Banewolf (Dark Siren Book 2) Read Free

Two were solid. The third was composed of ancient hieroglyphs from a language even he did not know. The words interlocked within an intricate pattern of geometrical shapes. Parallel lines flowed from the underside of his forearm, bleeding into his palm to form the triangular shape of a crude arrow. The arrow nested inside of a sphere. The tip of the arrow split again into side by side lines, meeting to become a circlet around his middle finger.
    “It was not by choice.” He absently traced the mark within his palm. “It’s who I am.”
    Greg raised an eyebrow but didn’t question the subject further. Instead, he got down to the business at hand. “I’ve had every resource out there looking for Kalista, and we still can’t find her. Where is she?”
    Rhane shook his head by way of reply.
    “That’s not the response I was hoping for. I want my little girl back.”
    Greg was angry. No doubt it was difficult for him to adjust to this unique situation where he was practically helpless. He was used to being in a courtroom where he had control and the upper hand. Rhane understood that. “I’m sorry for what you and your family must be going through. But Kalista cannot return here until it is safe.”
    “Is this my fault?” Greg’s voice softened. “Did I get in the way of you protecting her?”
    “No,” he said and meant it. Had he been stronger, things would have turned out differently.
    Greg reached into the shopping bag and pulled out a pair of dress pants. He tossed them at Rhane. The material was blood stained and wrinkled as if they’d been packed in that very bag for two weeks. More noticeable was a large tear in the fabric of the upper thigh region. Greg looked Rhane directly in the eye. “I know you’re different, son. And I know I owe you a thank you for saving my life.”
    “Mr. Metts, I respect you a lot. But I didn’t do it for you.”
    Greg nodded. “I know. I was pretty out of it. But I heard you begging Kali to leave. It was the right thing to do. I will always expect you to choose her life over mine and over your own.” Sighing, he leaned forward. “Nine years ago, a man brought Kali to us and said she needed our love and protection. We were to keep her safe until it was no longer humanly possible. He promised that when the child matured, another would arrive to act as her guardian. Lisa and I agreed without hesitation. We fell in love with Kali and would have done anything to help her. Over the years, we noticed little things…we knew she was different.” Greg stopped. After taking a moment to suppress his emotions, he continued. “We loved her as much as we loved our biological daughter, probably sometimes even more. I promised to protect her, but now there’s something out there…something evil that wants her and I can’t stop it. I can’t protect my little girl from him, can I?”
    “No, you can’t.”
    “But you can.” Greg’s expression became hopeful. “Bring Kalista home and I won’t interfere anymore.”
    Rhane shook his head. “She can’t stay with you. I can’t protect her like that.”
    Greg rubbed his face. He knew what Rhane’s words implied. He nodded. “Right now she’s alone and afraid. You are what she needs.” He looked around the master bedroom. “Any chance you could give her own room?”
    “By my side is the safest place for her to be.”
    “Okay…okay.” Greg ran a hand across his neck. “Just promise me you won’t have sex with her. She’s only seventeen. She needs to finish high school and go to college, not get wrapped up and twisted around in a relationship with a much older man.”
    “There is an eight year and three month gestation for offspring of my species. If pregnancy is what you’re worried about, it wouldn’t affect her until long after she graduated from college.”
    Greg’s mouth fell open and then snapped shut.
    “Sorry. It was a bad joke.” Rhane was genuinely contrite. “You have a deal.”
    The two men went