Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Joseph stroked Meadow’s back while Laurie stroked her hair and cheek, and he burned to know who or what had made her cry. It was something in her past, no doubt. Some person or more had made her feel unworthy or lesser, and he didn’t like it.
However, in this moment, Meadow merely needed to let out her emotions. She’d kept them bottled up, probably for years, and if all he and Laurie could do right now was hold and comfort her, then it was enough.
Eventually her sobs quieted, and she leaned more heavily against Joseph’s chest. Laurie stroked her hair back from her face before pressing his cheek to hers. Joseph tightened his arm around Meadow’s waist, and they both remained quiet while also letting her know they were there for her.
After another minute or two, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” Joseph asked.
She avoided looking at either of them. “For crying all over you. That’s probably not what you expected from the female who blooded you.”
Laurie wrapped his arm over Joseph’s and around Meadow until she was being held closely between them. He asked, “Do you feel a little better now?”
“Er, I guess so.”
“Then that makes me happy. How about you, Joseph?”
Joseph lifted his free hand and gently took Meadow’s chin between his fingers.
Her eyes finally met his, and he hated the embarrassment there.
Taking a chance, he kissed her forehead.
When she didn’t tense or pull away, he did it again before leaning back and saying, “We always want you to be honest with us. I’m sure you’ll call us out on things, and we might not like it and get grumpy, but everyone needs others to hold them accountable sometimes.
Especially with three people, communication will be important. ”
She glanced at Laurie and then back at Joseph. “Since when do males want to talk and be open? They’ve never liked it before, in my experience.”
He grunted. “Then they were probably insecure arseholes who wanted someone in their bed and not a true partner.”
She glanced down again. “Maybe.”
There was more to that single word, but Joseph didn’t want to push too far too fast. So he focused back on his point.
“And when it comes to honesty, we want you to feel comfortable being yourself. We all have good, bad, and ugly pieces, and sharing them can help you become more comfortable with yourself, others, and the world. I know it did for me.”
Laurie nuzzled his cheek against Meadow’s. “It’s true, but also bloody difficult to do when you’re not used to it. It took me years to get Joseph to talk with me, to convince him I wouldn’t betray his trust.”
“You know why, Laurie. I thought for years that someone was looking to kill me.”
“I know, but didn’t you feel better once you told me more?”
He grunted. “Maybe.”
Laurie grinned, and Joseph saw Meadow’s lips twitch from the corner of his eye.
Much better, he thought.
Laurie looked back at Meadow and said, “We mean it, though, that you can tell us anything and we won’t share your secrets. Ever.” He smiled at her. “So if you ever want to share why you cried just now, we’ll listen. It might help, whenever you’re ready to do it.”
One of Meadow’s hands played with the back of Laurie’s hand, and the other traced shapes on Joseph’s chest. Her gaze remained fixed to the side, and she looked lost in thought.
Would she share? He wanted to shout about how she should. After all, sharing with Laurie not long after they’d met had eased something inside him. He’d been embarrassed to cry a little at seventeen, but he’d kept it bottled up so long that it’d been necessary. Thankfully, Laurie hadn’t judged him.
As Meadow fought some internal battle, Joseph merely reveled in holding her, with Laurie next to him, realizing how much he’d missed this.
Having a third person with them, sharing such an important moment, and how he and Laurie banded together to make her feel safe and wanted and to be what she needed.
Eventually Meadow’s voice brought him back to the present. “I’m sure you guys have things to do, though. More important things than listening to me.”
Laurie replied, “We don’t have anything important until tomorrow afternoon. Until then, we’re here for you.”
She continued to play with Joseph’s tie for a few more seconds before saying, “Has my sister shared much about our father?”
Joseph frowned. “Yesenia? A little, but not much. Just enough to let everyone know you could be in danger, and that’s why she was so focused on bringing you to the past.”
Her voice was low, but vampires had supersensitive hearing, so they heard everything.
“My father wanted to be a super successful con artist, or snake oil salesman, or what might you call it here? Someone who uses charm and lies to get money and other things that they want?”
“Charlatan, maybe?” Laurie said.
“That sounds about right. At any rate, he married both my mother and Yesenia’s mother because of their family’s wealth and connections.
Both died young, and when I was older, I heard the rumors about how he’d constantly abused and harassed and belittled them.
My mother burned out on her magic because my father kept pushing her so he didn’t have to work, and eventually she jumped off a building and killed herself. ”
Joseph and Laurie both tightened their hold on Meadow. The thought of her mother’s husband using her to the point she burned out—which was a serious condition for a fae witch—made Joseph want to do some harm. Laurie’s gaze said the same thing.
And Meadow hadn’t even gotten to the part that involved herself.
Calm down, Joseph. She needs support, and anger won’t help anything right now.
He took a deep breath and managed to focus solely on Meadow when she spoke again.
“When my mother died, my father tried to marry again. However, my grandparents and extended family, ones that I’d never met, ensured that the rest of the American fae witch community knew about him and what he did to his wives.
And since he couldn’t remarry to finance his laziness, he took risks and gambled and invested, and got into mountains of debt.
Once Yesenia was deemed defective because they thought she didn’t have any magic, he became obsessed with River and me.
Once we reached adulthood and discovered our own magical abilities, he plotted every way he could make money off them.
