Chapter 33 #3
Krys’s anger surfaced like lava from a volcano. “Why didn’t I pick up on something about that woman? I’m always a good judge of character.”
“Abusers don’t wear signs on their foreheads. I searched her background, but I should’ve spoken with neighbors or people she worked with to learn about her character.”
Krys backed up against the wall and crossed his arms. “She’ll never trust me again. She’ll never trust anyone.”
Tak gripped his shoulder. “You found her. She could’ve been lost forever.”
“Two days was enough. Two days was a lifetime.”
Tak backed up to the opposite wall and crossed his arms. “There was a man in my tribe whose young son had a riding accident. He let him on the horse alone, and the boy fell off when something spooked the animal. The child suffered a brain injury he never fully recovered from. His father blamed himself and wasn’t the same man we once knew.
More importantly, he wasn’t the same father the boy once knew.
He became bitter and angry and refused to see the small accomplishments his child made.
That man thought he lost his son that day, but he didn’t.
The son lost his father.” Tak stepped forward.
“You’re shouldering the blame for no reason.
Cleo’s home now. But home isn’t enough—we have to be here for her too. ”
Eden headed toward them and met Krys’s eyes. “She’s asking for you.”
Krys branched away and stormed into Cleo’s bedroom. He expected to find her beneath the bed, crying.
Instead, he walked in to see her sitting against the headboard with Virgil cuddled at her feet. Virgil’s tail flapped when he spotted him.
“Eden said you needed me for something?”
Cleo picked at her fingernail. “Nothing in particular. I just wondered if you felt like watching a movie or something. I can’t sleep. No big deal if you’re tired.”
“Sure, kid. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.” He crossed the room to the opposite side of the bed and got comfortable. On the TV screen was an ominous shot of a dragon emerging from the clouds.
Cleo adjusted her pillow and scooted closer.
It broke his heart. Now that he knew more about her mother, it was likely Cleo had never been cuddled or loved on like every kid deserved. That might explain her standoffish nature, but she still craved affection.
Krys wasn’t a demonstrative guy, but he shoved those bullshit insecurities aside and put his arm around her. The moment he did, she curled against him.
In that instant, Krys vowed he would never deny her a hug or a ride on his back, no matter how big she got.
He would never tell her she was too old to be tucked in.
Maybe if his parents had shown him an ounce of love or compassion when he was released, he might be a different man. With Cleo, there was still time.
He wanted to kiss the top of her head and express how sorry he was, how he would always protect her. And yeah, how he loved her too. But maybe that was overkill all at once. Right now, she just wanted a movie.
The warrior brandished his sword at the dragon, who then opened his enormous jaws and incinerated him with a wall of fire.
Krys swept his hair away from his face. “Nobody tells you surviving is an uphill battle. What you’ve been through… It’s not something you can switch off with a snap of your fingers. I can help you cope.”
“With your upbeat personality?” she quipped.
That made him smile. “Yeah, maybe I’m not the best person to ask for advice. I lost most of my childhood and shoved my feelings into a box so I didn’t have to deal with them. That hasn’t worked out so great. We’ll figure it out together. What do you think?”
She looked up at him. “Like two dragonslayers?”
He tapped her nose. “Exactly.”
Cleo turned her attention to the movie again. “Do you think dragon Shifters existed?”
He considered it. Nothing was beyond possibility. “I don’t know, kid, but if they did, they’re not around now. It would be the biggest news story on TV. You can’t hide a dragon, and our animals don’t like to be locked inside.”
“I bet if they did, they all died in human form. That’s why we haven’t found their bones.
It’s probably easier to kill the man than the dragon.
” She fell silent for a beat. “Uncle Virgil and Aunt Quinn are crossbreeds, and they’re the nicest people.
I don’t think I have any Chitah powers, but I’m still a crossbreed, right? ”
“You’re even cooler because you’re a hybrid Shifter. That makes you extra special.”
While it also meant she was extra vulnerable, he would teach her how to defend herself and learn street smarts. Cleo was bright, and she might’ve outwitted those Vampires on her own.
Virgil’s wolf flipped onto his back and squirmed with his legs in the air.
“Taz!” Cleo exclaimed, her tone laced with humor. “Cut that out. I can’t see the TV! You’re such a weirdo.”
Virgil groaned and gave her a silly look, tongue hanging out. It was what Krys loved about him. His ability to enjoy life and laugh, his eagerness to spread that happiness to others. Krys often wondered if Virgil’s admirable qualities would rub off on him.
He hoped.