3. Evelyn
3
Evelyn
A rmed with a flaming aura and a fiery attitude, I focused on the vampire I once believed to be the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen. Sexy and sinful, wrapped up in one delectable morsel.
But now? I was torn between wanting to kiss him or kill him.
“Evelyn?” Alister’s voice cut through my turbulent thoughts.
I cleared my throat, “Since you seem to be the only one who was around when my parents decided to bind my powers, I’m assuming you know what they are?”
He nodded.
“Good.” I inhaled as I tried to keep the hysteria from lacing my voice. “Because right now, I feel like a flaming witch with wings. Please tell me I’m not half-bug! That these wings are not from some form of flying iridescent bug because, if that’s the case, I’m seriously going to lose it.”
Before Alister could answer, my wings flapped wildly on their own accord. A gush of wind swirled around us, sending objects flying off the entryway table, flowers catching fire, and tapestries fluttering like sails caught in a storm.
“Damn it!” Alister cursed as he stepped aside and hastily removed a painting from the wall. It was an intricate scene of ancient origin, full of vibrant colors that seemed alive even in the chaos.
I released an exasperated sigh, shooting Alister a withering look as he fussed over the painting.
“That’s a 2,000-year-old painting!” he said defensively. He then stomped on the tapestry while Rafe contained the rest of the flames.
“Rafe,” I yelled. “How do I make them stop?”
He shrugged, averting his eyes from me, trying to be a gentleman about my nakedness. “You just do. It’s instinctual.”
Instinctual, my ass.
I was most likely going to have a bowel movement right here in the grand entry hall if I kept trying to force my wings to stop flapping.
What a mess.
I just wanted to escape.
With a squeal that was more shock than fear, I lurched forward at an alarming speed, hurtling toward the front door.
Before I could react, I crashed into it.
Hard.
The impact sent me rebounding slightly before I crumpled to the floor in a heap.
Alister and Rafe were immediately by my side, helping me up.
“Why is your door so hard? What is it made of, steel?” I asked Alister. “And why didn’t you stop me with your super speed?” I regained my footing, brushing off their hands.
“Apologies. I was momentarily stunned into place,” he admitted. “And that was really fast. Impressive.”
“Thanks,” I deadpanned.
Then I noticed the imprint my body left on the door, a perfect outline. I groaned. I could even see my nipple.
On the bright side, I was no longer on fire.
I turned to Alister. “What the fuck am I?”
“Maybe you should put on some clothes, and we can discuss…” he started, but I cut him off.
“Tell me now before I burn down your freaking house!”
Alister took a deep breath, meeting my eyes. “Evelyn, you have the unique ability to access the affinities of your lineage. It means you can tap into the magical powers of your ancestors.”
I blinked a few times as I tried to wrap my head around his words. “So these wings…”
He nodded. “One of your ancestors might have had a liaison with a fairy. That’s why you have wings. And the fire affinity? Another ancestor most likely had an affinity with fire.”
I nodded, processing this new information. “So, I’m not turning into some kind of bug?”
A faint smile tugged at Alister’s lips. “No, you’re not turning into a bug.”
My mom and grandmother both had an affinity for plants, but those powers had never manifested for me.
Rafe chimed in, “Because these affinities have been locked down for so long, they might be volatile and unstable.”
I looked between them, feeling the weight of their words sink in. “So what does this mean for me? How do I control it?”
Rafe clarified, “It means you’ll need to learn how to manage and channel these abilities properly. Of course, Lucien and I will help you in any way we can.”
Lucien nodded in agreement.
“I’m also here for you,” Alister said. “You don’t need to feel burdened about what transpired between us last night.”
I glared at Alister, anger simmering in my veins once again. “You could have told me about these abilities from the start. Did you think I couldn’t handle the truth?”
Alister’s eyes remained fixed on mine. “It wasn’t about you handling the truth. The oath bound me. I couldn’t tell you before I bit you and your powers were unleashed.”
I scoffed, crossing my arms over my bare chest. The wings fluttered in agitation.
I took another deep breath to steady my nerves.
The thought of having all these new abilities was overwhelming, but knowing I wasn’t alone made it a bit more bearable.
My gaze shifted to Rafe’s. “How did you know I was at Alister’s?”
He hesitated, unease marring his features. “Lucien and I met with Alister yesterday. We wanted to request access to his library to speed up our research.”
I frowned. “And?”
Rafe’s eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite read. “As soon as we met Alister, I recognized the same essence that was blocking your abilities. We confronted him but he denied it all, I guess due to the oath preventing him from saying anything. But with the ball and then Theo’s death, we didn’t have time to tell you…It seems Alister took advantage of that.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t explain how you knew where to find me, ” I retorted.
Again, Rafe avoided my gaze. “I…just knew.”
His evasiveness only fueled my frustration. Enough was enough; I needed the truth and it was time I told them mine.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I announced, feeling my skin glistening with sweat.
Rafe nodded.
“And when I’m finished,” I continued, locking eyes with him, “I want everyone present in the living room—Lucien, you, the vampire,” I pointed to Alister. “Rafe, please invite Chad and Ryker too. We’re doing a circle of truth.”
“A circle of truth?” Rafe asked.
“Yep,” I affirmed, popping the p. “No more secrets, no more lies. We lay it all out on the table.”
Rafe swallowed hard but nodded in agreement. “I’ll make sure everyone is there.”
“Good.”
With that said, I turned to Alister. “You are in the dog house, mister, but until then, I need a shower, so lead the way.”
“Dog house? I don’t own a dog,” Alister replied.
“It means I’m mad at you!”