Page 76 of Blood Magic (Ariel Kimber 3)

I talked over him. “Do you or don’t you know who my father is?”

The room was eerily quiet. Alright, so I guess I couldn’t learn. You really couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks. I guess I would never be able to stop myself from blurting out things.

“We have no idea,” Adrian said in a bright voice. “You are a complete mystery to us. We’ve never had someone like you before.”

“Which is why we’ve purchased this place,” the man with the braid said in a sour voice. “We will be staying close to you but not close enough for you to feel like we are taking note of everything you do.”

“We want to figure out where you come from,” Adrian said with the first sincere expression I had seen on his face yet. “You said your fathers name was Rain?” He asked.

I blew out a breath and forced myself to relax. I could let the possible slur against Dash slide, just this once. And only because I wanted to know if they were being honest about my father. But only this once.

“Yes,” I said. “His name is Rain Kimber.”

Adrian tilted his head to the side and studied me. “The last time I had spoke to our dear friend Quinton he failed to mention this to me. Instead, he said you knew nothing about where you came from. And now here you are, claiming to know all about it.”

I sighed. I didn’t want to get Quinton in trouble with these people. Who knew what that would mean.

Now that I’d met them, I didn’t think they were as scary as I had yesterday or on the ride over here. But just because I thought it, didn’t make it true.

“Quinton didn’t know until yesterday,” I told them honestly. This wasn’t a deny kind of moment here. “I only found out about who he is like a week ago. Then with everything going on, there was never a good time to bring it up. I only told them about it yesterday.”

“And how do you all of a sudden know who he is?” Adrian asked in a mildly curious voice.

“I found letters and pictures.”

“Do you happen to have any of those with you now?”

I shook my head. Like I just carried those things around with me wherever I went. Yeah, let me just slip them out of the purse I didn’t have. Sure, buddy, I’ll get right on it.

Again, I wanted to roll my eyes but refrained.

Adrian sat forward in his chair. “Tell me what you read about it the letters.” He demanded.

I sighed and eyeballed the one chair that had been left unoccupied.

“Would you like to take a seat?” Adrian asked in an amused voice.

What a dick.

“Not for me,” I said as I shook off Tyson’s hand. I pointed in Dash’s direction and said, “For Dash. As I’m sure you all know, he’s recovering from multiple stab wounds and it’s rude to make him stand there like that when there’s an open seat available right there for him to sit in.”

“Christ,” Quinton muttered in an irritated voice as some of the Council members let out amused sounding chuckles.

I ignored him and focused solely on Adrian. He sat back in his throne like chair and steepled his hands in front of his chin.

“Of course,” he said in a jovial voice. “Please, Dash, take a seat. We insist.”

“I don’t-” Dash started to protest.

Quinton sighed loudly. “Just go and sit down, Dash,” he said in a tired voice. “She’s not going to give up until you go and sit down. She’s probably the most stubborn person in this room, and that’s saying something. It’s pointless to argue with her.”

My eyes got big. He couldn’t really mean that, could he? He argued with me all the time. And he always won.

Dash took a seat in the empty throne without further argument.

Once his butt was firmly in the seat, Adrian urged me to continue explaining things to him. I gave it all to him. Everything I read about in the letters. About Rain being slightly insane but kind of loving. About Vivian being a dirty kidnapper. They asked me quite a few questions about her and where and how I spent my years growing up with her. I answered all of those questions honestly as well. This was the only part of the conversation that shocked me to my core. I was shocked because they became visibly upset but what I was sharing with them. Their jaws clenched, and their faces pinched in rage. They were upset and angry on my behalf about what it had been like for me to live with Vivian. This had also been the only time the guys had interjected by sharing things they’d learned from me with the Council. I wasn’t angry or embarrassed. I didn’t feel much of anything while talking with them.

When they asked about where Vivian was now, I hesitated, and Quinton took over for me. He explained what he’d walked in on in my bathroom at Mr. Cole’s house on that horrible day and what had happened to Vivian.

---