Chapter Thirteen
I ’m trying to hold on, but I keep drifting in and out of consciousness.
The pain has been so overwhelming that it’s becoming impossible to concentrate. I almost wish those fuckers would just kill me and get it over with.
Almost .
But I can’t and won’t let them do that to Forsythia. She has lost so much lately. I won’t be the next thing that she loses.
This time when my eyes drift open, though, I feel that pull. That glorious pull radiating from the center of my chest. It’s much stronger now, and I know that can only mean one thing.
She is coming for me.
I pray to the Gods that the woman had the sense to bring some backup, though, because these fuckers are ruthless .
I grit through the pain and force myself to twist so that I can get a look at Orobas. I knew that trying to escape was risky, but since I wasn’t able to get him untied fast enough, I don’t think he was punished. At least, not nearly as badly as I was.
Straining my neck around the boulder, which lets me see him enough to note that he looks the same as yesterday. No blood or new visible bruising. Good.
I know they don’t have much of a relationship, but it would kill me to know that Forsythia’s father got hurt because of my foolish actions.
None of this makes any sense, though. It seems like every time I’m able to get myself loose and finally get clear of these guys, they just appear out of nowhere and surround me. But this time, it wasn’t the shock of their sudden appearance that caught me off guard. No, it was the faint recognition when I got a good look at their leader under his hood.
Hudson Coakley
He is–or was–my great uncle. His brother, Brosnan, was mated to my grandmother, Cordelia. Brosnan died before my father was born, and Cordelia doesn’t like to speak about him, but I know enough.
Unfortunately, I have had the ‘pleasure’ of meeting Hudson–in his previous merfolk form, and not this decrepit creature form–many times as a child. He was constantly trying to rally the other merfolk leaders against my grandmother. Claiming that she was actually responsible for my grandfather’s death. However, we all know that to be impossible, or the Gods would have punished Cordelia and taken her abilities away. Since she is still one of the most powerful magickals I know and is the head healer of our primary village, that seems like a pretty foolish thought.
I always thought that Hudson was just jealous of Brosnan’s mating with my grandmother. They were more of an arranged affair by their parents. While Hudson was the obvious choice being the eldest son of their clan leader, they all agreed that Brosnan was more mature and fit to be mated.
Sparing a brief moment, I thank the Gods that my father pays little attention to me, or he may have tried to mate me off by now simply to get rid of me.
As a kid, I always got the creeps from “Uncle” Hudson. He just came off a bit… unhinged. He seemed more set on destroying my grandmother than anything else. Sulking about the village. One of the weirdest parts was that he actually seemed to like me . When the rest of the faction seemed wary of me, that was a red flag.
Well, maybe ‘like’ was a strong word. He took a deep interest in me. Which, now that I think about it, may have been much worse. He always gave me this smile-like sneer. As if he knew this big secret that no one else did. Although, with how my story went from there, he may have.
Seeing him yesterday brought a whole new light to the situation. He doesn’t just seem crazy. That asshole is 100% certifiable. He took joy in delivering my punishment and repeated that lovely little nickname these beings seem to have given me.
‘Abomination’
As if I don’t already know that. After all, I was supposed to be this amazing half-breed. But I am much too merfolk for the demons to accept me and far too ‘corrupted’ by my demon lineage for me to be seen as an equal among the merfolk.
Which has always left me in this weird limbo where both factions just tolerated me.
Orobas lets out a groan, but when I sneak a glance back at him, he still hasn’t moved. Hang in there, buddy. Your kickass daughter is going to come to save the day. Granted, she may accidentally trip over a log and burn half of the forest down while she does it, but it’s the end result that counts, right?
I wonder if she got her clumsiness from her father or her mother?
Her mother is always talked about as having been this magnificently graceful woman. So, I can’t see that being the case. Then again, her father was a kind leader but a force to be reckoned with. Thinking back to her nerdy little familiar, I wonder if maybe that was something he gave her. I know she still feels the pain of Ori’s passing, and I don’t blame her. He gave up his chance at a normal life just to be her familiar. To help protect her and her magick, when he could have had a chance to break his curse and live out a normal life.
That kind of love and devotion goes a long way, and is never forgotten.
I look at my shoulder, and see the vine tattoo that wraps around there. It was a kind of memorial piece I had done many years ago. Maybe I can get something done for Ori. Something to show my respect for the man who gave so much to my mate. Something to honor him. I will have to talk to Sythia about it and get her opinion.
Who knows, maybe she would want to get a tattoo as well?
I don’t know why, but the thought of getting inked together has my cock attempting to harden. Of course, I’m in no condition for something like that, and the sensation quickly fades.
Great. I’m sure that is just what Sythia always dreamed of.
A broken mate with a faulty dick.
I slump against the rock at my back and try not to move my arm. Of course, my elbow chooses that exact moment to twitch, and I have to bite back the scream. Panting through the pain, I begin to hear a lot of shuffling outside. Then the tether yanks hard in my chest.
My body is exhausted and threatening to drag me under, but my eyes snap open at the realization of what this means
She’s close. Not only is my mate alive, but she is here .
I begin panting heavily as my vision swims.
The feeling nearly makes me sick, but I manage to breathe slowly, and my stomach calms.
Now I just have to force myself not to pass out long enough so that I can see my beautiful rescuer.