genes. "Is that why I have both walker ability and tracking power?"
Mom nodded. "Omega managed to do some in-depth studies into gene-sharing. I guess the facility had its benefits."
I gritted my teeth. "Don't even joke about it." Just the thought of what Mom had been through in that facility made my heart hurt. "I still can't understand how Uncle Niko allowed it to happen."
"He didn't just allow it," Mom said "He performed any procedure himself. Said he didn't trust the other scientists, that they'd likely hurt me in the process. And he always made me comfortable. Sedated me if something was going to cause pain, never left me badly hurt."
"Stop it." I glared at her. "I can't believe you're making excuses for him." Even now she wasn't sharing exactly what had happened.
"I'm just being honest, Kai," Mom said. "Perhaps he had no choice. Perhaps he had to do it, so he treated me well. Whatever he did, he never caused me pain or discomfort. And he always seemed sorry."
" Seemed ."
My tone was hard, and even when I realized that Grams was sitting across from us listening to us talk about her son, I didn't apologize for my attitude.
He might have been my Uncle, but he'd hurt us all. And even though Mom's words had struck me deeply--was there a possibility that Uncle Niko had done those awful deeds under duress?--I wasn't ready to give him a pass.
"I know it upsets you to talk about him, honey."
"I heard what he said about me," I said softly. "When they captured me, drugged me. He stood at my bedside and spoke about me to Greer so impartially, as if having an alpha in his clutches was a strategic benefit to his research, never mind that the alpha happened to be his own flesh and blood."
"He spoke to Greer?"
"Yes, they were the only two people in the room."
Mom and Grams exchanged a long look. "Then," Mom said, "have you considered that his comments to Greer would have been an act?"
I didn't understand. "Why would he have been acting?"
"Because Greer was aligned with Brand and maybe even Widd'en?" Mom spoke softly, kindly, as if she knew that reminding me of my sister's relationship with Brand, a notorious drug-peddler and walker of questionable sanity who believed himself free to feed on humans, would hurt.
And that Greer's loyalty to the Wraith Lord would still be a raw wound. Widd'en had been intent on taking over the human world, and I'd spent my time killing wraiths who'd been taking over innocent humans. Little had I known that I'd merely been putting out brush fires, and that the firestarter himself had gotten my sister and uncle under his control.
"You want me to consider that Uncle Niko was being manipulated the entire time?"
"Maybe not the whole time. In the beginning maybe he was the instigator. But I suspect things got quickly out of hand."
I remained silent, absorbing her theory. It was odd having my inner confusion turned into words, and by Mom of all people.
Then Grams broke the silence. "Forget the past for now. Let's talk about the present. Where have you been?"
Reality check. "You're not going to like it."
"Do tell," said Mom and they both leaned forward.
I told them about promises and massacres--both bloody--and of mind-melds and assassinations--both sickening. And when I finally finished, I waited.
"What the hell were you thinking?" demanded Mom, her face pale.
Grams made no comment and I knew why.
I faced Mom. "I needed to save Greer. The seal was the only way because she'd stolen yours."
Mom shifted her gaze from my face to Grams. "That reminds me. I still have to deal with you for giving Kai my seal in the first place."
I bristled. "It's not Grams's fault, Mom."
"Grams can defend herself thank you very much," said Grams, a pleasant smile on her face. She seemed totally unaffected and not in the least bit guilty. She definitely didn't need my help in her defense.
Mom ignored both of us. "And a blood promise? Do you even know how serious that is?"
"I do now," I said drily. "I
Mom nodded. "Omega managed to do some in-depth studies into gene-sharing. I guess the facility had its benefits."
I gritted my teeth. "Don't even joke about it." Just the thought of what Mom had been through in that facility made my heart hurt. "I still can't understand how Uncle Niko allowed it to happen."
"He didn't just allow it," Mom said "He performed any procedure himself. Said he didn't trust the other scientists, that they'd likely hurt me in the process. And he always made me comfortable. Sedated me if something was going to cause pain, never left me badly hurt."
"Stop it." I glared at her. "I can't believe you're making excuses for him." Even now she wasn't sharing exactly what had happened.
"I'm just being honest, Kai," Mom said. "Perhaps he had no choice. Perhaps he had to do it, so he treated me well. Whatever he did, he never caused me pain or discomfort. And he always seemed sorry."
" Seemed ."
My tone was hard, and even when I realized that Grams was sitting across from us listening to us talk about her son, I didn't apologize for my attitude.
He might have been my Uncle, but he'd hurt us all. And even though Mom's words had struck me deeply--was there a possibility that Uncle Niko had done those awful deeds under duress?--I wasn't ready to give him a pass.
"I know it upsets you to talk about him, honey."
"I heard what he said about me," I said softly. "When they captured me, drugged me. He stood at my bedside and spoke about me to Greer so impartially, as if having an alpha in his clutches was a strategic benefit to his research, never mind that the alpha happened to be his own flesh and blood."
"He spoke to Greer?"
"Yes, they were the only two people in the room."
Mom and Grams exchanged a long look. "Then," Mom said, "have you considered that his comments to Greer would have been an act?"
I didn't understand. "Why would he have been acting?"
"Because Greer was aligned with Brand and maybe even Widd'en?" Mom spoke softly, kindly, as if she knew that reminding me of my sister's relationship with Brand, a notorious drug-peddler and walker of questionable sanity who believed himself free to feed on humans, would hurt.
And that Greer's loyalty to the Wraith Lord would still be a raw wound. Widd'en had been intent on taking over the human world, and I'd spent my time killing wraiths who'd been taking over innocent humans. Little had I known that I'd merely been putting out brush fires, and that the firestarter himself had gotten my sister and uncle under his control.
"You want me to consider that Uncle Niko was being manipulated the entire time?"
"Maybe not the whole time. In the beginning maybe he was the instigator. But I suspect things got quickly out of hand."
I remained silent, absorbing her theory. It was odd having my inner confusion turned into words, and by Mom of all people.
Then Grams broke the silence. "Forget the past for now. Let's talk about the present. Where have you been?"
Reality check. "You're not going to like it."
"Do tell," said Mom and they both leaned forward.
I told them about promises and massacres--both bloody--and of mind-melds and assassinations--both sickening. And when I finally finished, I waited.
"What the hell were you thinking?" demanded Mom, her face pale.
Grams made no comment and I knew why.
I faced Mom. "I needed to save Greer. The seal was the only way because she'd stolen yours."
Mom shifted her gaze from my face to Grams. "That reminds me. I still have to deal with you for giving Kai my seal in the first place."
I bristled. "It's not Grams's fault, Mom."
"Grams can defend herself thank you very much," said Grams, a pleasant smile on her face. She seemed totally unaffected and not in the least bit guilty. She definitely didn't need my help in her defense.
Mom ignored both of us. "And a blood promise? Do you even know how serious that is?"
"I do now," I said drily. "I
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