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Cody’s POV I open my eyes and find that Justin is starting at me. I smile at him and sit up. I pull him close and kiss him. “I remember us always being close,” Justin says. “Why is that? Why were we so close?” “You’re my sire,” I tell him. Justin shakes his head. “Brian is…” “You both are,” I tell him. “Don’t you remember?” Justin looks away and shrugs. I don’t know what to think anymore. “Why don’t you call me sire then?” Justin asks. “You told me not to,” I inform him. “It used to piss master off…I imagine it still does.” “Did he punish us for that?” Justin asks me. I smile and nod as I lick my lips. “Did he ever?” I ask and my eyes close remembering it. Brian holds me down by the neck. “Come here, Justin.” “No,” Justin hisses at him. “What have you been teaching our boy?” Master asks angry. “Tell me!” “To be a good boy,” Justin replies. “Like me.” “Fucking hell,” master growls. “You will address me as sire or master.” “Yes, Brian,” I say smirking. He slaps me hard and then moves down to lick the blood pooling at the corner of my mouth. I moan an arch up against him. “Punish him, Brian,” Justin says and laughs. I smirk at him before I look at master again. “He does deserve punishment,” Brian whispers as he grips my neck again. “Who am I?” “Brian,” I moan. “Bad boy,” Brian growls. “Good boy,” Justin says as he comes to us. “Cody,” Justin says. “Are you listening to me?” “Okay, what?” I ask moving closer to him. “What do you meant when you said you were screaming at me not to do it?” Justin asks me. I frown as I stare at him. “You don’t remember.” He shakes his head. “Damn,” I whisper. “Tell me everything you know, please,” Justin is begging me. “What happened that day when I did the spells? Tell me.” “Well, I was tied to the wall,” I tell him. “I don’t remember what I did. You were punishing me and Brian came inside. He was looking for you.” “I was punishing you?” Justin asks with a sad expression. “You love to do that,” I tell him. “My god,” Justin whispers. I don’t know what his problem is. “So, um…after that Liam came inside,” I tell him. “I remember that,” Justin tells me. “He was fighting Brian and he was way stronger. Like he was using some spell or something to make him stronger, but it didn’t work against me. Just against Brian. I killed Liam.” “I know that,” I reply. “After he immobilized, Brian…you did a spell to bring him back. That day I was yelling at you that it was going to work but it was like you were deaf. You wanted it to work instantly and I was telling you that it would take a few hours but…it was in vain.” I see Justin frowning and I don’t know what to think. How could he have forgotten all this? The one doing the spell is not to forget. I only remember because I did a spell of my own to remember that instant in time. “When you started doing the other one I tried to stop you but I couldn’t do much. I got so tired of screaming at you,” I tell him. “You didn’t care. You wanted Brian to wake up and you didn’t stop at nothing.” “Then they came,” Justin says. “They gave me a soul. They told me that they couldn’t take me if I didn’t have a soul.” “That’s just fucking cruel,” I say. “They were so beautiful and so horrible, Justin. I wanted to kill them for doing that to you. I did. They just laughed at me.” “Why?” Justin asks. “Why give me a soul?” “Having a soul with all the knowledge of the things you did…that would drive anyone mad.” I say as I get off from the bed. “Or at least make you feel like you didn’t deserve to live.” Justin shakes his head. “What if I did?” Justin asks me. “What if I really went insane?” “What?” I ask him frowning. “William took me under his wing only a week after the spells…right?” he asks. I nod at that. “Yeah,” I tell him. It was about the same time I was taken away. “What if…what if he made me forget or I don’t know,” he says getting in front of me. “Why can’t I remember?” “I don’t know,” I tell him truthfully. “Do you want to know something?” Justin asks. “What?” I ask arching a brow. “I helped them kill Brian,” he whispers. I take a step back and shake my head. It can’t be true. It’s not! “Oh my god!” He lowers his head and his shoulders start shaking. “I’m…I’m sorry.” I step forward slowly and get in the bed before I embrace him. “Listen to me, Justin. You are never going to repeat that. Please, whatever you do, don’t tell anyone about it. Please, don’t say anything to anyone. Never! Never!” Justin pulls away from me. “I should be dead, shouldn’t I?” I nod slowly. “It’s the rules…it’s our law. I mean the only person I know to have done something like that and live is Brian but…well, the council planned it. So is not like he did it because he wanted it and even if he did he had their approval.” He wraps his arms tightly around me. I know he’s suffering. I can feel it. It’s killing me. “Does anybody know?” I ask him. “Max and Kevin where there when Jericho was babbling about