails into my shoulder to keep from toppling off.

“They are so cute,” Isla whispered with a dreamy sigh.

“Get a room, you two!” Kade hollered.

“Kade,” Loch quietly chastised.

“What? It’s time for a little payback, Lochie. Your brother’s been sneering at our PDA for years . He deserves some egging.”

As if to spite Kade, Everett cupped the back of my head and plunged his tongue into my mouth. When he thoroughly tasted me like a man possessed, my legs turned to jelly.

“ Get it , dude. That’s what I’m talking about!” Kade crowed with a wolf-whistle.

“I think you missed a spot,” Noah joined in, making Kade laugh.

When the kiss ended and Everett straightened with a self-satisfied smirk, I wobbled unsteadily on my feet.

“Not that this new side of Everett isn’t exciting, but we need to head inside before the sun burns my wife to a crisp,” Kade said, bringing us back to reality.

“Just a few more minutes,” Isla protested, still staring at me and Everett with a dreamy grin on her heart-shaped face.

“No can do, shortcake,” Kade replied. “I’m not risking your safety.”

She yelped as he threw her over his shoulder in one swift move and started for the stairs. “Overprotective brute,” she grumbled with an eye roll.

“Don’t forget dirty and old.”

“And annoyingly bossy and—”

He reached up and smacked her butt. Hard . When she burst into a fit of giggles, Noah muttered, “Now that I didn’t need to see.”

“We should head inside too,” Loch said to Everett, sliding his arm around Kenna. “Father wants to see you. We have a lot to discuss.”

I noticed Silver at Kenna’s feet and smiled at the familiar.

She seems nice , Pepper observed, peering over my shoulder at the fox.

She is , I easily replied, remembering how she’d tried to warn me about Heath last night. I’ll introduce you to her soon .

But not now. Not when I was about to see the king again.

I recalled his warning to me the first time we’d met, how he hoped I didn’t prove to be a disappointment. Nearly stabbing his son and controlling the minds of his court probably fell into the “disappointment” category.

Everett tucked me against his side while we moved toward the stairs as a group, making me feel a little better. But as we approached the spot where my broken mortal body had died, memories of the pain I’d endured flitted through my mind. The spot was empty now, all traces of the horrific event washed away by last night’s rain. Even Heath’s headless body was gone.

“We burned it,” Loch said, noticing where my attention had strayed. “We burned most of the other rogues as well. Only a few escaped.”

Everett pulled me closer as if to comfort me. “Any news on the Faircrofts?”

“Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time. They’ll reach out to their contacts, and when they do, we’ll be ready.”

“What do you mean?” I questioned Loch, tearing my gaze off the patch of ground to study his profile. “Did you capture some of the rogues?”

“No. They wouldn’t surrender, so we didn’t spare them. But the ex-rogue, Rocky, has been very helpful.”

My eyes widened. “Rocky? He’s here? ”

“Yes. He’s been telling us everything he knows. Apparently, he overheard a lot of conversations between Deloris Faircroft and her business partner, Heath Clancy. They were a part of the original rogue revolution six years ago and have been planning this coup ever since. But I’m guessing you already knew that.”

“Yes,” I replied, ducking my head .

“We don’t blame you, Adalyn,” Kenna gently said. “I was once taken from my family and used for my abilities too. The important thing is that you learned for yourself what to believe in. You rejected others’ definition of you and became your own person. You chose to fight back, despite the personal cost. Your courage saved many Venturi lives last night.”

I tried to give her a smile but couldn’t quite manage it. Something was still weighing on me, something that would no doubt haunt me until I resolved it. Until I faced it.

“My father . . .” I haltingly began. “He was an elder and chose to fight against the royal family in the battle six years ago. I know now that he was misinformed, that you aren’t the monsters we were raised to despise. At least, not anymore. But I never found out who killed him. Mistress—I mean, Madame Faircroft—told me that a Venturi did it. Knowing that it could have been one of the vampires I helped save last night, or one of you , is still eating me up inside. I need to know who did it. Not to avenge my father’s death. I don’t want that anymore. But . . . I need closure.”

As we reached the top of the stairs, Everett slowed. Studying his brother thoughtfully, he finally said, “You know something.”

“I do,” Loch replied. “As I said, the ex-rogue told us everything, including who killed Adalyn’s father that night.”

My heart stopped. Time stopped.

Struggling to breathe, I whispered, “Who? Who killed him?”

He paused to face me, his expression solemn. “Are you sure you want to know? Once you do, there’s no undoing it.”

“Yes. I want to know. I need to.”

As he continued to stare at me, my heart started to pound. Harder and harder, until I thought it would burst from my chest. He shared a quick look with his brother, but when Everett only nodded, he turned back to me and revealed the truth.

A truth that changed everything .

“It was Deloris. Deloris Faircroft killed your father.”