“It’s a shock, I know.” His deep voice is gruff. “When I found out, it floored me. Your mother told me point blank you weren’t mine when I asked her. She had never lied to me before, so I trusted what she said. I’m sorry for that.”
“She was protectin’ me from you.”
He nodded. “Yes, I think so too, but what she didn’t realize is that I would have never harmed you because you were my son. I protect my family with everything I have.”
“I doan want dis.”
Ezekiel takes a deep breath. “I know you’ve been taught that I’m evil. Robert made no bones about how he felt about the Cranes. I won’t lie to you, Cass. I’m not a nice person. I do bad things. But I love my family. And that includes you now. Whether you want my protection or not, you have it.”
“I doan want to be evil,” I whisper so softly I’m no’ sure he even heard me until he speaks several heartbeats later.
“Is that what you think? That being a Crane makes you evil?”
I nod, unable to hide my fear from him.
“Because of the demon blood?” He lets out a sigh. “We were not even aware of it until Silas revealed to Emma Rose who he really was. We do not and will never willingly bed down with demons. I’ve used demons before, but to take one to bed? No. It is not what we do. The feelings you’re having now are the same ones my parents and I suffered through. The same ones your sister had. We wanted no part of it either. We were disgusted to have it in our blood as well. Trust me, you are not the only one who has difficulties accepting that.”
I am no’ sure wha’ to say. I t’ought for sure dey would love to have de power of a demon flowin’ t’rough dem.
“Then we look at Emma. She is the kindest person I know under all that gruff exterior of hers. You’ve seen her at her best and at her worst. You tell me, do you think your sister is evil?”
I had just been t’inkin’ about dis.
“No, Emma is no’ evil. I know she has a dark side, but she fights it.”
“She does,” Ezekiel agrees. “I’ve seen her struggle with it. You’ve seen her demonic side. You know who she is, the whole truth. My daughter doesn’t trust a lot of people. She hasn’t even told Nathaniel about her heritage, yet she told you. Why do you think that is, Cass?”
“Because de o’der hunters be askin’ questions, and she knew she had to tell me de trut’ if she wanted me to protect her.”
“No, that’s not why she told you the truth.”
I cock my head questioningly.
“The only people who know the truth of who she is are in that house. The people she calls her family. She decided you were her family before she even found out you were her brother.”
“She knows?”
“Yes. It all came out yesterday. I didn’t know that your father wasn’t your biological father until she revealed she and Dan were searching for the truth of your parentage.”
He must have been shocked. He still looks like he’s reelin’ from de truth.
“I didn’t know your mother was an Angel. Angelic blood prevents my gift from working.”
“Wha’ do you mean, your gift?”
He takes a deep breath. “The only reason I am telling you this is because you’re my son, and if I want you to trust me, then I have to trust you too.”
Never happen.
“When I ask people direct questions, they can’t lie to me. It’s partly why I’m so successful. I’ve not done nearly as many bad things as you’ve been led to believe because I don’t have to. People don’t lie to me.”
“Wha’?” I ask, horrified. No one in de huntin’ community is aware of dis. If dey were, no one would come near de Cranes.
“It’s a gift every member of my family has. It’s how we manage to glean information without actually hurting anyone. I bet no one told you that, did they?”
No, no, dey hadn’t. I’d been taught de Cranes used any means necessary to get wha’ dey wanted.
“I also send hundreds of shipments of food, clothes, and medicine to third world countries each month so they don’t starve. I have a charity that donates millions so children who otherwise couldn’t afford the surgeries they need get them. I fund reading programs for children and adults around the country. I’m not as bad as you’ve been taught to believe, Cass. No one promotes the good things I do, only the bad.”
I hadn’t heard one single t’ing about any of dat.
“It still doan change de bad t’ings you do on de regular.”
A hint of a smile ghosts across Zeke’s face. “No, I suppose not, but at least you know I’m not all bad. Your mother saw the good in me, but I wasn’t in love with her. She was a remarkable woman, though. I always respected and admired her. I was happy for her when she found someone who could love her the way she deserved.”
“You said you didn’t know she was an Angel?”
He shakes his head. “Not all people with supernatural abilities recognize each other despite what you see on TV or read in books. Your mother hid who she was well.”
I file dat information away. It is some’tin hunters have debated about forever.
“My point is that I know this has to be hard for you. You’re in shock. I understand. I’m in a little shock myself to have a full-grown son who probably hates the ground I walk upon.”
I wince. He’s no’ wrong.
“But you are my son, and that matters to me. And to your grandparents, as you just witnessed. They are excited to have another grandchild to lavish affection upon. It took Emma Rose a while to warm up to them, so they’re not expecting anything miraculous from you. Just understand they will love you even if you can’t bring yourself to love them. All I ask is that you’re civil to my parents.”
“Dey always been civil to me, so I try to be civil to dem. Dat woan change.”
“Good. I saw you stiffen up earlier, and I know how possessive Lila gets.”
Emma has tol’ me about dat. She’s also convinced Lila’s ashamed of her despite her grandmother’s protests. If she’s ashamed of Emma, she sure will be of me and my backwoods Cajun.
“I just hope after the shock has worn off, you’ll give us a chance to at least get to know one another. I think if you do, you’ll find a family who will love you no matter what. We’re Cranes. We take care of each other.”
I’m no’ sure I can do dat, but I doan say it out loud. The man is tryin’. I woan t’row it back in his face. Especially with his o’der child missin’ and most likely bein’ tortured.
“Tell me about dis spell de demon wants my blood for.”
“As Mary said, it’s ancient, predating most of the written word. It’s also demonic.”
“And you want me to let a demon use my blood in a demonic spell?” I can’t keep de derision out of my voice.
“If it were for anyone except Emma Rose, I’d never ask you. I spent the better part of fifteen years searching for her, and to have her taken from me again…” His voice breaks, and I see de pain plain as day on his face. He’s hurtin’ in a bad, bad way. “I swear to you, Cass, I won’t let Silas near your blood. I can cast it, or one of the witches from West Virginia. Or you can do it yourself. This is for Emma Rose. She’d do it for you without a thought for herself.”