5. A night for revelation

Later that night I found myself in my room unable to sleep after what happened. Both fury and Sil refused to tell me anything saying it was better I didn't know. I'd stormed off leaving them for the safety of my room. So much for friends, I didn't know much about friendship but I did know keeping secrets was not a good sign.

While I was thankful to fury for what he did it didn't change the fact that he was keeping something from me and that only made me distrust him just as much as Blaze. Now I was even more sure that the only person I could trust was myself.

It was Friday night which meant the weekend and one day closer to this elusive back to school bash. Not that I even knew whether I was still going after how I left things with Sil and fury.

Argh screw this.

I needed to get out, get some fresh air. I hated being indoors. I'd been stuck indoors most of my life now that I had freedom from the palace that was my prison for most of my life I wanted to spend as much time outside as I could and As much as I hated this place it was the one thing I was happy about.

It was close to midnight when I found myself back at the hidden pond. The night sky reflected off the water lighting up the area if only by a little. Jumping to the roof of the gazebo I laid down to stare at the sky. The vastness of night as it spread darkness across the world below always comforted me. It was at night that I was complete, at my strongest as the world was cast in shadows. My haven was the dark and I relished the feeling of it.

Everything was heightened at night, hearing become keener, my scent became stronger, eyesight become sharper and touch become more intimate. I was at ease in the dark, my thoughts calm as my body relaxed surrounded by shadow. I smiled to my self and closed my eyes relishing this feeling of contentment.

"I thought I might find you here."

My eyes sprang open just as fury jumped onto the roof to sit down next to me. I scowled at him not even bothering to move.

"What do you want?"

He frowned down at me like my tone had hurt him in someway.

"Shade-"

"Save it fury I never expected anything from you so you can keep your secrets."

I made to get up and leave when he pulled me back down, it was so sudden that my foot slipped on a roof tile resulting in me falling. On instinct he pulled on my hand a little too hard as I fall on top of him forcing him back against the roof my clumsy arse sprawled across his chest my face inches away from his. Both of us seemed to hold our breath as our eyes locked onto each other. His red irises started to change as a blue fire started to swirl inside them. Fear overcome me as I remembered blazes mind control thing. Snapping my eyes shut I tried to pull away. I had no idea if that was how it worked but I wasn't taking any chances.

"Shade stop struggling and open your eyes."

It was childish I know but sue me I was not being mind controlled ever again. I shook my head refusing there's no way I was going to let it happen again. I continued to try blindly feel my way out of his arms. Gentle hands reached out to cup my face. I froze at the intimate touch still with my eyes clumped shut.

"Believe me when I say I would never ever do that to you. Even if it did work that way I'm not blaze and I'm not controlled by the king like he is."

I remained unmoving the feel of his hand on my cheek as his thumb ran along my lips sending chills along my spine. I still didn't open my eyes but I couldn't stop my body from responding to his touch. Did I forget to mention the dark also heightened my libido?

"I know your angry that I'm keeping things from you and I know you don't trust me because of it but you have to understand that while I don't agree with the kings methods I'm still light fae. The secrets I hold are just as important to keep as the ones you keep for your clan. I will tell you this so that you might extend at least the smallest bit of trust in me. my father is a very smart fae. When I was born and it was time to give my name to the king..."

Here he paused as my eyes slowly opened he leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

"My father gave the king a false name."

My eyes widened at this the implications obvious. If the light fae king didn't know fury's true name then he had no power over him what so ever. The king could never force him to do what blaze had done to me. The fact that he was telling me this knowing that i could easily go inform the light fae king and he and his father would be prosecuted for treason was a way of him showing a little trust towards me. I could see it in his eyes that he was asking for the same level of trust back.

While I could never completely trust him since I doubt i was even capable of that level of trust it made me realise that he was right. I had many secrets that I had yet to tell anyone. who was I to get angry that he had his own fair share of them.

It was then that I realised I was still resting completely on top of him with his hand still caressing my cheek. Clearing my throat I quickly scrambled off him to once again sit at his side careful to leave a respectable distance between us. Avoiding his eyes I instead stared down at the pond beneath us.

