Page 73 of The Secret of Pain

"Let’s get you something to eat." He smiles down at me and I nod. He takes my hand and leads me to the other side of the table, passing me a plate before starting to fill his own. Maddie catches my eye and makes a love heart sign with her hands, and I shake my head with a grin, trying not to blush again. I add some food to my plate, and Creek adds extra helpings while I roll my eyes. I am never going to eat this mountain.

"When did this happen?" Dad asks as we sit down next to him.

"This time you mean?" Nate laughs next to him.

"She hasn't gained all of her memories yet, this could be dangerous," my dad says to him, concern evident on his face.

"I'm fine, Dad. I've remembered some. Not all, but I'm okay. We're okay," I say, squeezing Creek’s hand and realizing the truth of my words as I say them. We will be okay. Even if he rejects me for my choices, I know I have to tell him. And if he does, it will hurt, but I will still be okay. I think.

"Hmmmm," he gripes, but goes back to eating his food.

"Took long enough, especially after last week," Bauer says as he sits opposite us and I just shake my head. My family has the tact of a freaking sledgehammer.

"Shut up, Bauer," I whisper-shout, looking around, thankful no one else is paying any attention.

We sit and eat, my hand in his, and just enjoy the company around us. Enjoy the peace, because I fear there won't be much of it in the next few months.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

I don't have to patrol tonight, Fates knows there are plenty of people scattered out there doing it right now. I find myself back at the abandoned hotel. Hoping to see Kain, but knowing it’s not likely. Trying to trigger another wave of memories. If he is the one who told me the truth about the change in the relationship of the factions, surely he is the one to trigger the memory of why. Unless he never really knew.

I don't know what I'll do if that's the case, but I head into the abandoned hotel anyway, not really paying attention to my surroundings, too lost in my own head.

"What are you doing here, Remy?" I spin and come face-to-face with someone I don't recognize, but that voice… I know that voice.

I keep quiet, still while he watches me, and I realize he was the Dracul I heard in here the other week before Kain found me. "Who are you?"

"You wound me, Remy. You don't remember me?" he says, a hand on his chest, taking a step back as if truly wounded by my words, and I laugh.

"Always the joker, my friend." Kain's voice echoes through the hall. "She is only two and a half months into the awakening. It is lucky she remembered me, otherwise we might have all been dead the other night."

The stranger looks back at me, eyes wide. "You were hunting us?"

Kain’s footsteps draw closer until he is between us, and I shake my head. "I was searching for my friend’s necklace."

He nods, piecing it together.

"Luc, here, is my second. And a dear friend. You can trust him as you would trust me," Kain tells me as his arm wraps around my waist, holding me close to his side.

I smile at him, and his grin grows wide. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun."

He rubs his hands together at his words and Kain laughs. "Do not tease her; she might not be awakened fully, but she will remember eventually."

"Oh, the fun we three had," he sighs reminiscently. "The adventures we had. Do you truly not remember?"

I shake my head, and his smile falters.

"So be it. If it doesn't come back in time, then we shall regale you with the tales of the past while making new memories!" he says with a glint in his eye.

"I'd like that," I tell him honestly. "But we have a problem."

"What is wrong, ma chérie?" Kain asks, and I pull away from his side.

"Roman is here, I ran into him a few nights back, and I remember…"

"Love, I know of your relationship with Roman, as well as the others. I told you I didn't always find you in time."

"But the three of you are all here now. All at once. What am I supposed to do with that? Creek basically paraded me around as his in front of the Hunters today. I cannot lie to him, but my heart can't let you go either."

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