The Blood Moon Twins
Chapter 91

LUNA ADIRA

"What I really want to know is if you can really help Remy?" I said. "I don't want any tricks. If there is anything you're hiding-"

"There's no point in hiding anything," Cain said, leaning against the railing with me. "I know you don't trust me, but what happened was a long time ago."

I resisted the urge to run away from him. He was right. Eighteen years was a long time, but I wasn't about to blindly trust him. Even if he showed me he had changed, I wasn't sure if trust would ever be a part of this dynamic.

"If there's no point in hiding anything, then how are you planning on working against the Council of Magic?" I asked.

"You're not secretly working for them, are you?" Cain said with a chuckle. It was a joke, but I had a feeling he was asking this for a reason.

"I hate them more than I hate you. I would never work with them," I said, digging my nails into the wood beneath my hands. "If I could kill all of them, I would."

"I would, too," Cain admitted to my surprise. "I am building this settlement as a safe haven for sorcerers to run to if they feel threatened. I'm also trying to build an army that's worthy to stand up against the council." "And how is that going?" I asked.

It was a little strange thinking that Cain was working against the council. He used to follow their word closely, even to the extent of hurting family. I was glad he saw the truth of the people he was working for. I just wished it had come much sooner. "Slowly. I'm afraid that if we keep up this pace, I will be long dead before we can get strong enough. The Council of Magic treats those with power well. It was part of why I worked for them as long as I did. They provide comfortable lives for those who are strong, so it has been impossible to get them on our side." Cain sighed and let his head fall forward. "They don't see the bad in the council, or they simply don't care, and the sorcerers here are strong, but not strong enough to defeat them."

I felt his pain. I knew what the council's magic was like, and I might have been able to fight one, but not all of them. "That's why I haven't gone after Caulder. As is, I don't think we have a chance against them. I don't even know much about them," I admitted. If we were stronger, I wouldn't have hesitated to attack them all to get my son back.

"They have been manipulating me for years," I said, admitting my greatest shame. "But I'm done. They need to be stopped, and maybe we could work together to get rid of the council."

Cain stood up straight. "You said you hated me just a moment ago."

I pushed myself off the railing. I took a deep breath to try to sort out the words in my head. "I do, but I don't want to anymore. Don't mistake this as me wanting any type of relationship with you, but maybe we can build an alliance for the benefit of each other, if you prove to be trustworthy."

"I think we are long past building a proper relationship, but you're right. That doesn't mean we can't have a beneficial dynamic. If we are able to take out the Council of Magic, we could save a lot of lives. Just the other day, we rescued a young sorcerer who had been tortured by the council." Cain shook his head, completely disgusted at the thought. "This can't keep happening."

"Is the sorcerer okay?" I asked. I felt sick hearing that the council actively tortured a sorcerer. It made me want to rush in and bring Caulder back. I couldn't stand the thought of him being treated like that, and I just hoped the council needed him too much to hurt him.

"I believe so," Cain answered. "But there are others who won't be if we don't do something soon."

"There are vampires knocking at our door at home, threatening to kill everyone if we don't give them Remy. We have to deal with that and figure out this prophecy stuff with Remy, or there will just be another person trying to take her. Until then, I don't think we can spare resources on the Council of Magic." It killed me admitting that. I felt like I was prioritizing one child over another, and it was tearing me apart.

"I see. I can't spare any resources to help with that, but I can help Remy learn to control her magic so she can replace the answers you are looking for," Cain said.

I smiled, feeling just a little better after the conversation. I was more confident Cain was actually going to do what he said he would. "That's all I'm asking for." After a moment of silence, I said, "Cain?"

"Yes?"

"Where is she?" Despite the pain my mother had caused, I needed to know where she was. She left me to be with Cain, but she wasn't here."

"The Council of Magic killed her."

JULIE

I couldn't see a thing. I was blindfolded and being dragged to some unknown location.