"Thank you for trusting me with something so important and you have my word I'll not tell a soul and I understand that there are many things that neither of us can share with each other because of the bad blood between our clans...."

Finally turning to face him i again saw the blue fire in his eyes however this time I was not afraid of it.

"Give me time I can't guarantee I'll ever be able to trust either of you fully since trust does not come easily to me but I will try."

We sat there in silence for awhile my mind reeling with the days events. I barely knew fury yet in just one day he had revealed what was probably one of the biggest secrets he had. I felt like I owed it to him to reveal one of my own.

I felt his eyes on me as I started to undo the ties of my corset. My own eyes on my hands as I did. What i was about to do was disobey the biggest order bitch queen had ever given me. It was a secret on par with fury's and the sad part is I didn't even know why it was a secret so what was the harm in revealing it right? That's what I told myself at least.

"When I came into my shadow magic and my marks appeared there's one part of them I was ordered never to show a soul. The only ones to have seen it is my clans king and queen. I have no idea what it means or why it's so important to them but since you shared something with me I figured I'll share something with you."

I was not shy when it came to my body even though I had never had sex it was just something all sups had in common. We were open with our bodies since our libidos were very high. Placing the corset to the side I turned my back on fury and slowly I began to lift my shift over my head. My hair fanned out across my back covering what lay beneath. I waited holding my breath as I heard him come closer.

One of his hands reached out to touch the skin of my back as he swept aside my hair to rest over my shoulder. Without a word his fingers traced the rays of light that I knew where on my back. The Gentle caress of his fingers on my skin sent heat right to my core. It was different to when I was around blaze, no where near the fire I felt in his gaze or with the feel of his touch but still I won't lie and say I wasn't attracted to fury. He was sexy in a no holds barred kind of way. Even with his many secrets I found his honesty appealing.

My breath started to speed up as his fingers finished their out line of the mysterious marks as they made their way up and over my shoulder. Turning my head to see his eyes something primal passed through them. The blue flames flaring to life as he moved even closer. I shuddered as his chest made contact with my bare back. I couldn't look away his hand now softly moving down my arm to rest at the bare skin of my waist and across to my stomach as he pulled me even closer til there was no space at all between us.

Our faces now centimetres apart his eyes glanced at my lips briefly his tongue darting out licking his own lips. Just as he was about to lean in he stopped.

"Fury?"

My voice barely audible my heart pounding. I was so close to receiving my first kiss. Why did he stop? Sighing he closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against mine.

"I'm sorry Shade I know you hate your clans queen but she's right you shouldn't show anyone that mark especially not Blaze."

Swiftly reaching across me he grabbed my clothes and passed them to me. I put the shift back on but left the corset turning to face him fully confused by his actions. I know he was going to kiss me, so what stopped him?

"I don't understand."

He started to reach for my face once more but paused warring emotions crossing his features til he just let his hand drop fingers clenching.

"There's things about our clans blood feud that not many know I can't tell you the details but please trust me when I say don't mention this to anyone if the king finds out your life will be in danger."

I stared at him stunned.

"What does it mean?"

His lips formed a tight line, obviously he was not going to tell me. For fucks sakes the longer I stay in this dam place the more I realise I know nothing about this world. I was getting pissed at him all over again. Sure before it was secrets about his own clan which he had every right to hold back from me but this time he was holding information that related directly to me and this stupid mark on my back. Didn't I have a right to know? It was my mark to bare after all.

I scowled at him and his silence as I stood up fully intending to leave him and his secrets behind me. I made it as far as the edge of the roof before he stopped me. His arms coming around my waist pulling me back into his chest. I couldn't help but melt into him just like with blaze my body betrayed my feelings. He buried his head into my neck his breath caressing the sensitive skin there as he spoke.

"Please don't be angry. I know we've only just met and you don't trust me yet but please understand that I'm only trying to protect you."

Turning around slowly i stared into his eyes. Eyes that showed worry, his touch as his right hand cupped my face sent my heart beating faster all over again.

