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neck. You re pissed at us so when he adds to that, what he says seems that much worse. Walk away
and you can hash it out with him later after you kick our asses. Don t break things with your brother
because you beat on his mate.
That hit home and I glanced at Micah who had moved Riley behind him but looked torn and
tortured. I immediately let go and nodded. Okay. Let s take a walk.
They both sighed and Mareo kissed the other side of my neck. Thank you, my mate.
Don t call me that or I really will kick both your asses, I bitched as I pulled away from them. I
stormed out of the media room. We got as far as the kitchen and suddenly Ayden was there.
I m sorry, Virgil, but I have to, he whispered. He grabbed my hand as he reached for Mareo s
hand. Foma got the idea and touched him too. Suddenly we were thrown into a memory.
Shifter blood to vampires is like strong alcohol to humans, Caleb explained as he rubbed
his hand over the back of his neck. Maybe tequila? I ve heard tequila can make them a little
horny too. So let s go with that. It would loosen our tongue, making us honest, and rev up our sex
drive. That s my understanding but I ve never tried it.
I felt Mareo s hope that maybe everything wasn t lost. It wasn t the best plan but given I d
shown them signs that I was their mate but completely closed off to their advances and not even
willing to talk to them, he was desperate. He glanced at Foma and I saw our mate through his
eyes& All the pain Foma had felt at the centuries of not being able to find their other mate.
Then it was like a montage of the memories after they d been with someone, hoping the
attraction they d felt with that person would lead them to their mate. I saw all the tears they d cried,
all the hope smashed, and even the decision to leave their plane, saying good-bye to everything they d
known.
I m scared, Mareo, Foma admitted as he glanced at the portal. What if we don t like this
world? Maybe our mate isn t born yet and we leave?
The Queen assured us that we can come back, Mareo said gently. We ll visit every few
decades and see if he s been born. I just believe in my heart he s not fae. Our mate will be worth
searching for, yeah?
Okay, we can do this, Foma whispered. You re right. Finding our mate will be worth
traveling and living in this new world, no matter how scared we might be. He could be searching
for us, all alone and not able to find us if we don t cross over.
We ll find him, my love. No matter how long it takes or what I have to do, I will find him for
you. I swear it. I will find the other part of our soul and make us a family.
You re enough for me, Mareo. You know that, Foma said quietly.
I know that. I love you so much, Mareo replied. But I felt his need to find me, and his
desire to give Foma the family he d never really had. He wanted Foma to have everything and was
determined nothing would stop him.
Next it was when they realized I might be their mate and when I had denied them, telling them to
leave me alone. I felt their despair and grief that they d searched hundreds of years for me and I
rejected them. Even more than that, they were worried for me. They saw something was going on with
me and wanted to help. They thought if I realized I wasn t alone, that they were there for me, it would
comfort me.
I forgive you, I whispered as we came back to the present. You didn t understand what the
blood would really do to me and didn t mean to trick or trap me. You just wanted to help break down
the walls I put up.
Yes, Mareo breathed. We didn t want to hurt you. We wanted to help, to show you we would
do anything for you.
I believe you. I swallowed loudly and looked down at Ayden. Thank you. You saved me all
that pain and anguish of having to try and deal with what I saw as their betrayal and process this
alone.
You ve got enough going on. You didn t need a misunderstanding and good intentions to ruin
something that could make you so happy if you let it, he said with a smile. I leaned down and kissed
his cheek. Besides, we re family. Family doesn t ever keep their noses out of each other s
business.
Amen to that, I chuckled. Can I see you again soon? I need to deal with some other things and
what Riley said to me. I want to let go and move on even if it s away from my family. I want to heal
and be the man my mates deserve after having searched for me for so long.
Of course but there s one more thing I want to show just you. I think it will answer some of
your questions, he hedged. We need your mother though too. I have a feeling you don t know the full
story but only a part. Elena isn t mean.
No, she s not, I agreed, not sure what he was talking about. I nodded and realized my mother
was there in the kitchen. She came over hesitantly and took Ayden s hand as I did the same. Seconds
later we were in a memory from when I was a small boy.
Desmond, I want to talk to you about Virgil, she said as they sat in Father s study. I hadn t
been able to sleep, nightmares about what I d been reading about demons keeping me up, and I d
gone to find them. They had no idea I was there listening. I worry he s not normal.
What do you mean, my love? I know he s oddly blunt and doesn t seem to understand some
things that the others have by his age, but maybe he s just a little slow.
Yes, I know, but at the same time, his studies show the opposite. He learns at a rapid pace.
He hasn t been focusing like he was and I realized he was bored. He s accelerated way past where
his brothers were at his age.
So he s smart. That s good news, Father said but then frowned when Mother shook her
head. Just tell me, Elena. Whatever it is we can figure it out.
It s almost like he learns things backwards. I don t understand it. Maybe I m not able to
teach him. I think he s special, Desmond. It was clear from the way she said the word it wasn t
the kind of special that a child would want to hear his parents talk about them but as in special
needs. I just wish he was normal. I don t
I didn t stay to listen to any more, racing back to my room and crying myself to sleep that
night and many nights after. My parents didn t like me. I wasn t like the others and it upset them. I
swore that I would try to be the most normal child for them from that moment on so I didn t upset
my mother or embarrass my father again. I would figure out a way to be normal.
Oh, Virgil, my mother sobbed. You weren t supposed to hear that. You only heard part of it
and it s not what I meant. We loved you always. I was upset at my own failings that I didn t think I
could give you what you needed.
I heard what you said, Mother, I whispered. I didn t even remember that until now. I
glanced at Ayden. I get what you were saying. It explains so much. Why I wanted to fit every mold,
not tell anyone ever, and mate a female, have lots of children, and be normal.
Normal s boring. Ayden shrugged and then gave me a wink. Now see what your mother felt
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