The Devil's Masquerade: The Poison (21 page)

I promised Kayla that I would protect her and the boys, and I don’t think having me in our home is in their best interest at this point. I am becoming a killer, a killer that’s out of control. How can I protect them when I am the one they should fear the most? The answer is simple. I can’t. The only answer is for me to leave them with someone who can, several someone’s, until I can figure out how to be the man, the husband, and the father they deserve. My family is everything to me, and even though she agreed, I knew she wouldn’t let me go when it came down to the time for me to leave. I pack a small bag including pictures of my boys, Kayla, and a small shell ring I keep for good luck, Kayla doesn’t even know that I still have it. I kiss them all goodbye and walk quietly out the door. Determination will bring me back to them, and my love for them will keep me determined.

Savage is waiting for me at the door when I arrive. His beaming expression tells me everything I need to know about his happiness to see me. I’m not in the mood to be congratulated or welcomed.

“I am ready to go to my room. Then I will go workout and train with whoever you think best, but I don’t want to talk to anyone. I don’t want to be welcomed or made to feel I belong here,” I say, trying to avoid looking at his happiness. Savage’s smile changes slightly as he graciously points the way. Rabbie helps me get settled in my new room and provides whatever I want. Rabbie never looks directly at me or says a word. The only instruction I get is from Savage who insists that I join him for breakfast the next morning since I seem so determined to spend my first day away from him.

By the end of my first day I am exhausted, but I can’t sleep. All I can do is think of my family and how I can get back to them. By the time the sun comes up, I am wide awake and ready to get this day over with. I manage to find my way to breakfast, not that I am hungry for food.

“Good morning, Nicholas. Are you ready to begin your real training?”

“I am, more than ever.” My grandfather leads me to a large room where I come face to face with Galena. She stands tall and lean with her long dark hair tied tight behind her. She is of excellent proportions, of course, but it is her eyes that catch me off guard. With a smile, a golden spark ignites within her eyes just before swirling fire begins to form.

“Nicholas, meet Galena, your father’s half-sister and your Aunt,” he says. Apparently Galena never told him that we have met already. I don’t know why, but I assume she has a good reason, so I go along with it.

She leans into me with an awkward hug. “I certainly don’t look old enough to be your aunt. Do I?” Shaking my head, I look at her with a questioning expression, but I keep my mouth shut. “Your father was my brother. I looked up to him. I loved him so much. The day he died was heartbreaking for me, but I certainly understand.” She grasps my face with tenderness. “You poor dear, you must have been so scared, not understanding a thing about yourself. Your father, I loved him dearly, but his stubbornness always got in the way of his best judgment,” she says as I back away from her tenderness. “Well, you look so much like him Nicholas. I am so happy to finally get a chance to spoil you like I should have gotten to do when you were younger.”

“Trust me, Nicholas, Galena will drive you crazy doting on you like you’re her child,” Savage says.

“I don’t need to be doted on. I am not a child anymore. I thought I was here to learn, not for a family reunion?” I say, backing away from them both. “I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to be.”

“Very well. Let’s gets started then. There is one more person you need to meet though, Nicholas.” I look over and see a large man coming towards us with nothing close to a smile. “Delin, my personal assassin. He can kill anything without hesitation.” The man grabs two swords and begins twirling them like they are as light as feathers and no more dangerous. His ruthlessness is obvious, and I have no interest in getting anywhere near him. Delin turns and begins tossing the swords towards Savage, following with knives. Savage moves from one place to the next, knocking them down and away from him.
He’s fast for an old man.
“Weapons. You don’t need any weapons, Nicholas. You have all you need to defend yourself. Now, let me show you how to control your ability. How to predict what your enemy will do before he actually does it. How to move swiftly through the most ruthless attack,” he says, stepping up and squaring his shoulders with mine. “Are you ready, Nicholas, to become who you were born to be?”

I breathe in deeply and look him in the eyes, “Yes.”

Chapter 26

Kayla

I rush out of my room and down the stairs ready to scream, but the moment I come face to face with Ryan, I know. “He’s gone Kayla,” Ryan says. I slam into his chest, furious, but the tears fight their way through anyway. “I am sorry, but he felt he had no choice, and for once, I think I have to agree with him.” I shake my head, but Ryan holds me tight. “Those people are after something, and Savage is the only one that can help. He knows about me now and is supportive of helping us. As much as I distrust him, right now, we need him.”

I look up at him in shock, “You talked to Savage?”

“I met him with Nick, and he agreed that I am more than capable of watching over you all, while Nick …”

“While Nick seeks the revenge that you want so badly.”

“And that you want, too. Don’t deny it. I heard you say the same things I did about wanting to destroy Sam’s killers. Besides, with Nick on the inside, we can be assured of Savage’s every move. He can learn more this way, Kayla, more than we could have ever learned in that shelter that our father built.” I pull away from him, shaking my head when I see that woman come down the stairs. I look back at Ryan, and he instantly begins to squirm.

“Why are you still here? I thought you were supposed to leave yesterday?” I snap at her.

“Kayla, Nick still wants her protected, too. She was attacked because of her connection to him. Until he feels she can be safe on her own, she needs my protection as well. I can’t watch everyone from their own homes, so I need everyone to stay in one place.”

