Page 39 of Flirting with Death

"There isn't an easy way to explain this," she said.

"There never is," I quipped.

"The Order has aligned with others that have the same goal of eliminating all threat of demons and with that, the Gods that created them."

My heart thumped painfully in my chest. Alastor was a God of the Underworld. If The Order was intent on that plan, then all of my guys were in danger from not only the demon hunting me, but my family, too. This was bigger than any of us had thought.

"You knew that? Why didn't you tell me?"

"The elders instructed me not to. I'm bound by blood."

"Then why now?"

She frowned and glanced at the doorway again.

"Because of my guys?"

"I may not understand what you have with any of them, but I know you, and I can see your feelings for them. If you have found even a fraction of the happiness I've found with your father, I want that for you. I can't help to destroy your world, not when it would cause you pain, too."

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. She loved me enough to tell me now. That mattered, right?

"If you are blood bound, what will happen now that you told me?"

She smiled sadly. "Now you save your light in the darkness of this world. But be wary of The Order. They have powerful allies that won't be happy you have aligned with the men you have."

"Why does this feel like you are saying goodbye?"

"I know you can make things right. In all the ways that my sister and I failed, you are the strength that outshines the rest. Just remember that I have always loved you, and I always will."

"Mom! What is going to happen to you now?" I sat next to her, gripping her hands and demanding her attention.

She wet her lips as she lifted her blue-green irises to mine. "Now I'll find out who the true evil is, I suppose."

"No. I didn't save you from demons to have The Order harm you."

My world was spiraling. Spinning out of my control like a tornado, determined to pick up anything in its reach and toss it around and destroy it before discarding it again. She squeezed my fingers, pulling me back to myself.

"Samantha, don't worry about me. I'm strong, and they still need me. They will not hurt me while you still breathe, because you are too valuable to them."

I wasn't sure I believed her words, not after all the lies she had already told. Who did you trust when your world exploded? I pulled in a deep breath, straightening my shoulders, my guys were in my corner. We were a unit. We were the prophecy that The Order feared, and the dragon-kin celebrated.

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon. I'll make sure you have a long life with nothing to fear, because I will take care of the demons and The Order. They created a monster when they trained me, and they are going to find out just what that means."

I tugged her into a tight hug. When we finally let each other go, I lifted my head to find Raiden already back in the room. He watched me with all the seriousness of a Dragon Prince, ready to tear down worlds for me, and my heart swelled with love for him.

"We have to go, Mom. Do you know where Ty is? He didn't answer my text," I asked as I stood up.

"He was at work."

I shared a look with Raiden. We had checked there first. They hadn't seen him in two days. Track My Friends was up on my screen looking as if Tyler was in the middle of the forest, which was weird because he had been off the grid the last time I looked.

"He isn't at work now," I said, holding my phone out to Rai to check. "I thought the demons moved out of the forest."

"The ones connected with the mage did."

"Then what is he doing there?" I asked.

"Maybe there is a fire?" Rai replied.

---