FORTY SEVEN

Word Count: 1967

~Tove

I settle into my seat, resting my trembling hands on the table.

My mother sits opposite me, enjoying some bread and olive oil like this is a casual meeting with her daughter that occurs all the time.

Problem is, this is the furthest thing from normal.

"So, what is this meeting about?"

She doesn't look at me as she tears a piece of bread apart, scooping it through the oil before popping it into her mouth. This is just an opportunity to take a break from work for her.

I stare at her, dumbfounded. "Are you not even going to try the small talk? Ask me how I've been?"

She sighs, finally raising her gaze to me. I hate that we have the same eyes. I hate that I used to want her to love me like a normal daughter.

"You've never cared for my approval before. What has changed?"

"I went through something traumatic. I almost died," I tell her.

I don't expect that to mean anything to her, but it's key to the story I'm building. This time, though, I'm not going to be hurt when she wants nothing to do with me.

My life is going to be good without her. I'll have Keo, Mary and a new sense of purpose.

"How unfortunate," she drawls.

I raise my brows. This was an expected response so it doesn't hurt.

"What happened?" She eventually asks.

"I was out with Mary and she ended up going home earlier so I was left walking home in the dark by myself. I was grabbed by a man in the shadows who dragged me into a random building," I explain, recalling the carefully crafted story Keo and I conjured up earlier.

Her bored expression doesn't shift. "And?"

"There was a man in there. A Demon, apparently," I say lowly, glancing at neighbouring tables. "They tried to kill me but I escaped."

This garners some interest. She sits up a little straighter, abandoning her feast of bread and red wine to finally give me some attention.

"Where?"

"Not far from here." I don't want her getting distracted by trying to find this Demon, when I'm trying to get her to believe I want to do it myself.

"I need the exact location."

"This isn't what this is about," I growl.

A few heads turn from the table next to us. I give them a tight smile and look back at my mother. As long as they think this is just some petty argument between mother and daughter, not two Angel-blood's talking about Demon's, we are safe.

She folds her napkin in her hand. "You want me to feel sorry for you?"

"I want you to feel something," I grit out, before realising that is my own biases peeking through. "Never mind. What matters is that I want to become a hunter."

She raises her brows. "Really?"

"Yes...Or at least I want to know how to defend myself against Demons." I rub the back of my neck, hoping my unease isn't obvious.

I hate even saying it. Being a hunter is despicable, especially when I have a mate who is a Demon. It's all a ruse, but it unsettles a deep part of me.

"It would be convenient to have someone in Territory One to liaison with the Noble's." She taps on her chin, contemplating my offer.

I nod. I was hoping she would consider that.

"Why the change of heart?" She questions.

"I just told you."

Her lips curl into a poisonous smile, making my stomach curl into an uncomfortable knot. This confirms that I am doing the right thing. She isn't redeemable, not right now.

She needs to sit for a long time and think about why what she is doing is wrong.

"So you admit I was right all along?"

My mind sinks back into old memories of her indoctrinating me with anti-Demon propaganda. She would show me news reports of Demon's slaughtering other Angel-blood's on the street, and would tell me why that was going to happen to me.

I swallow my pride. "Yes...you were right."

"I'm glad you have come to your senses. I have always wanted you to become a hunter," she notes, her smile genuine and warm.

It's the kindest she's been to me in a long time.

"Come back to my apartment. I want to discuss this more," I encourage. I don't have my apartment anymore, but I just need to get her into an alleyway before Keo strikes.

She won't see it coming. Hopefully.

She glances up at the clock on the wall, considering my proposition. "I suppose I have some time."

I keep my smile hidden as I swiftly stand, leaving some money on the table for food I couldn't end up stomaching.

Wordlessly my mother follows me out onto the street, darkness now staining the streets.

"Does this mean you're going to try to be a good mother?" I ask her as we head off down the street, needing to fill the void of silence with some kind of conversation.

She can be a good mother if she wishes, but I'm not about to be a good daughter.

"I wouldn't expect anything," she responds tightly.

I start down a short but dark alleyway, rolling my eyes. "Of course not."

Suddenly my mother stops, staring at me. "What are you-"

Her words are cut off as a figure appears behind her, grabbing her arm before transporting her away. And just like that, in half a second, my mother is gone.

I let out a breath, running a hand through my hair. It's done.

Magic still swirls around my senses as I head back onto the main street, stretching my limbs. Keo has instructed me to wait a few minutes while he detains my mother before I come to our agreed meeting spot.

I don't mind missing out on seeing my mother being tied down.

