“Do you really think this will go well?”
I shrugged. “No idea. But we had to see right?”
“I guess, I just don’t think blind siding her is a good idea. And how do you think she will feel when she finds out you knew and didn’t tell her?”
“Hopefully, happy that she at least knows the truth now.”
He sighed. “I hope so man.”
Chapter Seven
Kassandra
“Who are you?” I questioned.
“And how do you know our mother?” Lela questioned.
“May I?” he questioned pointing to the empty chair between us.
I nodded.
“I’m Roderick.”
“Yep. Got that.” I sighed.
“I knew your mother when she was about your age. Just before she got pregnant with you, Kassandra.” He took a deep breath. “She was such a stubborn, but fearless woman.”
“Okay?”
“She got pregnant, and I left,” he explained.
Lela gasped.
That’s when it registered. I looked at Lela who looked down to the table.
“So, you’re my real father?” I asked.
I could see Lela look up at me out of the corner of my eye. I snapped my head to face her.
“Yeah, I knew.”
I looked back at Roderick, “You were saying?”
“I left your mother. At the time it just didn’t work out that I was with her. A couple like us was highly frowned upon.”
“And now?”
“Now it doesn’t matter. Your mother isn’t here anymore.”
I nodded. “Did you even bother coming to her funeral?”
“Actually, I did. I stood away because my presence there wouldn’t have been good. I wasn’t going to ruin the day for you.”
I looked at Lela. “You don’t have to sit here,” I growled. I was angry at her, angry that she didn’t tell me the truth. I hated people lying to me.
Lela didn’t say a word as she stood from table and walked over to the bar where the guys were.
“Okay, so now that it’s just us. Why didn’t you come find me sooner?”
“How do you think that would have gone?”
I shrugged.
“I loved your mother, just so you know.”
“Then why didn’t you fight.”
“Because, in the position I am in, I couldn’t.”
I shook my head. “Okay then what are you doing here?”
“Your tattoo. I know why you have it.”
“Okay?”
“It’s because you are my daughter.” He pulled up his sleeve and showed me his arms. A tattoo similar to mine covered them both.
“So will mine turn to be that much?”
“No. You are only half mine. Remember that. You are something that is unheard of.”
“You are part witch and part demon.”
“I’m what?” I exclaimed raising from my chair.
“Kass...” Roderick said standing to my level.
“Who else knows this?” I snapped.
“Your mother. Lela’s father and Theo.”
I looked at Theo who just stared back.
“Well thanks for that.”
I walked past him and back out through the main room until I reached the street.
“Kass!” Theo called from behind me.
I didn’t stop walking. I was furious. He knew. He knew about the tattoo; he knew what it meant, and he knew that I was part demon. How the hell he could keep that from me was beyond me.
“Kass!” he grabbed my arm and turned me to face him.
I watch him inches from his face and could feel the heat on mine.
“What?” I whispered.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I couldn’t. I just couldn’t be the one to tell you that. Then when Roderick contacted me to be the one to help you, I couldn’t say no. I promised him I wouldn’t tell you though.”
“So, you lied?”
“No. I just didn’t tell you everything I knew. You needed to find out this way.”
“Where do I go from here?”
“I have an idea.” He smirked.
His hand slipped down to mine and our fingers intertwined as we walked through the crowd back toward our hotel. The street wasn’t at all paved well. It was rocky and there were parts that were missing. I had to jump around to avoid puddles of something on the ground.
“Please tell me that hell looks better than this place,” I muttered.
He laughed. “It is. It’s actually quite nice.”
I nodded. “Well at least that’s something.”
We reached the end of the street and walked over to our hotel that was much nicer than what we just walked through.
I stopped in front of my door.
He grabbed my hand and led me down the hall to his.
“You know if I’m not there when Lela gets back, she will flip out.”
“Doubtful. She’s with Colt and trust me, she couldn’t be safer.”
“Oh yeah? Are you saying that you aren’t safe to be with?” I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying that besides being here with us, she’s good.”
“So, this is what then?” I asked.
“This is me doing something that I’ve wanted to do since the moment I met you. Hell, the moment I first saw you.”
“And how do you know I want to do the same thing back?”
“You don’t?”
I bit my lip and nodded. There was no denying the attraction between us. The passion that possessed me at that moment was something I couldn’t ignore or deny.
He lifted me effortlessly and took me into his room and onto his bed.
I let my body give into the beat of my heart as his hand ran across my body. It felt like we were going to start a fire.
I rolled over, it was still dark outside, Theo was lying next to me.
I reached over and grabbed my phone off the nightstand.
“It was ringing for the past hour,” Theo muttered.
“It’s Lela. I told you she would worry.”
He rolled over and pulled my body against his.
“Or maybe she’s just being one of those annoying little sisters.”
“Or maybe she has something important to tell me.” I dialed her number.
“You know it’s three in the morning, right?”
I shrugged.
“What?” Lela’s voice came from the other end.
“You called me about twenty times.”
“Yeah, can we talk in the morning? Colt told me where you were.”
“Okay.”
I hung up and tossed my phone back onto the nightstand before rolling onto my back.
“You know, I think I could probably do this again,” he said as he kissed my neck.
That same fire rose inside me. I pulled him into a kiss before moving my body on top of his.
I WALKED OUT OF THE bathroom as I dried my hair with the towel.
“I could definitely get used to this.” He smirked.
“Well we should probably start heading back.”
He sat up in bed. “Why?”
“Because there is nothing here for me. I know who my real father is. I found out I’m some strange hybrid creature that no one else is, and honestly? I don’t feel like being here anymore. New Orleans is not what I thought it was going to be.”