The Haunted Memories (Forgotten Series, #4)

Chapter 17

I felt almost numb as we exited the shadows in my bedroom. Madeline clung to me, crying about the feeling she had just experienced. Her small hands held me tightly but I still felt numb. I had wasted so much time hunting down an enemy that was a phantom. There had been nothing for me to take justice on there. I had found the cabin, had found the male I believed to be Magdalene's killer but it was all fucked up. I just needed time to sort out what just happened.

I blinked slowly as Cai let me go. He took Maddy with a small chuckle. "The shadows kind of feel bad don't they, little birdie." He swayed from side to side, a soft smile on his face as he looked at her.

"Icky. Icky." The words came out shuddering and she sniffled, rubbing at her eyes. "I wan' daddy."

"I know but Uncle Mordy is good enough for right now, isn't he?" At the nickname I wanted to wince. I hated it when he called himself that.

"Mo'dy?"

I looked up towards them. "Cai. Uncle Cai." I threw a warning look at Cai and his mouth twitched.

Maddy looked at me before looking up at the vampire. "Unca Cai?"

Cai rolled his eyes. "Fine, that grumpy lady always ruins the fun." He lightly tickled Madeline's ribs and she gave a small giggle.

"Mordy is a terrible nickname." It was. I didn't understand why he continued to wish to use it. I knew it more than likely was because I hated it so much.

"Who dat?" Maddy pointed at me as she leaned closer to Cai. My heart twisted in my chest. I was so confused as to what I should have been feeling.

"That, little birdie, is someone very special." He gave me a calming smile as if sensing my need for his steady presence.

"Mummy was speshul." Maddy's words were low and my breath hitched in my throat as I stood up.

"She was. So very special." I blinked back tears as I moved towards her.

"Daddy says I'm speshul." She glanced at me and then away but I nodded. I might not have wanted anything to do with the male but I wouldn't damage her perception of him. It seemed wrong.

"I agree. You are very special too." I reached for her and she looked hesitant before she reached out for me as well, letting me pull her into my arms. It was a strange but welcome feeling having her in my arms. I never knew what to do with babies but I would do my best for Maggie's daughter.

"How you kno' mummy? You look like her." She reached up, her small fingers touching my face in utter confusion as she blinked at me. I closed my eyes for a brief moment. I knew she must have been having that same feeling of surreality to her world as she looked at me. There was so much going on so quickly that I didn't blame her for being confused.

I opened my eyes and gave Maddy a small smile. "I'm your mummy's twin." I had been her sister, her rock, her protector, her confidante, her partner in crime, and so much more. Our bond reached across the vastness of the universe to the point I still felt echoes of her soul.

"T'in? Wat dat?" She tilted her head and I did my best to blink away the tears. I didn't know how to explain these things to a little girl. I didn't know how to react or feel when I looked at her. It was like looking directly into a time loop where Maggie was four years old. There was so much of her that it made my chest ache.

"Sisters that look the same. We grew in our mummy's belly together." We had done so much together. We had been inseparable and an unbreakable team. "We were always together." There were very few times where she hadn't been there when I reached for her. So when that had been missing I had felt it across every fibre of my being. There was no going back from that.