Halfling (Black Petals Book 1) (30 page)

The thought of this makes me shudder.

“The bond between pure bloods and the changelings is so strong that Terry would turn in his own son knowing that it could lead to his death?” I just can’t believe this.

“Yes, but I’m sure he is going out of his mind thinking about Forrest right now. He probably feels he had no other choice. It’s not a good life that the changelings lead

I ask Aiden why he thinks that Forrest got Maxwell freedom before escaping even though Maxwell didn’t need any compulsion removed because it doesn’t affect him. He tells me that Maxwell was probably not affected by compulsion in the same way most humans are, but he was still likely partially affected by it and Forrest probably wanted to make sure it was all gone from Maxwell’s head before trying to escape with him, in case he decided to change his mind and ruin Forrest’s plans, getting them both in trouble.

I then switch the subject to a lighter note. Why is everything so depressing? I ask him about his dog. I nearly forgot about the poor girl the past few days. Did she survive the hunter attack? Aiden tells me sadly that he was forced to put her up for adoption, because hell is not place for a canine. This stirs something deep inside of me. I was starting to bond with that dog after all the mornings we ran and played together. I will miss her.

We are interrupted by a knock on the door. Aiden opens it and one of his guards stands in front of it. “Sir, the council is ready upstairs with the boy in question of your father’s murder. They are ready when you are. Also, there is a changeling here to see you. He claims he is your brother. We were going to send him away, but Terry insisted we inform you of his presence and tell you ‘it’s Mason’.”

I swallow hard and glance to Aiden. Aiden’s face drops and goes completely white. He looks like he’s just witnessed an axe murder.

“Bring the changeling to me, and put the council session on hold for thirty minutes,” Aiden demands gruffly. I can tell that he’s struggling not to snap. Mason is here? He’s a changeling? That means that his soul was torn out. My mouth is suddenly dry.

It’s only seconds later when two guards escort a man into my room. Aiden’s eyes have yet to leave the doorway, since the first guard left.

The guards nearly push the man they drag into my room.

“You may dismiss yourselves,” Aiden says to the guards. They shut the door of the room behind them.

Mason struggles to stand. He looks so weak.

“Oh my god,” I whisper without meaning to.

Aiden’s expression mirrors what I’ve just said.

“Aiden,” Mason breathes. “Help.” He falls to his knees, seemingly too weak to stand.

Aiden rushes to his side and helps him up. I jump off of my bed so Aiden can rest him on it. Mason’s eyes match mine. He is in fact a demon, or I guess technically in transition to become one like me.

“What the hell happened?” Aiden demands. “Megan, go tell one of the guards in the hall to bring up three souls.”

I rush out of the room and do just that before returning. It’s nice to leave the room for the first time in an entire day, even if just for a few seconds.

“We were out hunting Megan’s dad, trying to figure out where the two of you disappeared to the last few days. He did this to me, and Aria saw and killed Blayne, then she distracted Crispen long enough for me to get out of there, before he decided to kill me next. One of them, a demon, followed me and instead of killing me, offered to help me. When I mentioned Megan and you he told me where to find you. He brought me to this place. I didn’t have anyone else to go to.”

“Who was the man?” Aiden wonders, confused.

“His name was Landon.”

My brother was the one who helped Mason to safety, helped him find us. But why?

The thought of my father being dead sinks in. I didn’t really know the guy. Should I be upset by his death? I don’t know. I feel nothing, and I wonder if it’s because I wasn’t much a fan of him, or if it’s because I can’t mentally feel grief any longer. A spike of panic occurs in my chest. I don’t want to lose my human emotion.

The doors bust open and three guards burst in carrying humans over their shoulders.

Mason immediately leaps up and grabs one, flinging it off of a guard’s shoulder and sucking down the soul like it’s a margarita. I’m shocked. This isn’t Mason, the guy who days ago told me he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me, if I became a demon. Mason kills the other two humans while I watch, trying as hard as I can to control my own hunger and not attack the humans like he does. I only ate like three hours ago, I shouldn’t be so hungry again. Noticing how becoming a demon has changed Mason, I see how it’s also drastically changed me. Just hours ago, I killed humans to quench my hunger. Killed. I killed like it was nothing. Who am I? I’m losing myself. I’m becoming, already am, what I feared becoming most. Old me would hate this me.

Mason stands, now far stronger, though clearly still starving.

Aiden stares deep into his eyes and says, “Snap out of it.” He’s trying to bring him back into reality like he’s done for me countless times. Is this what I’ve looked like? Have I really looked so terrifying and monstrous like mason does?

Mason blinks slowly and then seems to notice me. He snaps out of it
way
easier than I do every time. How did he just do that like it was nothing? Is it because he’s a changeling and Aiden is a pure? Is it because Aiden has a hold on him?

“You too, huh?” Mason asks, referring to my eyes.

I nod. “You still wanna kill me?” I wonder, a small smile playing at my lips.

He contemplates this. “
No
, but I know I should want to. This is so wrong. I should kill myself or something, shouldn’t I? I’ve been killing demons for centuries, now I am one, and I’m
fine
with it? No. This is so wrong.”

“Listen,” Aiden says softly, but in a demanding tone.

Mason seems to simmer down. “I feel like you’re my fricken dad or something. I know I should hate you, Aiden, but for some reason I just want to help you. I want to listen to you even though I know I shouldn’t.”

“It’s only going to get worse. You’re in transition. It usually takes about a week to fully become a demon. You’re a changeling so you’re loyal to the pure bloods, and mainly me because I am the most powerful.”

Mason doesn’t seem to register any of this. He stares off into space like he’s thinking way too hard. “I just killed people, didn’t I?” He glances at the limp bodies and gasps, a hand running through his messy hair. “
Shit
.”

