“They were killed on purpose?”
Tristan answered, “They aren’t dead.”
Kyla’s body spun to face Tristan.
“They’re alive. They were brought in, underwent some testing. They were later turned. You were supposed to be brought in with them but you vanished.”
Kyla’s palm flew to her chest. She could hardly breathe.
Adrian said, “They couldn’t tell me what happened to you. They said you were kidnapped from your bed during the night. We were making plans to bring the three of you in due to outside dangers but we were too late. The only reason you weren’t raised here in this compound until you were to be given to Tristan was because traitors sought to keep you from us. You were hidden. It took eighteen years to find you. We found you in Ottawa. For the past few years, you’ve been watched. Then you were given to Tristan. It was serendipitous that you moved to his city.”
What on earth?
“An older lady told me on a park bench that they died in a car accident. Who abducted me? And do I have siblings?”
“There’s an underground militia of sorts. They moved you from Wales, where you were born and being raised, and then hid you within the Canadian foster care system,” Adrian answered, “They changed your name, birth certificate information and hid you from us. Those responsible will be caught. They will face consequences.”
Early memories after losing her parents flooded her memory. She remembered thinking that after her parents were gone that people talked funny. She was a quiet and withdrawn child after losing her parents. She must’ve lost any accent along the way.
She looked to him, “What’s my real name?”
“It is Kyla. Your family name was not Spencer. That was fabricated. It was Kelly. You’re a Constantin. That’s what makes you part royal.”
“What’s a Constantin?”
“Me. My name. I’m Adrian Constantin.”
“And what’s your ideal scenario here? What do you want to see happen?”
Adrian smiled and gave a look to Tristan, “There are a great number of things that I’d like to see happen. It’s all Tristan’s choice but I’d like to see you two breed. I’d like to see the results of that but I’d also like to get my hands on some nectar samples as a start.”
“As a start. Hmm. So, let’s see here…”
“Kyla…” Tristan’s voice was a warning.
She ignored it.
“You want my blood, then my period blood, and then you want me pregnant so you can perform medical experiments ON OUR BABY!?” Kyla was suddenly fiercely protective of a baby that didn’t even exist.
Adrian seemed unaffected by her anger.
Tristan hooked an arm around her waist. She hadn’t realized she’d shot to her feet.
“Where are my parents?” she demanded, pulling to get away from Tristan. He wasn’t having it.
“Your mother lives in Wales. I informed her that you’d be here but she couldn’t come. Your father is arriving today. He lives in Monaco, he works for me, but he’s coming to see you.”
“Siblings?” she pushed.
“That’s classified information, I’m afraid.” Adrian said coldly.
Kyla was taken aback.
Classified? What the fuck?
“Are you fucking serious?”
“Kyla!” Tristan scowled said right in her ear.
Kyla continued,
“So I don’t get to know pertinent information to my situation?”
“That’s out of scope,” Adrian answered calmly.
“Um, I disagree. And what if Tristan doesn’t opt for any of the things you want. What if he chooses something you don’t want?”
She knew, then, that she had siblings. It had to be true. There was no way he wouldn’t tell her the answer if the answer was No.Adrian smiled, “Tristan is a leader. He was destined to lead and knows how important he is. He knows how important my work is. I’m confident that whatever decision he makes it’ll be the right one.”
Kyla dug into her memory for the small remnants of her parents. Her mother looked kind of similar to her but with blonde hair and green eyes. Her father was tall, dark, blue-eyed, and handsome in her memory. She gulped down past a knot in her throat.
“This is too much…” she leaned back against Tristan, “My whole life is a lie. It’s an experiment. This guy is my fucking grandfather? A vampire?”
A slightly maniacal laugh bubbled up, “And he wants us to have babies that he can put in experiments and then if I live, big if, though, he takes whatever of my menstrual blood you’re willing to part with to…”
“Can you have someone show us to our room?” Tristan interrupted, “Kyla needs a chance to process.”
Adrian smiled, “I can do that. Let me have those refreshments redirected.” He reached for his phone.
Kyla felt anger rising higher and higher among the confusion. She tried to pull out of Tristan’s hold.
He held her firmly and got his mouth to her ear, “Keep it together. Stop talking right now. Got me?”
She choked on a sob, thinking what the fuck is this? She felt emotion clog her throat and burn in her chest. She needed space. She needed clarity. She needed to fucking run.