Children of the Fallen: In Cold Blood (BOOK #2)

Chapter 16: If This Is Who You Are...

Morgan Sinclair

Victoria and I trail our father to the far end of the palace, a death march might as well be playing. We finally stop in one of Victoria's living rooms. He stands in the center rubbing his jaw as we near. I know well what that look in his eyes means.

In a split second he reaches for Victoria's throat, wrapping his hand around it. Squeezing tight he yanks her closer to him getting in her face while she struggles for air but keeps her hands at her side. "This all happened on your watch." He seethes, "Your watch." He shoves her back, letting go of her. "Your palace." He punches her, "Your city." Again, sending her to the floor as blood drips from her nose. "Yours." Again, blood flies out of her mouth. "All of which now I have to clean up." And again, ripping skin over her eyebrow. "Kendrick, accusing me!" He grabs her throat once more lifting her up. "Me!" He throws her backwards into the glass liquor cabinets behind her.

Amongst the shattered glass, she's boiling with anger, I can see the flames of it raging in her eyes. If she had the means she'd kill him right now. "Get up." He orders and she does so, containing her anger within herself. He stomps over to me. I'm shocked he didn't beat her for the next hour, that was quick. I stand inexpressively ready for whatever he's about to do.

He violently grips my face. "You are to keep an eye on Kendricks children. You come to me with anything- and I mean anything you hear or see that could be even remotely suspicious." He lets go of my face.

"They're not going to be suspicious around me. They won't speak about whatever master plan you think they have at a bleeder den in Manhattan." The second I finish my sentence his hand is on the back of my neck and he slams me face first into the brick wall. I feel blood trailing down the side of my face from the gash he's created.

"Talk back again and I will tear the tongue from your mouth." He shoves off of me allowing me to turn around to him. He gets in my face. "I gave you an order. Do it."

I bow my head. "Yes, father." I say with no discernible tone.

He scowls at me before turning on his heels to walk back towards Victoria. I raise my hand to the fresh blood from the already healed gash in my forehead. Lowering it to look at the crimson liquid on my hand. He takes the hunters knife he's had in his waistband since the interrogation and jams it into Victoria's stomach. "Never disappoint me as greatly as you have tonight, ever again." He states while Victoria shoves down any visible proof of pain. "And now, why did you not tell me of Kendricks name being mentioned during that attack? Why did I only hear it from Morgan?"

Her eyes flick over to me for a second. "I didn't want to raise alarm." She forces out.

"Didn't want to raise alarm." He repeats lowly. "Consider yourself lucky that so many others are roaming around right now." He rips the knife back out and storms out of the room. Victoria says nothing, all she does is stand up straight wincing through whatever pain lingers from the sage. She calmly snaps her severely broken nose back into place then walks out. I grab a bottle from the bar cart over by the door and catch up quickly with Victoria since we're both heading in the same direction.

Victoria slowly makes her way down the hallway to get to her room, wincing with every step. "Victoria? Are you okay?" Chloe asks from behind me and suddenly we're stopping.

Victoria nods despite her obvious pain. "I'm okay."

"What happened?" Chloe looks her up and down with such worry.

"Lucien wasn't all that excited about the attack."

"What do you need? Do you need anything?"

"I need to sleep then tomorrow I need to talk to you." Chloe's face drops, she knows exactly what she wants to talk to her about. "Goodnight." She walks off leaving Chloe and I standing here.