AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s changed? Is he less evil? Is he somehow vulnerable?”
“Yes,” Maddox said. “He has encountered a power he has somehow avoided crossing in all his many thousands of years of life.”
“And what’s that?”
“A mother’s love.”
Will made a gagging sound and scowled furiously at that string of words put together.
“Gross,” he elaborated.
Maddox ignored the childish response. He knew it was covering much more emotionality.
“Your mother was killed, but she did not die. She rose again, not as a human, but as the incarnation of maternal revenge. She is capable of hurting Gideon, and perhaps even of killing him outright, because he took her children from her. All three.”
“He must have killed other women’s children before.”
“Many thousands of times.”
“So what’s the difference. Why would Candy,” Will could not bring himself to call her mother, “why would she be any different?”
“Candy was, is different. Her grief, no, guilt, over what she did to you was more powerful than I think any of us imagined. She was stronger than most mortals I know. She may have appeared plain to most, but there was magic in her. A force not to be crossed, another kind of eternal power, if you will.”
“An undead zombie mom. Living dead mom.”
“Indeed.”
“She killed Gideon?” Will’s voice turned up with hope.
“Not yet, but I believe she will. I believe it is even possible Gideon will welcome that death.”
“Why would he do that?”
“He has been alive forever. That’s a curse not even the oldest of my kind can fathom. Gideon is lonely in a way I cannot explain, William. That is why he destroys connections. That is why he had to take you from me. There are no others of his kind. He may appear human, or vampire, but he has never been either one of those things. That is what makes him powerful, what makes him dangerous, and what makes him absolutely deeply miserable.”
“Am I supposed to feel sorry for him?”
“No. I am telling you this so you might understand him. And in understanding him, understand why I could not fight him for you. I could sooner put out the sun than defy him. I did what I could to safeguard you, and I know you suffered pain and humiliation. By staying away from you, I kept you alive until a time such as this. I knew our time would come.”
* * *
“I’m not the person you knew,” Will said. “I swore when I left prison I’d never go back, but being with you sent me right back to a cage. And Henry. We didn’t know when we would get out, or if we would ever get out alive. I promised myself if I ever did escape, it would be properly, in every way. I wouldn’t just never go back to a physical cage. I’d never go back to any cage. Not the cage of laws. Not the cage of men. Not the cage of love.” His blue eyes flashed with something like sorrow. “I promised myself I’d take care of myself. And that’s what I’m going to do.”
“If you keep murdering your way across the state, eventually you will be imprisoned or killed. You have to know that.”
“It’s not murder, what I do. Beasts need to feed. And that’s what I am. A beast. Nothing more, and nothing less.”
“You are much worse than a beast. When you kill, you express your pain. You create tragedies. Animals might do that from time to time by sheer chance, but what you have been doing is deliberate and calculated, even though you may be completely unaware of it.”
“Says you.”
“Indeed. Says I.”
They stared at one another, ancient brown eyes meeting a fierce blue gaze. These two forces could easily neutralize one another if they were allowed to do so, but for now they remained in a state of unresolved chemistry, hate, love, and fear all in play.
12
“You impress me,” Gideon said. “I am beginning to understand why your mother is so powerful. She bore two fascinatingly strong boys.”
