Ripper(127)

The queen sighed and it seemed the memory hurt her on a fundamental level, but she talked about it anyway. “It was right before Daniel took over. We were betrayed by a demon. He gave up our location to the head of the Council. Zack managed to get Daniel out of there, but Dev, Lee, and I were left behind. The vampires knew Lee would never allow them to take us, so they filled him so full of silver he couldn’t move. He fought so hard. I begged him to take vampire blood and save himself. I begged him to run, but he wouldn’t. He said he couldn’t. Are you going to use this fight with Castle to kill yourself?”

Sneaky queen. I was still thinking about the man who fathered me as I answered the question. “No. But if it happens, it happens. I won’t take back the accusation, Your Highness. I’m right and he’s wrong. If I die because of it, then I do.”

The queen sat up and leaned forward, tears shining in her beautiful eyes. “He would be proud of you. I really hope you don’t die, Kelsey Owens. I would really like for you to get to know my son.”

The door opened again and I was glad to see Marcus walk in. The talk with the queen made me anxious. It ran across my nerves, bringing up all sorts of feelings. I’d managed to shut out so much of what I was feeling, but she and that boy were bringing it all up again.

I wouldn’t have a son because Gray was gone, my mind raced. I didn’t have a family anymore because they’d all lied to me, including my mother. Jamie hadn’t lied, but I didn’t feel like being fair at that moment. I didn’t have friends because who would want to be friendly with some freak. I didn’t fit anywhere. I wasn’t a wolf and I wasn’t human.

My eyes started to well with tears and my hands started to shake. Marcus cursed impatiently and crossed to me. His hand slid beneath my hair and rubbed the back of my neck gently. It was like someone had turned down the volume. I sighed and leaned against his hand.

“I do not leave her alone for more than half an hour and one of you is in here again, riling her up,” Marcus said, looking at the queen.

She frowned. “I wasn’t trying to hurt her. I just wanted to meet her. She’s Lee’s daughter. I was curious.”

“Don’t you think your family has done enough to her for one day?”

“Marcus, you have to know I had nothing to do with this,” the queen protested. “This is one of those things Danny and Dev don’t bother to tell me about. If I’d known, I would have stopped it. I understand she has to be trained, but it could have been handled differently.” She stood up and paced as she thought. “I certainly would have brought her in before she got involved with that demon. That’s what makes me crazy. Daniel knew, but he let it go on. She should have been brought in the minute he got that DNA test back.”

“I believe he would tell you he wasn’t sure she was a Hunter,” Marcus explained. “She could be Lee’s daughter and still have merely been human. According to Daniel, she’s shown nothing of a Hunter’s skills in the past few years.”

“What’s different?” Without really thinking about it, I leaned toward the vampire.

“I believe this case you have worked on pushed you over the edge. It triggered the instinct to burst forth. Meeting Lieutenant Sloane was also an emotional experience. The two combined have forced the beast into the open. Have you ever felt it before?”

I told him about the night with my father. I didn’t candy coat it the way I had with Gray. I told him about running afterward and how I survived the cold. He took it all in with an academic nod.

“The killing of the wolves would have been a trigger,” Marcus explained. “I’m surprised you managed to contain yourself then. It could have been much worse, Kelsey. You could have stood your ground and tried to kill any wolf who entered your territory.”

“Yes, my territory. That’s why I attacked Quinn. He came into my territory.” I hadn’t liked it.

Marcus brought my hand into his lap and rubbed it gently. “I can teach you to control that beast. I can train you to integrate the wolf into your personality. She’s a part of you that you can learn to tap into and use for protection. Right now, the wolf is close to the surface because you’re emotional. We need to keep you calm until I’ve taught you to control your instincts.”

“You’ve trained a Hunter before?” the queen asked. Her eyes were on the place where Marcus held my hand. He’d taken one of my hands in both of his and was rubbing long strokes up and down my arm. It was a little like petting, and I knew I should stop him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It felt too good.