Consumed » Kai Parker

Fifty Five

He slowly cranes his head in my direction, plastering on an empty smile. "Maybe I would be concerned about that, if you hadn't already befriended all the parasites. I felt it was a safe bet. And as for my coven, they'll be fine. It's Kai who will be taking the brunt of this impact, I assure you, Charlotte."

"So you still consider yourself a Gemini," I remark flatly. "I mean, based on that isolated specialists bullshit at the gala, I thought you were just a glorified loner now like the rest of them."

"Not quite. I had to distance myself for the good of the Geminis. They're flying blind right now and needed someone to step up and eradicate," He waves a disgusted hand at Kai, "his leadership. I'm taking care of the coven, like I always have."

I grit my teeth, irritated by his matter-of-fact explanation meant to justify keeping Kai and I hostage. The man obviously has a knack for this, paving his road of calculated destruction while throwing out excuses with a deceptive voice of reason behind them. He's nothing but a hollow shell of a man now, who has foolishly convinced himself that his acts of brutality are for a greater good. It's a level of ruthless denial that no one can break through, not with how ingrained his beliefs have become since the moment he discovered his son was a siphon.

"Have you paid a visit to the Geminis recently, Joshua?" I inquire. "If not, newsflash? Everyone's alive. Witches weren't burned at the stake. They're functioning. With Kai as their leader. You can't accept that, though, can you? That he changed and wants a bright future for this coven, too. It's easier for you to pretend he's a monster. So you can justify this crap. But guess what?"

I lean forward, meaning for him not to miss my next words. "You're insane. A bitter old man driven by senseless hatred for his son. Just take a look," I tug at my bound wrists pointedly, "at what you're doing. There's no justification for this, Joshua. Admit it."

His face takes on an impassive mask. "I won't be admitting anything, because you're extremely mistaken. Don't try to understand what a leader must do for his coven, because you are a human. You don't belong in this world, nor do you comprehend the stakes. And..." He laughs quietly. "Senseless hatred?"

Before I can react, Joshua rushes forward and grabs my throat in a vice grip. I sputter, eyes widening as he yanks me to my feet with his other hand joining in the task of hindering my breathing.

"Get...off," I wheeze. His face twitches and he slams my head back against the wall, hard. The already dull throb in my skull intensifies to a cruel ache.

"I didn't want to have to resort to brutish violence, but you're making me wonder if you're just as sick as my son. Calling my resentment of Malachai senseless." He squeezes my throat tighter and I struggle to intake air. "He killed my children."

"Y-you...you don't-"

He loosens his grasp ever so slightly and I gasp. "I don't what?"

My face twists into a scowl. "You don't care about that. You never gave a shit about any of your kids. It made no difference to you, so save the mourning father act for someone who's ignorant enough to fall for it. You don't hate Kai because of May tenth. You decided you hated him long before that. Because of what he is."

He stares at me silently, his eyes cold and fathomless, before roughly snatching his hand away from my neck. I crumple to the floor, my back slouching against the cool wall.