She continued to play with Joseph’s tie for a few more seconds before saying, “Has my sister shared much about our father?”
Joseph frowned. “Yesenia? A little, but not much. Just enough to let everyone know you could be in danger, and that’s why she was so focused on bringing you to the past.”
Her voice was low, but vampires had supersensitive hearing, so they heard everything.
“My father wanted to be a super successful con artist, or snake oil salesman, or what might you call it here? Someone who uses charm and lies to get money and other things that they want?”
“Charlatan, maybe?” Laurie said.
“That sounds about right. At any rate, he married both my mother and Yesenia’s mother because of their family’s wealth and connections. Both died young, and when I was older, I heard the rumors about how he’d constantly abused and harassed and belittled them. My mother burned out on her magic because my father kept pushing her so he didn’t have to work, and eventually she jumped off a building and killed herself.”
Joseph and Laurie both tightened their hold on Meadow. The thought of her mother’s husband using her to the point she burned out—which was a serious condition for a fae witch—made Joseph want to do some harm. Laurie’s gaze said the same thing.
And Meadow hadn’t even gotten to the part that involved herself.
Calm down, Joseph. She needs support, and anger won’t help anything right now.
He took a deep breath and managed to focus solely on Meadow when she spoke again. “When my mother died, my father tried to marry again. However, my grandparents and extended family, ones that I’d never met, ensured that the rest of the American fae witch community knew about him and what he did to his wives. And since he couldn’t remarry to finance his laziness, he took risks and gambled and invested, and got intomountains of debt. Once Yesenia was deemed defective because they thought she didn’t have any magic, he became obsessed with River and me. Once we reached adulthood and discovered our own magical abilities, he plotted every way he could make money off them. Mine, in particular, he wanted to use for power and money and control. Not just with my magic, but he also wanted to turn me into some sort of master seductress, one who could entice anyone and then subtly control them with my powers.”
In other words, Meadow’s father had wanted to use her as a fancy prostitute.
Just the thought of any daughter or son of his being made to do that, let alone by his direction, made Joseph want to hit something.
Laurie must’ve sensed his tension because he asked Meadow, “What else did he do? Because he’s the reason you cried, isn’t he? Either his actions, words, or both.”
She bobbed her head. “It was mostly because of him. My first sort-of boyfriend was a jerk, but at least he wasn’t my father. You know, the guy who was supposed to love and protect me? No, all he wanted was to turn me into a model-slash-secret-agent who could entice anyone by crooking my finger. He kept half-starving me, and when I got so hungry I tried to sneak something to eat, he sometimes found me and yelled at me for being a selfish, fat female who wanted to see her father homeless on the streets. Unless I was thin, I was of no use to him.” Her voice lowered. “And when you’re eighteen years old, with new magical powers that you’re still trying to figure out, it’s particularly devastating. Yesenia lived on her own by that point—our father had kicked her out—but when we met up in secret once, I nearly fainted and she heard a little about it. Within a month, she found me an unofficial mentor, and I went into hiding.”
The more she revealed, the angrier Joseph got. How could her father do such a thing to his child? Joseph had experienced starvation on the streets a few times when young, especially when he hadn’t had blood for weeks, and her father had forced her to endure it on purpose?
Meadow glanced at him and flinched. Before Joseph could calm himself enough to reply, Laurie did. “He’s not mad at you, Meadow. Joseph rarely gets so angry he can’t talk and looks thunderous, but if he feels even a fraction of the hatred and disdain I have for your father, then that’s why he looks so upset.”
Not trusting his temper yet, he merely nodded.
Laurie stroked Meadow’s cheek to get her attention before saying, “Your father, if you can even call him that, is the reason you don’t believe us when we say you’re beautiful, isn’t he?”
Meadow glanced away, the action confirming it.
Joseph met Laurie’s eyes, and even though the other male seemed calm on the surface, Joseph could see his inner rage. It was up to them to convince Meadow that her father had been a lying, selfish bastard.
And if she came to Nyx’s Kingdom tomorrow night, they’d start there.
Between cryingand reliving memories of her father, Meadow struggled to stay awake. Especially sitting between Laurie and Joseph, who radiated heat and a sense of safety. It was strange, considering she barely knew them. And yet, they hadn’t made fun of her, or dropped comments about how her father had been right, or dismissed her for being too emotional.
No, they were angry on her behalf. Nearly as much as Yesenia had been when Meadow had nearly fainted.
She still didn’t understand why, though. Yes, she had blooded them both. But they couldn’t seriously wish to have her permanently in their lives. Could they?
Before she could think too much about it and drain her remaining energy, Joseph kissed her forehead again. The warmth of his lips made her belly flip, and she almost asked him to kiss her on the mouth.
But he spoke before she could make that mistake. “You look as if you’re about to fall asleep, Meadow. We’ll carry you to your room and put you to bed.”
For a half-second, she thought they’d join her.
However, Laurie added, “To sleep. We can either come back tomorrow, or you can come to Nyx’s Kingdom. Just know that we’re not running away or giving up. Far from it. You’re just exhausted, pet, and need to get some sleep, is all.”
If she were more outgoing, or bolder, or more confident, she’d ask them to stay.
She wasn’t, though, and merely murmured, “I’ll go to Nyx’s Kingdom tomorrow.”
