“Nothing’s changed, Malcolm. You hold my mother, so you hold all the cards, as you always have.”
He sat back, spinning the Demon Pride ring on his finger. His eyes were trained on me, though. He was searching for proof that something had changed last night. He’s not wrong. I now knew I had a mate nearby. I knew who he was and where I could find him.
“I’ll let you see your mother. She can help you get ready.”
“Get ready?” My stomach sank. If Malcolm didn’t know that I found my mate last night, he suspected.
“Yes,” The look he sent me was full of hatred and barely controlled fury. “It’s time you were claimed, Camilla, and I have just the person in mind to help keep you under control.”
My stomach twisted with anger and resentment. As long as Malcolm held my mother captive, I was under his thumb and we both knew it. Now that I knew my mate—having spent some time with him; having another man claim me just didn’t feel right.
“Easy little fox.” My animal wasn’t liking this. She was ready to run far and fast. I couldn’t say I blamed her. If I had my way, I’d have been gone a long fucking time ago.
“My mother,” I said through gritted teeth. “I want to see her.”
“Benito will take you to see her,” he said, gesturing for his man to come forward. “After your visit, we’ll have a mating ceremony.”
Over my dead body, I said to myself to calm my fox, who wanted out. She wanted to protect me, but there was no protecting me from Malcolm and his plans. I should have stayed with Six. I should have told my mate everything.
“Mama,” I said when they opened the locked room. I ran in to see her sitting on the small couch reading a book.
“Cami.” Her voice was thick with emotion, and her eyes filled with tears. It had been about a week since I’d seen her last.
Malcolm’s man left and locked the door behind us, leaving us alone. I hugged her tight before grabbing the book she was holding. While I gave her a monologue of small talk, I pointed out words in the book. It was how we always talked without them knowing what we were doing. With shifter hearing, they could hear through the walls easily. Using books was how we communicated without their knowledge.
He. Is. M-a-k-i-n-g. Me. M-a-r-r-y. I pointed out words or letters forming the sentence. When I finished the word marry, Mom sucked in a deep breath. Her hand covered her mouth and her eyes clouded with tears.
Malcolm was trying to force me to do his bidding the same way he forced my mother. He was using us against each other. It was how he would win every fucking time.
You. Have. To. G-o. Mom pointed out the words as she talked about the latest book she was reading. P-l-e-a-s-e.
“Mom,” I whispered, crying and dying a little inside.
Please. She mouthed. Go.
I shook my head as tears spilled over my cheeks. I couldn’t leave her behind.
Mom reached up and cupped my cheeks as she rested her forehead against mine. She closed her eyes, and calmness settled over her. You. Have. To. Run. She pointed out each word in the book, hitting the page hard to emphasize what she wanted me to do.
I’m. Not. L-e-a-v-i-n-g. You.
“Please,” she whispered, her voice imploring me to go. “Please. I can’t see you in this position, Cami.”
“Mama.” I then did something I haven’t done in a long time. I hug my mother tight and cry into her shoulder. She holds me as the sobs wrack my body.
“Cami, you have to do this. You have to be strong.” Anyone who heard the other end of the conversation would think she was encouraging me to marry the man Malcolm chose for me. “We do what we must to survive.”
I nod. ‘Ok, Mama.’ I mouth the words to her. I’m. C-o-m-i-n-g. B-a-c-k. for you. I found the words and letters I needed to let her know that I wasn’t going to just leave her unprotected.
‘F-o-u-n-d. my. m-a-t-e.’ I pointed out. When she looked up, I nodded and smiled. I’m coming back for you, Mama. He’ll help me. I mouthed the words to her silently, but she nodded her understanding and gave me one last hug. “I love you,” she whispered into my ear, and I squeezed her tight.
“Love you, too.”
I’d vowed never to use my power on my mom before, but I broke that vow, pushing into her mind and wiping away the plan to come back for her. Our form of communication and the fact that I had a mate out there. The less she knew, the better, and the less Malcolm could use against us.
After I wiped bits and pieces of her memory, I knocked on the door letting the guard know I was ready. After I knocked, I used my power to create a blind spot in his brain. He couldn’t see me as I slipped out the door around him.
Using my ability to cloak myself from everyone’s sight, I moved through the compound. In my room I grabbed a backpack, shoving in a change of clothes and the charm bracelet my parents got me for my tenth birthday. It was the last present I’d gotten from my dad.
It was starting to get dark, and that was my best bet. I had to get out before they came looking for me. Malcolm would pick the most sadistic bastard to give me to. I had no doubt he’d pick someone just like him. His second in command, Eduardo Vega, Eddie, as everyone called him. He’s cut from the same sick cloth as Malcolm. I’ll marry him when hell freezes over.
I open my small window and put my ability to good use again. The only good thing Malcolm did for me was forcing me to use my ability often. Because of that, I had complete
