Legacy Disowned - Book 2

Chapter 18 - That's My Girl

TW: Attempted suicide. The violence is a little more extreme than usual. If you are concerned it may be too much feel free to email me at toonedupfiction@gmail.com for a summarized version.

The cold air in the underground chamber stung against the white hot rune burned into Sonny Darling's palm. He rubbed at it, frowning as he gazed down at the small, ashen-haired girl who had just been bound to him. She was absently rubbing at her own mark to match, her large blue eyes focused on the floor to avoid his. He couldn't blame her.

Sonny knew the 'healers' this place produced were allowed to keep a lot more of their memories of the time they spent here than the others. It was necessary for them to retain the knowledge needed to perform medical magic. She might not know who she was or where she came from, but she knew enough to grasp the harsh reality of her situation— she was a slave.

Over in the corner the old man was still grumbling to the red cloaks about how young she was, plenty loud enough for her to hear, causing Sonny to clench his jaw. What had he expected? They were here to buy almost a decade earlier than the bloodsuckers anticipated. Something Sonny was sure that, in his father's eyes, was his fault for being born from the woman he had been— like he'd had a choice in the matter. He would have been worried about the lickin' he'd be getting later for it if he wasn't already certain the old man was going to kill him before the day was up anyway.

His brows knitted together and he was struck by a pang of concern for the little girl in front of him. What would happen to her with him gone? He supposed the old man would take her himself, have her keep his bitter existence going till he finally shrivelled up from too much booze, old age, and that silver shit he got from Burke. That might not be so bad, Sonny thought. Once the prick finally kicked it Hiyashi would be free and, surely, he would ensure the girl ended up in good hands. Maybe this was for the best, a final end to the centuries old farce.

"Fine," he heard the old man concede irritably. "Get the other one then."

Sonny let out a breath of resignation. It was time.

Mustering the closest thing to a smile he could manage, Sonny tried to offer the blue-eyed girl some measure of unspoken reassurance before following the red cloaks out of the chamber. He barely registered the way they were going or felt the fatigue from the steep slope back up towards fresh air. Something inside him felt oddly disconnected from his own life playing out before him. It was a strange feeling— knowing he was marching towards his own undoing. He'd expected to be more afraid, but in a way he felt like it was already done, so there wasn't anything left to fear.

As they emerged from the facility and stepped out into the cool shade of the forest the red cloaks slowed. "Follow the path," the woman at the centre said. "You will need to meet your Moonbeam on your own. We will follow shortly, after the initial bond is formed."

Sonny managed a stiff nod and followed the path as instructed. His heart rate was definitely starting to increase now but he knew it wasn't from fear. Sure, there was no doubt it would hurt when the old man came down on him, but when it was done, it'd be done. What was really making his heart race was the question of what would come after. The bittersweet possibility that he might actually get to see her again—

The woman that he had never been allowed to call mother.

The last Moonbeam had been too weak to protect his father's Starlight when she had been carrying Sonny within her, something the twisted bastard had never let either of them forget. Despite that, despite how absolutely terribly the piece of shit had treated her, she had still willingly gave her life to protect him... all because her ability to choose to live for herself, for her child, had been taken away the moment she stepped into the light.