We Shall Rise (11 page)

It was easier than he realized at least in Tatiana’s case. Appeasement seemed to work. Just like that, she grabbed his hand and brought him to her tea room. Kaden was surrounded by pink. He was drowning in a pool of pepto bismol, dressed like the dude from the Burger King ads. At that moment, he wished he was still unconscious. The only positive was that no one was around to witness his humiliation.
Much deserved humiliation
, he admitted to himself. This was retribution for past sins no doubt. Payback truly was a bitch.

Tatiana led him to her Disney Princess table set which featured four miniature thrones. She pointed for him to sit at one end. He looked at the chair which wasn’t big enough for his ass cheeks never mind all of his weight. “Kid, I can’t fit in that chair.” Her puzzled expression indicating she couldn’t follow his words this time. He repeated the words again slower and then her face brightened in recognition of his words.

You can fit. Daddy can fit and he’s big too
.

“Your father dresses up and plays tea party with you?”

It took a few moments for Tatiana to understand and then she replied.
Daddy plays tea party with me all the time. Sometimes he wears the king outfit or the wizard or the knight. I like it when Daddy wears the knight outfit. He has a sword and shield and he saves Mommy and me from the bad guys
.

“Isn’t he special,” Kaden grumbled.

Daddy is strong and brave. He can beat all the bad guys and protect me. I have the best Daddy in the whole world
.

“Lucky for you,” Kaden snapped as he rolled his jade eyes.

Do you have a good daddy?

Not quite. He couldn’t very well tell her that his father had been one of those bad guys her father pretended to kill. He couldn’t admit that he was the one who finally slayed the dragon that had been Daughton Gaspard. “No kid, my father was not like yours. You’re lucky to have a good one.”

I’m sorry
. Tatiana hugged Kaden’s leg.
I made you some cookies and brownies. Sit and I’ll go get it. That will make you feel better
.

Nothing could make Kaden feel better when it came to his father. Killing him was the best thing he had done. He only wished he had done it sooner and saved his mother years of abuse at the bastard’s hands. He had been too afraid to face his father. Daughton played on his weakness and used his fears against him. All the times he would lock Kaden in that dark room, knowing the solitude of that confinement would drive his son to the brink of madness. Kaden would hear that dreaded laugh mocking him as he cried begging to be released. Daughton would pretend like he was going to set him free only to taunt him with hope before snatching it away again. When Kaden grew accustomed to that brutal game, Daughton found other ways to make him suffer. Eventually Kaden taught himself to become immune to his father’s torment so Daughton focused his attention on the one torture Kaden could not shield himself from—Olivia.

Daughton knew Olivia was Kaden’s greatest weakness. Tormenting Olivia would break Kaden. Kaden watched day after day, year after year his father breaking his mother’s will, her spirit. Kaden sat by too weak to stop it until that one day five years ago when his rage surpassed his fear and he finally destroyed the monster that haunted his days and nights his entire life. He burned him with all the power he had in him leaving nothing but ash.

As much as his father deserved that fate, there was that part of Kaden that struggled to accept that he killed his own father. Patricide. One of the worst crimes human or immortal could commit and he had done so in a blistering rage after seeing his mother bloodied and beaten from his father’s brutality.

Would Reysa understand his crime or would she condemn him the way most would? He knew Julian would never understand if he knew the truth. His brother hated him enough without knowing the truth behind their father’s death. Julian never saw the darkness that possessed their father. Daughton feigned the role of the doting father when Julian was present, but Kaden and Olivia knew the devil underneath the saintly disguise.

Kaden was so lost in thought that he did not notice Tatiana had returned with a miniature cart that contained a plate of chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake brownies along with a glass of divine smelling blood.

Mommy said you have to drink lots of this medicine and you will feel better
. She handed Kaden the blood.
No snacks until you drink all your medicine. That’s Mommy’s rule
.

