“Gwen?” Aiden placed his hand under my chin and tried to lift my head. I couldn’t stand for him to touch me. Jumping up, I paced the room with my hands fisted at my side. My magic revved up and looked for a place to be directed. If Aiden wasn’t careful, it’d be him I’d shoot.

“Don’t touch me,” I told him.

“What did Ian say?” If I needed to know the truth in Ian’s words, then the answer was in the way Aiden asked me that question. His voice was nervous and his eyes were wide with worry. He was afraid I learned the secret, not angry about Ian upsetting me. The answer I needed now was what plan had they cooked up.

19

Ian agreed to meet with me at 1:00a.m. I kept my distance from everyone for the rest of the night. My apartment was crowded. I needed room to breathe and think, so I went to Willow Park. Ian didn’t tell me what the plan was telepathically because he wanted to tell me face to face. It didn’t matter how he told me so long as I found out. I had the sneaking suspicion Aiden already thought I knew. His eyes darted around the room like he was waiting for an attack, and when he’d look at me, his eyes showcased worry.

The setting of the park was so peaceful. Tiny white flurries danced through the midnight air like a winter wonderland ballet. I tried to focus on the beauty, but the ugliness inside my head ruined the tranquility. I should have drew Aiden aside and asked him to explain, but what if I didn’t like what he had to say? Scratch that—I knew I wouldn’t like what he had to say. A girl could only take so many disappointments in one day. I was warned about the possibilities that my spirit walker abilities could drive me insane, but so far Aiden was the closest to putting me in a room with padded walls. Love was complicated and tricky. Love with a vampire was dangerous and thrilling. Up until now our relationship had been thrilling. I still didn’t think Aiden was a danger to me, but he was a danger to my heart. Maybe I needed to give up on men altogether. Fiona gave me a hot pink vibrator, Romeo, for my last birthday, since my love life was pathetic. Maybe I’d start a relationship with Romeo, so I would have to worry about jerks lying to me.

“Want some company?”

“Not particularly.”

Dorian ignored me and sat down on the bench. He stuffed his hands in his leather coat, and stared at the darkened forest.

Rolling my eyes, I drew my focus back to the playful flurries. We sat in silence for a while before Dorian spoke.

“You want to talk about it?” His voice was low and filled with genuine interest.

“No.” I knew he was interested in me, even if that interest was just for a one night stand. But guys like that can’t offer helpful advice when it comes to relationship troubles.

Dorian didn’t press, he stayed quiet until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed to bitch to someone and since Fiona wasn’t here, Dorian would have to do. “Are all men lying pricks?”

Dorian swiveled his head to look at me, a grin lifting one side of his mouth up.

“I’m serious. Every man I’ve had the displeasure of meeting has screwed me over. Maybe I should switch teams,” I laughed.

“Before you start chasing the ladies, I think I deserve a chance,” Dorian smiled and cocked a brow.

I shook my head, can’t talk to an interested man about your love life. One way or another it always turns to them being able to please you the way the other losers couldn’t.

“Fuck off,” I scoffed. Just like a man to step up to the plate while you were striking out with another.

“What did Mr. Wonderful do that has you in such a hissy fit?” Dorian snorted.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I don’t actually know. Ian didn’t tell me the details.” I wasn’t going to tell him about the witch Aiden killed. I didn’t need the lecture. A breeze slapped against my numbed face causing my eyes to water. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been sitting out in the cold.

“You just took Ian at his word, without consulting with Aiden? From what I hear, Ian Despereaux isn’t trustworthy, yet you believed whatever he told you without questioning it? Doesn’t seem too smart if you want my opinion.”

“I don’t,” I said through my trembling teeth. I knew there were two sides to every story, and the side I was hearing was from a man I planned to kill, but I already learned one of Aiden’s secrets tonight, I wasn’t ready to hear anymore.

The hour between now and when Ian showed up was supposed to calm me down so I could have clarity and focus. So far, all I managed to do was rile myself up even more. I hoped when the time came to kill Ian, the extra boost of anger I’d dredge up from overthinking would aid me in a victory. One way or another, I’d kill Ian tonight, even if he took me down with him.

The vampires and witches hid amongst the trees ready to ambush the final culprit in the brew distribution. My eyes scanned the edge of the forest. My hour was up, and Ian would be showing up any minute. All of the lessons Dorian and Kye taught me flowed through my mind as I shuffled through which one would come in handy. My magic tingled just under my skin, ready for anything. Ian was the last person on the earth I wanted to see again but I was anxious to end this. I couldn’t help but fidget as I waited for him to pop up. This time was going to be different. This time I wouldn’t be restricted by the dreaming world. This time I would fight back. Would I even be a threat to Ian? I sure as hell hoped so.

