Page 16

At this my interest perked up.

“Yeah?” I said, not giving a shit if I was being too obvious, as anything my girl said about me, I wanted to know.

“All she cares about is trying to find a way back to you.”

This certainly had its desired effect, as I felt my HellBeast rumbling, causing me to rub a hand over my heart.

“We will get her back, I promise,” she told me, placing her hand on my arm, something that ended with her squeal of surprise as suddenly she was picked up by Koro and tossed over his shoulder.

“And that’s quite enough of that, heart of mine.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, feeling smug that it had made the bastard jealous.

“Koro, put me down, you brute.”

“I will show you brute when I finally get you alone,” he promised, making her groan in embarrassment. And I had to say, if anyone had told me that this was something I would be forced to witness, a year ago, heads would have rolled. I would have blown a gasket and tried to kill the guy. I would have felt bitterness consume me alive.

But as for now…

I felt nothing.

Not a single thing, as I couldn’t even claim to be big enough and say I felt happiness for her. As despite no longer feeling any malice towards her, I couldn’t bring myself quite so far as forgiving her entirely. Because what I said had been true. I could have been enjoying my life with Ella since she was eighteen years old. Even if I had to have given it a year or two for her to finish college and grow up a bit. I still would have known who she was to me. I could have watched her from afar. Ensured her safety. Helped her through the pain of her illness.

There was so much I had missed.

There was so much I could have fucked up beyond repair.

To think of the heartache I could have saved us both. That was the only bitter pill I had left to swallow. But as for the sight of Lerna’s happiness with someone I had considered my enemy all my supernatural life, then, no…there was nothing.

Nothing but the thought of my…

Lost Little Red.

7

GOD OR NO GOD

ELLA

“This actually tastes pretty good,” I said, referring to the meat that Tyr had hunted and also cooked. However, the second he started to tell me about the creature, I held up my hand and said, “Nope, nope, nope, as far as my mortal brain is concerned, you nipped to Walmart and bought this at the store. With a coupon. ‘Cause you’re not flashy. And seeing they were all out of potatoes, corn, and chocolate cake, this is all you brought home.”

Tyr’s expression was priceless as he looked to Asher and said,

“All I understood was potatoes, corn, and chocolate cake.”

“I don’t think you were supposed to understand the rest. I have come to discover mortals’ obsessions with consumption are near out of control,” Asher replied, making me chuckle.

“Yeah, I bet you weren’t complaining about the beer aisles though,” I said, pointing my meaty bone at him, one that was half eaten and tasted somewhere between a chicken and ham.

Asher grinned and, like Tyr, it was a sight that would have half the population swooning. Which meant that yes, I was currently sitting around a fire basically camping with Mr. Hollywood and Mr. Viking God as my bodyguards.

Seriously, where was my HellBeast at? Although had he been here, I think my ovaries would have exploded. But then, if I was right and I was pregnant, then at least they had done their job. And honestly, I was surprised that I was, as I hadn’t a clue Jared and I could even get pregnant. Because who knew that HellBeasts could make babies? I was pretty sure Jared and I would have had the ‘baby’ talk beforehand if he had known.

Unless of course…

He had wanted to get me pregnant.

Speaking of pregnancy, I suddenly didn’t feel so good. I quickly scrambled up, making both men rise too, as if they had missed some unknown enemy approaching. However, the second I ran over to a nearby tree and started throwing up, they at least had cause to relax.