Nadia stood rigidly, waiting for her mother to respond. She nearly couldn't believe that this woman standing before her was the woman she had grown up with. It had been years since the last time they were in the same room, maybe eight or so.
Mara had swung through Boston for a hot minute. It had been a short, but awkward conversation. Nadia had assumed she wanted money, but her mother hadn't asked for it. She had been twitchy and constantly scanning the coffee shop they had met in on the opposite side of town. At the time, Nadia thought she was high, but looking back it might have been her still looking over her shoulder for whoever it was she thought was after them.
Mara had looked rough. She was in dirty, ripped clothing that hung from her emaciated frame. Smelled as though she hadn't showered in days. The short conversation consisted of her asking where Nadia was living and if her building was safe. Telling her not to trust anyone. Before Nadia had the chance to bring up a treatment center, she had run off, disappearing into the crowd outside before Nadia could even follow her.
And this woman - she didn't resemble that Mara in the slightest.
This woman had her features, but she was no longer skin and bone, her hair limp and greasy. Her stance held a certain grace as Mara stood to her full height, which was taller than Nadia remembered. Her skin was clear and glowing, though still line. Somehow she managed to look younger than she had the last time Nadia had seen her. Her long hair was full, thick, and shiny. She was filled out, though still lean.
Mara looked healthy. Like she was finally taking care of herself. She looked... at peace, almost. Save for the tears and pain sparkling in her eyes.
"First of all, I'm so sorry. About everything," Mara said, taking a step towards her.
Nadia stopped her by raising her hand. She closed her eyes and took a step back. She should have known that her mother would show up out of the blue. The question was, what did she want this time?
"Why are you here?" she asked.
She opened her eyes, seeing her mother wring her hands as she looked to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, Nadia could see Chloe and Tate were staring at each other, probably doing that mind-talk thing Remy had mentioned to her last night. She then glanced over at Remy, finding he had moved to her side, a frown on his face as he stared down Mara.
"I'm here to try and fix things," her mother stated. "And explain."
"Oh, you mean you're going to tell us why you had a demon bind Nadia's essence?" Remy said, crossing his arms in front of him.
Mara's eyes flicked over to him as her brow furrowed. She looked conflicted, as though she wanted to stand up to him, but in the end, she cast her eyes down, bowing her head slightly.
"I don't mean to be rude, Alpha, but this is between me and my daughter," she said softly.
"Yes, but you're both in my pack and on my pack lands, which means it involves me too," he said, his voice a low growl.
Mara winced and hunched over slightly. Nadia looked back and forth between Remy and her mother, a bit unsure what to do. For some unknown reason, she wanted to step in between them and protect her mother from Remy's obvious use of his alpha power. But she didn't move, remembering this was the mother who didn't take care of her. Who abandoned her time and time again.
Who made her steal when they didn't have enough for rent or food or school supplies.
And then there was the fact that Remy didn't mention anything about their so-called mate bond. But maybe that was a strategic move on his part.
"Let her talk," Nadia said, looking back at her mother. "She has the answers we need, remember?"
Mara smiled at her gratefully, straightening up, though she didn't move towards her.
"I take it you know about our family now," Mara said. "You're here."
"Yea, thanks for that," Nadia huffed. "Grandmother left everything to me when she died. Left me a letter and journal to explain everything that you should have told me."
Mara looked down, tears again filling her eyes.
"Mormor. She would have wanted you to call her that," she said softly. She then shook her head and looked up at Nadia. "Yes, I did have your supernatural essence bound when you were a child. I only wanted-"
"Who?" Remy growled, nearly lunging for her. "Who did it!?"
Mara jumped back as Tate reached out and placed his hand on Remy's shoulder.
"Let her explain, Rem," he said.
Mara watched Remy cautiously before turning her attention back to Nadia.
"Who did it doesn't matter. They died a long time ago," Mara said, tears starting to spill down her cheeks. "They were only trying to help us and they got killed for it."
Mara closed her eyes, pulling in a deep breath as Nadia gave her time to collect her thoughts. While she was a bit disappointed that whoever had done this couldn't undo it, perhaps this was for the best. She wasn't sure she could handle all of her supernatural gifts hitting her at once.
Mara opened her eyes, fixing her gaze on Nadia.
"I didn't do it to hurt you. I did it to hide you. My friend who did the spell said it would hold until you were ready, then the binds would slowly come undone. Of course, we didn't know when that would be, but... it would seem it's now," she said, taking a step towards her. "I was trying to protect you - both of us - from your father."