it,” Justin tells me. “He drank from my blood and saw it. Brian told him to back off and that no one was going to do anything.” I open my eyes wide. “Jericho?!” “Yes,” he whispers. “Oh my god,” I say. “Jericho is going to kill you or…he’s going to kill father. He will do anything to get what he wants.” “Can he do that?” Justin asks me. “Not without getting the council’s approval,” I tell him. “Oh, yeah…about that I need to ask you something. What is the council exactly?” Justin asks. “You’re kidding, right?” I ask him. “No, I mean I know is like some kind of place where they go over shit. William told me about it,” he tells me. “But I don’t really know anything else about it or how it works.” “Well, the council is worldwide. It’s like our government and shit. They are five representatives in each state. They are the ones that make sure that the laws are being followed and they have to make sure that everyone knows of any new laws or changes is the old ones.” Justin stares at me as I talk to him. “In here Jericho is one of those representatives,” I tell him. “Who are the others?” Justin asks. “There is Sebastian, Lindsay, Phillip and Owen,” I name them. “They are the ones that decide if they have to kill someone that’s been misbehaving or how many people can a family turn in a year. There is some other stuff too.” “So Brian is not part of it?” he asks. “Of course he is…he’s like a judge or a governor or whatever you call them. He is the one in charge of the committee here,” I tell him. “You see, they can all agree to do something and if Brian turns it down they can’t do shit.” “Holy shit,” Justin says. “I knew he was powerful I just didn’t know how much.” “Yeah,” I say. “All of the judges are like the leaders of the state. They are treated like princes or princesses. You have to be loyal. A vampire has to put them before anything, even their own family.” Justin rubs his temples and sighs. “Is Jericho going to really hurt Brian?” “That fucking swine,” I hiss. “He has always wanted Brian’s position saying it was rightfully his because he was older,” I explain. “But Brian has more power and better connections. They all knew it when they voted for Brian.” “What do you mean?” he asks me as he pulls away from me. “You know…he’s like the devil’s nephew or something,” I tell him. “I don’t know exactly. He was supposed to be like a general for some army or shit. But then Cassandra turned him while he was still human.” “Okay, hold on a minute,” Justin’s says. “This is so much I just…why don’t I know all of this?” I shrug as I stare at him. “You know him better than anyone. You knew everything. You’re the one that taught me magic and all the rules.” He leans back on the bed and shakes his head. “It’s all gone,” he says. “I’m sorry,” I mutter. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” he tells me as he starts crying. “I don’t know what I feel anymore.” “Why?” I ask him. “When I saw him I was scared and pissed. All this time all I have felt is hate towards him but everyone keeps telling me that he loves me and that…that I love him,” he says cleaning his tears. I frown not sure what happened to him. “You do…you would die for Brian.” He laughs and sighs. “Things are changing so fast. I don’t know what to do. I’m in this battle with myself.” “Why?” I ask him. “It all started a few weeks ago but in my mind I still hate him,” Justin explains. “But…in my heart I…I love him,” he informs me. “I love him so much and I don’t know where it is coming from.” I hug him to me. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll find a way to make it alright.” There is a knock on the door and I don’t know what to do. I go to it and Wyatt comes inside pushing me out of the way. “Justin,” he says. “Master called. He said he was going to come over to see that you were okay. I’m leaving soon. Cody will stay with you. Father told me that you had a soul. That’s horrible, but don’t you worry because we’ll find a solution.” I roll my eyes and move towards Justin. “Are you fucking crying?” Wyatt asks. “Well, fuck me.” “When is he coming?” Justin asks. “Tonight or tomorrow,” Wyatt answers. “Are you guys…hungry?” “I surely am,” I tell him. “But I’ll wait until father gets here.” Wyatt shrugs. “What about you Justin?” Justin turns around and keeps on crying. I collect my clothes and get dressed quickly before I follow Wyatt out of the room. There is a Chinese girl smiling at me when we come out. “This is my mate,” Wyatt said. “Her name is Veronica.” “It’s nice to meet you,” I tell her. “Where is she from? I mean…what family does she come from?” “Sebastian is her sire,” Wyatt informs me. I nod slowly. She’s very pretty and innocent…well, looks innocent. But I know better than to let a face dictate what a person is like. Usually the most innocent looking ones can be ferocious beasts. “What can we do to help Justin?” I ask. “He has lost his fucking memory.” Wyatt looks at Veronica who only shrugs. “What?” I ask