Emily frowned, already hating Ryder's arrogant presence.
"Didn't I warn you to stay away from my brother, sister-in-law?" Ryder sneered. His eyes flared red.
"Stop scaring her."
The deep voice thundered down the hall.
Ryder turned with mock surprise. "Oh, my dearest brother. You didn't even bother to call when I disappeared. Did you know I was kidnapped?" His voice was dripping with false grief.
Ethan's smirk was lethal. "That would've been the best news I'd heard all week."
He strode over and slipped his hand around Emily's arm, pulling her subtly behind him. She flinched at the sudden touch, though his grip was warm. Protective.
"Protecting your thing?" Ryder asked with a scowl.
"I suppose Emily wouldn't want to hear what I recently discovered," Ryder went on, voice turning playful.
"Don't listen to him," Ethan snapped, already pulling Emily toward the door.
But Ryder's words followed like venom.
"Your human friend isn't so human. Found out she's part of the Orsticle witches."
Emily froze.
She turned to him, brows knitting. "That's not true. Riley's just... Riley."
"You doubt me?" Ryder's eyes narrowed, then in a blink, Ethan slammed his fist into Ryder's jaw.
"Enough of your lies," Ethan growled, his own eyes blazing red.
Emily stepped back in awe, watching the brothers square off again. That dangerous red glow in their eyes...it wasn't just for show.
Suddenly, her phone rang. The name made her stomach twist.
Riley.
She answered. "Hello?"
"Emily," Riley's voice shook, ragged and breathless. "I need you. Right now."
Emily didn't hesitate.
She shot Ethan a panicked glance. Ryder looked too pleased. Ethan, however, looked deadly serious.
Without another word, Emily ran.
⸻
She screeched to a halt in front of Riley's house, heart hammering. The moment she stepped in, the scent of blood hit her like a wall.
"No..." she whispered.
Blood stained the floors. Drops, then pools. Her feet pounded toward the kitchen...and there, on the tiles, lay Riley's parents.
Lifeless.
Emily gasped in horror, her eyes welling. "Oh my God."
Upstairs. She flew up the staircase and burst into Riley's room.
Riley sat on the floor, trembling, blood smeared across her arms. Her eyes were wide, haunted.
"I... I killed them," she choked. "Emily, I killed my parents..."
Emily dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around her. "No, no. It wasn't your fault. You didn't mean to—"
"I didn't even know I had powers. I thought I was normal. Then a nun came, said I was adopted. I asked my—my parents and they lied to me. I found the orphanage's name, looked it up, and the nun was telling the truth. We argued, and then..." She broke into sobs. "I screamed...and they...died."
"You didn't kill them. It's not your fault," Emily said, voice breaking. She could barely keep herself steady.
Then, the temperature shifted.
The walls trembled.
Flames erupted, spiraling around the room.
"Emily!" Riley clutched her in terror. "What's happening to me?!"
Emily fumbled for her necklace and tapped it.
⸻
Ethan felt the pull like lightning in his chest.
Her panic. Her fear. It vibrated through the bond.
"She's in trouble," he said, already rushing for the door.
"Running off to clean up my mess?" Ryder teased behind him.
"You started this," Ethan snapped, "now you're coming with me."
Ryder rolled his eyes and followed.
⸻
The house was engulfed in fire when they arrived.
Ethan dashed through first, Ryder just behind him. Smoke filled the air as flames closed in on the girls.
In a blink, Ethan was there,pulling Emily into his arms just as she collapsed. Her breaths were shallow.
"Ethan..." she whispered weakly, resting her head against his chest.
Ryder caught Riley, holding her tight.
They raced out together...just as the house exploded behind them, the blaze swallowing everything.
Riley turned back, horror etched on her face.
"My parents..." she whispered.
She lunged toward the ruins, but Ryder grabbed her arm.
"You can't go there, love," he said softly.
Riley stared at him, shaking. "I killed them."
Ryder held her close, rubbing her back. He wasn't smirking now.
"We have to go," Ethan said, still cradling Emily. "We'll take them somewhere safe."
⸻
Riley sat quietly beside Emily, her hands trembling.
Emily watched her friend, heart aching. Across the room, Ethan sat composed while Ryder leaned casually with a smug grin.
Riley's eyes moved to Ryder and recognition flashed.
"The masked man," she whispered. "You... you were the one who called me 'love.'"
Ryder's grin widened. "You didn't forget me. I'm flattered."
"You're a vampire," Riley said, voice shaking.
"And fast," she added bitterly.
Emily reached for Riley's hand. "Ril... you're not just adopted. You're a witch. A powerful one. You just... can't control it yet."
Riley looked at her, dazed. "A witch?"
Her voice cracked. "I really killed them..."
Ethan sat forward. "Their bodies are safe. We took them. You'll be able to bury them properly. We burned the house to keep the police out of it."
Riley's shoulders slumped. The guilt still clawed at her, but at least... at least she could say goodbye.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Emily wrapped her arms around her.
She could feel the storm brewing behind Riley's eyes—the guilt, the fear, the pain.
She whispered, "Do you want to forget? About all this? About them?"
Riley lifted her tear-streaked face. "Forget my parents?"
Emily nodded solemnly.
But Riley shook her head firmly.
"No. I don't want to forget. I want to remember everything."
Emily squeezed her hand tighter.