Bloodfire: Other Realm, Frost Family Series Book 2

Burn 5

When next Kelly's eyes opened they were inside a large, grand entrance hall. She took it all in, remaining silent, fighting to stay on her feet. She felt completely exhausted and just wanted to pass out. She wanted to wake up from the nightmare that was her reality right now. But a voice cut through her hope of escape and she blinked, slowly turning her head to the left, where Jack was walking forward from.

Arms spread out wide, he wore a sarcastic smile, his voice reflecting this. "Welcome home, my love. Welcome home, my long-lost family. Welcome to both your old and your new life." His voice turned into an angry bark. "Take their things and find appropriate rooms for them to be moved into. Bring my wife's things to our bedroom. Her suitcase is the green one."

She let out a tiny gasp as dark, human-shaped silhouettes seemed to appear out of the walls. Four stepped forward and silently took their suitcases. Her hands stretched out for half a second to try and take her things back. But her fingers quickly curled into fists as her arms fell back to her sides.

Jack's blue eyes were burning. "Come, Nisha. We should tell the rest of the family the good news!" Stepping toward her, his cold hand gripped her upper arm in a hold that was nonnegotiable. Kelly let out a tiny whimper and he glanced down, his lips lifting up into a small smile. "Oh, I do apologize. It's been a very long since I last touched a human."

Grace watched silently. She wanted to stand up to her grandson-in-law, but she was terrified herself. Jack was quickly returning to how he had been in those two dark years after Nisha disappeared. Angry in a way that made everyone fear him, his wrath was swift and without any mercy. He cared not for anyone else, and the residents of the Winter Palace had flinched in terror every time he walked by or spoke. Grace's stomach clenched in fear and nerves. She quickly hid her shaking hands behind her back. When Jack was like this...every small show of fear only made him happier, made the madness run deeper and deeper in his mind.

Aiden watched his father in shock and worry. He'd never seen his father like this, as far as he could remember. Stepping forward himself, he stood in his father's way, blocking his path. Jack glanced down into his face, his blue eyes dark with barely suppressed rage. "Dad, stop acting like this. You're hurting Mom. You're scaring Sera, Felix, and Nana. I don't know why you're so angry. We finally found our family. We're all finally together again," he choked out. Tears began to leak from his turquoise eyes, but he didn't try to hide them.

Kelly felt her heart jerk at the expression of pure sorrow mixed with confused joy on the little boy's face. Feeling inexplicable tears well into her own eyes, she jerked free of Jack's grip. The man released her, not trying to hold her back. Falling to her knees, she took Aiden into her arms. "Oh, Aiden, please don't cry. I-I'm not your mother, but still...Please stop crying."

Her words made him cry harder. "M-Mom...what's wrong with you? Why are you...Did you hate me? I-is that why you left me? You...you took Sera and left me. You didn't...you don't love me, do you...?"

Jack laughed bitterly. "That's right, Aiden. You're mother holds no love in her heart for either of us. She's a cold woman. Personally, I'd say she's more yuki-onna than hellhound."

Jerking to her feet, Kelly turned, took two steps forward and slapped Jack across the face. His head swung back from the force of the blow. Slowly, he turned it back, blue eyes pale with his rage. But Kelly was angry as well. Reaching out with her left hand this time, she quickly slapped his other cheek, hard enough to turn his head once more.

She would have continued, but Jack's hand came up and stopped her hand before she could. His left cheek was cut open a little from the wedding ring on her hand. His blue eyes stared at it for a heartbeat. Then, his lips pulling into a dark smile, he started off. Kelly tried to get out of his hold, but his grip was too strong, the cold of his hand burning her skin and turning it red.