knowing that there is something. “We know of a woman that can help him,” Wyatt says. “But I don’t think master is going to accept it. You know how he is about magic and spells.” I nod. There was one time when he caught Justin and me doing some magic, nothing big, just little pranks to entertain ourselves. When he caught us he gave us the spanking of our lives. I mean we enjoy every second of it but he never stopped yelling about it. He never liked the fact that we knew how to use magic. “We’ll talk to him about it,” I tell them. “I mean at this point we have to try anything.” “Guys,” Justin says as he walks towards us. “I need to talk to Brian now.” Wyatt nods and calls our father. Ah, yes a cell phone. How nice. I am so going to like this time better than the one I was born in. When we grew up we didn’t have much of anything at my house. That’s until Brian and Justin appeared one night and everything changed. I think they were going to kill me until Justin got one look at me and said he wanted to keep me. I smile remembering that night. He said he wanted a kid and I guess I became it. I’ve been always pampered by everyone and I like it; it’s my right. “No you can’t,” Justin hisses at Brian and that brings me back to the present. I move closer and smirk because I can hear Brian perfectly clear. “It’s going to be okay,” Brian says. “I’m not going there to take you back home. I just want to make sure you’re okay.” “That’s what you say now,” Justin whispers. “Just don’t come here.” “You don’t tell me what to fucking do, Justin!” Father is angry. “So stop this nonsense. It doesn’t matter what you say anyways.” “I won’t be here when you do,” Justin threatens him. “The fuck you won’t!” Brian yells. “Look…Kevin wants to see you. He’s really worried about you. Do you want to tell him you don’t want to see him?” Justin licks his lips and smiles a bit. “That’s cheating…you know I can’t…say no to him.” “I know,” Brian tells him. I frown not sure what to think. I don’t want to think of what hold this boy has over Justin. I’m the one that Justin should be infatuated with. It’s always been me. He can’t do this to me. He can’t replace me. He just can’t! I’m theirs! “Yeah, yeah, you can bring Maxi too,” Justin tells him. “I miss them.” What the hell is going on? Do I even matter to them anymore? “Do you miss me?” Brian asks. Justin bits his lower lip. “You won’t stay long, right?” Brian growls and then he hangs up. “Bastard,” Justin says before walking to Wyatt and giving the cell phone back. “I’m going to be in my room.” “He didn’t remember me,” Veronica says pouting. “Not fair.” “He knows you?” I ask wondering. “Well the day I went to tell father that I was getting a mate you were out with Ben and Michael,” Wyatt says. “Justin was there and they were both very happy that I had chosen Veronica.” “So what is this person going to do?” I ask. “Justin needs to remember everything. It’s not safe for him to be like this. He knows things that he shouldn’t be saying. He told me something Wyatt…something that…it’s bad. What if he had told me and I turned around with that information? I could have hurt him,” I tell them. “But you wouldn’t,” Wyatt informs me. “I know that,” I hiss. “But what if it was someone else, Wyatt? What then? What if he has already said too much?” Wyatt rubs the back of his neck. “We’ll deal with it.” That’s easier said than done. “Well, the lady we know does some work for us sometimes,” Veronica relates. “You know…protection spells and cloaks and charms…and all that simple stuff.” “So what is she going to do for Justin?” I ask them. “I don’t know,” Wyatt says and shrugs. “But we can definitely ask her.” “How old is she?” I ask. “Does she have experience?” “She’s very old,” Veronica says. “She’s part human part witch…she’s all wrinkly.” “I see,” I mutter. “When can we see her? I think…Justin thinks that maybe a spell was done on him. Maybe is true, who knows.” “How about if I bring her here so she can see Justin,” Wyatt offers. “She can tell us then what’s going on.” “Master is going to be so proud of us,” Veronica says. “What is her name?” I ask. “I don’t know,” Wyatt says. “Baby what is it?” “He never pays attention to these things,” she says laughing. “Oh, come on baby,” Wyatt protest. “I do when it’s necessary.” Veronica licks her lips and walks over to Wyatt. She looks aback at me and responds. “It’s Kat,” she tells me. “I think that’s what they call her.” I pout and then nod. “Well, if this is going to help Justin to remember everything we should bring her here and hope Brian agrees with it.” “Sire,” Wyatt reminds me. “Brian,” I said smirking. “What are you going to do about it?” Wyatt hissed. I laugh knowing he won’t dare put a finger on me. “Though so,” I say turning around. I go back to the bedroom to be with Justin. I get on bed and he wraps his arms around me. I look at him and kiss him on the lips. I would do anything necessary to bring him back. He will be our Justin again.