Page 76 of Sinful Mates

When she lets go, she holds me at arm’s length. “Come, we have much to discuss.” She motions for me to sit on the couch. When I turn toward it, I nearly freeze. Josiah is sitting there staring off into space like he is deep in thought, an intense look on his face. I sit as far away from him as the couch allows. When he looks toward me, he softly smiles, his lips tugging up slightly. His eyes sparkle under the lighting emitting from the fireplace.

“So, what’s this about?” I asked nervously. I almost prefer the overbearing intimidating version of Josiah I’m accustomed to, not this man who is looking back at me as if he is exhausted and mentally drained. I notice Theo sitting on the armchair next to the fireplace with a strange look on his face. He looks like he is in a trance.

Tobias strides back into the room with four cups of coffee on a tray. I’m grateful, the silence is eating away at me.

“What’s wrong with Theo?” I ask, staring at him, but he doesn’t even glance in my direction at the mention of his name. He hasn’t moved at all. He is just staring oddly at the space in front of him, like he can see something I can’t.

Tobias sits the tray down and Caroline takes her coffee cup and passes me mine. "Thanks."

“Theo is stuck in his own mind,” Tobias explains, glancing at him. I remember Theo telling me about how they don’t sleep, yet they can go into the depths of their own minds and become stuck. I can’t feel anything but worry through the bond as he stares off vacantly.

“Why did he go like that?” I asked Caroline.

“We have some news, and it must have shocked him into this state; don’t worry, dear, Tobias will eventually pull him out of it.” she says. Tobias creeps over to him and waves a hand in front of his face, but it is as if he doesn’t see.

“So, what was the news?” I ask Caroline. Unease prickles down my spine, stroking my scalp. What the fuck am I going to have to deal with this time? It’s like a never-ending nightmare in this god-forsaking place. Maybe I'd died of cold exposure and this is just my endless hell for not taking better care of mum.

“The council wants to meet you, sooner rather than later. That’s not why we are here, though. The council needs your birth documents. As you know, humans aren’t usually mated to werewolves or vampires. The council wants to look up your lineage. They aren’t convinced you are a hundred percent human. If you are, you would be the first human ever mated to someone like us,” Josiah said motioning toward Theo and Tobias.

“Okay, so that’s what shocked Theo?” I ask, staring toward his frozen posture sitting in the armchair. That doesn't really sound like enough.

Tobias growls. Josiah stands placing his hand on Tobias's arm and squeezes it before letting him go. “That’s enough, son, we can’t change the past, but your mother and I have sorted it, the documents will come soon in the mail. They said they would mail them to this address.” Tobias stares at me intently for a few seconds; I can feel worry and something else coming through the bond. I don’t have a chance to ask what documents they were talking about when Josiah turns to me. But the fact he is worried? It pisses me off. What the fuck is he hiding now? I'll put his feet to the fire before this day is done.

“Imogen, do you still have your original birth certificate? I will also need a vial of your blood for the council.” Josiah mentions both in one breath as if it is perfectly normal to handle over your blood. I nod knowing it is amongst the boxes that are in the office in the shed along with the rest of my belongings Theo had stored here.

“I think it is in a box in the shed, but I don't have any random blood vials.” I tell him. I’m bite my nail. What are they expecting to find? I have no so-called lineage. My mother’s name is the only one on the birth certificate. I never knew my father, don’t really care to either after he abandoned her to raise a child on her own.

“We will have to find it, but first finish your coffee, I need to speak to Tobias in private.” Tobias gets up and heads toward the kitchen, Josiah following behind him silently. Something has Tobias on edge, and I glance back at Theo who still looks off, his eyes burning bright red and hollow.

“Well hopefully we find something that will help your case,” Caroline says. I glance at her.

How would it help my case? “And if we don’t find anything?” I ask but I have a feeling I already know the answer.

“If there is nothing to be found, the council will probably give Tobias and Theo a time limit on when to change you, Imogen, I know you don’t want this. Tobias has made that very clear. Unfortunately, Tobias taking that choice from you was very selfish and wrong of him to do so. He shouldn’t have marked you, but I also know my sons would never willingly put you in danger, the mate bond is so strong it would have happened eventually, he just should have spoken to the council first.” She told me glancing at Theo. She stands and strides over to him.

What the fuck is going on here?

She brushes his hair back like a mother would a child, and in that moment, I can tell she truly does love her sons. For a while there I hadn't been sure. It looks innocent, something a doting mother would do. I miss Mom. What would she do if she was still here? I'd never get that gentle smile from her. But no matter what she does, Theo doesn't bat an eyelid.

She sighs. “This is one of the things I hate about being a vampire. The rest is okay but once we become stuck like this," she gestures with her hand to Theo, "It’s always hard to come out of it. Consumed by one’s thoughts can sometimes be the worst sort of torture.” Her thumb brushes his cheek soothingly.

“May I ask how you became…" I pause. I don't want to say vampire but I want to make sure she understands, besides I’m dying of curiosity.” It is something I have wondered about because Theo doesn’t like talking about it.

“Did Theo tell you he was a twin?” she asks, cutting off my question. I shake my head.

She nods understandingly. “I had two sons Theodore and Benjamin,” she said looking back at Theo. Was she seeing Theo's twin when she looks at him?

“They were identical twins. When the plague hit, Benjamin didn’t survive. I couldn’t risk losing Theo or Tobias, so I spoke to who I thought was a doctor. I was scared for my other sons. I would have done anything for them. We weren’t aware that Tobias could change us back then. We didn’t realize because him being a werewolf was shocking enough and we were still learning about what he was.” She stares off absentmindedly like she has been thrown back in time.

“So, I met this man," she continues, her eyes dark. "He claimed to be some form of witch doctor. He was strikingly handsome and a little mad, very eccentric. But he said he could help. If I had known back then what he would do, I never would have agreed. But, I brought Theo and Josiah to him. He gave us some wine and we gave him a hefty sum of cash, literally everything we had. Tobias didn’t agree; he said something smelt off about him. It all happened so fast. Tobias was in shock and didn’t have time to react. Vampires are a lot quicker than werewolves, which I’m sure you know that already.” I nod having witnessed it myself. Theo always got to me faster.

“So, we accepted the wine which at the time we didn’t know was actually laced with his blood, next, we saw darkness. Tobias said he snapped our necks and started laughing like a madman. We woke up, not even realizing what it was we were. Well, that was until the hunger took over. Tobias dragged some drunk man in, and we couldn’t help ourselves; we killed him draining him of his blood. We became monsters and for a long time Tobias had to cover up for us, until we found the watchers, that was, and they introduced us to the council. We made an agreement with the watcher after saving one of their family members' lives. He was one of Tom’s ancestors. In exchange for helping us they get to live long lives, free of illness. In exchange they help cover our tracks when needed which is rare with the council nowadays.”

“So, Tom's family helped you back then and because you saved a family member made the treaty that you still have today?”

“Yes, exactly, Tom’s family are called watchers. They originally worked under the council, but after Tom’s ancestor became ill and we found our blood had healing properties, we saved her and Richard. Tom’s ancestor asked to be permanently assigned to our family, which was granted and in return if someone falls ill, we help ensuring they only die from old age and not before their time. Even with medical technology advancing over the years and we not being required much, the treaty still stands.”

“So, what happened to the vampire who changed you?” I ask.