Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 78 – Father Dearest

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.“–C.S. Lewis

Neron

Soft crackling from the torches nicked the tense air of my father’s prison. I ogled at the weapon at my knees, faint smudges of blood staining both the handle and the blade with miscellanies of its past victims. Lady Sanguine’s bleeding eyes scald at the top of my skull as she stands by, patiently, for me to act. Behind me, my father became silent, minus his ragged exhales through his broken nose.

Sounds of many echoed around me, but I have yet to breathe.

Rigid as a statue, the fatal promise the woman made to me replayed like a video–cassette in my mind, rewinding and replaying again and again. Exchange the life of my father for my freedom. Death for a life. Tearing my eyes from the blade, I encountered Lady Sanguine’s expectant grin as her arms squeezed the cotton from the fragile seams of her worn–out teddy bear.

Flames of darkness and destruction licked behind her glittering rubies with untamed desire for death. Each flame flared to a hushed, internal tune as they scorch what was once Kiya’s purity. The dominant heat of her hatred wrapped its tendrils around my throat and made work to tighten the airways vital for my life. Her mouth promised release, but her eyes promised death.

She has no intention of letting either of us survive.

Isn’t that why she has us here? Lady Sanguine could’ve easily finished my father off, but she went through the trouble of towing me along for the ride, toying with me like a puppet. I recalled her proclamation shortly before she brought here me.

This is all but a game. But the stakes were too high to ignore.

Lady Sanguine is torturing me.

“Why the sudden change in plans?” Dad questioned, annihilating the stifling silence between us three. “Too afraid to take me out yourself?”

“On the contrary, Jonathan.” She purred, running her hand through the bear’s pelt. “Your fate is sealed, whether or not I kill you. But it is up to your son to determine if he should be the one to take you out. Think of it as your parting gift before you die.”

“You’re beyond help.”

“I did ask you if I was crazy when I killed Tristan. Now, you have your answer.

I was confident when I had planned to take my father away from Lady Sanguine, but now, I’m entombed between two impossibles. If I kill Dad, Kiya, when she comes back, won’t live with his death on her hands. However, will letting Lady Sanguine watch have the same effect? I picked up a chipper sigh as she started. tapping her foot.

“Neron.” Onyx mind–linked. “Do it. There is no other alternative. He’s lucky enough to die by your

hands.”

Is it? Dying by Gane or Lady Sanguine’s hand is a fare worse than the death bell. The male Dad suffer until he expels his last boeart, Lady Sanguine especially Dying by my hands is an act of men, bene din

this, he doeon = defame I. TeLO

Semifer of

ended of waling dinner the

But after what Dad has put us through, including the car cash them

strided to take the blade. A deep part of me didnt want world without a family. That part engized the man my

Mom’s needs, loving with Noria and me and queall a man I looked up to and warnet

The man D

hurt and pain he put me through. His declarations that was nothing but a failure u tim genuinity of his smiles at park–related thing. He used is smile whenever I drew permits of tim……

wouldn’t

my rest un Lats Sanguine peened into my sout, but the

digits. Her touch,

day the left my

father is not the type

hurt you

Tia sumer benestar 1–he frm Tet of

victim.” She murmured, he

remember a day when I was sing away tear the

pelling. He was screaming

head down, but anyone could see the red blossoming De your skin like a rose

reprimanded me

for not caring enough about thing over the pace DECIDE WE inlewing cough with lessons. I skipped lessons for a full week, and he was in one of it trunken cages. Smiled me a mile and a stain to the memory of Mom and Nuria before slapping ate crap

dears. I don’t care about a fucking thing because I missed them too much. I couldn’t even sitter gates because Dad nk so much starvard that I was petrified that he’d stopped breaming

had yet

notice. Brimson dans spark with delight as her hand dried from my chin to cup my

“I also recall you arguing with him the night before Titan’s execution. How many reminded you are a failure? Useless? An idiot? Did you think you were the only one he said those things 1, shamefully, leaned into her touch

seduce my son in front of me Dad maried, tugging at his chains. My eyes floated to his

Chapter 70–Father Dearest

to take that sordid belief to the

avatar was nothing more than a deranged home–wrecker, I would’ve snapped your neck at the first opportunity!” Dail thrashed against his chains like a ferocious beast, the song of

them pass you by. Why is that? Is it only because of my connection to

“I should’ve killed you.”

Lady Sanguine guffawed. “It all

heat of his glare pulled my eyes to his. “Make the wrong decision, and you’ll live to regret it! If your mother and sister

entire body, burning away the edges of my skepticism. A fierce headache throbbed in my skull as Dad’s well–known tactics of manipulation hooked themselves into my psyche. The nerve of him mentioning Mom and Nuria! I snarled, snatching my face

mate

the reason she and I suffered because I couldn’t do every fucking thing you wanted! What

You needed discipline, and I taught you that! I taught you the family, and the pack come

father died a long

aghast with his jaw hanging open. Bronzed arms snaked themselves around my torso, pressing my back to a cushioned front. The dark energy emanating from the touch made me lightheaded and dizzy, sinking into my skin like a lethal poison. A head rests on my back with soft lips pressed over the fabric right where my pack mark is, waiting and demanding. I involuntarily shivered under Lady Sanguine’s

into my ears as her fingers fluttered around my chest. “Isn’t that what mates do?

my heart as my father’s years of belittling I’ve buried for the sake of peace. Dad growled in front of me, eyes focused on my every

once and

all that nastiness inside your father is love.” She

Chapter

destroyed me because he loved Celeste and Nuria. He loved you. He hurt you because he “loved you. However, he ruined you just

sink into the same darkness

Karma came back

to kill Mom and Nuria. If Dad was still the loving man,

is my Dad’s. He started the fire, and I

“I’m so sorry…”

her nails were. “Rid the world of the

lied. Ever.” I shot back. “I regret everything

“Lady Sanguine.”

difference. You’re

“Maybe, maybe

kept waiting.

off. Neither trust me to follow through with my intentions, Lady Sanguine was expected. But from Dad? I’ve been too afraid to admit this to myself with full conviction,