Page 116 of Enzo

“Thank you, brother-in-law. At least someone understands.”

Marley places her water down on the island and leans forward on her elbows.

“I got your back, little sister.”

I hold out my fist and Marley bumps hers against mine. Ever since the morning we cooked breakfast together, Marley has been my partner. The kid adores me, and I have to admit she’s grown to be one of my favorite people, too.

When we turn to look at Michaela, she’s shaking her head at the two of us.

“I don’t know why I thought you’d actually be on my side on this. It’s clear you are no help.” She goes into the kitchen and grabs a water bottle before slamming the fridge door.

“Welp, that’s my cue to go shower. The grown-ups are fussing.” Marley mouths sorry before quickly making her escape.

This isn’t anything new. The last week or so, Michaela seems to pick fights with me over everything. This morning over breakfast, I was chewing too loud. Last night before bed, I was moving too much. For as hard as I’ve been trying to make this work, she’s been working just as hard to show that it’s not.

“You can’t be a role model for her if you’re always going to agree with her. That isn’t how this works. You’re supposed to behelping me.” She slams the water bottle down on the counter. “And why the fuck is it so hot in this damn house?”

I watch her closely, wondering why she’s so aggravated lately. Her brow is pinched, and her body glistens with sweat. She’s wearing her usual gear of her long sleeve fitted jacket and tights. She pulled her curly hair up in a high pony. I’m finally seeing something is off.

“You want to talk about it?” I ask, instead of returning her hostility.

She runs her hand over her forehead, back to her ponytail. “She’s not taking it seriously. It’s like she doesn’t understand the importance of this.”

“She’s seventeen. Nothing is serious but boys and being liked. Don’t you remember what it was like to be seventeen?”

She rolls her eyes. “When I was seventeen, I was in the academy and on my way to be part of the legion. Before I turned eighteen, I’d already had an extensive kill list under my belt.”

The more I hear about her and her childhood, the more I understand why she is the way she is.

“Okay, so maybe you don’t understand.” I stand from my stool and make my way over to her. This constant desire to touch her is driving me crazy. I pull her arm, causing her to turn and face me. “Because of you, she won’t experience the things that you did. She gets to be a normal seventeen-year-old. Be patient with her.”

“I’m trying,” she says, shaking her head. “But we don’t have much time.”

That last sentence catches me off guard. “Time for what?”

Her body stiffens, and she looks away from me. “Just time in general,” she says, picking up her water bottle. “Her gift is rare. Not the rarest, but still rare. She needs to be able to control it.”

This gives me a chance to ask a question that I’ve been dying to hear about since the day she told us about Marley’s gift.

“Tell me about these vampire gifts?”

She looks up at me, squinting her eyes. I guess from her point of view this would give the enemy secrets about her kind. I can understand her reservations, but we still need to know.

She sighs. “They’re not much different from your gifts. It’s power left over by the fey. The same way Chayton has the gift of talking to the trees, Marley has her gift.”

I rub my beard. It’s making sense. I have the gift of a fighter. Doesn’t sound as fancy as talking to the trees. But my body is created to be a fighter. I’m faster, bulkier, have a better sense of smell, and stronger than most wolves. Alarick and Torak have the same ability.

“How many gifts do the vampires have?”

She once again looks as if she’s battling telling me the truth. “Six, but three of them are rare. Compulsion is the most common. It’s the ability to make people do what you want them to do.”

I grimace at that. I don’t think I’m a fan of that power. Especially not by a vampire.

“Don’t worry,” she says. “You’re a werewolf. Most of the vampires you come across won’t be able to use those gifts on you. There are levels to the power. It would take a very skilled master of compulsion to get your wolf to heal.”

“Okay, so compulsion. What else?”

“Psychokinesis, which is the ability to move things with your mind. My mother has that. Wind benders can control the wind and air around us. You know empaths. And Sifters.”

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