Hupotasso (Vampire Bachelor Games #2)

79

79

I watch as he squeezes his eyes shut. When he opens them again, they’re full of pain.

It’s been a long flight and an even longer conversation, but one with no resolution.

Now, on our way to the castle from the airfield, I’m almost talked out.

I haven’t been ordered by Viper to return. I was ordered not to escape. I’ve been through this over and over in my mind, wondering if technically Jag could let me go and I might still have a chance. But he’s too loyal to his friend and feels too much guilt. His love for Falcon will always trump any feeling he professes for me, which I know is a good thing, because my feelings towards him are all false; just lies forced from my mouth by a vicious vampire.

And even as I begged Jag to let me go I knew Viper could track me anywhere. So part of my brain wonders if this thought, too, is Viper’s plan. Perhaps he wants Jag to spirit me away, to drive another wedge between the friends. But I can’t tell. I’m too tired from the birth to know right now what are true thoughts and what are his thoughts.

Still, I hate that Jag found me so soon.

I hate that he’s returning me.

He looks at me now, his eyes sorrowful as he murmurs his response to my last entreaty.

“As much as it pains me to say, Falcon loves you, Angie. You belong to him.”

“I belong to no one,” I hiss. “And Falcon will never love me. He’s never even told his own mother he loves her. He’s incapable of that depth of feeling.”

“No,” he shakes his head. “I know him better than anyone. I’ve been his best friend for hundreds of years. You are the love of his long, long life. And I could never come between that.”

“But I love you, Jag,” I whisper, my brain screaming as I tell the lie.

“Angie,” he swallows hard, his voice just a whisper. “Is the baby mine?”

I close my eyes tight and clench my teeth. My brain is screaming ‘no!’ —I want to tell him that I’m sure my son is Falcon’s, that he needs to unhear the words I told him in the castle. I want to scream to him that Viper made me sleep with him, that I don’t love him. That it’s all a ruse. A horrible, terrible game being played by a snake.

But against my will, the lie slips out.

“Yes.”

He rubs his hands over his face and stays silent for a long, long minute before staring miserably at the baby.

“Falcon can never know,” he sighs. “He wants you back. He wants the child. What we did, what we feel , is wrong.”

Tears begin to slip down my cheeks and, misunderstanding, he lunges across to take us in his arms, crooning into my hair.

“I’m so sorry, my love. This is my fault. All my fault.”

I shake my head, but no words escape my lips — they’re bound tight by the bite.

A bite that is about to destroy four lives.

Viper’s right. This will destroy Falcon. But it’s not just his life that’s going to be ruined. If I’ve learnt anything about Falcon over the past year, I’ve learned this: He does not forgive, and he does not forget. I have no doubt he’ll kill me. And I fear he’ll cast out or kill Jag. But I also know he’ll be bound to keep my son, even believing it’s not his, in order to appease The Families. My adorable little boy is going to be taken from me, one way or the other, and raised in a cold, stark castle without his mother’s love — without any love.

And this is the cruellest cut of all.

If there was just a way, any way, to avoid Viper’s plan coming to fruition. But The Free Men had obviously not found a solution yet, and Yin had run out of time.

Her job now is to raise my daughter.

I say nothing as Jag murmurs sweet promises about how we’ll still see each other as friends and companions, how he’ll still be able to spend time with our son, and how everything will work out. I just need to be positive. But his words wash over me as I stare down into the deep, purplish eyes of my baby boy and think of my little girl, and how I’ll never see her again either.

I squeeze my eyes shut as the physical and emotional exhaustion grips me, but when I open them again I wish I hadn’t, because we’ve entered the grounds of the estate.

As the car comes to a halt I look at Jag, wishing for the ten millionth time that I could send telepathic messages and override Viper’s poison.

But it’s impossible.

“What is it?” He urges, staring at my strained expression.

“I wish to god I could say,” I choke.

My legs are shaking in trepidation as he exits the vehicle first, holding the door open for me. I want to shrink back and scream at the driver to speed off, but I meekly step out, holding my baby tight, the power of Viper’s bite overriding all my senses now that I’m once again in his proximity; my rebellion superseded by my subservience.

Looking up at the wide rock stairs I see the great double doors of the castle swing open, and Eleanor and Falcon head down the steps, his eyes on mine, expression pained. Seeing his beautiful face every cell in my body yearns to be in his arms, to explain everything in a babble of truth and emotion. To tell him that I understand everything, all the lies, the heartache, the violence, the terrible words — I understand it all, and I forgive him.

And I love him.

Only him.

But behind him Viper leans against the doorjamb smoking a long thin cigar, his eyes glittering in malevolent anticipation.

Eleanor stops a few steps above Falcon as Jag releases his supporting grip on my elbow and Falcon reaches us, pulling him into a bear hug.

“Brother, thank you.”

“Of course.”

I say nothing as Jag nods to Eleanor and walks past her to head indoors, leaving me standing with the baby, and him . His eyes are wary as he meets my gaze, but they slip immediately to the infant in my arms and he smiles, his expression soft when he looks back at me.

“Angie. Please, come inside. Mother is itching to hold her first grandchild.”

I nod, my eyes flicking behind him to her, before becoming trapped, mesmerised, by Viper’s dark glare as Jag reaches the doors.

As Falcon turns to lead me up the stairs Viper places a hand against Jag’s chest and shoves him roughly, causing him to stumble backwards, but right himself quickly.

Jag roars in indignation as Viper throws aside his cigar and pushes him again.

“Falcon,” Viper shouts. “I think there’s something you should know before you invite these traitors inside our home.”

I stop mid-step, my face paling.

“Viper,” Falcon growls, “what’s the meaning of this?”

“Another game!” Jag snarls.

“No games,” Viper snorts. “Lord Dragonspur, your best friend and your wife have been playing house under your nose for long enough. Ask her whose child she carries, whose son she plans to pass off as yours .”

I gasp as Jag swings, his fist connecting with Viper’s jaw with a loud crack, the force hurling him over the side of the stairs and into the shrubbery.

But the damage has been done.

Eleanor’s face turns ashen as Falcon turns slowly to look at me, his eyes meeting mine. All I see in his is anguish.

“Ask me,” I moan, my heart breaking where I stand.

“I won’t,” he whispers. “I’ve made every mistake possible, done everything to push you away. It took losing you for me to finally admit that I love you — have loved you since we met. I’ll never doubt you again, Angie.”

Tears stream down my cheeks as I shake my head. He loves me. Loves me . Despite everything, despite it all, as I love him.

But the lies come, as commanded.

“I never loved you, Falcon.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and ignore his barely audible gasp as I deliver the death blow to our marriage.

“The baby is Jags.”