Mine, in particular, he wanted to use for power and money and control.
Not just with my magic, but he also wanted to turn me into some sort of master seductress, one who could entice anyone and then subtly control them with my powers. ”
In other words, Meadow’s father had wanted to use her as a fancy prostitute.
Just the thought of any daughter or son of his being made to do that, let alone by his direction, made Joseph want to hit something.
Laurie must’ve sensed his tension because he asked Meadow, “What else did he do? Because he’s the reason you cried, isn’t he? Either his actions, words, or both.”
She bobbed her head. “It was mostly because of him. My first sort-of boyfriend was a jerk, but at least he wasn’t my father.
You know, the guy who was supposed to love and protect me?
No, all he wanted was to turn me into a model-slash-secret-agent who could entice anyone by crooking my finger.
He kept half-starving me, and when I got so hungry I tried to sneak something to eat, he sometimes found me and yelled at me for being a selfish, fat female who wanted to see her father homeless on the streets.
Unless I was thin, I was of no use to him.
” Her voice lowered. “And when you’re eighteen years old, with new magical powers that you’re still trying to figure out, it’s particularly devastating.
Yesenia lived on her own by that point—our father had kicked her out—but when we met up in secret once, I nearly fainted and she heard a little about it.
Within a month, she found me an unofficial mentor, and I went into hiding. ”
The more she revealed, the angrier Joseph got. How could her father do such a thing to his child? Joseph had experienced starvation on the streets a few times when young, especially when he hadn’t had blood for weeks, and her father had forced her to endure it on purpose?
Meadow glanced at him and flinched. Before Joseph could calm himself enough to reply, Laurie did.
“He’s not mad at you, Meadow. Joseph rarely gets so angry he can’t talk and looks thunderous, but if he feels even a fraction of the hatred and disdain I have for your father, then that’s why he looks so upset. ”
Not trusting his temper yet, he merely nodded.
Laurie stroked Meadow’s cheek to get her attention before saying, “Your father, if you can even call him that, is the reason you don’t believe us when we say you’re beautiful, isn’t he?”
Meadow glanced away, the action confirming it.
Joseph met Laurie’s eyes, and even though the other male seemed calm on the surface, Joseph could see his inner rage. It was up to them to convince Meadow that her father had been a lying, selfish bastard.
And if she came to Nyx’s Kingdom tomorrow night, they’d start there.
Between crying and reliving memories of her father, Meadow struggled to stay awake.
Especially sitting between Laurie and Joseph, who radiated heat and a sense of safety.
It was strange, considering she barely knew them.
And yet, they hadn’t made fun of her, or dropped comments about how her father had been right, or dismissed her for being too emotional.
No, they were angry on her behalf. Nearly as much as Yesenia had been when Meadow had nearly fainted.
She still didn’t understand why, though. Yes, she had blooded them both. But they couldn’t seriously wish to have her permanently in their lives. Could they?
Before she could think too much about it and drain her remaining energy, Joseph kissed her forehead again. The warmth of his lips made her belly flip, and she almost asked him to kiss her on the mouth.
But he spoke before she could make that mistake. “You look as if you’re about to fall asleep, Meadow. We’ll carry you to your room and put you to bed.”
For a half-second, she thought they’d join her.
However, Laurie added, “To sleep. We can either come back tomorrow, or you can come to Nyx’s Kingdom. Just know that we’re not running away or giving up. Far from it. You’re just exhausted, pet, and need to get some sleep, is all.”
If she were more outgoing, or bolder, or more confident, she’d ask them to stay.
She wasn’t, though, and merely murmured, “I’ll go to Nyx’s Kingdom tomorrow.”
Laurie nuzzled her cheek, and she nearly sighed. The slight bristle of his late-day stubble felt good.
Although was it late for them? Vampires always had weird schedules.
Maybe she should ask.
Then she yawned and struggled to keep her eyes open. She should probably say goodbye soon, or she might ramble and say things she regretted later.
“Bed, please, and we can meet again tomorrow.”
Joseph took her into his lap. Laurie stood, and then scooped her into his arms. She tried to protest, but he merely held her closer and murmured, “You wouldn’t make it up the stairs right now. Now, hush, and let me help you.”
Exhausted, she merely nodded, wrapped her arms around his neck, and laid her head on his shoulder. Even though Laurie was a little shorter and leaner than Joseph, she felt his hard muscles against her side. She wondered if he’d frozen that way or if he’d gotten into shape later. Was that possible?
She really needed to get more information from Yesenia because Meadow didn’t remember enough from her vampire studies.
Laurie’s gait lulled her, and she kept closing her eyes and opening them, determined to be awake when they said goodbye and left.
Eventually, he placed her on a bed—the blanket folded down—and then tucked her in. He brushed the hair from her face and said, “Sweet dreams, beautiful. We’re both looking forward to tomorrow.”
Then Laurie was gone, and Joseph leaned over her. His jaw still looked tense, but he lowered his head and gently kissed her cheek, lingering for a few seconds. A deep longing crashed over her, to have both of them stay and keep her warm.
However, they were gone far too soon, and Meadow finally embraced her exhaustion and dreamed of all the ways visiting Nyx’s Kingdom could go wrong.