I just hope the Demon's don't hurt her.

Once enough time has passed, I transport myself to where I know Keo and Wren will be. I land outside the large, abandoned warehouse, shaking the unease off me.

The doors open only moments later and Wren strolls out.

"Did she put up a fight?" I ask.

"Oh yeah." She grins, cracking her knuckles. She has been waiting for this moment for a great deal of time. "Without the element of surprise, she has nothing against us."

"Is she secured?"

"You can come speak to her now."

I follow her in, the doors grinding closed as we cross over the space to where my mother sits. Her arms are pulled behind her, secured by thick chains that wrap around the concrete pillar she leans on.

Her gaze lands on me as I approach, my blood chilling at that cruel look in her eyes.

"I'm impressed," she muses. "Shocked, but impressed."

"Don't be shocked. You had this coming," I comment.

I glance at Keo, who stands close to her, ensuring she doesn't attempt an escape. She wouldn't be stupid enough, although I'm sure her mouth is going to get her in plenty of trouble.

"I'm shocked you pulled this off," she clarifies. "You were never very deceptive. Nor were you ever very smart."

Keo steps forward, although I hold my hand out. "Don't."

He gives me a pained look as if to say, no one insults you.

She's angry. She knows her petty insults won't get her anywhere, but there is too much history between us for this to go smoothly.

"I haven't seen you in many years, Keo. I never expected you to be standing near my daughter." She looks between us.

"She isn't just standing by me. She works with me," Keo tells her.

I school my expression into neutrality. He isn't mentioning we are mates because he is protecting me. He wants me to do it on my own accord.

"With?" She laughs. "You must be sleeping with him."

"He's a better man than you could ever know. He's a good man and yet you hunt his kind," I growl, unable to contain my own anger any longer.

"He's in your head. He's manipulated you, that's what they do," she insists. "One thing that isn't surprising is that you fell for it."

I draw in a sharp breath, feeling my frustration building up to a point I can't come back from.

"He's my mate," I say.

Her smile falters, but only for a moment. She lets out a vicious laugh like the very concept is impossible.

"No he isn't."

"He is." I look at him, and he is nodding. "I'm in love with him, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him while you rot in prison."

Wren steps up beside me, glaring at me. "Prison?"

"You can't kill her." I hate my mother as much as these two, but I can't just let her life be taken. Responding to her cruelty with more cruelty feels like contributing to a never ending cycle.

"She killed Vail. She killed countless others," Wren reminds me coldly.

"She's my mother." I look back at my mate. "Keo."

He winces, rubbing his brow. He too wants to see my mother die. Before me, he would have slaughtered her without all this conversation, but for my sake, he has held back.

"We're going to need a good prison. Hunters aren't criminals in Territory One, or anywhere for that matter," he reminds me coolly.

My mother watches the exchange, as shocked by Keo's response as I am.

"We talk to Dax, make him lock her up," I bring up, forming an idea in my head as I say it. "He will agree, if we tell him what the Demon's are doing to him."

I'll barter my mother's imprisonment for information. This is information he can't say no to.

"It's an idea." Keo looks back at Wren, who shrugs.

"Just kill me. I'd rather die than live knowing my Angel-blood daughter is disgracing this family," mother snaps, spitting at my feet.

I take an uneasy step back, trying to cool my anger with the reminder that she is the one tied up, that she will have to live thinking about how the Demon's she wants to kill decided to spare her.

"You're not my family. You never were."

"He will betray you. Demon's are monsters, they don't know love or kindness." She's becoming desperate, facing the reality of her future as it unfolds in front of her.

"And you do?" I almost laugh at the absurdity of what she is saying. "Keo has shown me more love in the short time I've known him than you have my entire life."

I can feel him looking at me, feel the heat of his gaze.

Her smile is sickening. "I bet he loves that you need him."

Keo crouches down before my mother. Having him so close shuts her up fast as he drags his gaze over her with disgust. She starts to shake, having no faith in Keo's love for me, thinking he is going to betray my wishes and kill her.

I know better. No fear flows through me as I watch her tremble before him.

"You're lucky your daughter has mercy otherwise I would kill you," he seethes.

"Just do it already." There is no bite to her words. Just pure terror.

Keo stands, turning his back on her. "Let's talk to the Noble's before I do something I regret."

I grab his arm, making him look at me.

"Thank you Keo," I whisper softly. "Thank you."

💗••💗

Want more? You can read 10 chapters ahead on Radish!!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter (:

OUT NOW ON RADISH AND WATTPAD

~Midika 💜🐼