Kaden happily obliged as he guzzled the blood that instantly warmed him. This was not human blood. He had tasted this delight once before when Reysa had fed him her blood when he was locked in Lucian’s prison. Her blood was so different from the human blood he enjoyed. He had never fed from another vampire before. Vampires only drank directly from their vampire mates, but Reysa’s blood was different. It had healing powers that worked on most immortals including vampires. It was her blood that was helping to restore his mother’s health.

He savored every drop of the savory liquid. The only thing that could make it better would be to sink his fangs into Reysa’s skin and drink her blood while tasting her essence. The powerful combination of intoxicating flavors would drive him to an obsessive madness for her.

He felt Tatiana tugging his arm trying to get his attention.
You can have a treat now. Cookie or brownie?

“Both,” Kaden responded as he grabbed one of each and shoved them both in his mouth. Enjoying the taste, he grabbed several more and swallowed them. He took one of each and put it on a plate for Tatiana and he quickly ate all the rest before she could object.

Tatiana’s silver eyes reflecting her confusion as she looked at her plate and then to Kaden who greedily ate all the brownies and cookies. Kaden caught her expression waiting for an eruption of tears, but the child surprised him. She tossed her head back and laughed. Her voice such a melodious sound that warmed Kaden’s heart.

Enjoying that musical sound, he wished that she could hear the beauty of her own voice. He wanted to ask her about it, but trying to shout slowly so she could read his lips would not work. He disappeared in a flash and returned a moment later with a notepad. Tatiana watched in wonder at how quickly he moved.

I bet your daddy can’t do that
, he boasted to himself.

He might as well have said it out loud.
Wow. You’re almost as fast as Daddy
.

Damn. He really wanted to kill that mutt who was Mr. Perfect to this kid and probably Reysa as well.

Kaden started scribbling in the notepad and passed the pad to Tatiana who looked at it as if it were a foreign language.
I only read English
, she signed.

That was English. Kaden took the pad back and wrote again a bit neater. This time Tatiana understood.
Sometimes it makes me sad. I wish I could hear Mommy and Daddy. I want to hear music. I want to be a dancer, but I can’t if I can’t hear the music. I wish my ears worked, but they don’t. Sometimes I get to hear a little. Auntie Lina lets me hear when I dream. I like the sounds. She takes me to the ocean to hear the waves or to the woods to hear the animals.

Lina was a rare dreamcatcher. She had the ability to enter a person’s dreams and manipulate them. At times, she could bring others into those dreams. It was that gift of hers that allowed Lucian to enter Olivia’s dream state and help her find her way back to life.

Mommy doesn’t like when Auntie Lina does that. She thinks it makes me sadder to hear a little and wake up to silence again
.

Kaden agreed with Reysa. It was like tempting Tatiana with something she could never really have. Sometimes it was better to never know what you were missing.

Do you know Auntie Lina?

Kaden nodded.

She’s the best Aunt ever. Can I go visit her later? She got punished again and is stuck in her room.

Kaden wrote in the pad, “What did she do?”

She used her power on Uncle Alejandro again. She entered his dream without permission. Mommy told her not to use her power unless she has permission, but Auntie Lina didn’t listen. She likes to use her gift on Uncle Alejandro. He got really mad though and yelled at Auntie Lina. Uncle Alejandro never yells, but he yelled last night. Auntie Lina got really upset and Mommy got really upset. Now Auntie Lina is punished and Uncle Alejandro won’t talk to her
.

Kaden was unexpectedly fascinated with this house drama. This was better than his favorite soap opera
General Hospital
.

Tatiana continued her tale. Kids would tell everything. She could be very useful, Kaden thought. This babysitting thing might not be so bad after all.
Auntie Lina has a crush on Uncle Alejandro, but he doesn’t like her back. His wife died a long time ago, like before I was born, and he says he doesn’t want a new girlfriend. He wants to be alone forever. Women are always chasing him, but he just runs from them. I wish he would marry someone and be happy, but he won’t get a girlfriend.

