Page 12 of The Vampire Oracle
I rolled my eyes at him. “Are you going to listen or just continue to be a dickhead?”
He stood up straight, motioning for me to go on, though he still had an attitude about it.
“My arm was broken twice by my foster father. The third time…” My confidence faded a bit as I remembered my screams and the sounds of the cleaver crashing straight through my bone. “I wasn’t so lucky.”
“Why would he even do that?” Osiris scoffed.
“Do you know how much an arm costs on the black market?” I asked. “Plus, I was the most rebellious kid. He needed to set an example with me and make sure everyone stayed in their lanes.”
“Do we believe this?” Kier asked, entering the kitchen with only a towel on. I tried so hard not to let my eyes wander around his body, though I saw flashes of colorful tattoos and pink ivory scars. “Do you have a medical record or an oracle report?”
I snorted, narrowing my eyes. “You think I got medical attention? I got a hot knife and alcohol poured on it. I was lucky enough to survive infection.”
“Say we believe that” Beck said, soft brown eyes on me. “This… Spectre thing?”
The room ran silent, and all the boys were listening.
But my eyes were glued on Beck. I hurt him. My lies did and whatever happened today hurt him too. I couldn’t lie anymore. “At sixteen, a guy approached me after an Oracle guy kicked the shit out of me. I was mad, wanting the Oracles to all die. They didn’t help us anyways, and we were scum to them. He asked me what I would give to change things, to have full mobility back. He helped me train and helped my friend learn how to make an arm from scratch. Together, he helped me become a vampire hunter, said he was one before I was even born, before the Revelations.”
“And you believed him?” Kier snorted.
“Wouldn’t you?” I asked, looking up at him. “A guy offering you more money than you’ve seen, though it’s nothing to compare to this. He gave us food, shelter, and everything we never got.”
Kier shrugged. “And is that who we are picking up today?”
Osiris’s brows pulled together.
I shook my head. “My friend. He’s going to fix my arm.”
“The one who made the arm is going to fix it? The arm that broke mid-battle?” Briar made a statement.
I nodded. “You must realize that this arm was made when I was seventeen. I’m twenty-two. Of course, it’s broken. At eighteen, I came back to Ashbourne alone. I wanted to help the people here and slay vampires.”
“Becoming Spectre,” Jinn said. “I think it’s very Girl Boss of you to become Spectre and make everyone think it’s a man.”
I chuckled, shaking my head.
“And this guy? Who is he?” Beck asked, waiting for an answer that he had made up in his head.
“Cozen. We grew up together in the orphanage.”
“He never wanted to be an Oracle?” Jinn asked.
“When we were naive, but he refused to come back and help me. So, he faked his death, and now he can’t come back.”
“Are you two a thing or something? Is that why you were so unwilling with any of us?” Beck snapped.
My eyes widened a bit. “Cozen is my mechanic and friend, if that. It’s been four years since I spoke to him. Other than that,” I looked at him, “I lied to everyone about who I was. I’m a fraud who tends not to trust anyone.”
“So, you trust us now? Why? Because you know everyone is against you and you need men to protect you?” Briar said, making me smirk.
“No offense. I have been training as long as Kier has been and I know for sure, I can take him down a few times.”
“Let’s see you try,” Kier muttered, crossing his arm over his chest. I ignored him.
“I don’t need men to protect me. Never did. I just… I don’t know why I’m choosing to trust you guys, because I feel like it, or maybe because I need help. I don’t know.”
Osiris eyed me. “What do you need help with?”