“I don’t need you to watch me!” I yell back at him. Ryan comes back and wraps his arms around me.

“Kayla, don’t express your anger here. Let’s do it in a more private place. No one here is the cause of this.” I push away from Ryan and go towards Franky.

As I pass Franky on the stairs, she, for some reason, feels the need to open her mouth. “Good morning, Kayla. It is so nice of you and Nick to allow me to stay with you.” Something about her sugary sweetness makes me ill.

“You’re welcome, please make yourself at home. Excuse me, I need to go check on my sons,” I say, forcing a smile to appease Ryan’s glaring eyes.

“Oh, no need to worry about them, Kayla. I checked on them myself a few minutes ago. I made them breakfast. I made breakfast for everyone, actually,” she says, smiling wide. I glance towards Ryan as he shrugs. She walks down towards Ryan and grazes her hand across his chest. “I am sure you need a good meal to start the day, Ryan, especially with all the protecting you are going to be doing.” Franky goes to the kitchen while Ryan pleads with me to make peace.

“I won’t be a total bitch to her, but don’t expect much more. And you stay away from her,” I say to him.

“Excuse me?”

“Suddenly, she is sleeping in your room and flirting? This is not a good time for you, and she thinks you need that from her? She is using you for some reason, and you are too caught up in your broken heart to see it. Don’t fall for it, Ryan.”

“It is actually kind of nice to have someone who is friendly around here. You know, someone who is not always telling me to what to do. I will do as I please, and I will fuck who I want. I am here to help you and the boys. I am not here, however, for you to judge and take your frustrations out on,” he says, shutting me up instantly. “Come on, breakfast smells good, and you will eat it and be pleasant about it. Otherwise, I will lock you in your room for the remainder of my time here,” he says with a typical Jayzon-strong stance.

Elijah walks through the door with his usual annoyed attitude.

“Don’t look at me that way,” I say to him.

“What did I do? I just got here. You called, and I am here. Why? I don’t know because you weren’t exactly nice about it.
Eli, get your ass over here.
You know, Kayla, you could really use some brushing up on that sweet talk I hear you are so good at.”

“I need you to help me, please. You owe me,” I say, smiling forcefully.

“I do? Since when?” I grab him and pull him into Nick’s office. “Baby, if you are going to grab me like that, at least moan a little bit.”

“Eli that woman is here.”

“What woman?”

“Franky!”

“Still? Alright, so? What do you want me to do about it?”

“I want you to get Nick back.”

“How the hell do you expect me to do that?” I look down at the floor and have nothing to say to him, no ideas at all. “Oh, well that’s a good idea, Kayla.”

“I want you to stay here. I know Nick wants you to look after us, and I know you feel obligated to do so no matter how much I get on your nerves. And I feel … I want … I want you to stay here with us, too,” I say with innocent eyes and a soft touch to his chest.

Elijah is silent for a few minutes before standing back and laughing, “You are something else woman. I have to hand it to you. I almost believed you.” I continue to look up at him innocently. “Oh don’t give me that face! Getting me to move in here is not going to get Nick to come running back here. He trusts you too much, and worst of all, he trusts me …
damn him
. So you can stop the act. Good try though.”

I try to hold my hurt expression on my face, but another mocking expression from him convinces me that it is no use. We walk back out to the living room when Franky comes in, smiling.

“Elijah, so good to see you again,” she says, running up and hugging him. She smiles back at me before nodding my way and running upstairs and out of sight. Elijah watches her curiously.

“What?” I ask. He shakes his head. “No, what? You are curious about something what is it?”

“How do you know that?” He asks looking at me in shock.

“I got paid to know how to read a man, remember?”

“Huh,” he says, looking me up and down. “It really wasn’t anything. I just don’t remember her liking me too much. Really, it wasn’t that she didn’t like me … Franky was shy. She barely spoke to me. She wouldn’t even make eye contact with me. Now, she is so outgoing. That is some transformation over the years.”

“I used to be shy,” I say, causing him to laugh. “Shut up! I did! I wouldn’t talk to anyone.”

“No, you were stubborn and protective of yourself. Franky was different; she was insecure, simple, and not much for the makeup and shoes. And those are some really expensive shoes she has on. I guess she is trying to impress Nick, but it is still interesting how someone can transform over the years.”

“Isn’t it?” I say, considering the idea.

Elijah stares off, thinking about something before turning back to me. “You know what? I will move in here. Why not? It could be fun. This house is always entertaining, much more so than mine ever is. Now, do I bunk up with you? I should warn you though, I sleep naked, and I am impossible to resist when I am naked.” I roll my eyes and walk away from him.

“Oh Kayla, don’t deny your love for me,” he yells back at me.

Dinner time is interesting, with the crowd that we have now. If nothing else, it distracts me from the absence of Nick for a little while. My sons clearly miss their father, and Ryan is not his usual fun-loving self, the uncle the boys love to hang on. I do my best to fill in, but I know I am not what they really need. When Nicky approaches me to play one of his games, I try to figure it out in my own manner and not how Nick would usually do it.

Nicky looks up at me with a frustrated sigh, “That isn’t how Daddy does it, Mommy.”

“I bet I know how it works,” Elijah says from behind us. He sits down and starts talking to Nicky, and apparently, he does know how the game works. “Your dad and I invented this game.”