"I don't know what it is about you but my whole being screams at me that your important. The truth is I'm not sure what the mark is. I have a theory but I always thought it wasn't real, a fairy tale."

I expected him to keep going but instead he leaned forward his forehead against mine as he'd done only moments ago.

"Ever since I laid eyes on you at lunch today I wanted you.....but I can tell that I'm already too late..."

The last part spoken softly like he hadn't meant for me to hear it. I pushed him away gently to see his face.

"What do you mean too late? Too late for what?"

Sighing he shook his head his hands dropping as he stepped away from me. The distance between us equivalent to a gapping chasm.

"Nothing, never mind....it's not important. Just please whatever anger you feel towards me don't let it effect your friendship with Sil. Even she doesn't know anything about any of this. She really wants to be your friend and deserves a chance."

I didn't understand any of this. He definitely knew about my mark yet was reluctant to say what. I mean what was so bad about it and why would I be in danger if blaze or his father knew about it? None of it made sense. Then there was the almost kissing me part and saying it was too late. Too late for what? Too late to kiss me? I know he wanted to and hell so did I but still....

Argh maybe he was right my life's hard enough as it is let alone adding to it with any of this. If he didn't want to tell me anything then fine it's no skin off my back, pun intended.

As for the kissing me hell we'd literally only just met today it's not like I wanted to jump into bed with the first male that touched me with his gentle caresses. Even if it did feel amazing.

"Come on I'll walk you back to your room, you really shouldn't be out by yourself."

I glared at him.

"I'm not a child fury Ive been looking after myself since I was five."

His frown made him look older then his years not that I knew how old he was but it couldn't have been much older then my own twenty years of age.

"That may be true but it doesn't mean you have to. Part of being friends is having each other's back no matter what."

I let my eyes sink to the tiles of the roof at my feet. I couldn't comprehend relying on others. All my life it's been me just trying to survive the bitch queens torture. How do I even start to make friends like that? There had been more then once in my life at the palace that I'd thought I'd made a friend. First time was a kitchen hand a young girl she was a shifter slave one of bitch queens many slaves won through this war she waged. I had only just lost my parents well thought I had but that was a whole other issue I didn't even want to think about right now. Anyway She was there for me when no one else was. Our friendship was so short I couldn't even remember what she looked like or even what type of shifter she was. I just remember that one day she was gone disappeared without a trace and I never saw her again.

"How do I know you won't disappear as fast as you came into my life?"

His designer shoes came into view as he once again moved closer. Lifting my chin up to meet his gaze I again saw that same look he had earlier today. Almost like he saw all the pain saw every strike made against me. It made me wonder if he had experienced even just a portion of it in his life.

"I'm not afraid of your queen."

"And Sil? What about her? The people closest to me always have a way of disappearing and those that don't disappear end up betraying me."

Wrapping his arms around me his fingers tangled in my hair as he held me close resting his chin on my head.

"If I ever betray you, you have my permission to kill me. As for Sil we will both keep her safe. Deal?"

I chuckled at his schoolyard type declaration uttering one word.

"Deal."

Fury held me tight for a few more minutes before he walked me back to my room. My mind reeled with what had happened the whole way back. It was so surreal it felt like a dream. Like my mind was playing tricks on me. I mean did I really show him my most guarded secret? I'd only just met him today yet I felt so comfortable talking to him and being near him that I was in shock. Was this what it was like to have a friend? Was he a friend? Or was he more? Did I even want there to be more?

Fuck!

What the hell was wrong with me? Was I going insane? Had my tortured existence finally sent me over the edge? Turned me into someone that would throw caution to the wind and trust in a stranger? Did I fully trust him though?

When we'd reached my room fury said a quick goodbye and left without another word. I watched him disappear around the corner leaving me with a thousand questions and no answers. Yawning I was mentally exhausted. Whatever had happened tonight would have to wait til tomorrow because for now I was getting some well needed sleep.

The second I opened my door a shadow detached from the wall at lighting speed. A hand covering my mouth before I even had a chance to scream. I was pulled inside as the door was slammed behind me. Just as I was about to dislodge the intruder a voice made me freeze mid strike.

