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“Why am I not surprised?” Silas snorted bitterly, glaring at Killian.

“I don’t entertain children.” Killian flashed a cold smile.

“We’re all kids, since none of us have graduated from Shades Academy,” Cade said. “It’s time for you two to share what you know. But first, we need to see to the Veil, children.”

18

I stood to attention in Silas’s outer suite, peering down at the profile of a howling black wolf on the Persian rug as the prince lectured me from behind his desk, his voice harsh, his tone impatient. I let his words pass from my left ear out through the right.

He should just let me take a nap. The afternoon sunlight splashed generously through the hexagon windows and made me incredibly sleepy.

Behind Silas, a large dog bed nestled against the wall. A strand of wolf fur stuck to the curve of the cot.

Dixie parked herself by the desk, facing the window that overlooked the forest of Underhill. She frowned at me, but concern sparked in her eyes. She was a hard chick, but she had a soft spot for me.

“I now doubt if it was a good idea to take you in, Little Bob,” Silas grated. “Within a week, you turned the vampire house upside down. It was a delight to watch while you were a wrecking ball in Louis’s house, but if you try your shit here, you’ll wish you never came to my house.”

“He can be useful, Your Highness,” Dixie said. “He’ll learn our way of life.”

“His usefulness is limited to shifting to a chihuahua if he finally does,” Silas sneered. “But do we need a house pet who’s more a pest?”

Anger rose in me, yet I said nothing. My face remained impassive.

“Everyone in this house must contribute, even a street urchin,” Silas said. “You don’t work, you don’t eat.”

“It’s a mutual feeling that it might be a mistake for me to be in your house, sir,” I said sweetly. “I probably belong to the House of Mages. Would you dismiss me, high sir? No hard feelings—”

Before I could finish, the prince was suddenly in my face, backhanding me in the jaw and sending me flying across the room.

I didn’t crash into the wall, though, as I twisted in the air and landed in a crouch. The prince looked surprised, as he’d expected me to sprawl on the floor then crawl toward him to beg for forgiveness.

I rose to my feet and hissed, as I felt the sting of the blow on my face.

Supernatural magic had no effect on me, but I could suffer physical harm from beatings, and I always felt intense pain inflicted by every blow.

“You’ll learn loyalty in my court, boy!” Silas snarled. “You’re under my authority, and you don’t belong to any other house! Get that through your skull!”

“Prince Louis lost control one time, but even he never laid a hand on me,” I said.

“He’s a pussy, and I’m not him,” Silas said, using his alpha stare on me.

I held my chin up and stared back, unblinking. Alpha stares were a real thing. It was all about power and domination. No other shifter could stand the weight of the alpha stare, but I could brush it off like an annoying fly. I might have a careless, clueless look with my round cheeks and small frame, but I was a born monster and apex predator, much more so than the shifter prick in front of me.

Dixie let out an audible gasp, shock slamming into her face. Right, I wasn’t just some powerless servant boy.

“Look down, Little Bob,” she said.

I liked Dixie, but her alpha was now one of my least favorite people. Sy could hold a grudge forever. She didn’t tolerate anyone hurting me, and I had to put extra effort into reining her in to prevent her from erupting out to shred Silas.

Chill, I told her. We won’t be in the shifters’ house for long.

“Why?” I said defiantly, looking at the promise of death in Silas’s eyes, ready to turn on my kind of alpha stare and bend his fucking knees.

Silas growled, his eyes turning golden. Was he going to shift and tear into me? Well, then, I’d tear away his magic and essence and see how he liked it. He’d never be able to shift again. If he knew that I could be that kind of threat, he’d try to kill me. I could defeat him, but then I’d have no future in this realm. I’d be hunted by every supernatural.

I might be powerful, but they had the numbers.

We’ll deal with it, Sy urged me on. Let me out. Let me beat the shit out of him and he’ll never lay his uncouth hand on us again.