Page 37 of Exes, Hexes, and Strategy
He’s still alive. Words that instantly sent Rafe’s mood spiraling. “How?” he snarled, and then, with a quick glance at Nina, he held up his hand and shook his head. “Not here.” He didn’t know if people dreamed when they were in transition, but if they did, he didn’t want to be responsible for giving Nina a nightmare.
Morgan nodded. “Let’s go,” and then to Cam, “You’ll stay with her?”
Only once the angel nodded and took a seat next to the bed did they depart.
“Kane needs to talk to you anyway,” Morgan told him as they left the room. “And if I know him, he’s in the dining hall doing his damnedest to deplete our food supplies.”
Normally, Rafe would have chuckled at such a statement. Kane Fletcher always seemed to be eating – or getting ready to eat – but tonight, the question of his father’s survival loomed dark and heavy, suffocating any sense of humor.
“How?” Rafe asked again. And in case she misunderstood, “How did he survive? I shot him in the head.”
“You did. Excellent shot by the way, but your father is old enough where only decapitation would have caused death.”
As long as Vincent DeMarco was alive, he was a threat to Nina. Next time, Rafe would be sure to bring a goddamn sword – or maybe an ax.
As if she’d read Rafe’s bloodthirsty thoughts, Morgan slowed and placed a staying hand on his arm. “You can’t kill him.”
“Like hell!”
She shook her head and stopped walking altogether, her fingers tightening on Rafe’s sleeve. “He came into this territory without invitation and with the intent to hurt someone under Fletcher’s protection. It was a declaration of war – a death sentence – but that sentence will be carried out by Kane.”
He hadn’t thought of that. Granted, he’d been too consumed with Nina’s safety to think of much of anything else, but it was true. His father had broken a fundamental rule. No Born could trespass in another Born’s territory without permission or it would be considered an act of war. The only exception to that rule was held by the Hunters who needed free access to do their jobs.
His father was as good as dead, and it no longer mattered that it wouldn’t be Rafe who delivered the killing blow. It was funny, even just recently, he’d been determined to be the one who ended Vincent DeMarco – to remove the threat to Nina – but after coming so close to losing her, watching her bleed out in front of him, he realized it no longer mattered who killed the Born, or in what manner, as long as the deed was done, and his Nina was safe.
“Come on. Let’s go talk to Kane.”
Nodding, Rafe fell into step beside her, and they walked the rest of the way in silence.
The dining hall was surprisingly empty, and he realized that most of the students and staff were still out on the mock hunt, others partying it up on Bourbon Street. Christ. Was it still the same night? It felt as if weeks had passed rather than hours.
Kane raised his hand, waving them over. As Morgan had predicted, the table in front of him was laden with enough food to feed an army and he was currently working his way through a massive piece of what looked like coconut cream pie.
“One of the benefits of being an adult is I get to eat dessert first,” Kane said with a smile as they joined him.
Waving to the food, he added, “Help yourselves, I can always get more.”
Morgan snorted. “Like you need more.”
The grin the Born shot back was positively mischievous. “I’m a growing boy,” and then turning to Rafe, “How’s your girl?”
Rafe nodded. “According to Morgan, her transition is progressing perfectly.”
“Good, good,” Kane uttered before his eyes flicked down to Rafe’s fingers which were drumming impatiently on the table. “She going to be pissed we Turned her?”
He stilled his tapping, brought up short by the question. Honestly, he didn’t know. They’d never discussed it because both of them had known Turning a witch was forbidden. But, knowing Nina, she’d be grateful to be alive. She had things she wanted to do with her life, plans, dreams. Clearing his throat, he said, “She’s strong, she’ll adjust.” And Rafe would be there, every step of the way to support her.
“No doubt,” Kane replied thoughtfully. “And no doubt you’re eager to get back to her.” Pushing his plate away, he added, “So let’s get right to it.”
Steepling his fingers on the table, Kane said, “I have your father in custody and under constant surveillance. He will stand trial once he’s recovered enough from the gunshot wound to do so. The sentence will be death, but the injury he sustained tonight was bad enough that the healing might take months. I’m not someone who can cut a man down when currently, he’s a drooling vegetable incapable of speech much less understanding the charges against him.”
Rafe nodded. “I understand.” And he did. He hated the monster who sired him, but even he drew the line at that.
“Do you want to see him?”
“No,” Rafe answered without hesitation. If he’d ever felt a shred of affection for Vincent DeMarco, it had withered and died the moment the man who sired him had laid a whip across Rafe’s back. Any sense of obligation he might have since carried had disappeared when the Born had taken Nina. The only thing he felt now, was gratitude that the man was out of his and Nina’s lives forever.
Kane nodded, not bothering to attempt to change Rafe’s mind.
