Page 258 of Blood & Betrayals

Ashley tilts her head. “Huh. So you guys definitely aren’t identical.”

Zane flips everyone off and rifles through Alice’s pack. He pulls on blue swim trunks and bolts down the beach. Instead of charging for the water, he heads straight for the shiny black jet skis moored on the peninsula.

Rafe grabs a pair of shorts and disappears into the cubicle. He emerges in just the swim trunks, his body littered with bruises and cuts. He spreads the towel out on the sand and sits down with a soft sigh. Luke sits next to him, and I can feel his desire to heal his brother. But it is obvious, for whatever reason, that Rafe is not allowing him to.

Ashley and I choose bikinis from the bag and change in the cubical before returning to the boys. I lay out a towel on the other side of Rafe and sit down.

“I’m going to grab a surfboard,” Connor says, looking longingly at them.

“Kiss first,” I demand.

Connor leans down and kisses me before running off to change. He emerges a few minutes later and jogs down the beach toward the boards.

“I could just heal them a litt—” Luke says, hopefully.

“No,” Rafe growls. He sighs, his tone softer when he says, “Go enjoy the ocean, Luke.”

Zach and Ashley walk toward the water, and Luke follows behind them, looking extremely dejected.

I look at Rafe. “Why do you do that?” I ask.

Rafe sighs again, not looking at me. “What?”

I nod toward Luke. He is standing in the shallow waves, staring out over the water.

A muscle clenches in Rafe’s jaw as he watches Luke. I don’t think he’s going to reply, and I’m about to shift away when he stops me with his words. “I need to feel it, to feel something.” His voice is quiet but hard, and there is such pain in his words.

“I get it,” I say, leaning back on my elbows and watching them all play in the water. Truthfully, Rafe and I aren’t so different. Neither of us belongs in this happy family. Not truly.

“He won’t ever get it,” Rafe says. “I don’t ever want him to.” I follow his gaze to Connor, who has just fallen into the water and is climbing back on his surfboard. His smile is so wide and joyful that I can’t help but smile, too. His happiness is infectious, even this far away.

“There are times I worry that my baggage will affect Connor. He is the sunshine, and I am… the abyss.” The words flow from me freely. Unlocked by Rafe’s similar candor.

“He’d go with you. Into the depths. If you asked.”

My smile falters. “I’d never ask that of him. He’s too good for me. Too bright and full of love.” Connor whoops as he stands up on the board. “I’m not saying this because I want you to make me feel better.” My eyes flick toward Rafe, and I stare at his profile.“I’m saying this so you know that when I say I understand. I truly do.”

Rafe continues to watch Connor, and through his pain, I can see the protective love glowing in his eyes. “I know he’d go for me, too, but he’ll never understand, Summer. Some darknesses swallow even the brightest of lights.”

I look back at Con. “I love your brother, Rafe.”

Rafe nods. “I know. But it’s borrowed time. We’re all on it.”

I frown at Rafe. “What do you mean?”

Rafe finally looks at me. There is an intensity in his eyes I’ve never seen from him before. “There will come a time when we’ll both have to decide. Will you drag everyone down into the darkness with you? Or will you let them go?”

My frown deepens. “I don’t think those are the only options. Or at least, I need to believe there is a third option.”

Rafe laughs bitterly, turning back toward the water. “Let me know if you find it. I haven’t.”

I watch Connor playing with his brothers. The waves are bigger now, and Connor, Zach, and Ashley catch one farther out. Their boards skim the water, sliding into the curl of the wave. As they move closer to the shore, the gloomy light pierces the red wave, revealing the silhouette of an enormous creature. Rafe and I sit bolt upright. “The fuck is that?” Rafe demands. The beast moves within the wave, getting closer to them.

“Connor!” I shout, scrambling to my feet and running toward the ocean. I throw my hand out, opening my extremely clunky runic wheel and sending a shock of power toward the creature. The beast’s head breaches the water, and my blood runs cold when I see the thirty-foot-long sea serpent. It moves beneath them and flicks its tail. I hear Connor yell as he tumbles into the wave. “Connor!” I scream again, sending another bolt of power toward the monster.

Alice emerges from the sea, rage and fear radiating from her in hot waves. Zane is still on the jet ski, trying to support them from the water. Zach dodges the large head as it breaks through the water again. He is only able to do so because Ashley is its current target. It tosses her into the air and disappears beneath the surface when she falls back into the sea. The moment Ashley emerges, Zach grabs her, and they swim to the beach as fast as they can.

Rafe snaps his wings out and launches into the air. He hovers over the waves, searching, and then plunges into the water. I follow his lead and dive into the water to find Connor. It’s not difficult. Connor is unconscious, and the serpent is playing with him like he would a ball. Rafe summons a blade and plunges it into the beast. I throw another wave of power, managing to slice the beast in half.

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