War and his Queen (Carpe Noctem)

by Amo Jones

I love when she does this. Pretends she’s my mother and not my sister. She’s more than I could ever ask for in a mom, but damn. The woman’s spunk just won’t die.

“Probably because she’s beneath War.” River’s tone is...

“Thank God!” Tillie exhales, clutching her belly when she curls over. So dramatic for no reason. Also, love Tillie, but damn… “Oh thank fucking God! I was almost afraid that he’d bring home a stray, or worse…” I know she’s implying Katsia.

“What your daughter meant to say, was that we are nothing. There’s still a very real possibility that he could bring home a stray. Or, like, ten…” Tillie blinks at me as if I spoke a foreign language.

“Nope. I know him. He’s exactly like his father.”

“So, on that...

“How’s the t...

“I need to show you s...

I squeeze her hand with mine and smile, placing my glass of gin down on the vanity while tightening my satin robe. “Okay, Mother.” Her smile widens, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so beautiful.

She was forged by an angel on the day of the joint wedding in Italy. All to marry the Devil

They’ve phased out slowly over the years, but once that gavel is in Priest’s hands, they’re officially done.

Not that my brother hasn’t been holding the gavel since he was in his senior year of high school, because he has… metaphorically. He and Dad share an outlandish bond.

My brother would burn the whole world down if anyone hurt Dad, probably killing him along wit...

We’re both around the same height now, and she makes it her mission to tease me about getting her height when Priest clearly inherited Dad’s.

“Did you bring me in here to ask me to save him, Mom? Because I can’t. No one can.”

“No. I know.” Her body shifts to mine,

“I brought you here so that you’d understand that your brother may lead this generation, but you will be the one to keep it in line. We love you all equally, but we also know that out of the six, it’s you who has the most humanity. You may be like your father, but you have a heart of your own.” She smiles,

“You hold yourself to a caliber where you t...

“I killed someone the other night.” Oh God. I can’t believe I’m telling her this, but I need her to know that I’...

“And how did that make you feel?” I reach inside of myself to comb through the sensations of that night. “It felt like he ...

“And that is exactly what I mean. Your decisions are powered by logic. The rest of them, with the exce...

“When I met your father, it was during a different time. Swans were forbidden, and your pop was still carrying on the traditions of the Old Kings. The original Founding Fathers.”

“They kept a lot of secrets from us during this time. Kept us in the dark. I rest knowing that this won’t happen to you.”

“So why did you show ...

“Because I need you to know that none of you are perfect. That if you’ve made a mistake, made a wrong choice, or feel as though you’re alone, you’re not. You’re the logical one. The one who will keep them on track when they go rogue.”

“You’ll always be your daddy’s amica mea…” My heart tightens in my chest at her words.

“I know, Mama.”

“I come here often, obviously,” River replies softly, and none of us question why. Her obsession with death and high heels aside, River visits her sister often.

The extirpation of Swan’s born into the Founding Families continued until I met my wife—” I gaze up from below my lashes just in time to catch Dad smirk at someone. It’ll be Mom.

“—who broke through generational curses so that our children wouldn’t know the pain and suffering that so many did before us.

A smirk touches my lips at the mention of Tillie’s last name. I don’t have favorites, but it’s no secret how close she and I are.

when Priest deliberately angles his head to our left.

Painted with the Rebellis skull, each eye is drawn with four pointed ends to epitomize the other side to their family—the Kiznitch side from Midnight Mayhem.

But that’s not why Priest stopped. It’s the girl standing closest to the aisle beside them. His head cocks to the side, as if studying a foreign animal.

“It’s been a while, Nala.” The nickname we all called her growing up before Priest decided he found a better one to torment her with that includes her name and ends with ‘tic’. It had been years since she disappeared, but once you’d met her, it was easy enough to spot her in any room.

Moments later, the boys have stripped their own robes and shirts, leaving them in nothing but their jeans.

“You do know that incest wasn’t a taboo thing between our families way back then. Wouldn’t be surprised if we’re all related somehow down the line, especially with all the secret baby drama from our grandparents.” “You mean, my grandparents.” My spade hits something hard. “Yes!” “How the fuck did you get to yours quickly?” Vaden glares up at me from the cavity of his grave. “Because I panic-buried!” Everyone pauses.

Of course. “Hold up. Let me see him.” My mouth falls open. “Ah… sure!” Terror wells in my stomach but I keep myself composed. “I need a break anyway.”

“Now I’m mad.” Priest’s eyes fly up to mine, catching the final tremors leave my body. “Ditto…” War swipes his hand over his abs.

War sits on a slab of concrete, with Mom directly beside him. The buzz of a tattoo gun draws my attention when she dips it into the same copper bowl we all drank from and brings it to his chest.

“Look!” She turns her head to the side, exposing the EKC insignia on the side of her neck. Stella has no tattoos, but as per usual, she goes to the extreme.

getting her first tattoo o...

It’s up to every generation what tattoos they decide on, but they all have to match. I don’t remember what Dad’s is since all three of them have so many t...

“Where are you putting yours?” We both head to where Mom is. I once heard that she worked in a tattoo shop in her younger days, after running away from Dad for the billionth tim...

and it’s not until my eyes swoop back ahead of me when I notice Priest motionless on the ground. A merciless web of protectiveness fractures my heart as my feet instinctively move toward him, but hands catch my arm. “Leave him, Amica. He will come out when it’s time.” Dad’s tone is gentle, the kind he only uses for me and Mom.

“What happened?” What if I said something I wasn’t supposed to? His weak smile isn’t enough to bathe my fears. “I’m sorry, Amica.” “Sorry for what?” I ask,

“Sorry for what, Dad?” Everyone falls silent. His arm laces around my mom’s waist as he finally turns ba...

baring tattoos inked with the ash of our first kill. How fucking convenient for the boy Halen killed to be marked up so badly that none of us could recognize him in the off chance that we did.

“You gonna move the tower over to your property?” I ask Priest as he lights the tip of his cigarette.

“Yeah, in a couple months.” He blows out a billow of smoke. “Completion should be in a few weeks.” Lucky bastard. Bishop and Madison have been building Priest’s palace of nightmares since we were in high school.