“Does your Daddy have a girlfriend?” Kaden scribbled.

NO!
Tatiana signed emphatically.

Bad question. Kaden thought.

“Mommy?” he asked cautiously.

Mommy doesn’t have a girlfriend silly
.

Kids were a wealth of information if you asked the right question the right way. “I meant boyfriend.”

She has lots of boyfriends. There’s Jacob, Ariel, Titus, Marcus, Rein, River
…

Kaden put his hand up signaling Tatiana to stop. He started writing on the pad but pressed so hard that that pen went straight through before breaking into pieces.

Tatiana laughed that melodic laugh again but this time with a teasing glint in her eye.
I’m just kidding
.

“You little brat.” Kaden couldn’t help but admire this kid’s mischievous streak.

Tatiana laughed harder.
Those guys are real. They are Mommy’s friends and they are all boys. She has lots of friends who are boys but Mommy belongs to Daddy
.

No sign of teasing now. She might not understand exactly how her parents’ relationship worked and it wasn’t his place to enlighten her. Hell, he didn’t understand it much either. Maybe she could shed some light.

He swiftly left the room again and returned before Tatiana could miss him. He had another pad this time, but he wasn’t sure what to ask or rather if he wanted to hear the answer. Tatiana waited patiently for his next question but he couldn’t find the words. Like most kids, she knew how to fill the awkward silence.

I’m sorry that Fi-Fi hurt you. That was my fault. Please don’t tell Mommy and Daddy
.

Those big eyes were on the verge of tears once again. Kaden did not understand her reaction. How could she be responsible for what happened with the vicious little Chihuahua? If anyone was to blame, it was himself for antagonizing the little beast. “It’s not your fault,” he wrote. “Besides, my hand is already starting to heal. It will be back to normal within a day or two. No big deal kid.”

Tatiana was not convinced.
It is my fault. Can you keep a secret?

Kaden nodded. “I promise,” he spoke the words slowly so she would understand.

Tatiana just sat there staring at him as if mustering the courage to reveal her little secret. Why she would tell him of all people, Kaden could not comprehend, but he wasn’t going to turn down this opportunity to find out what this kid was hiding. Considering her age, it was probably nothing too exciting, but just in case, he was ready to listen.

Finally, she breathed deep and faced him.
I made Fi-Fi
.

Kaden sighed. This kid had an overactive imagination. No great revelation from this “secret.”

Kaden wrote in the pad, “You didn’t make Fi-Fi,” what an incredibly dumb name for a dog he thought as he continued, “that warlock made that evil little mutt. You’re not to blame for what happened to my hand.”

Tatiana read the words before throwing the pad down and responding. Her hands flailing dramatically.
I made Fi-Fi, not Nana Diamonde. I can make new creatures. I draw them and they come to life. Nana Diamonde’s favorite poodle went to poodle heaven. It was attacked by a pit bull. She was so sad. I wanted to make Nana Diamonde a new animal that could protect itself from others. Nana Diamonde only likes small doggies so I made Fi-Fi. I drew her and she became real. Then Nana Diamonde asked me to make more Chihuahuas but nice ones so I made them. Fi-Fi is their protector. She’s the only one I made with the poisonous sharp teeth. I never wanted Fi-Fi to hurt you only bad people that would hurt Nana Diamonde
.

But for the passion in which she signed, Kaden would not have believed this story. The look in her eyes left no room for doubt that she spoke the truth.

This kid was no simple charmer. Kaden wondered what other hidden powers she possessed. She was so young to have such skills. Most immortals her age could barely make the lights go out. This child created beasts and undid spells. What would she be by the age of twenty when her powers were fully developed?

“What else have you made?” he wrote quickly anxious to hear the answer.

Happy, my pet piranha, and Giggles, my snake. I made them pretty colors that I like. I made some other pets for Nana Diamonde, but I had to erase them because they went bad and started attacking the Chihuahuas
.