Page 48 of Dark Master's Redemption

“I forgive you, you know,” I say as I watch both my parents, “for keeping all this from me. I was furious, at first, and felt betrayed by all the secrets. But knowing what I do now, of everything you’ve done for the Dark Fae and for me, and all the insane stakes you’ve been up against with King Bellari and the Gold Eyes… I don’t feel angry anymore. It still feels strange, viewing my entire childhood in such a vastly different light. I’m not furious with you anymore, though. I just need more space to digest it. And probably more talks, once things settle a bit.”

“And you shall have them.” My mother takes my hand, gripping it tightly as her dark eyes shine. “Anything you need, cara mia, we are there for you.”

“No secrets, not anymore.” My father smiles at me, sad, but with such love as I feel it beam from him. “You are a woman grown, with powerful magic that we must now help mature. For only by knowledge and stronger power will you be kept safe now. Which we will help with, in any way we can.”

“I don’t want you two in the line of fire when shit goes down. Not with the Vampire Council, or King Bellari, or Staphylogenes.” My heart grips, fearing to lose them.

“We are fighters of old, Ariana. Battle is what we do,” my mother says stalwartly as she squeezes my hand. “Your father and I have been in this war for centuries, figlia mia. We will not abandon it and leave you unprotected. For you mean more to us than anything. We will fight for that, and for you—no matter how dire things get.”

Incredible love swells up in me then, as I feel my parent’s love and support. Though a part of me still fears for them, I know they’re right; they’ve been accomplished warriors for centuries before I ever came along, and they will not abandon their principles and this battle no matter what I say.

They love me; I feel it shining from both of them now as their gold and silver magic flickers in the air. As mine rises also, it sings around me subtly now, with the ephemeral chimes of the Music. Both my parents inhale, my mother smiling sweetly now as my father gets a faraway smile to hear it. As something in them both softens, I see firsthand how deeply soothing and convincing the Music can be to a regular Fae.

As they close their eyes now, listening to it in the night.

“Such a tremendous magic.” My mother sighs as her eyes open. Their dark depths shine, beaming at me. “Even though it was not our choice for you, your father and I approve of the mates you have bonded, Ariana. For in Valerio Incendari and Lucca Bellari lay power and purpose just as strong as yours. Ever you sought the truth of things, as per your own underlying nature as the bloodline of House Altvie, the House of Shadow Truth. Now, you are with two men who seek the truth at all costs, just like you—one with his head, and the other with his heart. Keep them close, cara mia. For in them, lay the key to upending the Gold Eyes’ purpose for you. I’m sure of it.”

“I hope so,” I say, as a deep strength yet fear takes my heart. The deepest part of me, the part that knows the truth in all things and seeks it out relentlessly, knows my mother is right, though. That part of me sings like a bell inside me now.

As the Music brightens tenfold, chiming all around us in the night.

I don’t know where it leaves us, as I feel our long talk come to a close. Just before I’m about to rise, my mother does it for me. She comes to me, raising me up from the settee by my hands.

And wraps her arms around me.

My father comes into that loving embrace, surrounding us both with his strong arms as my mother holds me. I feel their love, so purposeful and so strong as we come together as a family now, in truth.

Whatever happens now, whatever comes next, I know they’re with me. It’s an incredible feeling, as the Music rises in me once more.

Then sighs out—lost to the beautiful moonlit night.

20

CALL

It’s full dark when I wake to the feel of two people lurking by my bedside. They aren’t Ariana and Lucca; I snap wide awake now with a flare of my dark aura, curling with fire as I bolt upright in bed, ready for an attack.

My response isn’t warranted, however. By the blazing light of my aura, plus a few low lit lamps in the room, I see that Curio and Devina linger by my bedside. As my power flares hard in dark Fae-wings, I’m shocked I didn’t sense them. But I’m no longer bound to them, via the Dark Haven of Florence.

Nor my dark Master’s Kiss.

“Quinn!” Curio is astonished as he’s menaced by my power. “It’s us! Be easy…”

“Forgive me.” I roll my dark magic back, furling my auric wings into my spine as I draw a deep breath. “You startled me.”

“Quinn, the Royal Dark Summer Fae, sleeps even deeper than Quinn, the Vampire Master of Florence did.” Devina gives a small smile now as she comes to sit on the edge of the bed. She ripples her long, ultra red nails over the white coverlet, giving me a knowing eyeball. “But then, you never were a Vampire.”

“Which you both knew all along.” I push up to a full seat in bed now, scooting back against the pillows and settling the covers down around my naked hips as I watch them. “And you never told me—either of you.”

“We had to keep it a secret, Quinn.” Curio has the same fortitude Devi had yesterday. Though his winter winds around me are brisk, his expression is deadly serious. “You had too many dealings with the Vampire Council, and other high-level Master Vampires we Dark Fae don’t trust. If we’d told you what you were, you would have experimented with it, fiddling with your Light to see what it could still do, like you’re prone to. Those in power would have seen what you were doing and realized what you were—then what we were. We couldn’t take that risk.”

“True.” I know Curio speaks sense, even as he explains why he and Devi hid what they were from me for ages. It still doesn’t help the feeling of betrayal inside me as I watch them, not quite knowing who they are now. It’s the reason my power jolted me out of sleep just now.

Because it doesn’t recognize them anymore.

“You’re stewing, Quinn. Be reasonable.” Devi is succinct, always able to read my mood. It’s part of why she was my second-in-command for so very long. “If we had told you what was going on, it would have put the entire Dark Haven at risk, as well as our Dark Fae operations. None of us could have that.”

“I respect that you both had the best interests of the Dark Haven in mind,” I say, though I can’t help how cold my tone sounds.

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