Page 75 of Touch Of Fate
“What kind of information?” I ask as I swing it open.
“She knew my dad.” He smiles and looks behind me. “Can I come in?”
“Tell me how first?” I insist, keeping my body in the opening. He sighs, and I narrow my eyes.
“Shit,” he whispers, and I tilt my head. “She killed my father.” His arm shoots out, his hand wrapping around my neck, and he shoves me back. I’m too shocked to do anything but move with him. He slams the door, and I clench my fingers around his arm. No. His shirt is white. “I tried to do this the easy way. I was nice. If you had taken me up on my offer on the tour, we could have talked more civilly.” He pushes quickly, and my feet can’t keep up. He doesn’t stop until my back is pressed to the wall. “Your bitch of a mother took my dad from me.”
“No.” I can’t breathe; his grip is too tight.
“Yes. She refused to use her magic to heal him. My dad was desperate to stay with his wife and son. Your mom couldn’t break her rules just once. One time, she could have saved a life on command. Witches are selfish creatures, and I wanted to kill you in memory of my dad. When I met you, I thought you could be different. You seemed kind, and you liked me. I decided to wait, feel you out, and maybe I could have you on my side.” He leans forward, his teeth gritted. “You would have gone out with me if he hadn’t shown up. What is Rome?”
“Please,” I whisper, clawing at his skin. My mind is scrambled, my shock has frozen my spells. I can’t focus on my intention. All I can see is my mom’s face and his dad being the man in her memories. His dad killed my mom. My poor mom.
“He wasn’t a bad guy. My mom didn’t listen. He loved her and me. I wanted to be just like him. He came home with blood on his hands and told me everything. He didn’t deserve her heartlessness.” He grabs his hair with his free hand. “I couldn’t believe there were witches in the world and they didn’t share their gifts. I needed you to be different. I watched you for weeks.” My walls crumble, and I feel all his pain. He watched his dad hit his mom. He learned how to treat a woman from his father, and it tainted him. I see him with other women, using them in horrible ways. He strives to be exactly like his father.“What is your gift? Why do you wear gloves? You can’t touch, can you? I studied you every time I came to the store.”
“Cameron,” I plead, and he eases his grip slightly.
“Tell me,” he demands, releasing his hair and slapping his hand against the wall by my head.
“My mom was innocent,” I cry, and I feel the sting of his palm on his girlfriend. He abuses the women he dates.
“No,” he yells. “She didn’t save him.”
“She couldn’t save your dad. He didn’t deserve it,” I hiss, and his eyes swirl dangerously.
“I watched him wither away. I took care of him in his last days. My mom was fucking happy. That bitch couldn’t care less that he was dying,” he screeches. I see his mom's face as he killed her.
“You stabbed her,” I whimper.
“Fuck yeah, I did.” He leans close to my ear. “I loved hearing her cries.”
“Sick.” Cameron smiled as he slid the knife into his mom's stomach. He left her bleeding on the floor. He changed his name and his appearance. He attended college and secured a job at the university. No one knew he was a monster underneath. “How did you find me?”
“It took time. I had to cover up my past before I could concentrate on finding her children. The house was empty when I found it. I had to track you down.” He rubs his cheek against mine. “When I saw you, I thought I could get past what she did, if only you could love me. But you hardly looked at me. I thought you were shy at first, so I persisted. The man who held you so close showed me how wrong I was.” His fury overflowed when he met Rome. I couldn’t foresee any of his evil. I thought he was a good guy. Rome’s family sensed his intentions, but I didn’t listen. “If only you loved me. Your gift would become mine.”
“Never,” I groan as his fingers flex. I try to push his emotions away but fail.
“I need you,” he growls, and a vision of him at the doctor flashes. He’s sick. He has taken after his dad. “You have to heal me.” That is why he isn’t going to kill me. He thought I could heal him.
“I can’t.”
“You have to. Now. I will kill you if you don’t.”
“I’m not like my mom.” Fuck, I have to center myself. Visions of my poor mom and Cameron's life won’t let me.
“Don’t lie,” he shouts, pounding the wall with his fist. “You are a liar. Just like her. She ruined my life.” He looks at the side door.
“Mara, what’s—” Lace freezes in the doorway.
“No.” She has to leave.
“What the fuck? Let go of her.” Lace runs toward us. Before she can grab his arm, Cameron backhands her, and she falls to the floor.
“No. Lace.” Fury pounds through me. “No. Don’t touch my sister.” I lift my arms, bend my elbows, and yank down on top of his. When he stumbles back, I pull my arm back and punch the center of his chest. Fire in the shape of my fist erupts on his shirt, quickly burning the fabric. “Keep your hands off of her,” I growl, my spells threading through my voice. Holding my hands in front of me, I make his feet skid across the floor as my magic surrounds him, forcing him away. Thunder cracks, and the elements add to my power.
“Mara.” Rome appears in the open door, and his power fills the room. Cameron falls to his knees. “There is a handprint on your neck.” All the windows fly open, and wind swirls through the house. He moves into the room and waves his hand toward Cameron. My owl is hovering on the table outside the door, his movements agitated.
“Fuck,” Cameron hisses and clutches his twisted arm to his chest. “What are you?” Archer runs to where Lace is lying.
