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I snorted. "Not a chance. I would pulverize you right now."

I had used up a lot of power, and I absolutely needed to replenish myself. Once I no longer felt like an army of kangaroos were hopping in my brain, I'd get back to my pool to take a little more strength, and crash for the rest of the night.

"Come on. While I suspect I am likely delicious, you can control yourself. Just take enough to get your ass up."

I shook my head. "Fuck off,Nachtigall."

He sighed. Then the insane fucker flattened his hand right onto my forehead.

I didn't have time to restrain myself: the unexpected physical contact had me lashing out, sucking wave after wave of energy right out of him.

Screaming with the effort it took to go against all my instincts, and with the background soundtrack of Ronanhowling in pain, I managed to tear his wrist away from me.

We were both heaving, him, sweaty and still wincing, me, with the sheer force of the power I'd just ingested.

Ronan wasn't just any guy out there. When I took his energy, I also took in some of his power. The nightmares. The shadows. The need for revenge and justice.

"Are you a fucking masochist, or just insane?" I demanded.

My friend had the gall to laugh. "Fuck, I didn't realize you'd gone easy on me when you zapped me before."

"I could have killed you!" I screamed.

That made him roll his eyes. "Trust me, after that? I know. By all the shades in Hades, you are a beast."

Maturely, I chucked the cushion under my head at him. He dodged it without effort.

"Come on. I didn't risk my life for nothing. Go get changed, we're heading out."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You want me to go out in this state? And what, mummify half of unders? I guess it's been too long since a Regis massacred the general population."

He tsked. "As dramatic as ever. We're going to Pan's. It always makes you feel better, doesn't it? There will be plenty of energy for you to suck at in the air, without having to resort to any murder."

I considered. He was right: at Pan's, witches, shifters, monsters, and gods crossed over to the dark side, and the simple energy flying around was enough for me to feed on without targeting a specific person. That was why I'd always liked the club—more so than the depravity going on. Even if that could also be fun.

Maybe it was just what I needed. A night at Pan's might also help me get my shit together when it came to a certain little witch who sucked cocks like it tasted better than a lollipop.

"All right. I'm not staying long, though."

41

KLEOS

Silver lived in the A quarter, nestled right between Athena’s and Apollo's temples, and though she moved in the moment she finished high school, I still wasn't familiar with that part of town.

Contrary to what my mother liked to suggest, it was perfectly agreeable, mostly filled with modest homes. My place and Gideon's apartment were more central, hence why we generally ended up there, but every time I walked through the charming streets with little shops around Silver's home, I wished I made the effort to hang out at hers more often.

Maybe I should look for a flat there. Mother would hate it, but she'd hate my moving out no matter where I lived.

We stopped by the apothecary closest to her place on our way.We didn't have to wait long for the owner to offer his assistance.

"Abbey, this is my friend, Kleos." The white-haired, wrinkled lady inclined her head politely, pretending she didn't recognize me, though the look of surprise and recognition in her widening eyes gave her away. "Kleos, Arabella, the best brewer I know."

That was high praise, given the fact that she knew my paternal grandmother.

"We're after antidotes to love spells, if you stock them?"

"Ah yes." The woman made a face. "After the events of last night, many people have requested antidotes. I've just finished a fresh batch; good timing. Would you also like a contraceptive potion? They mix well together; I can combine them for you."