Blood Ties

15

Painting a bloody portrait
~
Accalia
~

Tala was the first person Accalia saw when pulling into the driveway. And the second, draped in black and with shameless red eyes, was Alexene.

Accalia's frustration boiled into anger and before Lycus could park the car, she hopped out and slammed the door in a shattering echo.

"Where would he be?" Accalia demanded, stalking up to Alexene and shoving aside the arm Tala tried to put up to keep her at arm's length.

Alexene peered up at her, that innocence on her face failing to work on Accalia. She saw through that child-like face and feigned innocence. Those bloody eyes ran a little too red and she saw her for what she truly was. A demonic bloodsucker.

"I do not know."

Accalia narrowed her eyes at her, searching for the truth and if she was telling it. But Alexene was stone-cold, passive and unemotional.

All Accalia could see was marble, pallid skin and ruddy eyes that swam bloodily. "If Rexton hurts her—"

"He won't," Alexene assured her and Accalia flung her arms in the air, running her hands through her knotted locks with an exasperated sigh.

"Why should I possibly believe you? You made an enemy out of Cadence for what you did, why shouldn't I see the same for Rexton?"

And to think, Accalia's heart bled for him. Ached for the lost and bloodstained boy who only wanted to find his brothers. Despite what he did, hurting her cousin, Accalia thought she could see more than the hybrid that was locked away. See him as a person who felt remorse for his actions. He said it himself, he was sorry for what he did to Cadence and for all Accalia knew, he could be feeding on her all over again. This time, who would be there to stop him?

"Tried telling the vampire to piss off Alpha, but she's persistent." Tala babbled to Lycus who came right to Accalia's trembling side.

Accalia felt Lycus clutch her wrist, attempting to pull her back and she shoved him away, his touch not enough to settle the anger. "Don't, Lycus. Yet again, Cadence is hurt by someone in your life. If he does something to her, it won't just be me you have to answer to."

Accalia meant that wholeheartedly, no threat insight — that would be left to the hunters that stood behind Cadence and her family's legacy. If anything happened to Cadence, she would have an army of hunters behind her back and it would go beyond the Larren family.

"We'll find her, Accalia. We will." Lycus grumbled and pulled her away from Alexene and into Tala.

Tala avidly swiped her arm across Accalia's shoulders and kept her from moving away. "Sorry, Accalia," Tala whispered into her ear.

Lycus stepped up to Alexene and sneered, "Did you have anything to do with this?"

After Accalia received the call from Erisa, she ordered her and Frankie to stay where they were and scout their area of land to see if they could find anything. They came up empty-handed and that was when Gabriel called Lycus, regretfully informing them of misplacing their little brother.

After Calla ensured they could leave and their treaty was still in place, Accalia and Lycus drove back to the Fenris pack.

When told what Rexton did, Gabriel left the pack to Tala and scoured the woods, tracing every footstep and scent in search of the two of them. 

Accalia debated whether to let Tristan know or not. His wrath could make matters worse and she didn't know if they needed that ammunition right now.

"I meant what I said: My deal with Cadence Larren is done. I got Rexton and that's all I wanted. I came by to see him."