Purebreds and Power
Chapter 23

Han lunged.

His father merely stepped to the side.

"Too much emotion. No focus." Gideon smoothed his suit coat sleeves. "I'll be inside when you calm down."

Cool morning air filled Han's needy lungs.

In. Out.

In. Out.

His ragged breath evened, and his eyes returned to their natural color.

Gideon spoke the truth. Feelings–overwhelming feelings–had stolen his mind momentarily. Han had never felt that much loss of control.

Yet he knew he needed keen focus to get through the next couple of days.

Han looked up at the sky and rubbed his face. The pink and yellow had given way to a soft blue. The sporadic bird's song had morphed into a chorus. The smell of sweet, dark earth floated in the air as the dew evaporated back into its celestial form.

And Han wondered how he had lived so long without the cognizance of it all.

Following a heavy sigh, Han turned and stalked toward his newest roadblock.

—--

Gideon sat in the living room, perusing an old book. He leaned back–one arm draped over the couch, legs crossed.

Han took the seat across from Gideon, hoping the table would provide enough barrier between them.

Once Han settled, Gideon closed the book and put it down. Uncrossing his legs, he leaned forward. "It's time I told you about your mother."

Han folded his arms and gritted his teeth. "What's there to know? You killed her."

Gideon scoffed. "Do you think me so callous? That I could rip my wife's head from her shoulders, burn her body, and deed done?" Gideon stood up and paced. "Use your head, Jun. What do you know?"

Han dragged his palms down his face. "This conversation is ridiculous."

"Please."

"Fine." Han closed his eyes and let out a breath. His brows knit as images of his youth filled his head. "I remember you and her dancing in the living room, laughing. Family picnics. Her reading bedtime stories to me."

"Say her name, Jun."

"I will not." Han squeezed his eyes tighter.

"Jun, Son." Gideon placed his hands on Han's shoulders. "Why won't you say your mother's name?"

Han shrugged off his father’s touch and bolted from his seat. "She cheated. And she destroyed our family!"

"Oh, Jun." Gideon reached, but Han dodged the contact. "She was never unfaithful."

"Enough of your bullshit, Father."

"I always thought you were smart enough to see through the lies." Gideon sat back down on the couch. "Go back. Remember when your mother was here and tell me what you know. Not what you were told about that time. What you know."

Han plunked into the armchair again and closed his eyes. "I was young. We were content. She was content." He smiled, slightly, before his eyes shot open. “Then she wasn’t.” Han stared directly at his father. “She pretended, but she was suffering in silence–I heard her sobbing.” His hands clenched the arms of the chair. “Sobbing for her lover.”

Gideon frowned, then sighed. “Do you remember where we went before she became sad?”

Han walked to the fireplace and lit a fire. “I think you were going to some gathering.”

Gideon stretched before leaning back. “That’s right. The first interspecies gathering. It was quite the affair.”

“Get to the point, Father.”

“Have you always been this impatient?”

Han raised his eyebrow.

“Forget I asked.” Gideon half-laughed. “You’re right. We were very content.” A rueful smile graced Gideon’s face. “Our marriage wasn’t perfect, but we respected each other. I dare say ‘cared.’ As much as our kind can.” Gideon dropped his head back and closed his eyes. He paused for a moment. “Then she met her beloved.”

“And she had animalistic sex with the beast. And she died. The end.”

“Jun! Enough! She was my wife. And your mother!” Gideon stiffened in his seat. “You owe it to her to understand what truly happened!”

“What’s there to understand?” Han stared at the flames. “The pull of a beloved condemned her to break the law?" He turned and looked at Gideon. "That her deception so enraged you, you removed her head from her body–never to speak of her again? I know it! I know it all!”

“No, you don't!” Gideon launched to his feet. “She did meet her beloved. But she never strayed.” He slowly moved towards Han. “She stayed with us. She fought the pull. But she changed. Slowly. She changed.” Just short of Han's side, Gideon stopped. “I didn’t understand it until recently.” He shook his head and sighed. "She became sad, emotional. She tried. She tried so hard to stay with us. But it was too much.”

“What was too much?”

“The emotions she felt were foreign to her.” Gideon stepped closer to the fireplace, taking a spot across from Han. “She knew resistance would break her. And she didn’t want that. She knew her infidelity would destroy me, but it was a matter of when not if.” He bent and threw a log in. “The trial, the rumors, the disgrace… So she asked me…”

“What did she ask?”

“To grant her a peaceful death."

“You killed her.”

“To end her suffering. To save you from disgrace. I snapped her neck, then burned her body. Fast. Painless.” Gideon stared at the renewed flames. “She would have been tortured, imprisoned for betrayal. It's part of the reason you have a choice." He looked at Han. "In my day, matches were arranged for eternity without any input from the bride or groom. Choices? Yes, but not for the ones who mattered. I didn’t want that for you.” His eyes lost their focus as he looked back into the fireplace. “It's why so many favoured slaves died when I married.”

“Why is that?”

“Everyone on the much larger council wanted a piece of your grandfather. So each offered a bride. Everyone feared connections within the household, so they destroyed anyone with a hint of influence.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“Because I know what that girl is to you.”

“How, how could you possibly know?” Han grabbed his father's shoulders.

“You’ve changed. Softness. And emotions.” Gideon reached up and cupped Han's shoulders in return. “I suspected, so I snatched her from Chamberlain’s grubby hands.”

Han tilted his head and furrowed his brows.

“Those newly-turned ones were his. They would have ripped your slave apart, but I saw them attack your car as my driver was pulling in. I manipulated the new vampires easily from the backseat.” Gideon sat in the armchair. “Chamberlain agreed to let me take her so long she was not free. And not with you.” Gideon casually inspected his nails. “James’ defense of her proved her importance to you.”

“James said he didn’t recognize anyone.”

“I’ve had this driver for some time now. When is the last time you paid attention to my coming and going?” He gestured toward the front door. “Case and point, today."

“Fair enough.” The roaring fire reflected in Han's eyes. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. Following a deep breath, Han gazed intently at his father. "Then I will need your help.”