42. Kestrel
Kestrel
“Ihave a surprise for you.”
I cross my arms over my chest and refuse to acknowledge him. Jay’s information has me freaking out, but the last thing I need is for him to see just how badly it’s affecting me. He will think that it’s because of him, and then he will get worse because he thinks he’s winning.
He might know me, but I know him. He’s the only parent I remember.
He blows a whistle.
I hiss, hating that sound, remembering it so clearly.
A summons.
We didn’t have real names. We didn’t have the decency of a call. No, he just whistled for us like we were dogs. Our bird names were codes, and we only got them used if we were good.
This is bringing back memories, so many of them. I don’t want to remember. It hurts. I scan again, looking for anything that can get me out of here.
Another whistle sound peels out, and my body reacts before I think, straightening.
I hear the whistle again and again in my memories.
Not in memories with him, but memories with the pack.
People passing us on the street, on the sidewalk, the neighbour.
He had people watching us. The only time the whistles were silent was when we were in the forest.
He was always there. Always watching.
I never got away.
The rage burns deeper and more intensely. Five years ago, when I crawled out of the hole he left me to die in, I was afraid to leave, but I was more afraid of what I was going to become if I stayed. I didn’t want to be a monster.
Movement in the shadows is the first sign. They come like wraiths, trained, dangerous, armed. The Nightingales step out, each garbed in black with a bird skeleton over their faces.
That’s the big, giant secret of Father. He isn’t alone.
He has all of us.
His Nightingales.
When one fails or dies, we are replaced with another. We are his disposable army.
My eyes trace over all of them. I can’t tell who they are, but I know their names. Except there’s one missing.
Korax, the only other who is my age, is missing.
He’s violent and more adept at vanishing. It gives me hope that Father couldn’t find him.
Egret.
Wren.
Sparrow.
Pigeon.
Korax.
And me, and Robin.
Seven birds.
Except, he never replaced Robin. I never understood that. All of us range in ages, but Pigeon is the youngest.
He went and took her back from the home I gave her. How fucking dare he?
“You disgust me,” I snarl at him.
He turns and really looks at me. “Who am I talking with now? This switching is getting on my nerves, but judging by the raging bitch that is out, I’m going with the trio of troublemakers, Kestrel, Raptor, or Raven. So, which is it?”
I lift my chin. “Why does it matter?”
He shrugs. “Curious. I don’t really care, but it’s fascinating how fast and almost invisible the change is. One has to really know you to see it. Does it please you to know that I know you so intimately, my bird?”
Again, I shrug, but there’s two more masked figures.
I know one of them instantly. Brian, his offsider who is a beta but wishes he were an alpha.
He only gets a half mask, one that covers his jaw and mouth.
That piece of shit made my life hell for so freaking long.
Tonight, he’s going to die if nothing else.
I was wondering where he was.
The other figure is female and small but fully grown. I don’t recognise her at all, and she is a surprise that I’m not happy about.
“Ah, my children are all here. Well, almost, but I will deal with the death bird when I find him. How dare he defy me?”
I snarl at him, but he moves suddenly and grips my hair, tossing me to the ground in front of him. I land hard and roll to my feet, lashing out as he comes in with a punch.
I hit him in the kidneys, and he backs off laughing, which makes me even more wary.
“So vicious. You were perfect, Merle. My common little bird. Who would have thought you’d be so much trouble. You know there’s a reason you are still alive. Have you figured it out yet?”
No, I haven’t, but it’s been on my mind.
I crouch, prepared to react to any of the threats. The line of his little weapons hasn’t moved an inch, but then he doesn’t need them to. He trained us. He was our teacher.
“I don’t want this life!” I shout. “You are foul, and I remember my mother and my father. I remember my sister. Before you, I had a family and a life. I could have been someone, and you brOKE ME!” I howl.
“No!” he roars. “I made you more. I made you better. Look at you, you can be anybody. Kill anyone. You are my bird, my transformation, my achievement.”
My snarl is echoed in the chamber by something much angrier and bigger than me.
What the fuck was that? It sounds almost like…an enraged alpha. Like King…but King is dead, isn’t he?
I’m so startled I miss the kick that grabs my ribs. I’m sent flying, rolling hard, the wind knocked out of me.
“You are so ungrateful. They say children are a parent’s greatest disappointment, and I can see that with you. Little bitch.” He paces back and forth, his leather-gloved hands clenching into fists.
“I don’t want to be a killer for you. I don’t want to be a slave. There is a whole world out there, and I want to eat and sleep and be safe and be loved.”
“Loved? You think anyone could love you?”
“I know they could! I was already loved until you killed them all. Mum. Dad. Robin!” I shout.
“No…” Jay whispers. “Callea.”
“Callea,” I whisper, repeating the name. I don’t remember mine, but I remember hers.
I get to my feet, and he hits me again. I don’t even care, I remember her name.
“CALLEA!” I scream at him. “CALLEA, CALLEA, CALLEA!”
“Stop. It.” He punches me so hard I land winded. But I grin because I’m pissing him off.
I lift my chin and wipe the blood away. “Or what? Are you going to kill me? Beat me? Starve me? Torture me?”
“I’ll kill your scent matches, your bonds.”
I climb unsteadily to my feet and stand there staring at him in shock. “They’re alive?”
He roars at me.
They are alive! I burst into giggles. “You think you’re a match for my alphas?”
He stares at me. I can feel his hostile gaze beyond the fabric that hides his asinine face.
I laugh harder, doubling over. I palm the tears from my eyes.
“Oh, you stupid, stupid man.”
He comes at me, but I wag my finger at him.
“Uh-uh. You’re in enough trouble as it is. You think having a family of assassins is bad? I just bonded into a family of serial killers.”
He stares at me.
“Oh…you didn’t realise there were that many?”
He blinks. “You’re lying. Sanderson is the killer. And the omega shit you shacked up with. The others are just family.”
I laugh harder.
This is fun. I love the panic.
“You are all smoke and mirrors, aren’t you? People think you’re all-knowing and all-dangerous, but you’re not. You are just an average, boring, plain, alpha with nothing going for you but that you can lie convincingly and beat up children. Just a bully who looks powerful but is old and scared.”
I bite my lip, thoroughly enjoying myself.
“I’m really not lying. And they are a hell of a lot more dangerous than you. Rot in pieces, Alpha. I promise, it’s going to suck for you.”
He stares at me, his eyes widening. “No, you can’t be part of them. Why would they take you? You’re just…”
I grin. “I am just one of them. For now and always. You created a monster; now you’re going to have to pay the price.”
The lights go out, and the entire world feels like it holds its breath.
Except for me. I breathe easily knowing that they are here.
I can feel it through my bonds that tingle and then vibrate with energy.
My pack are alive, and they are here…for me.