Page 301 of Halfblood Deceived

Aella felt as if she’d fallen from a very steep high and landed on her butt. “What?” She asked again, unable to help herself.

Aiko half shrugged. “Mom was a half gargoyle. Dad was a vampire.”

Aella cast her mind back, remembering Anna’s red irises and cat-like pupils. “I thought they were both vampires.”

Aiko chewed on her lip. “Dad saved Mom. She became… different from other gargoyles.”

“I see,” Aella whispered, but she really didn’t. Zeydan had never told her about Aiko’s true parentage. Neither had Kamilla nor Mari. But then, she had never asked, had she? She’d assumed, and she’d been too wrapped up in her own grief to ask more about Aiko. And now she hated herself for not asking.

Aella shoved those thoughts into a box and focused on Aiko again, who examined her back with dejected calm. “Have you been alone with any of the males?”

Aiko blinked, brow furrowing. “Sometimes.”

Aella’s stomach turned. “And have they… have they…” Goddess, she didn’t know how to ask. She didn’t know if she had any right to ask. Kamilla would have, right? And Aella needed to know just in case she could set herself free somehow. Because if she did, if they had hurt Aiko like that, Aella would kill them.

No, to Hell with if anything. They had hurt Aiko. Period. And they had to die for it.

All of them.

Aella took a bracing breath. “What I’m trying to ask is—”

“If they’ve raped me,” Aiko interrupted.

Aella felt as if her heart was tearing itself apart.

Aiko is just a child, godsdammit! Aella inwardly raged. She should be safe and happy. “Yes.”

Aiko shook her head. “Not yet.”

Yet?

YET?!

Aiko read the question on Aella’s no-doubt horrified look. “The blond one he—” She gulped and closed her eyes for a moment. “The way he looks at me makes me feel sick. And he said they’d find me a mate to rein me in and… breed me. But only after I am purified.” Aiko gave her a look loaded with meaning.

That’s why she hasn’t let Claudia break her will; Aella realized with growing horror.

“I’m going to rip him into pieces,” Aella hissed.

Aiko blinked. “How?”

Good question, Aella thought. “I’ll find a way.” She would. Morrigan, Celene, and Lilith help her, but she would find a way. Eli had to die. He had to. Aella felt as if her skull was too small to contain her rage. Her entire body felt too small, confining, and suffocating.

“I know someone who wears socks just like those,” Aiko said. “And I used to have a similar pair.”

Her voice broke through Aella’s rage haze.

Aella looked down at her only remaining sock—torn and filthy with blood and dirt. But the unicorns and rainbows’ pattern was still visible. “Yeah?”

Aiko nodded. “I miss them.”

“I miss them too,” Aella said, knowing full well they weren’t talking about the socks anymore. She sat straighter and away from the wall, inhaling and exhaling as deeply as she could. Then she contorted her arms to place them in front of her. It hurt, her joints protested, but she managed it without causing any damage to herself.

Aiko blinked at her.

The sound of whistling and approaching footsteps drew their attention to the stairs.

Aella got to her feet in a blink.

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