My head swiveled to the left and right as I scanned the desolate park. The residents of Flora were tucked into their beds safe and warm, not knowing a battle was about to break out at Willow Creek Park. Aiden rounded up some of his vampires to aid in the capture, and Holly ordered the witches living in the surrounding cities to fight. The VC hoped to capture Ian without a fight, but I knew it wouldn’t be that simple. Nothing pertaining to Ian ever was. He wouldn’t just show up empty handed. The crunching of snow under footsteps brought me out of my thoughts. Looking over my shoulder, my eyes met with Ian’s. He was wearing jeans and a long wool dress coat. A smile curled his lips while his eyes moved to observe the surroundings. I wondered if his magic alerted him to the heaps of vampires and witches waiting in the shadows. When he walked over to where I sat on the park bench, I figured he didn’t know this was a set up—yet.

“Little witch, you look breathtaking with snowflakes in your hair and pink coloring your cheeks.” He lifted his hand to my face and caressed my cheek. I was proud I didn’t flinch at our contact. I remained silent and calm.

“I’m surprised you wanted to meet here,” Ian said as he draped an arm on the back of the bench. Willow Creek Park was where Amy Harper, one of Ian’s victims, was found. Before he tainted the beautiful park with the murder, I enjoyed coming here.

“Before I throw my morals out the window, I want to know what you and Aiden have planned for me,” I told him.

Ian looked over at me. “Does it matter? Your life isn’t much to speak of. Your best friend has moved on, your business is failing, your boyfriend has been lying, and your own kind think you’re no better than a low-life, dirty witch. What do you have to lose?”

He was trying to smash my self-esteem into dust, so he’d have control over me. His words did touch some sensitive areas. My life had taken a wrong turn somewhere, but then again, so did most peoples’ at one point or another. It wasn’t important that I fell, it only mattered that I got back up. My kind may have thought I was scum for dating and feeding a vampire—so what. Aiden may have lied for the past month, but all of it hadn’t been bad. And my shop, well that was just the risk you take when you start your own business. All of my problems were trivial in the grand scheme of things.

“I’m not broken yet,” I told Ian with more confidence than I felt. “I will be by your side, embrace the bond, but I want the details. I think I deserve that much.”

Ian considered me for a few moments, his electric blue eyes shining like orbs in the darkness. “You do indeed. Can you imagine being turned into something so frightening even your family thinks you’re a demon?”

“Uh,” I stammered unintelligently. His statement caught me off guard, but if my mouth wasn’t confused, I would have told him I knew exactly what that felt like. When I received my powers my parents thought I was evil, I had lived with that feeling for a long time.

“It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Not having control over your instincts or emotions,” Ian continued. “When my sire turned me into vampire, I was studying to become a priest. We’d heard of the bloodthirsty demons that haunted the night and left the streets stained in red. I never imagined I’d become one. But when Pernis La’rue found me, he thought it would be comical to change me rather than kill me. Perhaps, he thought being changed into something so vulgar would challenge my beliefs enough to drive me insane.” Ian sneered as he thought about his past. “If that was his goal, then he succeeded. I spent my first ten years as vampire hating myself. I refused to eat, which you know will drive a vampire insane. I tried to walk into a church, but the religious meaning no longer held my interest. Instead, all I focused on was the blissful rhythmic flow of blood rushing through the occupants’ veins. I killed all of them that night: six adults and four children. Anger consumed me, I was sure the God I devoted my life to had let me down.” Ian bent over and rested his elbows on his knees. “Do you know what it’s like to have your beliefs yanked out from underneath you? To become the very thing you feared the most? Times were very different then. You would’ve been burned or hanged just for knowing magic, and now the humans embrace us, even if it is from a distance. It’s funny how time changes their perceptions, isn’t it?”

I stared wide-eyed, mouth hanging open. Who would have thought there was a time when Ian Despereaux was scared and weak, let alone a seminarian.

“So, you’re probably wondering where I’m going with this.” Ian said with a grin.

I nodded.

“Revenge, little witch. I’ve been searching for the perfect way to achieve it, and you’re the answer. I had someone lined up, but when I realized a spirit walker would produce the results I needed, I let her go. You may be surprised to learn that—“