Embracing Winter (Lords of Discord 4)

“But you can use your gift to find him.”

“Curse,” he mumbled, squeezing his eyes shut. The first flare of temper had faded, and he wanted to curl into a ball. Or he wanted to rain death on the city. Either one was good. Just so he stopped hurting for a little while.

“Winter?” Marcus said.

The worry in his oldest brother’s voice was like a knife. Of all his brothers, he was the closest to Marcus. The twins always had each other. He and Marcus were regularly teamed up to beat back and control the other clans in the name of protecting their family. Out of anyone, keeping this secret felt like the biggest betrayal of Marcus’s trust.

“I see ghosts,” Winter said dully.

“What do you mean? When you do your disappearing trick?” Rafe asked.

“You mean all the time, don’t you?” Bel corrected in his soft, worried tone. “That’s why you didn’t want me to say anything about your gift. I really did see Mother that day.”

Winter dropped his face into his hands as chaos exploded around the room. Voices were raised, demanding to know about Winter’s gift and how Bel had seen their dead mother. Aiden then started shouting over them, trying to calm everyone.

But it was the warm weight he suddenly felt on his leg that had Winter’s head lifting. He blinked and found River sitting on the floor, leaning against his leg and offering silent support and comfort. A hand landed on his shoulder, and he looked up to find Wyatt standing over him, reassuring and protective all at once.

“I couldn’t say anything, but they know I’ve been worried about you,” Bel said.

Winter found himself smiling at his brother as he sat alone on the sofa, a worried look on his handsome face. Winter had seen his brother’s wolves snuggling close to him when he was upset about something, and he’d always found it strange. He’d thought their presence would feel oppressive, but it was comforting in a way he couldn’t explain. Winter would have preferred to have Fox in his arms, but their light touch made Winter feel less alone.

“It’s time to tell them everything, Winter,” Aiden said, and he found himself nodding.

Winter stared at his hands, his eyes once again locking on the gold band with the sparkling blue gem. A little piece of Fox was locked inside his crystal structure like a promise. If he was strong, if he was brave, he’d get his witch back. For Fox, he could do this.

“I heard voices when I was young…and human. I don’t know if they were the same as Mother’s, but I told only Aiden.” He paused, keeping his gaze on the sapphire glinting up at him. The ring Fox had picked out for him. “I didn’t want you to leave me behind. I’m a Varik too. But I didn’t want you to have to deal with me the way you had to watch over Julianna…so I only told Aiden. I made him swear to not tell anyone else.”

“Aiden!” Marcus roared.

Winter was on his feet in an instant, pulling from his werewolf-shaped security blanket and moving to stand between Aiden and his brother. “He kept his word. It was bad enough that you had to protect each other from Julianna. Do you really think I was going to burden you with having to stop me as well? No, absolutely not!”

“But you mentioned ghosts,” Philippe said when Marcus retreated with a snarl. Winter watched his older brother walk over to the chair he’d been sitting in, his hands balled into fists. Ethan pulled at him, urging him to sit again.

“When I was reborn a vampire, I discovered that the voices I’d been hearing were actually ghosts. I can see them constantly. Talk to them.”

“You mean like right now?” Lola demanded. She tightened her arms around her waist and looked around her as if she was expecting to see a ghost pass through the room close to her.

“I did…before I met Fox.” Winter sighed and shoved a hand thought his long hair, pushing it from his face. “Dealing with the ghosts constantly was exhausting. There was no getting any peace. No matter where I went, they were there. Some paid attention to me. Others didn’t.”

“But you never had a break,” River said. “God, Winter. That’s horrible. I’m so sorry.”

“Fox changed it all for me.” Winter flashed River a small smile, but it felt like his heart was breaking. “When I’m near him, I can’t see or hear the ghosts. It’s like his natural magic ability wraps me in a protective bubble. I’d only see the ghosts when I went into the world of the dead. It’s what happens when I disappear. I pass through their reality and no living creature can see, hear, or touch me there.”

“That’s astounding.” Sofia gave a little laugh and shook her head. “That’s how the Variks have done it all these years. How you’ve learned so many secrets. How you’ve been the scariest thing in all our kind. Because you can disappear.”