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“Pathetic,” Ferguson spat.
Dannika’s eyes met Riley’s. “I felt the connection to you the first time I met you, but I didn’t think you were my sister. Your parents aren’t the only ones to blame for this ruse. Hakim lied, and while I knew he was duplicitous in every sense of the word, I still believed him.”
Everything Riley wanted to say seemed grossly inadequate. Everyone in both her and Dannika’s life had conspired in one way or another to keep them apart. “Why would Hakim do this? Did he hate our parents?”
Raine moved to his mate’s side. “Hakim had a daughter, who was diagnosed with cancer when she was a child. He attempted to use his powers to save her, but they weren’t enough. When he requested help from the Haitian community and was denied, he transferred the cancer to his wife at her request.”
Riley put her hand over her mouth. “Dear God.”
“After his wife died, his daughter Lorette grew up and took a human lover. When that man left, she cast a spell to call the perfect man to her. What she asked for was impossible for a human to achieve,” Raine said.
Riley lowered her hand. “She ended up with a shadow male.” Her stomach turned, anticipating a dark ending, praying she was wrong.
“Yes. Nolan answered her call, and Darren was born. The magic and the unnatural circumstances of Lorette’s life twisted her soul. Nolan fled with their child to protect him from his mother. She went mad and eventually took her own life.”
“That’s horrible,” Riley said before recalling her and Dannika’s last conversation. “You mentioned Sasha. Did you ever find a connection to her?”
Raine rubbed his neck. “There is an unsolved murder of a woman named Sasha. She was beaten, drained of blood, and killed, but Darwin could find no ties to Dannika.”
Riley frowned. “Why did Hakim kill her?”
Raine shrugged. “We’ve never been able to make sense of Hakim’s actions. He may have done it just to have a ruse in place, or because the woman looked at him wrong. The Bokor’s madness knew no bounds. Sasha’s blood could not fuel the portal, so her death was personal.”
Colton nodded. “Hakim attacked Riley when she was a teen and beat her within an inch of her life before taking her blood. It’s the reason the portal isn’t stable. The blood is old.”
Daniel used the armrests of the chair to lower himself down. His shaky legs made him appear more human than a member of the shadow clan. “I will never forget that day. We were still in the house Riley was raised in. The moment I saw her lying unconscious in the hospital bed, I knew she was in danger. That Allie’s past had caught up with her. I was desperate to protect her.”
Riley hated the pain and guilt on her father’s face. “Dad, it’s okay.”
Daniel fiddled with the silver cross that hung around his neck. “I made the move to become the full-time priest. The previous pastor was looking to move closer to his daughter and grandchildren. I moved us to the little house on church property. Riley began schooling on site. I knew her blood had been taken, but I assumed it was a demon who attacked her and that her survival was a miracle.”
Raine shook his head. “No, Hakim was just a human with power and a grudge.”
While she tried not to think about that month in the hospital. The pain was almost as bad as the embarrassment and helplessness. She hadn’t admitted it at the time, but she was thankful to move to the little house. The constant influx of people, gardeners, and parishioners had made her feel safe. “I still don’t understand why the Bokor aligned himself with demons. They will destroy the entire world.”
All heads turned when Dannika spoke. “That’s what he wants. He lacked the power to destroy the entire Haitian community as well as the shadow warriors. He is enacting his retribution for his wife and daughters’ death, and he wants Darren to suffer the most.”
“He’s dead.”
“Not exactly. He is trapped in the veil with his daughter, and continues to orchestrate our demise. We aren’t sure of the extent of his power, but he retains influence here.”
Daniel hissed. The sound was unnatural from the sweet elderly man. “He didn’t pass on?”
“No,” Dannika said.
“It is unbecoming for a priest to wish purgatory on any living soul, but an eternity in hell is too good for the man who hurt Riley,” Daniel said.
Riley smiled at her father. Yes, he had kept the truth from her, but he had done everything to protect her. The warmth in her heart cooled when she saw Dannika flinch. She turned to her sister. “Dannika, did you have anyone growing up? A foster family that was special?” As soon as she asked, she knew it was a mistake. Raine’s face hardened as Dannika’s eyes filled with tears.
Dannika took an extended breath. “I moved from one foster home to another. I didn’t fit in until I was placed with Jacob and Lori. They were everything I’d ever dreamed of. I believed I had found my forever home. Jacob was in the military and discovered my passion for training. I would’ve died a hundred times on the street if it wasn’t for him.” Everyone held their breath when she paused. “Lori was an angel. She was deaf and taught me to sign. Though she never spoke a single word, she made me believe in humanity and love. The two years I spent with them, were the happiest of my childhood.”
“What happened to them?” Riley asked.
Dannika wiped a tear from her eye. “They were murdered.”
“How?”
“By my father and my brother,” Dannika said.
