28. Complications Abound

CHAPTER 28

Complications Abound

W hat had begun as a formal dinner quickly evolved into something that made Brynleigh uncomfortable in more ways than one.

Earlier, Tertia's abhorrent, bitchy behavior had been one thing. It was fine. More than fine, if Brynleigh was being honest. If that was how his mother acted, maybe Brynleigh was doing the right thing by killing Ryker. Maybe that mask she'd seen in the car, the one he'd worn when they first entered the house, was really who he was, and he was just like his mother.

Brynleigh had been feeling more confident in her plan and boundaries right up until Ryker's father coughed. When Tertia's chair crashed to the ground, Brynleigh saw an entirely new side of the family.

It was wholly unwelcome.

Now, she felt like an intruder in the most intimate of moments. Brynleigh was a spectator, sitting back and trying to shrink against the wall as the family hugged their patriarch and cried.

The cold Representative had transformed into a warm, loving wife as she peppered her husband with kisses. She took his hand gently and spoke to him in soft tones.

The way River looked at her father—like he had personally hung the moon and stars in the sky—reminded Brynleigh of the love she'd had for her parents.

And Ryker.

Captain Ryker Waterborn of the Army's Fae Division fucking cried . Not just a tear or two. He openly wept, tears rolling down his cheeks as he kneeled at his father's side.

Gods damn it all, witnessing Ryker cry made Brynleigh feel all sorts of things that she had no business feeling.

She couldn't ignore the truth any longer: she was in trouble. Things were getting far too complicated for her liking. She had come to this dinner hoping to find more reasons to kill Ryker.

And now? This wasn't what Brynleigh had signed up for. This game was about death, brutality, and heartless revenge. She knew that, yet her heart insisted on breaking at the joy and sadness in this room. Damned tears lined her eyes.

This was too much. There were too many emotions. Too much going on in this room.

She must have made a sound because Ryker glanced at her as though asking if she was alright. She wasn't, but she still nodded. Ryker returned to his father, murmuring.

At some point, the servants brought in more food. There was a veritable feast on the table, which Brynleigh could not eat.

Avoiding the emotional scene still unfolding before her, Brynleigh studied the paintings on the wall. Some were landscapes, a few were portraits, and all looked expensive. Usually, displays of wealth like this turned her stomach, but she had bigger things to worry about right now. Tertia slowly spooned her husband some gazpacho while River and Ryker spoke to him through watery smiles.

The four of them seemed happy, and it was…

Horrible.

She needed to get out of here.

Brynleigh refilled her blood wine from the nearest decanter and pushed her chair back from the table. "Where's the ladies' room?"

Ryker met her gaze from across the table. "Down the hall and three doors to the left. Do you need me to come with you?"

So gods-damned considerate .

Another emotion arose. Brynleigh didn't analyze it before grabbing it and pushing it down. It barely fit. She shook her head. "No, I'm fine, thank you."

"She's nice," Cyrus whispered. "You Chose well, Ryker."

No, he didn't. He Chose a woman intent on killing him.

Panic was churning mass, threatening to spill the contents of Brynleigh's stomach. Fuck, she had to get out of here.

Ryker's attention returned to his father. "Brynleigh's wonderful. You're going to love…"

Brynleigh hurried from the room, and Ryker's words faded. She clutched her wine like it was a lifeboat and counted the doors. Thank the gods, the bathroom was precisely where Ryker said it would be.

It was luxurious, reminiscent of what she expected to see in The Lily's lobby, not a home. A long marble counter with three sunken sinks spanned one wall. A mirror ran above it. Soft lighting was embedded in the ceiling, casting a warm glow on the interior. Three stalls were behind her. The navy blue doors matched the striations running through the counter.

Opening each door to ensure she was alone—although really, who would be here?—she leaned against the counter and gulped the rest of her wine. Her head tingled and felt lightheaded, but it wouldn't last long.

Alcohol never had a lasting effect on vampires. Only Faerie Wine had any real influences on children of the moon, and this was not that.

Slowly, the panic dwindled, and she could draw deep breaths once more.

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out of her pocket.

Z: See you tonight. Safe house.

Short and to the point, exactly what she expected from the shifter. Brynleigh tapped back a brief reply confirming she understood, hitting "send" before sliding her phone away and staring at herself in the mirror.

Black, shining eyes. Silky blonde hair. Fangs. She was a vampire through and through. There wasn't a hint of the human she'd once been .

Why couldn't she follow the rules? Why was she so overcome with emotion tonight?

Quite frankly, Brynleigh's behavior was unbecoming of a vampire who'd killed more people than she could count.

"Get a grip," she told herself firmly. "His dad is alert and spoke for the first time in a while. So what? It doesn't mean anything."

Her harsh, callous tone didn't help her feel better. If anything, it made her feel worse. Odd.