"My father? I thought you said he was just a one-night stand in New York," Nadia said.
"That is true. At the time... I didn't know who he was. I hadn't been in the city all that long - was barely settled in a Juilliard. I just wanted to go out with my friends and experience my new freedom. Everything was so new," her mother said.
Nadia wanted her to stop going down memory lane and get to the part that involved her father, but held her tongue.
"We went to this club and there he was. He... drew me in. At the time I thought maybe it was the alcohol... Or maybe just the fact that he was so rich and handsome... but now, I realize... it was him," she said, fear starting to enter her eyes.
"Who is he?" Remy asked, obviously as over storytime as Nadia was.
Mara glanced at him, still wringing her hands together, before she looked back at Nadia. She felt a sinking in her stomach, knowing that whoever her father was, this wasn't going to be a good story.
"If I had known, I would have stayed away, but by the time I figured out what he truly was, well, we had already slept together," she whispered. "When I found out I was pregnant with you... I couldn't let him know. I ran that night and didn't stop until I was in Florida. I wanted to leave the country, but I didn't have the means. I almost went to the fae, but I couldn't afford that either and well, I wasn't sure I could trust them. They do a lot of deals with his kind... And I was... too ashamed to tell Mama at the time..."
Nadia felt her heart begin to race as she broke out in a cold sweat. Her mother was so afraid of this man that she had wanted to leave the country. Hell, she wanted to leave this realm. Had spent Nadia's entire life on the run with her. Had been so desperate that she found a demon to do a complicated spell that only a few species could actually do.
There was no way what she was about to reveal would be good. In fact, it had to be bad. Very bad.
Mara began to chew on her bottom lip as her eyes squeezed shut. She shook her head and dropped her hands to her sides. Her eyes opened as she looked at Nadia.
"Your father... is a demon," she said. "A powerful one. He's-"
"WHAT?!" Remy roared.
Nadia jumped, turning to him in shock. He was breathing heavily, his eyes blazing gold as he glared at Mara. Nadia reached out and placed her hand on his arm, hoping to calm him down.
"Remy-"
Remy jerked his arm away, spinning around to stare at her. His face was cold as disgust filled his eyes. Nadia stepped back, not understanding this sudden change in demeanor. Yes, she knew he had a thing against demons, but surely their so-called mate bond would override that... wouldn't it?
"Remy, calm down," Tate said, his voice strong but steady.
Remy turned to glare at his best friend, his body starting to shake. Nadia took another step back from him, now starting to worry he might hurt her.
"She's... a demon," he seethed.
"Technically half-demon," Tate replied lightly. Nadia looked over at him, now suddenly incredibly grateful for his usually out-of-place humor. Maybe that would work to calm Remy down. "Still wolf and Havsfru too."
"And still your fated mate," Chloe added.
Mara's eyes widened as she looked over at Chloe and then back at Remy and Nadia, her mouth dropping open. Nadia looked back over at Remy. He ran his fingers through his hair, staring at the ground.
"And I'm sure it's not the dude that killed your dad," Tate said.
Remy looked up, the rage that had been starting to subside now returning in full force. He looked over at Nadia, suspicion flooding his expression.
"We don't know that," he said softly. "For all we know, this was a set-up. Done intentionally to get to me."
It felt like a truck had just slammed into her. He seriously thought this was all a set-up? That Nadia had intentionally come into Fisher's Bay to hurt him. That she was the spawn of the demon who had killed his father and been sent here to do his bidding.
It was absolutely ridiculous. Impossible. She hadn't even known she was half-demon until a few seconds ago. Or that she was supernatural until yesterday. Sure, it might be plausible that there was some sort of nefarious plan going on, but he couldn't honestly think that she had something to do with it.
"Would you get your fucking head out of your ass, Remy. If there is a scheme - hard if - Nadia had nothing to do with it," Chloe nearly shouted.
Remy's head snapped over to glare at Mara.
"But she might," he said, pointing at her.
"No, I... I don't. I didn't even know-"
Mara was cut off when Remy moved with an inhuman speed, his hand closing around her neck and lifting her off the ground. Nadia's heart stopped as she rushed over, slamming her fists into Remy's back.
"Stop! You're hurting her! Put her down!" she shouted, hearing her mother gargle as she futilely scratched at his hands.
Chloe and Tate were already on him as well, both of them trying to pry his grip from Mara's neck, but he was fueled by either his rage or his alpha strength - probably both - and wouldn't budge.
