Back In Time

Chapter 8: In Which I Sympathize with A Killer

A really tense, really awkward moment passed before they finally broke their silent communication and looked over at me. I was sorely tempted to look at my wrist, exclaim at the late hour and tell them I really had to be on my way. Instead, I waited to hear what they had to say. I couldn't read anything out of their expressions, which was a little scary. I kept cutting my eyes from one to the other, and just when I was starting to reconsider the 'Oh my! Look at the time!' plan, Godric spoke.

"Niall lives? In the time, you came to us from?" he asked, a slight crease in his brow. I squinted my eyes, wondering why he chose to ask that out of the million other questions they both had to have.

"Yes, he actually contacted Eric to arrange to meet me. Eric took me himself to a restaurant, where Niall revealed my true identity to me. His son, Fintan, had two children with my grandmother, Adele. One of them was my father. Because of Fairy politics, Niall was not able to contact me until then," I explained, not wanting to give too many details if I didn't have to.

"What Fairy politics?" Eric asked, cutting to the core of the matter. I pursed my lips, wondering how to explain the little I knew.

"Well, I know that Niall's nephew, Breandan, was trying to overthrow him and also kill all human-fairy hybrids. He detested everything human, and that's where he and Niall ran into their biggest problem. Niall also believed his son, Dermot, to be against him, but really, he was under a spell and not evil after all. Niall won, but decided he posed too much of a danger to me to stay in my life, so he sealed the portal between Fae and our world to prevent any more harm to me and I haven't seen him since," I answered, realizing it wasn't much of an answer at all.

"What do you mean 'any more harm'? What happened to you?" Godric immediately asked.

"Well, I was a popular target for those against Niall. Despite Neave and Lochlan's best efforts, I lived," I couldn't help shuddering as I remembered the torture they'd put me through before Bill and Niall had gotten there. I also couldn't help noticing that both Eric and Godric's eyes narrowed at those names. Clearly, they'd met.

"How did you survive?" Godric asked. "Pardon me, but Neave and Lochlan are known for their ruthless nature." Shocker.

"Niall and a close vampire friend of mine got there just before they finished me off," I gritted my teeth and looked at Eric, remembering that he wasn't there and how confused I had been at first. "You were detained, you couldn't come save me." I closed my eyes briefly, remembering in vivid detail when he'd told me how much it hurt him not being able to help me.

"While you were with Neave and Lochlan, I suffered with you," he said, meeting my eyes directly.

The emotion that blazed in the blue fire of his eyes was painful to see.

"I hurt with you. I bled with you—not only because we're bonded, but because of the love I have for you."

I sighed softly, trying to breathe out the ache that I felt in my chest. I really, really missed him and I'd only been away from him for one night. I needed to figure out what was going on here so I could get back to where I belonged. When I opened my eyes, Eric was waiting patiently for me to continue speaking. Godric, on the other hand, was hardcore staring at me. It was a little creepy. I shrugged, deciding to finish my tale of woe.

"My cousin Claudine was killed in the process, leaving Claude the last surviving triplet. He stayed behind when Niall left and sealed Fae off. He and Dermot eventually moved into my place. That's about it," I said, really not feeling like delving into Colman.

"You speak the truth," Godric stated, eyes still intent on my face.

"Yep. Yep, I do," I said with a twinge of sadness. "Trust me, if I could have changed all that, I would have."