Page 25

R.I.O.T

" W here is the Nightwalker?" Mia calmly cuts into her chicken with the grace of a Queen. You wouldn't think she had her head smashed into a wall by said Nightwalker three days ago.

Seth shrugs, sitting on my left as he helps himself to a third—no, fourth —serving. "I haven't seen her since the incident."

"I'm here to keep an eye on things." Kyrian sighs, having finished whatever measly amount of food he had. "I'm beginning to think we were overreacting with this one. She seems tame to me… No?" Kyrian directs his question to me, obviously disappointed. I simply narrow my gaze at him.

"What incident?" Eden innocently wonders from his seat, his food untouched.

"There's nothing you need to worry about, E." I point to his food. "Eat."

Eden frowns, picks up his cutlery, and asks, "Is she the reason I fell out of bed that day?" Then he turns to his mother and says, "You told me the Gods were upset with Uncle Ri… again ."

All eyes turn to Reece, and I raise a brow. "What? It wouldn't be the first time; besides, I don't want him to be scared of Haze. She already tried to hurt him once before."

"Reece," Mia says, turning her attention to Reece. "She hasn't caused you any trouble, I hope."

"Surprisingly, no." Reece frowns. "She's been unusually mute, hasn't eaten or drank a single thing I offered her, and barely exists. She just seems sad all the time."

Mia turns to me, nodding in approval. "It seems you've made it compliant."

I don't fucking believe it.

"Don't let your guard down, Reece," Seth warns, "she's still dangerous."

Reece simply looks down and shovels food into her mouth without a word, causing everyone at the table to stop eating and stare at her. Reece can't lie to save her life—literally. Even the thought of lying causes her to break out in sweat.

"Reecie, what did you do?" Kyrian sings, a smirk running along his lips.

She simply scowls at him. "I didn't do anything. I was just feeling bad for her."

"Oh Gods," Seth groans, abandoning his fourth plate and looking to the heavens for help. "She reads, doesn't she?"

Reece's brown eyes glint excitedly. "Guys, do you know how long I've been waiting for someone who I can talk to about this? She's going to love my collection!"

I lean back and suppress a smile. Reece's love for books is one of the two things she's extremely passionate about—the first being her son. None of us really spare the time to pick up a book, so the fact Nightmare does is practically a dream come true.

And speak of the devil.

The Nightwalker strolls inside, wearing her usual weathered down jumpsuit and rust-red corset she's never taken off since she'd picked it from Reece's old clothes—an outfit that makes her look more like a mechanic than the deadly creature she truly is.

The earthly tones of brown, grey and rust-red suit her, but it's a little too much protection for someone who can tear grown men apart with her bare hands. I can't help but wonder if it's deliberate.

Her fur-lined collar peaks out from beneath her silvery white hair; the strands hang over one shoulder and catch the light as she settles silently beside Eden. He doesn't spare her a glance as he shovels food into his mouth.

The moment she takes a seat, the air begins to feel tense. Mia scowls. "Why isn't it locked up?"

Nightmare shares the same thoughts as Mia, because she turns to me accusingly. "Because I'm being punished, it seems."

"What the hell is it talking about?" Mia growls, turning to me.

"She needs to eat, Mia." I shrug. Not that I need to explain myself. "I need her strong, or she's worthless to me."

"It's a Nightwalker," Mia grits.

"Exactly." Nightmare sighs. "I don't feel hunger."

Now I glare at Nightmare. "Just because you don't feel hungry doesn't mean you don't need nutrients, so you will eat." I turn to Mia. "Refer to her properly or get out."

Mia glares, her blue eyes swirling angrily, but she grits her teeth and continues to eat. However, her movement appears more aggressive now that Nightmare— who is still not eating —has shown her presence.

"Haze, here!" Reece shoves a couple books in her face, and Nightmare tilts her head. "These are my favourites—must-reads."

Nightmare's eyes flick down the stack of books Reece had been holding onto throughout dinner, a subtle spark of curiosity in her mismatched eyes, and I can't take my eyes off her no matter how hard I try.

Nightmare carefully pinches one of the books from the stack. "Who dies?"

There's a pause. "No one."

"Not even the villain?"

"Well… No, he goes to jail. It's more about personal growth, and a tattooed masked man with a 'touch her and die' mentality," Reece explains, beaming. "It's romance!"

The book drops beside Reece's plate. "Pass."

"But you said you like romance?" Reece frowns, bringing the book to her chest and cradling it in her arms.

"Not the romance you like, it seems," Nightmare grumbles, disappointed. Never one to back down from a challenge, Reece glares at her.

"I doubt it. Tell me what you're looking for."

Nightmare raises a brow at the demand in Reece's tone and shrugs. "Death."

Reece nods, clearly not surprised. "Sure."

"And heartbreak." Reece blinks. "Preferably where one of the main love interests dies.

Only one. They can't both be alive, and they can't both be dead, either.

Only one needs to die. And there's no saving her, either…

She's a lost cause. Her pain is destruction, and everyone around her suffers because of it. Any suggestions?"