Nadia stepped back, her eyes turning to her mother, whose face was starting to turn red, her brown eyes wide in fear. She was dying. Remy was killing her mother.
As she looked back at Remy, Nadia wasn't completely sure what had come over her. Something snapped in her head and all she could see was red. She shoved Remy so hard that he flew across the room and into a small tree that immediately split in half. Chloe, Tate and her mother were also thrown to the floor.
Nadia ran over to her mother, dropping to her knees as she started to look her over.
"Mom... are you okay?" she asked, reaching out.
Mara rubbed her neck, but flinched as Nadia touched her. Nadia froze, pain over her mother's obvious fear of her. She then looked up, seeing Chloe and Tate getting to their feet, both of them watching her cautiously.
Just beyond them, Remy stood, brushing wood chips and leaves off his body before he looked at her, his face hard.
Nadia looked down at her hands, starting to shake. She had been worried before when she thought she was killing people in her sleep. But this was so much more. Remy had told her that demons were vicious, violent, and powerful. Yea, she was only half-demon, but still... What was she capable of?
Nadia jumped to her feet and looked around the clearing frantically. She needed to get out of here. Before she hurt someone else.
Without a word, she turned and fled.
Nadia wasn't sure just where she was going, just that she needed to get away. Be alone. Somewhere where she wouldn't accidentally hurt someone she loved. And she was thankful that no one had seemed to follow her as she ran deeper into the woods, the others long ago falling out of sight and hearing range.
Yes, she had been trying to save her mother, but even she had been afraid of her.
Nadia came to a stop in another clearing and bent over, hot tears spilling down her cheeks. A wail pierced the air as she finally let loose all the anger, pain, and confusion that had been building up inside her.
Her father was a demon. The one supernatural creature that Remy, her so-called mate, hated. Did he hate her now too?
And everything her mother had done over the years - binding her supernatural essence, being on the run, everything - had been to keep her hidden from her father. Her mother was terrified of him, that had been clear in her eyes.
Nadia straightened up and looked around through the trees. She didn't know where she was, but at least had an idea which direction the town was in. She just needed to clear her head and then she could make it back when she was ready.
But right now, she wasn't sure just where her head was.
She had years of resentment built up for her mother. And even though she now was starting to understand why Mara had been the way she was, it was still there. She had still dropped her off with a neighbor and ran off. All without explaining anything to her, choosing instead to keep her in the dark.
Mara had also still kept her from a grandmother who had loved her and likely would have helped them if she had known the truth. At least Nadia suspected she hadn't known the truth. She hadn't gotten far enough in the journal to know for sure.
And now she had a man who was supposed to be deemed for her by some unknown gods, but he hated her. Was disgusted by her.
The old feelings of uselessness and failure washed over her. Nadia couldn't do anything right. And now, she was this... thing. This horrible creature.
Maybe she should leave. Run away.
Nadia turned and started to take a step in the direction away from town, but a piercing pain hit her in the chest from out of nowhere. She stopped and grit her teeth, forcing herself to take another step, and then another. The pain increased, to the point that she had to stop, nearly collapsing on the ground.
What was happening to her right now?
"Oh, Nadia. Dear, sweet, Nadia... All these people trying to protect you..."
Nadia looked up, her eyes scanning the trees around her. There was no one there, but she knew she heard Trevor. She pushed the pain to the back of her mind as she readied herself. For what, she wasn't sure.
Finally, there was movement. Trevor stepped out from behind a tree. Though... it didn't really look like him.
He was somehow bigger, more menacing. The features still looked like him. He still had dirty blonde hair, but it was now messy. Rather than his usual business casual look, he was wearing dark jeans and a leather jacket, a white t-shirt straining against muscles she never knew he had.
And then there were his eyes. They were gleaming with a dark light. And they were fixed on her, a smirk filling his face.
"I knew you'd run. That something would happen that would drag you away from that... disgusting haven. Though, you did stick it out a bit longer than expected. I thought surely after the second body, you'd hit the road if they didn't kick you out first," he said, leaning against the tree.
Nadia frowned, his words just starting to settle in.
Wait. Wait.
"You killed them?" she whispered.
Trevor chuckled as he held his hand out, checking his nails.
"I mean, not my best work, but it was good. All those dumb-as-fuck shifters thought it was a Havsfru," he said, rolling his eyes. His eyes turned to her. "I prefer my killing to be a bit more... creative. Artistic. And well, I prefer to have a bit more fun. Play with my prey. I don't usually kill with a purpose in mind. And I was unfortunately a bit limited with what I could do."