“Aiden, why don’t you go to the council thing, they’re all waiting on you. I can stay with Mason while you’re gone,” I offer, even though I was hoping I’d get to go to the council hearing.

Aiden seems torn but nods. “I’m sorry. I really have to go, my vote could be the reason someone lives or dies. I will be back in an hour or so. Stay here with Megan. Don’t you dare leave this room or hurt her.” Then Aiden’s gone. I’m sure he’s told about a thousand guards to stand in front of the doors and monitor the two of us while he’s gone so we don’t go into rage mode and kill each other.

Mason slams his fist into the brick wall, I expect to see bits and pieces of it fly apart, but instead he jumps back waving his fist around in pain. “Fuck!” he shouts.

Apparently when a hunter is turned, whatever makes them a hunter screws off before the transition begins. Mason is surprisingly no stronger than I am right now.

“I can’t believe this. I’m so
angry
. I’m so
pissed off
. I just want to kill everything.” He struggles to steady his breathing. “I’ve only been like this for hours, and I’ve killed three people and can hardly control myself. It’s like when I first became a hunter all over again, except I want to kill everything, not just demons and I think it’s worse.”

I don’t know what to say because he looks like he’s struggling far more than I have been with the hunger part.

“Mind over matter,” I try to help him. It’s what’s kept me sane.

He ignores what I’ve said. “If I had been around Aria or Crispen for a few moments longer, when the transition kicked in, I would’ve taken their souls.”

“Calm down, Mason,” I attempt.

He scowls at me. “
Calm down
?”

I nod, half expecting guards to come flying into the room. “You’re not the only one going through this,” I try.

He stops and turns to me. “My brother did this to you, didn’t he?” Anger flashes over his face, but then dissipates and is replaced by frustration and annoyance. “Ugh, I should kill him, but I can’t. I don’t even
want
to anymore.”

I shake my head. “No, like you, my soul was taken from me without permission.”

“It’s Aiden’s fault I’m like this, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t blame him. It’s this stupid changeling connection thing, isn’t it? Now what? I’m his slave?”

“Well, usually if the one who turns you dies, you get thrown into the pool of extras and assigned to someone new by the council, but I have a feeling that Aiden will have alternative plans for you.”

Masons scoffs. “I’m so hungry. How? I just killed three people!”

“The first day is the worst, then you start to control it.”

“Why do you get this luxurious room in this huge place with all the important demons, surely you’re not all that important.”

“I don’t know. Aiden invited me to stay here. He’s my friend,” I explain. Is that the right word though, ‘friend’? Are we not more?

“Why does Aiden get to live here?” Mason, rages, punching the wall with his other fist. He’s going to break both of his hands. “Why am I so flipping weak!?”

“Aiden is kind of the big bad boss of hell,” I explain, trying to up the mood with a grin and a wink.

Surprise flickers across his face. “What did you just say?”

“Surely you’ve heard of Lucian. Well, he’s dead. Aiden is his son. So he’s the new boss around here.” I shrug and begin sorting through a pile of books. Remaining flippant and calm is the key to not raging out.

I don’t see Mason’s reaction, because my back is turned to him.

I finally give Mason a book to read on demons to make him shut up with his ranting. My patience level is dwindling down. I feel like I’m babysitting an annoying, bratty kid. I know I should feel empathy or sympathy or something, but I don’t. I’m not sure if I miss emotions like these or not.

Aiden comes back into the room over an hour later, a strange look on his face. “Forrest and Maxwell are being imprisoned, not sentenced to death. Thanks to my input. I mentioned that Forrest could be of great use to me and argued that Maxwell was forced into escaping by Forrest.” For some reason, deep down I am relieved by this. Why, I don’t know. Why don’t I want him dead after what he did to me?

“Mason, this is Terry. You’ve met before. Terry is going to be introducing you to life as a demon throughout your transition, because I’m too busy with Megan to help both of you,” Aiden gestures to the doorway. Terry steps into the room, clearly happy that his son is going to remain living. “You will listen to everything he says.”

Mason, as if a zombie, nods without fuss. For a second, a part of me thinks having a changeling would be fun, then I snap out of it. Oh my gosh it’s really all downhill from here, isn’t it?

“Megan, we have a further problem. Your brother Landon is here and requesting to see you. Would you like me to tell him to buzz off?”

I shake my head without thinking. I am extremely curious as to why Landon helped Mason even after Mason killed his father. “Take away his weapons and let him in. If he has no brass, then he can’t hurt me.”

Aiden hesitates, but nods. Terry and Mason disappear, and Aiden returns a minute later with Landon trailing him.

“Would you like me to stay in the room?” Aiden asks.

I decline his offer and Aiden reluctantly leaves, obviously worrying about me. As soon as I see Landon, I start to regret my decision. I recall the fear and terror that I felt last I was around him. It makes me uneasy even though I know he can’t hurt me, not really anyway.

Landon doesn’t speak until we are totally alone, door closed. “Megan. How have you been?”

“Fine.” I answer. So much has changed since the last time we were in a room together. I’m a completely different person now.

“How is this life treating you?” he asks, something strange in his tone.

“Fine,” I answer again.

He nods. “Good. I brought you something.” He digs into his pocket and pulls out a small bottle with pink fluid in it. “I don’t have a lot of time before Blayk notices I’ve run off and comes looking for me.” He hands the bottle to me. I take it and eye it suspiciously. “We share a father. My mother was an alchemist. Our father raped her, took me once I was older, and then killed her.
That
is something she gave me to take during my transition. It helps your mind retain the ability to feel emotions that demons normally cannot. It was her life’s work. I just taught myself how to make it by following her old notes, and I want you to be the test subject.”

“Why me?” I wonder, not sure if I should believe him.