Page 5 of Shattered Illusion

They may have been in the wrong for lying to me my whole life, but I still love them, and I would regret not having a small piece of them with me in my next life.

With nothing else left to do or pack, I know it’s time I resigned myself to my fate. I suck in a deep, steadying breath of air, square my shoulders, unlock the door, and throw it open, ready to barrel my way into the next chapter of my life.

A shriek escapesme as I stop myself in time from running Dad over, who looks equally as stunned with his fist poised to knock on my door again. My eyes trace over his features, looking for any sign, just the slightest clue of how I never noticed we weren’t related, but I don’t see anything that screams we aren’t bound by blood. His eyes are green, much like mine, and Mom has black hair, so I always thought I was just a mismatch between them. But now, with my snow-white hair and obvious markings all over my body, we look nothing alike.

“Bails,” he breathes, roaming over my new features. He shakes himself out of his stupor and opens his arms for me, hope shining in his eyes that I’ll give in. I want to so badly, but the hurt coursing through me overshadows the want of safety I’d find in his arms. He must see it loud and clear on my face as his arms drop back down to his sides. “Your mom and I would like a chance to explain. We know you don’t owe it to us after everything that happened today, but if you could at least sit down and listen, we would appreciate it.”

Do I want to know what they have to say? I do, but I don’t know if I have the mental capacity to listen to any excuses they might have. But I need something to pass the time until whoever is picking me up shows up. I might not have given anyone my address, but all humans are registered in the sectors, so they can easily find where I live.

I give a short nod of agreement, even as everything in me screams not to listen. Dad reaches out for my bags, but I take a step back. I don’t want any help with my stuff. I can do this myself.

Dad reluctantly spins on his heel and heads back toward the living room, where I can hear Mom sniffling. I follow slowly, hoping the person shows up soon so I don’t have to listen to the whole story. Maybe one day I’ll be able to forgive them for lying to me for twenty-one years, but today is not the day.

Mom straightens up the moment she sees me, and a stab of guilt hits me straight in the heart as I take in her puffy, red-rimmed blue eyes and pink nose. This is hurting her as much as it’s hurting me. She knows how much I abhor liars, so she has a pretty good idea of the hatred coursing through me right now.

Before joining her on the gray suede couch, I head toward the front door and haphazardly pile my bags on the floor. A strangled sob comes from behind me, quickly covered up with a cough. Even she knows this is pretty much it for me.Shit.I spin on my heel after snatching my purse and head to the bathroom, throwing my toiletries on top of everything else I have inside.

That would have been horrible if I had forgotten my damn toothbrush. No one wants stinky breath, and with the advanced senses of supernaturals, they’d be able to tell in a heartbeat.

Returning to the front door, I drop my purse with everything else and make my way back toward the couch. Mom pats the seat beside her, but I know if I get too close, I’ll break again, and I just can’t do that. I need to be strong for this conversation andthe next steps I’ll need to take. I plop myself down in a heap the furthest I can get away from her and draw my knees up to my chest, hoping it’s enough of a shield to guard me against the hurt rolling off my parents.

My eyes dart to the Christmas tree in the corner of the room, with wrapped presents underneath. Presents we are supposed to open as a family in four day. Not like that’s happening anymore.

“I…I know we have a lot to explain and not a lot of time,” Dad starts, bringing my attention back to them and taking the spot next to Mom where she wanted me to sit. “You have every right to be upset with us because we lied to you, but we were hoping it wouldn’t come to this.”

“I think upset is putting it mildly,” I mumble, wrapping my quivering arms around my legs.

Dad shoots me his ‘don’t interrupt me’ look, and I raise a brow incredulously. I think I have every right to interrupt if I want to.

He shakes his head, then opens his mouth to continue. “Your mom and I tried for a few years to have a child, but unfortunately, it wasn’t written in the stars for us. But we knew we had so much love to give, so we opened our hearts to adopt?—”

Three loud knocks cut off his words, and Dad growls under his breath. I stifle a giggle. Dad HATES being interrupted, hence the look he shot at me earlier.

He mutters quiet obscenities as he heads for the door, then throws it open, only to take a step back, his whole body stiffening. This must be whoever is picking me up.

Humans always have an innate sense of when a predator enters the room. Every atom of their being screams at them to run away. I must not be that scary of a supernatural since they don’t seem to act that way around me. Suits me just fine. I don’t want to be the biggest and the baddest. Hell, I don’t want to be one at all, but being human obviously wasn’t in the cards for me.

“Hello, Mr. Matthews. My name is Axel Pennington, and I’m here to pick up Miss Bailey and take her to Stonewell Academy in Faridity,” a silky, smooth voice calls from the front door, sending a delicious shiver down my spine.

Damn, Mr. Pennington, don’t you sound sexy as fuck.

Shit, Bailey, stop it. He’s a supernatural, and you don’t think about them that way.

Well… I guess I could start. After all, it’s not like humans want to date a super anyway.

This whole new mindset is going to take some getting used to. Baby steps.

“Of course,” Dad says gruffly. “She’s right in here.” Dad returns to the living room but stops when Axel remains at the doorway.

“I apologize, Mr. Matthews, but I need permission to enter. You may revoke it once we leave.” Hmmm, so that must mean Axel is a vampire.

“Sure. Please come in, Mr. Pennington.” Dad steps off to the side and holds his arm out in invitation.

Like a cloud floating a breeze, Axel glides into the house, making a beeline straight for me. I don’t feel the same predator vibes Dad must have, so I drop my feet to the floor and straighten up a bit, not wanting to look like a slouch.

Axel is the epitome of otherworldly beauty. Where the guy from earlier had a brutal god-like beauty to him, Axel has more of a pretty beauty. But I would never tell him that out loud. He could rip my throat out in a heartbeat if I called him pretty. Golden blond hair is pulled into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck, highlighting his sharp cheekbones, straight nose, and pointed chin.

Even sitting on the couch, I can tell he would still tower over me, but it’s his bright red eyes that really do me in. It’s one of the most significant telltale signs of a vampire, but it makes methink he has a glamour on if Dad didn’t notice when he spoke to him at the door.

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