Jaden!” Ryder didn’t even bother to lower his voice, obviously not caring if Maya awoke or not.
“Slow down, Ryder! No one slept with her! And the moment I saw how Jaden acted around her I knew she was off-limits. Plus, I saw his tattoo, Ryder. I can add two and two together. It took me a few minutes, but when he went crazy about her earlier, I knew. I am here because she feels like a sister to me now and I wouldn’t let anything come onto my brother’s Origin!” He’d protect her with his life; that much he knew.
“She doesn’t need you to watch out for her, Kaden,” Ryder snarled. “She has me. I’m her brother and believe me, from now on I’ll take that position no matter what.”
Maya couldn’t get herself to interrupt those two fighting guys, but with her vision going high definition again, she could clearly see the guy Kaden had called Ryder.
He was as tall as the twins, dark hair hanging slightly into his eyes; a little longer on the top and shorter on the side. His green eyes were blazing with fury.
Anger, hot and bright, surged through her, making her glare at him.
“From now on? Where were you, brother , the moment my mother started hunting me? The moment I realized I was not one of the Morningstar family I lived with?” She got up, walking over to the two warriors that now stared, speechless. “Where were you when my mother had me captured by her hunters, letting them bite me? Where were you when she tried to starve me to death in her basement? And where were you when I did my first kill on one of her hunters? Where were you then, brother ?” She was beating her little fists against his massive chest, knowing she didn’t hurt him one bit, yet not being able to stop herself.
“And why didn’t you tell me that I wasn’t human? When we first met you asked me if I knew what my parents were and what I was. I said human and you didn’t correct me. You let me believe I was normal. I’m not though, right? I’m like all of you… I am…” She trailed off as a thought hit her. If she wasn’t human and Ryder was her brother, then she was one of the monsters. She was a Hellraise. All strength left her and she almost stumbled as her legs threatened to give out.
“Cupcake, you are just yourself, okay? You are exactly how you are supposed to be.” Kaden tentatively went closer until he could reach out and pull her into his arms. She willingly went, feeling the need to hide, shaking with emotional overload.
“But will I be a monster?” she asked, her voice breaking at the last word and she hated herself for her weakness.
“Let her go, Kaden,” she heard a voice from behind them say and it made her step back. She’d recognize that low threat everywhere. Kaden almost jumped away from her, making her wonder if he feared his brother.
She turned to Jaden. “Did you know?” If he had known and had not bothered telling, her heart would break. She couldn’t say why, but if he had betrayed her by keeping that knowledge from her, she wouldn’t be able to stand it. Even though she didn’t know him she trusted him.
“Did I know what, babe?” he asked, his chocolate eyes focusing on her with something hidden in them. It was hard putting a name on what she saw. Regret? Pity?
“Don’t call her that,” Ryder growled and she glared at him.
“You are the last person that should talk to me. I don’t need you to protect me. You didn’t before and you sure as hell don’t need to start now,” she fussed, turning back to look at Jaden. Her body screamed for her to reach out; to touch him just a few seconds. She hoped against everything that he wouldn’t disappoint her.
“Did you know I would end up a monster? That I am a Hellraise?”
The look on his face told her all she needed to know. It was a mix of gentleness and regret. He framed her face, kissing her forehead in a way that made her stomach flutter.
Just stay quiet or lie , she silently pleaded.
“All Hellraise have shining
“Slow down, Ryder! No one slept with her! And the moment I saw how Jaden acted around her I knew she was off-limits. Plus, I saw his tattoo, Ryder. I can add two and two together. It took me a few minutes, but when he went crazy about her earlier, I knew. I am here because she feels like a sister to me now and I wouldn’t let anything come onto my brother’s Origin!” He’d protect her with his life; that much he knew.
“She doesn’t need you to watch out for her, Kaden,” Ryder snarled. “She has me. I’m her brother and believe me, from now on I’ll take that position no matter what.”
Maya couldn’t get herself to interrupt those two fighting guys, but with her vision going high definition again, she could clearly see the guy Kaden had called Ryder.
He was as tall as the twins, dark hair hanging slightly into his eyes; a little longer on the top and shorter on the side. His green eyes were blazing with fury.
Anger, hot and bright, surged through her, making her glare at him.
“From now on? Where were you, brother , the moment my mother started hunting me? The moment I realized I was not one of the Morningstar family I lived with?” She got up, walking over to the two warriors that now stared, speechless. “Where were you when my mother had me captured by her hunters, letting them bite me? Where were you when she tried to starve me to death in her basement? And where were you when I did my first kill on one of her hunters? Where were you then, brother ?” She was beating her little fists against his massive chest, knowing she didn’t hurt him one bit, yet not being able to stop herself.
“And why didn’t you tell me that I wasn’t human? When we first met you asked me if I knew what my parents were and what I was. I said human and you didn’t correct me. You let me believe I was normal. I’m not though, right? I’m like all of you… I am…” She trailed off as a thought hit her. If she wasn’t human and Ryder was her brother, then she was one of the monsters. She was a Hellraise. All strength left her and she almost stumbled as her legs threatened to give out.
“Cupcake, you are just yourself, okay? You are exactly how you are supposed to be.” Kaden tentatively went closer until he could reach out and pull her into his arms. She willingly went, feeling the need to hide, shaking with emotional overload.
“But will I be a monster?” she asked, her voice breaking at the last word and she hated herself for her weakness.
“Let her go, Kaden,” she heard a voice from behind them say and it made her step back. She’d recognize that low threat everywhere. Kaden almost jumped away from her, making her wonder if he feared his brother.
She turned to Jaden. “Did you know?” If he had known and had not bothered telling, her heart would break. She couldn’t say why, but if he had betrayed her by keeping that knowledge from her, she wouldn’t be able to stand it. Even though she didn’t know him she trusted him.
“Did I know what, babe?” he asked, his chocolate eyes focusing on her with something hidden in them. It was hard putting a name on what she saw. Regret? Pity?
“Don’t call her that,” Ryder growled and she glared at him.
“You are the last person that should talk to me. I don’t need you to protect me. You didn’t before and you sure as hell don’t need to start now,” she fussed, turning back to look at Jaden. Her body screamed for her to reach out; to touch him just a few seconds. She hoped against everything that he wouldn’t disappoint her.
“Did you know I would end up a monster? That I am a Hellraise?”
The look on his face told her all she needed to know. It was a mix of gentleness and regret. He framed her face, kissing her forehead in a way that made her stomach flutter.
Just stay quiet or lie , she silently pleaded.
“All Hellraise have shining
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