"Shade calm down its only me."

The hand freed from my mouth as I reached to turn the light on revealing the last person I wanted to see breaking into my room.

"Dad?! What the fuck are you doing in my room?"

His green eyes narrowed at my use of language.

"Don't you use that language with me Shade!"

I pointed to the door my anger rising.

"I'll talk to you however I want now get out of my room!"

He looked around like he was scared of being caught while making shushing sounds to tell me to lower my voice.

"Shade please if they figure out I'm here they'll know somethings up."

I groaned. Is this seriously happening right now? What more bad shit could happen in my life? I was beginning to think I would've been better off in bitch queens palace.

"Argh you have 1 minute."

He visibly relaxed quickly taking my hand to sit me down on the bed while he stood back rubbing a large calloused hand across his scared face.

"First of all you have to believe me when I say I never meant to abandon you. You and silhouette are everything to me. What you've been told about how we challenged queen shadow is all a lie. Everything I've done up until now has been to protect you."

I grimaced at those words. Why does everybody think I need protecting? I've been through more pain then anyone should ever go through yet more and more keep saying I need to be protected. What's so god dam special about me that they would think that.

He must have noticed how much I hated what he was saying because he rushed forward grabbing my hand. I was too surprised to pull away the look in his eyes making me hang on to every word.

"Shade I need to tell you something but please don't think that it changes how I feel about you. You are still my daughter in every way that counts and if I'd had a choice I would have taken you with me and raised you as my own..."

I couldn't move, couldn't breath I knew what he was going to say before he even said it.

"I'm not your biological father and silhouette is not your biological mother."

I shook my head my anger rising once more. What was this? Was this his sick way of justifying leaving me behind? Was this some sort of joke cooked up by the bitch queen? Is that why she sent me here so that she can torture me more in some sort of sadistic way? Gaining pleasure from my constant pain. She must have grown bored with her usual tricks so she spun this elaborate scene to break me.

"Why are you doing this? Haven't I suffered enough? Am I really that pathetic that my own father doesn't want to acknowledge me as his own?"

He shook his head vigorously denying my words his hand going to my cheek tears welling in his eyes.

"No please Shade don't say that I want more then anything for you to have been born of my blood but you need to know the truth. Your not safe here, you need to get away before they realise what you are, what your capable of-"

I pushed him away my own eyes wet with tears as they trailed down my cheeks.

"WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE A WORD YOU SAY?! You say your not my father then fine stay the fuck out of my life. As for the rest of it I don't care if it's true or not for the first time I'm finally free of that depressing place. I finally don't have to see the bitch queen every fucking day. You say I'm not safe here? Well who cares. Tell me where I could possibly go that I will be safe? Is there even such a place? No I won't run if someone's after me let them come. They couldn't do a thing to me that hasn't already been done."

I was shaking by this point, my anger bubbling to the surface like never before. I was sick and tired of everyone keeping things from me. Ever since I got here it's been one thing after another. I didn't want to know what I was, I didn't want to know about the mark on my back or what it meant. I no longer cared about any of it. As far as I was concerned they can keep their secrets because I wanted nothing to do with whatever the hell was going on.

"Get out Smoke I don't need protecting I can protect myself. I've survived the shadow queens palace this place will be a walk in the park compared to that hell."

I saw the pain in his eyes as I called him by his name instead of dad but right now I didn't care that I'd hurt him. Smoke stood before me a broken look on his face. The tears that had been threatening to fall finally did as they zig zaged down his cheeks.

"I beg you Shade please don't do this I can't bare to see you get hurt."

I scoffed at his words.

"Well it's too late for that now isn't it?"

It was a rhetorical question and he knew it as his Shoulders slumped he stepped closer his voice barely recognisable with the amount of emotion in his tone.

"If you want to hear the truth about who and what you are come find me and I'll tell you everything I promise I won't lie to you ever again. I love you Shade you are my daughter and nothing will ever change that."

Before I could answer he disappeared into my shadow. The second he was gone I sank to the floor burying my hand in my hands and I cried for the first time in years.