Veiled Spirits - Page 57

“What? Why is my family coming here? How do they even know I’m here?”

“I called Rhys once I woke up after giving you magic. Before anyone could freak out that you were missing, I let them know where you were and what you had been doing.” One of Bishop’s hands is still in my hair, running gently through the strands. All of my mates seem to love playing with my hair, and I’m here for it. I’ll take free head massages any day of the week.

“You snitch,” I tell Bishop, without any real heat behind it.

Bishop calling Rhys is better than my mom and dad launching a city-wide manhunt for me. Although, they’re still going to be absolutely furious with me, especially my mom. The thought makes me wilt against Bishop. My mom is a force of nature when she wants to be.

“I wouldn’t have had to snitch if you told them in the first place or didn’t overdo it.” Bishop makes logical points. I hate it when he’s all sensible and shit. It makes it hard to argue with him.

“But my mom’s gonna be sooo mad at me,” I whine. Bishop snorts and has zero sympathy for me, the asshole.

“Damn right, I am, Isabel Magnolia Gallagher.”

CHAPTER 29

IZZY

At my mom’s voice, I close my eyes briefly before opening them to glare at Bishop. He just smirks at me.

I turn to look over my shoulder at my mom. Her long blonde hair is free to float over her shoulders and down her back. Mom’s gray eyes are narrowed at me as she puts her hands on her green-sundress-clad hips.

“Mother of my heart! It’s just lovely to see you. Whatever are you doing here?” I ask as I bat my eyelashes at my mom.

She rolls her eyes at me. “Nice try, Izzy. I had to learn from Bishop that my daughter almost died after lying to me that she wasn’t healing ghosts for—” She breaks off and turns to Bishop. “How long was it?”

“Six years,” Bishop helpfully supplies.

“Traitor,” I hiss under my breath. He just smiles at me. Frustrated with him, I move to get off his lap, but Bishop’s hold on my hips prevents me. When he doesn’t make a move to release me, I sigh and slump back down. I guess I’m having this conversation with my mom while on one of my mates’ lap.

Awesome. I love awkward situations. That’s clearly why I always find myself in them.

“Oh yes, six years. Six entire years, Isabel! I can’t believe you lied to me, your father, your brothers, and Bishop for that long. What on earth were you thinking?” My mom’s voice raises as she finishes until she’s almost shouting at me. For my very even-tempered mom, raising her voice at all is a big deal.

I sigh. “I was thinking about the ghosts. They need to be healed, and no one else can do it. I knew you’d try to stop me.”

“Yes, I would. You almost died! Again, Izzy!” Tears slip down my mom’s cheeks as she tries to gather herself. My mom is the most put together person I know, so it’s rare to see her cry. “I just don’t know why it has to be you.”

My heart hurts from seeing my mom so upset. “There’s no one else who can, Mom.”

“I know that! I just don’t know why it always has to be you. Why can’t it be someone else’s daughter who’s always in danger?” Mom’s voice breaks on the last word. She presses her lips together and closes her eyes for a moment.

This time, when I push on Bishop, he lets me up. I stand from the couch and walk over to my mom. “I’m sorry.”

She shakes her head at me and opens her eyes that are so similar to mine. “It’s not your fault, Izzy. I just… We can’t lose you, baby. You’re supposed to outlive your dad and me by at least fifty years. You’re supposed to annoy your brothers for centuries.” My lips briefly twitch up. “You can’t keep going like this.”

“I know.” My mom’s eyebrows raise practically to her hairline at my easy acceptance. I snort. “Bishop already talked to me, Mom. I’ll try to be more careful. I just wanted to keep everyone safe.” It kills me that I put everyone I care about in so much danger. I just want them to be happy and safe, and I don’t know how to make it happen.

“Oh, honey. That’s not your job.” My mom wraps her arms around me and squeezes me with a surprising amount of strength for her slight frame. She rubs my back for a long moment. “You’re always thinking about everyone else, but it doesn’t all fall to you. We can help you if you tell us what’s going on.”

“Yeah,” I mumble into her shoulder.

With one last squeeze, my mom releases me and steps back. She smooths down her sundress before glancing at her dainty gold watch. It’s a gold chain of interlocking crescent moons with a small watch face. It was originally my grandmother’s. We don’t see her often, but she’s always been nice to me, unlike my paternal grandparents. “We’re late for dinner. Your father and brothers portaled here with me and are anxious to see you. They’re waiting in the dining room.”

“Oh good, more people to yell at me,” I grumble.

My mom rolls her eyes at me—again—before looking over my shoulder. “Do you know the way, Bishop?”

“Yep, I do.” Bishop gets up from his perch on the sofa and walks over to me. He tunnels one of his hands through my hair and tilts my face up to his. He slams his lips on mine for a hard, fast kiss. After just a few seconds, Bishop pulls away and walks out the door, leaving me reeling.