She tried another tactic. Fingers digging into the counter, she glared at herself. "Remember the game. Rule number one: you cannot trust anyone." Okay, that was working. Her spine straightened. "Rule number two: doubly blessed vampires do not hide behind?—"

The door swung open.

Brynleigh clamped her mouth shut and spun on her heels as River entered the washroom. Even red-eyed and puffy-cheeked, the slender water fae was beautiful. Her long brown hair hung to her waist, and there was an elegance about her that probably came from years in the same type of school that Valentina had attended.

River was leaner than Ryker and less battle-worn. However, she had enough piercings for both of them. Brynleigh counted three in each ear, one on River's lip and another in her nose. Beyond the piercings, though, there was a depth in River's brown eyes that Brynleigh recognized.

Grief called to grief.

And behind that, strength hid in River's gaze. It was the kind that could only come from surviving something difficult. Whatever the young water fae had been through, it hadn't been easy.

"Sorry about that scene in the dining room." River moved towards the sink closest to the door and turned on the tap. She splashed water on her face and rubbed her cheeks before drying her hands on a nearby towel. Her eyes were still red, and her cheeks still puffy as she smiled softly. "It's just, Dad isn't often…"

"You don't need to explain." In fact, Brynleigh would strongly prefer if River didn't. "Ryker told me about the Stillness."

A tear ran down River's cheek. "Yes. Dad's been sick for so long. Practically my whole life. "

Apparently, they were going to talk about this. Great. What was it with people confiding in Brynleigh? First Hallie, now River. Brynleigh thought she did an excellent job of giving off a "leave me alone" vibe. Clearly, she was wrong. She'd have to work on that when all this was done.

"I'm sorry." Brynleigh truly was. No matter what she thought about Ryker, she couldn't deny that Cyrus Waterborn appeared to be a beloved member of his family.

"Thank you." River chewed on her lip, drawing her piercing into her mouth before popping it back out.

An awkward silence stretched between them. Brynleigh was reaching for her empty wineglass, intent on leaving when River's hand landed on hers.

"My brother is a good fae," River murmured.

Brynleigh blinked. Where did that come from? Had River deduced Brynleigh's true intentions?

A thousand curses ran through her mind, each worse than the last. She searched River's face, trying to see what the fae meant. That panic was back, a fist constricting her heart. "I?—"

River shook her head and squeezed Brynleigh's fingers. "Ryker doesn't know I'm here. I mean, he knows that I came to the bathroom, but…"

He didn't know she'd come to talk to Brynleigh.

Against Brynleigh's good sense, intrigue unfurled within her. She canted her head and studied the fae. "Oh?"

River chewed on her lip, which seemed to be a habit. Probably not a great one, considering the placement of her piercing. "Ryker is… protective."

Brynleigh snorted. "I've gathered as much."

That was one of the first things she had noticed about the captain. She'd expected him to have some protective tendencies—most fae did—but Ryker exceeded her expectations.

He was protective and considerate. And kind. And…

Nope. She wasn't going down that road. She shoved those feelings down and concentrated on the conversation at hand .

"Anyways," River continued, "I wanted to talk to you alone. I know Mom can be… a lot."

That was an understatement.

"She's kind of… mean." Her meanness wasn't like Jelisette's, whose version of cruelty was deadly, but Tertia was unpleasant.

River's mouth twitched. "Yeah, she can be cold. When I was young, and Dad was healthy, she was different. But now…" She shrugged. "Grief changes people, you know?"

Yes, Brynleigh knew exactly what the water fae was talking about. She was far too familiar with the depth of grief. It was a blanket that shrouded one's life, coloring everything in shades of gray. Brynleigh and grief were old friends, whether she liked it or not.

"I do," Brynleigh whispered.

River's gaze searched hers for several long moments. "Yes, I see that. Come with me."

That intrigue remained as the water fae took Brynleigh's hand and tugged her into a small study next door.

They sat on a red couch. River folded her hands in her lap. "You're good for my brother, Brynleigh."

The vampire reared back. That was the last thing she needed or wanted to hear. She wasn't good for Ryker. She wasn't good for anyone, because she wasn't good . She was a vampire. A killer. A creature of the night. Created for darkness and destruction.

"I'm… No, I'm not…" She stumbled on her words and shook her head.

"Yes, you are. And that's why I'm going to tell you something I don't think Ryker will share with you."

Brynleigh's heart flung itself around her chest. What was River talking about?

The water fae smiled kindly. "You're about to be family, and if you're going to tie yourself to him… to us… you need to know everything."

Brynleigh's stomach was a tangle of knots. What was River talking about? Was she pulling back her brother's mask for her? Brynleigh would be eternally grateful to the pierced water fae if so.

She waited for River's next words with bated breath. Little did she know, no amount of time could have prepared her for what the fae was about to reveal.