Nadia took a step back, everything inside her screaming to turn and run away. But at the same time, she wasn't sure if she would make it that far. It was obvious that whoever Trevor was, he wasn't human.
"Who are you?" she asked, deciding to hold her ground for the time being. At least until she could figure a way out of this.
Wait, she had used some sort of super strength before. Surely she could call upon that again and use it against Trevor.
"Oh, Nadia," he said with a chuckle, pushing off the tree and stalking towards her. "I've been looking for you for a long time."
Nadia's eyes widened as she took another step back, sirens sounding off in her head. Holy fucking shit.
"Are you my father?" she asked, gulping slightly as her plan of attack flew out the window.
Sure, she had tossed Remy across the room, but he was a shifter. This was a full-blown demon, she was sure of it. She was the one insistent that the being behind the murders had been a demon, after all. Trevor stopped, a look of surprise coming over his face. He then doubled over, laughing loudly.
"You think I- Oh, fuck no. I mean, demons are into a lot kinks, but fucking my daughter isn't one of them," he said, pulling in drags of air around his laughter. "No, I work for your father." He then straightened up, still smiling. "He's sent me to bring you home."
The blood drained from Nadia's face, realizing she had absolutely no idea how to get out of this. But maybe if she kept him talking long enough, she could figure something out.
"Why wait until now?" she asked, trying to stay calm.
Trevor tilted his head to the side, his eyes raking up and down her body.
"Well, we had to be sure it was you. Came across a few dead ends, people we were sure were you, but weren't. And when I first found you, you smelled completely human. So I watched. Waited. Decided to ingrain myself into your life," he said. "It was... so boring being Trevor. But you didn't like the bad boy approach, so I had to try something else. Make myself as safe as possible."
He spit the word out as though it was acid and personally offended him. Then again, for a demon, safe was probably not often used in their vocabulary. Holy shit, her ex-boyfriend was a demon sent to stalk her by her demon father.
"And then you ran off to Fisher's Bay and I knew that it had to be you. I mean, why would a silly little human run off to a town of shifters?" he said, taking another step towards her. "Granted that created another issue. I couldn't even pass through the border until I could trick it and everyone in there that I was human. Tedious but doable."
He glanced over her shoulder, a large, deadly grin spreading across his face. Nadia was tempted to see what he was looking at, but didn't move her eyes from him. She was worried he was trying to bait her into letting her guard down.
"But, I figured I'd wait here, just outside the borders, and you'd come to me. Which you did. And now I can use my powers," he said, his eyes returning to her and starting to glow red. Panic started slithering its way through Nadia as she remembered her nightmare. "At just the right time..."
Nadia turned, intending to sprint back. She wasn't sure where the border was, but surely it wasn't that far away. She had been running for all that long. All she needed to do was get there before Trevor - or whatever the fuck his name was - could grab her. Though for a second, she worried that she wouldn't be able to make it back through now that she knew she was half-demon and her essence was coming undone, but that was something she'd worry about when she got there.
"Oh, thank Lucifer, you're making this interesting."
Nadia pumped her legs, but something ahead of her had her nearly stumbling and landing on her face. In the distance, she saw three wolves sprinting in her direction through the trees, followed by a large grizzly bear. Her heart soared.
Remy had come for her. They were all coming for her.
"Remy!" she shouted, recognizing the copper wolf in the lead.
The gray and white wolves at his sides must be Chloe and perhaps her mother. Of course, Tate was just behind them.
She reached out, feeling like she was almost there. But suddenly, she was yanked back, a vice-like arm coming around her middle, her head smacking back into Trevor's chest so hard, she was a bit disoriented.
Remy snarled as his speed increased. They were close, but still too far away.
A whoosh flew from behind them as Nadia struggled in Trevor's grip, trying to free herself. She wasn't sure what he had done, but she didn't like that sound.
Wait. Shit. He had made a portal, hadn't he?
"Would love to stay and chat, but got places to be!" Trevor shouted gleefully. "By the way, Asmodeus gives his regards."
"NO!" Nadia shouted, reaching out for Remy.
But Trevor stepped towards the wall of sound and suddenly, darkness closed in all around them, sucking out all the light and the forest.
A shriek died on Nadia's lips as she lost all consciousness and was thrust into her own personal hell.
Author's Note: Yea, Trevor was always going to be Bad News Bears. And had to do a lot of work on this chapter as well. Partly because I changed the setting and partly because I wanted more details about Mara and her decisions from Nadia's childhood.
Anywho, hope you're enjoying the story. We're almost at the end.