Chapter 20 Malec
Malec
“Hi, Mom,” I say as I step into the house. I don’t see her yet, but I can feel her excitement crackling through our bond.
It hits me seconds before it happens.
She was worried. Really worried.
I swallow a chuckle. I hate making her worry—but the way she runs to hug me like I’ve been gone for months? Ridiculous. Every single time.
“My baby!” her voice sings from my right, and just as I predicted, her arms are already around my neck, dragging me down to her height so she can squeeze the life out of me.
She’s making those little noises she used to make when I was a baby—back when she’d squish my cheeks like mochi and call me her “chaos prince.”
“Mom. Do we have to do this every time I go into the ocean?” I grumble, though the smile on my face betrays me. It’s the emotions—when we’re this close, the bond between us hits different. Stronger. Louder.
She pulls back, her turquoise gemstone eyes boring into mine.
“Okay. I’m done.” She exhales dramatically, then raises a single brow. Capo’s wife mode, activated. “What did you find out? You’re back earlier than expected…”
Bay went home to Pedro, which buys me enough time to update Mom before they get back and we’re all pulled into the next mess.
“Is Dad home? I’ll fill you both in.” I scan the wide living room. No sign of Abert, and none of his men are around today either.
“He’s in the office with Mariano. There’s some wedding that’s got them unusually on edge—they’ve been at it since six this morning.” She glances over her shoulder, expecting me to follow as she walks toward the office.
Wedding? I catch up with her.
I really hope it’s not one of those weddings.
I already told my dad what I think about that crap when Aunt Cora’s side in Vegas tried pushing me to marry her cousin’s daughter—Olivia.
No, thanks.
I’m not built for the mafia princess routine. And definitely not for marriage. I’ve got enough souls to feed on.
I’ve sworn to consume souls, not to survive a mafia wife’s nagging.
I don’t need one more to worry about.
The sound of the lock turning clicks in my ear as she opens the office door. She steps inside like we all work for her—shoulders squared, back straight. Even in the cheap T-shirt she’s wearing today, she looks like the royalty she was always meant to be.
But turned Black Blooded… and chose a human.
She puts my dad above all else. And somehow, that just makes me love her even more.
I can feel her emotions changing already—she’s looking at him the way she always has. It took me years as a kid to understand why the love she sends me feels different from what she feels for him.
I don’t even want to go there.
“Dad, I have some updates,” I say, pulling both him and Mariano away from the screen.
They quickly turn, alerted. Dad’s already rising from his desk, stepping toward me.
“You’re back early. What’s wrong?” he asks.
Mariano wastes no time sliding into Dad’s seat, getting comfortable like he owns it. As usual.
Dad eyes me, one brow raised with impatient focus.
He gets the hint fast—or maybe it’s just a dad thing. Maybe both.
“I started with Sur-El city,” I begin, then glance at Mom. “I found out a lot of things I didn’t know… I’ll need to ask you more later.” I let her know, but don’t wait for a response, turning back to Dad.
Suddenly, his office feels much bigger than it should. Like the walls stretched. Or maybe that’s just the heavy worry creeping into my chest.
Is that me… or mom?
“I spoke with Queen Marcella. Her daughter’s missing too,” I say, keeping my tone even. “It’s a long story, but she thinks her daughter was taken to land. She suspects humans are behind the disappearances.”
Mom’s sharp gasp catches me off guard. She rarely breaks composure—especially not in a crisis. Not like this.
I frown as I quickly pull out the pendant the Queen gave me, still faintly glowing, and open my palm for them to see.
“This is tied to her daughter’s powers. The weaker it glows, the more pain and danger she’s in. The brighter it is, the closer she is. It detects her royal bloodline.” I pause for breath. I hadn’t realized how tense I was.
No. It’s not me. Now I’m sure.
“Mom? What’s wrong?” I ask, turning to her. That panic etched into her face, too. She knows something. And she definitely doesn’t like it.
She doesn’t answer. Just turns to Dad and steps closer, her hand reaching for his arm with a kind of vulnerability I’ve never seen from her. It makes my chest clench.
“Myko, what’s going on? Do you know why she’s this shaken? Did Pedro say something?” I reach for him, inhaling slowly to try and ground myself—and to keep Mom’s emotions from spiking mine further.
“Luca…” her voice comes out faint. Unsteady. Worry lines every part of her face now.
“Do you think it’s—”
“No,” Dad cuts in fast, his voice sharp. “It’s not your fault. And even if it’s what you think it is, I’ll take care of it.”
He’s trying to calm her. But I can hear it, rage boiling underneath. Something cracked him, too.
“What are you two talking about?” I ask, jaw tightening.
“Just some wedding talk here,” Myko mutters in my mind.
That damn wedding again?
“Nothing,” Dad snaps. “I’ll bring you in on it later.”
He steps back to his desk, glances at Mariano, and nods. Like they’ve already agreed on something I don’t know about yet.
“You and Pedro are needed. Now I’m sure of it—we’ve got a wedding to attend.” A slow smirk spreads across his face when he glances back at me, trying to mask the fury still bubbling underneath.
That wasn’t an invitation. That was a threat.
The Capo is out of his lair…
And I won’t feel sorry for whoever stands in his way.
I don’t ask questions at this point. I know better.
I just stand tall.
“I’m in.”