Lover's Betrayal: Misfits of the Lore Series Read Free Page B

in him and if I can help him find it before it’s too late, I can save my son.”
    Corinne sighed in frustration. “You can save him only if he wants to be saved. Kaden is not a child. He has to bear the responsibility for the things he’s done. He can’t blame mommy forever and you have to stop blaming yourself. I was there from the beginning and I know the truth. Kaden isn’t your fault. I love that boy, but there’s darkness inside him that he doesn’t always control. We all have a dark side, but Kaden embraces his.”
    Olivia would never forgive herself for what Kaden had turned into. She had hoped he would find some semblance of peace when he moved away from the family after his father’s death. After years of silence, she had believed her prayers were answered and that Kaden was changing for the better. Julian’s phone call was an unfortunate reminder that Kaden was a long way from being emotionally healed. She might be the only person who could help him before his actions led to his destruction.
    “It doesn’t matter. I have to try to help him while there’s still a chance. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’m his mother.”
    Throughout the six-hour flight, Olivia’s thoughts were on her sons and her failed relationship with them. Kaden was an emotional wreck because of her, and Julian resented her. She tried to be a good mother to both, but she could never give them what they needed. She was so dead inside that she could not be the mother they both deserved. Kaden especially needed more love than she could give, and her failure to love him enough left him cold and emotionless. Kaden reveled in his vampiric abilities and used them to control others. He was reckless with his feeding and violent with other immortals. Kaden had a reputation for danger, and trouble followed him. He gladly welcomed it as danger was a release of all this pent-up rage eating away at him. This rage prevented Kaden from connecting with her and his brother. He hurt deeply and wanted nothing but to hurt others. Her precious boy would turn into a monster unless she did something soon. Otherwise, he would be lost forever.
    Julian was also haunted by an overwhelming sadness that left him lonely and detached. He enjoyed the peaceful remoteness of upstate New York where he could focus on his art and distance himself from anyone who would try to get to close to his heart. Although Julian was generally polite and cordial to Olivia, she could feel his disdain for her. She knew Julian blamed her for the misery that plagued their family. When he was a child, too smart for his young years, he yelled at her after witnessing an argument between her and Daughton. “Why can’t you be nicer to Daddy? Why you messin’ up our family? I hate you. I wish you’d go away.”
    Those words haunted Olivia for many years. They still haunted her. Julian loved his father and never knew him for the true monster he was -- and Olivia would never tell him. Corinne begged her to tell Julian the truth, but Olivia refused. She did not want to hurt Julian by ruining his perfect image of his father, though she might have hurt him more by letting him believe a lie. Now, it was too late. Julian’s feelings for her were well cemented and nothing would change them. She hoped this trip would be a last chance for her to say goodbye to her son and maybe make peace with him. For he might never love her, but maybe he could not hate her.

    III
    “Thank God we’ve landed,” Corinne sighed. “That was the longest flight ever. We’re never flying this airline again.”
    “What’s wrong with this airline?” Olivia asked.
    “What’s right with it?” Corinne yelled, waving her hands in the air. “There were no movies. All we had was the news and the Discovery Channel. I don’t want to hear about politics, nor do I want to watch elephants mate. Do you know how pathetic it makes me feel that Dumbo is getting more action than me? What’s wrong with this picture?”
    Olivia