Bitter Blood (BBi)

Chapter 49: Fracture

Chapter Forty-Nine
Fracture

Avery's house is packed when I get there.

Everybody has come over this time, including Micah and Maylin. When I walk in Tori greets me with a beaming smile, Jennifer waves and then elbows Jeremy out of the way of the IPod dock, and Avery immediately jumps up from the couch. The only one missing is Rhys.

“How did it go?” Avery asks.

I drop myself into one of the single arm chairs, sinking almost all the way out of it when I relax. Blue lies down beside me on the carpet.

“Not good?” she asks.

“Let's just say me and my mother have a lot of issues between us.” I say. “But she didn't do it. She claims that no one in her coven did either.”

“I think I'd like to meet your mother.” Tori says as she plunks down on the floor beside Blue. She crosses her legs beneath her and draws her hand down his back, making him purr softly. “I've never come across a High Witch before.”

“You'd probably prefer to meet her from afar.” I tell her. “She isn't very fond of Shapeshifters.”

Tori pulls a face like that makes sense and smiles down at Blue as he rolls onto his back and paws at her tattooed fingers, focusing specifically on the writing across her knuckles.

I look over at Jeremy and Jennifer when their bickering becomes more noticeable.

“We aren't listening to that.” Jeremy says, already reaching forward to skip to another song.

“Yes we are.” she slaps his hand away. “What would you like to put on anyway? The Weeknd?”

“Yes. He makes good music.”

"You wouldn't know good music if it kicked you in the teeth.”

“Please, children,” Tori says. “Play nice.”

“But are you listening to her?” Jeremy demands, turning around to face us. “Everything she chooses is absolute–“

“Perfection.” Jennifer puts in.

“I wouldn't use that word.”

Tori rolls her eyes at them. “If you don't stop fighting Parker will set Blue on you.” she warns them.

I smirk and whistle to the cat. “Sick 'em, boy.”

He jumps up, ready to charge, and then sneezes at them instead. He lies back down, satisfied with his attack.

Jeremy gives up on the music and flops down next to Tori on the ground.

“So Parker,” I look down at him. “What's the deal with your dad?"

It goes quiet. Tori elbows him sharply in the side. He protests with a yelp.

"He's an alcoholic." I tell him, saying it aloud for what feels like the first time. "He changed a lot after my mum left.”

What I find in Jeremy's eyes isn't pity – it's understanding.

"My pa was the same.” he says. “He was a real bad drunk. Mean and angry. Use to beat the living shit out of me.”

Two words immediately jump to the front of my mind. But I don't say them because I know that's never what anyone wants to really hear; I'm sorry doesn't change anything.

“It sucks.” I say.

“It did for a while.” he replies. “But things got better. I changed into a Werewolf for one, got away from him, met the rest of these idiots.”