Page 77 of Wicked Curses
“My mother and stepfather have been married for ten years now. He’s a good man, makes her happy, and is a great father to Elira. But he knows if he hurts either of them, I’ll cut off his cock.”
His switch from loving older brother to murderous stepson was far more expected than how his face lit up over his sister. “That knowledge would keep a lot of men in line.”
Orin chuckled, but it died away as his attention shifted back to her. All signs of amusement and love were gone as he pinned her with his stare.
“So, witch, how didyoucome into being?”
CHAPTERFIFTY-FOUR
Sahira kepther attention on her shirt as she scrubbed it on one of the rocks. What he didn’t understand was… “I don’t know.”
Water ran from the shirt to spill back into the stream as she held it over the water to examine it. She kept waiting for him to say something more, but he remained quiet, though she could feel his eyes on her. Unable to stand the silence, she continued.
“You’ve met my mother; you know we’re not close. She’ll never tell me what happened, and my father never did.”
“Did you ask?”
“Once I realized how rare my heritage was, and how much some disliked me for it, I asked him. I had to know why some immortals hated me simply because I existed.”
“People hate me because I exist.”
“They hate you because they got to know you.”
He slapped his hand over his chest as he smiled at her. It was so out of character for him, but she got the sense he was trying to make her feel better, which was evenmoreout of character for him.
“Ouch. Straight to the heart, witch.”
Sahira fought the smile tugging at her lips. “You’re such an ass.”
“So I’ve been told.” And then he switched back to being serious. “What did your father say when you asked?”
“Sometimes in life, things happen that don’t make sense.”
“That they do, but a vampire’s dick doesn’t often fall into a witch’s twat.”
“You’re disgusting.”
But she wasn’t as repulsed by him as she used to be. She was either getting used to his vulgarness or… Hecate forbid… she was starting tolikethis man.
“I’ve never denied it,” Orin said. “So, what do you think happened between them?”
“I don’t know. My father never married Del’s mother. He said he cared for her but never spoke of love when it came to her, so I don’t think they shared anything like that. They were raising Del together when she was killed by lycans when Del was two.
“Two years later, I was born. What occurred for that to happen is something I’ll never know. Only one immortal can tell me, and she never will.”
“Do you think it was rape?”
Sahira yanked her shirt from the water as she spun to face him. Beads of water sprayed off it as she turned, splattering his face. He wiped away the drops.
“My father was no saint, I’ll never tell you he was, but he was a good man and loved Del and me. Saint or not, he wouldneverdo that!” she snapped.
Orin flicked away some of the beads of water as he studied her. She could tell he doubted her conviction, and she didn’t care. Her father was a great man; he wouldn’t have done something so awful to anyone.
“You didn’t know my father. I did. Their relationship was consensual,” she insisted.
“That’s all you had to say. You didn’t have to splash water all over me.”
She scowled as she tried to ascertain whether he was telling the truth. When he said nothing more, she returned to scrubbing her shirt.
