The Way You Bite(56)

Her stomach rumbled.

Trace’s gaze shot to her. He didn’t change expressions or give away he knew she was awake while he drank. “I thought it a side effect of my first overindulgence in my father’s scotch. That was real?”

“Let me refresh your memory. Your mother was my mate, even though she was vamp and I wolf. This improbability happens on rare occasions. I am sure you of all vamps know cross-species attraction happens.”

That’s my father? Blay something.

Trace’s cheeks colored dark red. He really had been sleeping with a werewolf. Ambrose had been right.

Blay shook his head. “You may not realize it, but it was good for everyone when she died.”

“We weren’t involved when she had the accident.” His gaze slid to hers and quickly darted away. “I told her to piss off when I discovered she was trying to take out Aleksander Dimitrov again. That was a few years ago. But you and my mother…”

“I have yet to find her murderer. I interviewed everyone within fifty miles of her place except you and Dominic. There were only two wolves in the area. One is dead. I’m the other. I’ve come to my own conclusions, but—”

“I picked up there were two wolves and a vampire other than my mother.”

“No, there were only two wolves. Madden and me. No vampire.”

“I distinctly picked up the odor of the vampire.”

“Which vampire?”

“I don’t know.”

Blay sat deeper in the chair and tapped his lip. “I was there on that night, but last time I saw Arie she was alive. She coerced me to take Vee to visit your aunt, who used to live close by. While I was away someone murdered her. I suspect Arie planned to meet someone and wanted Vee and me out of there. Arie didn’t share her concerns when she feared for those she loved. Did you ever ask yourself why Carol had Vee that day? Why Vee wasn’t also killed?”

Trace rubbed his chin. “I never thought about Vee. It doesn’t change the fact a wolf killed my mother. My father didn’t. Dominic attended a big event. He was seen there the whole night.”

“Look at me,” Blay commanded. “Did you kill your mother?”

Trace gazed as if mesmerized. “No.”

“Do you know who killed your mother?”

“No.”

“Damn it,” he muttered. Then louder, “Were there really three scents to you?”

“Yes.”

Blay changed his tone. “You may be free now.”

Trace rubbed his head again. “What happened? I blanked for a second there or something.”

Blay shook his head dismissively. “Dominic starting a war over less than solid facts is asinine.”

“Why didn’t my mother leave my father and the two of you run off? Do the happily-ever-after scenario?”

“Arie wasn’t in a good situation with Dominic. She stayed because she loved her children. She loved you more than anything else in her life, even me. That’s tough for me to confess. It’s why I won’t kill you now. You represent a small piece of the brightest part of my existence. Her love for you kept her with Dominic. Had you been older and more able to defend yourself from Dominic, she might have considered leaving him. Dominic wasn’t nice to her, even during the times when he thought her faithful to him.”

“I know,” Trace said softly. “I wanted to kill him every time he hurt her but I was only a teenager.”

“Dominic was too egocentric to consider she’d prefer another. If she hadn’t tied my hands, I would’ve killed Dominic long ago. Arie forced me to vow to leave him alone. Ridiculous worrying woman. Dominic is child’s play.” He snorted.

“I wanted to kill him for what he did to Vee for a long time, but Vee stopped me. She didn’t believe I could take him.”

“You’re no match for Dominic, but I am.” No ego in his tone, just confidence.

Trace relaxed back into the chair, throwing out his legs. “You do know he and Vee have faced off many times over the decades.”

“What’d he do to her?”

“Maybe you should ask Vee about the specifics on that. You can ask her yourself.” He directed his chin toward her.

Blay whipped around. She gazed into eyes identical to hers down to the brown spot.

“What did Dominic do?” Blay demanded.

Oh my God. This was her biological father. Don’t be intimidated. She broke the stare with him to gingerly sat upright. Muscles ached. Her head spun. “You must be…Dad? Or do you prefer Father?”

“Call me whatever you wish.”

“Dad?” Trace repeated dully. The horror on Trace’s face shredded her heart.

Don’t hate me, please. Forcing bravery, she said, “He didn’t fill you in on that gem, Trace? I was told by the wolves that Mom and this guy started their fling long before I was born. Dominic’s not really my father.”

Trace’s thoughts bombarded her. It’s bullshit. They’re playing her for some reason. Out loud, he said, “It’s not true. If so, you were…you’d be a…” He inhaled sharply. “A mix?”

Blay moved to stand between her and Trace. Protective?

“It’s not my fault, if it’s true.” The abomination of a mix would go against every code of purity they’d both been brought up to believe as law in the Scarpa household.