Contract Bound [Rewriting]

CHAPTER TEN

Everyone had lied to her. Her mother wasn't human, but the vampire friend Charlotte had spoken about. It made sense now how Belinda could take a hit from a supernatural and live, how she could make Ashton stumble, a powerful slayer.

Vampire blood coursed through her veins.

Her mother attempted to get close, but she recoiled. "How could you keep this all from me? I had every right to know the truth."

"I feared what they would do to you."

"You should not have kept this a secret." Fane's voice held a menacing tone. "Who is her father, Bexley?"

Her mother remained silent.

"Who is he?" The look on Fane's face would have brought any man to their knees, quivering in fear.

"Jericho."

Fane's eyes widened. "Does my mother know?"

"She knows everything."

With a glance in her direction, Fane vanished. Belinda remained rooted to the ground, her heart aching at the pain in his eyes. Perhaps part of him wished he had been correct, and she was the descendant of some werewolf. Anything but this. "He hates me."

Denarius placed a hand on her shoulder. "Give him time."

"Please come inside so we can talk."

Not in the mood to argue, Belinda followed her mother into the house. She wrapped her arms around herself, unable to focus on whatever her mother said, the memory of Fane's expression flooding her mind.

"Belinda?"

"What?"

"You can ask me anything you want."

Belinda narrowed her eyes. "Are you even going to answer with the truth? I asked you before to tell me everything and you lied to me."

"I promise I won't continue keeping things from you."

"Were you born a vampire?"

"Yes."

"How is that possible? I'm human."

"Your great-grandmother was human. It's rare, but sometimes it can happen."

Belinda glanced at the man she knew as her father. A sharp pain erupted in her chest, and she plopped down on the sofa, attempting to fight back the tears that threatened to spill to the surface. "Who is Jericho?"

"He was of royal blood, a close friend to the royal family."

"He killed Dante..." Belinda raked her hands through her hair. "He killed Fane's twin brother."

"That's what he says—"

"Alaric, don't."

Belinda jumped to her feet and glared at her brother. "How can you—"

"I believe Fane murdered Dante and blamed our father."

"Your father—that man means nothing to me." Her mother attempted to seize her arm, but she wrenched free. "What made you finally tell the truth?"

"I became tired of keeping it a secret," her brother answered instead of her mother. "So, I walked into the town meeting."

"Are you trying to take the throne from Fane?" Her brother remained silent. "So, it's true then?"

"This is exactly why I didn't want to reveal who you are." Sadness flashed across her mother's face. "Whatever Jericho did, it has nothing to do with Alaric or you. Your brother doesn't seek the throne, but because of whose blood courses through his veins, everyone blames him for all this madness."