"You're being too rough with me," I complained as the vampire yanked me to move faster. It would have been easier to keep up if she let me transform into my wolf form, but she didn't give me a chance to before grabbing me.

"Shut up," she snapped. She tightened her grip, and her nails dug into my arm. She pierced my skin, and the pain was sharp before it started throbbing. I didn't say anything else.

I was thrown onto the ground when we finally made it to our destination. The floor was cold, damp, and hard. The smell of mold wafted into the air, and I had no idea where we could be. We hadn't gone far enough to make it to another town, as far as I was aware, but I didn't think there were any buildings outside of the town our pack was in. "Don't move, or I'll kill you personally," the vampire said.

I felt the rush of air, but I didn't hear any footsteps. It was completely silent after that. Vampires were quieter than I realized, and there was something about that that unnerved me. My heart raced, and I was starting to question if this was the right decision. No matter how much Harper got under my skin, it wouldn't be worth it if I got killed.

"Hello?" I called out meekly, hoping I wasn't by myself. I wanted to tell her I had changed my mind and that I wanted to go home. No one answered, and I thought about getting up and trying to run away, but her warning rang in my head. For all I knew, she was testing me, hoping I disobeyed her to give her a chance to kill me.

I settled into a seating position and forced myself to calm my breath. I had come this far. I couldn't afford to give up just yet. Not before I got what I wanted.

Footsteps rang into the air, and I knew they were deliberate. Whoever walked in here wanted me to hear them approach. The air shifted, and my spine tingled. I could hear my heart beating in my ears, and I struggled to focus on anything else. The smell of mold disappeared, and it was replaced with the scent of burnt ash and pine, and something about it smelled... good.

"I heard we found a little pup wandering in the forest," a deep voice rang, filling my ears. "Awfully brave for someone so meek. Or maybe you're just an idiot."

His voice was sonorous, and I just wanted to keep listening to it. "I came here looking for your help," I managed to whisper. I was still blind folded, so I didn't know what this man looked like, but everything about his energy filled the room to the point it was practically suffocating me.

"What help could I possibly provide a wolf?" he asked.

His voice was closer now, and I was sure that if I reached out, I would be able to touch him. I didn't dare move.

"There's someone I want you to get rid of. You want to attack and kill our pack anyway, right? There's just someone I want you to focus on." My heart pounded as I made the request. I hadn't imagined Harper being killed before, but the words slipped out of my mouth, and the darkness slipped into my head.

Yes. That would solve my problems. If Harper wasn't in the way, she wouldn't be able to trick Caulder anymore. He would realize that love wasn't enough to make a good luna. He would see my real potential.

The blindfold was lifted off my face. At first I couldn't see anything, but as my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw a pair of beautiful red eyes staring at me. The man was crouched in front of me, and his sharp features made him more attractive than any werewolf I had ever seen, even Caulder.

"Have you ever taken a life before?" he asked, his sultry voice filling my ears. "Have you ever felt their blood dripping on your hands as the life drained from their eyes? Do you understand exactly what you are asking of me?"

I slowly shook my head. The idea of taking someone's life made my stomach lurch, especially in the way he described it. It was like he took pleasure in that moment, but I also understood what I was asking.

"Pathetic," he said, taking hold of my chin. "What is this? Some petty high school drama? I'm not interested in helping you."

He stood up and started walking away. The thought of him leaving was enough for me to lunge forward. "Wait! Do go." I wanted just a moment longer with him, no matter what the cost was.

"I told you not to move," the female vampire said, kicking me in the stomach and sending me flying back.

I cried out in pain, but I resisted the urge to curl up into a ball. I had to do something, or he would leave me, and I may never see him again. "Wait. I know the alpha's son and daughter. I can give you inside information. I can help you get what you want." This was enough to get the man to stop walking. "And why would you do that?"

"Because I would do anything for you." I didn't even realize what I was saying until the words had already slipped past my mouth. I didn't know why, but I knew every word was the truth.