Reece's jaw slowly goes slack. Staring at Nightmare unblinkingly, I narrow my gaze as Reece softly murmurs, "You're kind of ruining my love for books."

"G—" Nightmare cuts herself off and turns her glare to me.

"She's joking," I interrupt, and Reece turns her attention to me. “Give her a something with a good villain and a satisfying death, and she'll eat it right up…" I glare at Nightmare, the threat clear in my voice. "Right ?"

She rolls her eyes. "It'll certainly be better than my last read."

The comment once again gets Reece's attention, and she asks, "Ooh, what was your last read?"

Nightmare pulls out a small, thin and flimsy little book tucked into the back of her corset and shows it to Reece. Reece blinks as Eden looks curiously at the book and reads, " Symptoms of Depression and Overcoming Them ."

Everyone glances at each other—except Mia—awkwardly and slightly confused. Seth is the first to ask, "Uhm, are you depressed?"

"I'm still learning," Nightmare pouts, "but half the shit I have to do to pretend to be depressed, I don't do—like sleep, eat, and fuck. It's fucking complicated."

"You fucked Valadez before you killed him," Kyrian points out.

"A means to an end."

"W-Wait!" Reece stutters, glaring at Nightmare. "So, withdrawing, not eating, being sad all the time—it was an act?" Nightmare nods, and Reece's glare hardens. "That's not something to joke about, Haze!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Seth snaps, glaring daggers.

"Well, that bastard," she says, pointing at me without sparing me a glance, "said we're going to spend eternity in Hell, and that just seemed like something I should be really depressed about."

"What?!" Seth and Mia both shriek, their voices almost reaching the same frequency.

"Well, not actual Hell, since you know, according to my captor, I won't be allowed to die," Haze says with fake assurance in her tone, which has the exact opposite effect, "but once I kill all of you, he said he would be fine with it. Just him and me, for eternity, isn't that just... eurgh!?"

All eyes turn to me, questioning my goddamn sanity. I grit, "That's not what I said."

"Well, not word-for-word." Nightmare turns to the rest. "He said an entire monologue, and I just shortened it down to the main points. You're very welcome."

I see the confusion in their eyes, and sense Mia's repressed anger. I run a frustrated hand through my hair and turn to Nightmare, who seems all too happy with herself for the discord she effortlessly creates between us.

I'm about to throw her back in her cell and do some damage control, but the entrance of a new— unwelcome —presence forces me to pause.

The walls are not shaking, so the Gods must have allowed him inside. In other words, it's not a threat. But I hate uninvited visitors; these days, no one can afford to please the Gods enough to let them enter. Which could only mean the person has some authority… A Royal?

They usually let Kyrian know, except for maybe Ax, simply because, besides Kyrian, Ax and his leader are the only ones I can tolerate outside my castle.

"Ooh, a couple new smells," Haze drawls, looking up at the ceiling as if she can see them moving around up there.

I push out of my seat and move towards the door. Since it doesn't seem to be a threat, I don't bother to tell Reece or Eden to stay back. As I open the door, I find myself staring at the Alpha of Blood Moon, and a couple of his companions.

I pause at the doorway, a familiar, enticing smell hitting me right in the goddamn face, and grit my teeth. This can't be right. I usually have a couple of years before the Gods give me another one.

What the hell is going on?

I remain neutral and step into the cupola, my companions following closely behind me. Zander stares at me, his body stiff as I close the distance between us, but I glance past him at the redhead—her hands tied at her front, her shoulders hunched forward, and her head bowed low.

I know she smells me, because she lifts her gaze hesitantly and meets mine.

I stop right in front of her but keep my distance.

Her green eyes widen in panic and hope. I grit my teeth.

I felt it, the pull—the undeniable, soul-deep connection—tugging at me, familiar and cruel all at once.

The bond, fragile and tentative, is already threading between us, weaving her fate to mine.

My feet stay rooted to the ground, and I don’t dare move.

This can’t be happening again; I won't lose another mate.

I'll do what I should have done with Leila and break the bond before it even forms. I won't bring her into my messy, fucked-up life, especially if she doesn't get anything back in return.

I can't be what she needs. I couldn't be what any of them needed.

"What's your name?"

The girl stares, mouth open before clamping it shut and glancing at someone behind me—perhaps her Alpha—which only pisses me off, then glances back at me.

"A-Alissa. Alissa A-Avery."

I nod. "I reject you, Alissa Avery of Blood Moon."

The bond strains, protesting my rejection before it snaps. To me, it’s a dull ache that I only acknowledge because I’m aware of it—but for Alissa, it drags her to her knees and causes her to gasp from the pain of it.

Clenching my teeth, I turn to Zander, who's clearly shocked that I have a mate, or that I rejected her, and stalk past him, Kyrian and Seth following closely on either side of me as Mia greets my unwelcomed guest.

At least now I know why the Gods allowed him to enter my domain.

No matter; he'll regret it soon enough.