AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If you’re sure,” I say glancing back at the room.
“I am,” she declares, the two of us walking over to the living room.
“Zach? Amelia? Can you two come sit down for a minute?” I ask. They both glance at each other, then at my mom, and then at me before coming to sit down. Zach sneaks wary glances at Rayne.
“Is everything okay?” he asks, and I shake my head. I look back at the door, wishing Pearl could be here for this conversation, but feeling that it might not be what’s best for her right now. I don’t want her to have to pretend to be okay for them. I want her to be able to take the time she needs and forcing her here for this conversation definitely won’t allow that.
“It’s about your mother,” I state, and both of their eyes widen with fear, Zach placing an arm around a shaking Amelia and pulling her close.
“We don’t have to go back there, right Daddy?” she asks, her voice trembling.
“No. She's…” I pause, looking up at my mom, unsure how to proceed.
Don’t drag it out. Rip it off like a Band-Aid.
I nod at her words through our link.
“She’s dead.”
Amelia’s little shoulders release the tension she was holding but begin to shake as tears stream down her face.
“How?” Zach asks, his face void of much emotion.
Once again, I look up at my mom, this time she just gives me a nod of encouragement.
“She was killed because she was trying to get us back.”
“Who killed her?” he asks, and I don’t get the chance to respond.
“I did,” Rayne declares. “And her brother.”
Zach sucks in a breath, and Amelia’s tears flow faster.
“Good,” he says, though a lone tear slips down his face.
Rayne walks around and sits on the coffee table facing them. Neither of them pulls away as she approaches.
“I’m not sorry for killing them, but I am sorry for the pain it’s causing you.”
“It’s not causing me pain,” Zach declares, his eyes hard but filling up with tears.
“Yes, it is,” Rayne says, her tenderness surprising me. “Even if it’s just that it hurts to watch your little sister be sad.”
Zach looks down at Amelia, his eyes softening as she cries.
“I know mommy was mean …” Amelia begins.
“It’s okay to miss someone who was cruel to you. Even though she wasn’t a nice person, she was still your mother and you loved her,” Rayne says and Zach scoffs.
“Rayne’s right,” I add.
“My dad was a bad man,” Rayne admits. “He did horrible things to people I love. When he died, at first, I felt nothing. I thought the world was a better place without him in it. It wasn’t until much later that I gave myself permission to mourn him. He was awful, but he was still the one who taught me everything I know. He might not have told me he loved me all the time, but he was also the one who put food on the table, taught me how to fight, and made sure I had clothes. Those things don’t make him a saint by any means, but it still showed me that he cared. I’m sure your mom did that for you too.” My eyes widen at Rayne’s words, the emotion behind them something I wasn’t expecting from the rough and tough hunter-vampire. “If you ever want to talk about it, I’ll be around.”
Zach surprises me by shooting up to his feet and wrapping his arms around Rayne’s neck.
“Thank you for setting us free,” he whispers.
Her body tenses up momentarily before softening into the hug. She seems to be surprising herself with this moment of affection, allowing her guard to come down.
