Page 107 of Poison's Kiss
I'm still partially in his lap, as he takes back over the pedals, and I feel my stomach try to come up in my throat as he slingshots us around a curve, making me cling to him to keep from flopping around in the car.
"How did you fight that?" he asks as we round another deadly curve. "I could barely breathe. That wasn't a human witch's power; that was a spirit's force. You shouldn't be able to withstand or overcome something like that."
He almost sounds panicked right now. If that little bit of extra power scares him, he can never understand who I really am.
"And you said you wouldn't freak out over all my secrets, yet here you are freaking out over something as simple as fighting off a holding power."
"A crushing power, Alyssa. Not a holding power. You hardly even stumbled. I felt my chest caving in on me. I'm not freaking out, I'm just shocked. Possibly a little impressed. More than anything, I'm scared to damn death about how close I just came to having to watch a spirit rip you to shreds."
I frown as I lean into him. "Drackus would save me before she could do it. Either him or Mom would. I need to call him."
The car skids to a halt, and his arm wraps around me to keep me from flying through the windshield as the tires screech out their agony.
"He's your father," Kane says in a barely audible whisper.
I suppose I gave it away just then with the way I spoke. I turn to face his wide-eyed face, and I nod just the slightest bit to confirm his fears. His head drops back, and I climb over into the passenger seat and fasten my seatbelt as he puts the car back in gear and speeds away.
"It all makes so much more sense now. That's what you've been afraid to tell me. That's why you're involved with so many dark. And that's why he came to save you from Castine. Holy shit."
"Kane, I know you're probably terrified of me right now, and I know you more than likely want me out of your life, but you can't tell anyone about this. His enemies would use me as a bargaining chip. The things they would do-"
"Alyssa! Damn it! I'm not going to say a fucking thing, and I can't believe you think I would."
I slink back, feeling a little scolded. A tear slips free from my eye as we slide into the hotel parking lot. I start to get out, but he jerks me to him, pulling me into his lap before his lips find mine.
I'm shocked by the fiery kiss, considering that's the last thing I ever expected from him again. More of my tears fall, and he collects them with his thumb as he pulls back, leaving me breathless.
"I don't want you out of my life... ever. I'm not scared of you at all. I'm pretty fucking scared of your dad, but that's a typical guy reaction to any girl's dad."
I start laughing through my sniffling, and he pulls me to him, letting my head rest on his chest as he kisses me through my hair.
"Absolutely no one from my coven will ever hear about this from me. I assume Dray knows."
I nod, flinching lightly. "He made a deal with Drackus to keep an eye on me as long as my father didn't touch you. He was a little pissed when he thought you were playing games with your prey."
Kane swallows hard, nodding at nothing in particular. "That all makes so much more sense now as well. Dray jumped my ass every time I said something to you. He was worried I would go too far, I suppose, and then you would tell your father to just do it."
"I'd never-"
"I know, but Dray doesn't know you like I do. I wish you had trusted me with this, Alyssa."
"I haven't ever trusted anyone with this. Mom told Frankie and some of her people, and Dad told some of his most trusted group. This is the closest I've ever come to telling anyone."
"How did you keep this a secret? Everyone knew Drackus and Calypso had a daughter. How did you keep them from finding out it was you?"
Steadying my breath, I answer, "Mom prepared for that. She knew the day would come where she might have to fake my death, but she planned on raising her daughter. So, when she learned she was pregnant, she and Drackus told the councils they were separated. A few months later, she announced she was pregnant. She made herself look like a total slut when she told them she didn't know the guy's name.
"She named that child Alyssa Coldwell on paper, but no one ever met me. Then she returned home to be with my dad. After she had me, she announced another pregnancy - a false pregnancy. Airis Devall was the child everyone knew Drackus to have. My dad still calls me that name.
"The councils got restless when they weren't allowed to meet me. It's only mandated that a child born from immortals be registered, not seen. Mom had been right to be suspicious about all the enemies that might come out and seek justice by using me against them. I spent almost ten years confined to the house, never going anywhere.
"Then Mom left Drackus; said she couldn't do it anymore. He's not exactly the nicest guy, as you're well aware. We moved in with one of my mother's best friends, Shay, and she trusted only her with our secret. The rest of the coven knew me as the first daughter, Alyssa. Aunt Hilly came to visit some, but no one else. I became Alyssa Coldwell, and Airis Devall stayed with Drackus... so to speak.
"Early on, at the age of ten, shortly after my parents' true separation, an opportunity presented itself to kill Airis Devall forever. I was attacked, but it was a young, weak night stalker. At ten, I killed him myself. But no one knew, and Airis Devall had the chance to die.
"At seventeen, Alyssa Coldwell almost died as well. A night stalker had been tipped off. Someone told him I was a witch, and he hunted me until he found his chance to strike, and it was brutal. Any other mortal witch would have probably died, but the strength my parents' blood offered gave me the extra time I needed to be saved.
"Mom disguised the scar with Aunt Hilly's help. No one knew about the attack or how close I came to dying. Then Alyssa lived on, and Drackus never even came to check on me.
