Page 44 of Kingdom of Chaos (Creatures of Chaos #2)

Her eyes widen in initial shock before she schools her features. “If you’d like to go somewhere private, I can show you exactly what kind of creature I am,” she says. Then, letting her fangs descend, she gives him a sultry smile that’s clearly more of a warning than an invitation.

“We’re not on the friendliest terms with vampires here in this world,” Kade replies. “They’re the one creature humans have almost always been at war with. When a vampire enters headquarters, it triggers an alarm that emits a frequency designed to disable most creatures.”

Kade looks at Titus, who still has him pinned up against the wall. “I understand why you’re angry, but can we move this into a conference room? There’s a lot we need to talk about, and despite what just happened, I am still on your side.”

Ensley makes a noise next to me, drawing Kade’s attention. “If that were true, you’d release my brother.”

I kind of agree with her, but I keep my mouth shut.

“Let him go,” Talon says. “We’ve come this far. Let’s at least hear him out. I’ll let you fry him with faelight later if we don’t like what he has to say.”

Kade has the sense to look a touch nervous at that comment, which makes Talon smile wickedly.

“Fine,” Titus says. “But anything like that happens again and I’m unleashing on you and every one of your human friends here, understood?”

Kade nods as best he can with Titus’ arm still pressed against his throat, and Titus finally releases him. Kade cracks his neck, looking like it takes real effort to keep himself in check, then gestures for us to follow.

He leads us down a narrow hallway to a room centered around a long conference table. After what just happened, we’re all a little wary as we take our seats around it.

“I’m just going to cut to the chase,” Kade says once we’re all seated. His gaze shifts to me. “When you opened the portal and let that lunatic into the human world, you might have just kicked off the apocalypse. We need your help to stop it—or more accurately, him.”

“Starting the apocalypse. That sounds about right,” Imogen mutters under her breath beside me, but I ignore her.

“Him?” I ask, already dreading the answer.

Kade pulls out his phone and after unlocking it and running his fingers over the screen, he lays it flat on the table and then slides it across to me.

I stare at it as if it’s poisonous before cautiously reaching out and grabbing it.

On the screen is a photograph of a man just before he pushes through a set of double glass doors.

The kind you’d see leading into an apartment or office building.

He’s glancing over his shoulder, his gaze almost connecting with the camera.

Kerrim.

The image of him in the nightmare I had where he stabbed Becks at Sloan’s rises unbidden in my mind’s eye.

Murderous. Deranged. Off.

My stomach roils, and I feel the blood drain from my cheeks.

“A shifter named Kerrim,” Kade replies. “Ring any bells?”

Across from me, Ensley’s eyes go wide as I nod slowly, sliding the phone back to him.

I dread whatever Kade is about to say next. Considering the lengths Kerrim went to in order to get to the human world, I seriously doubt he’s planning to live out his days as a quiet store owner anymore. Whatever Kade is about to tell us about Kerrim, I already know it’s going to be bad.

Putting away his phone, Kade starts to say something else when a sharp knock interrupts him. I glance over to see a red-haired male filling the doorway. Tall and lanky, I’d peg him for mid-twenties. He surveys the room with a keen eye, taking each of us in.

“Ares,” Kade says, waving him in. “Just in time.”

Ares. Ares. Why does that name ?— ?

Then it hits me. Wasn’t that the master torturer they were going to call in the night before?

Panic spikes in my chest, and suddenly my vision winks out and then comes back.

When it returns, Ares is coated in a soft, glowing aura.

Different than Talon’s. Not quite as bright, but also beautiful, it’s predominately white with interwoven streaks of vivid green that are crackling with energy, like vines unfurling in fast motion.

The aura shimmers with quiet power, ancient and wild, casting him in a wraithlike light.

I gasp softly and the aura disappears.

“You’re a creature,” I say, and one of Ares’ dark red brows quirks.

“But you’re not,” he replies.

“You work with creatures?” Titus asks, eyeing Ares warily.

Kade nods. “We do. Not all chapters are integrated like ours, but here we have a harmonious relationship with creatures. As long as they don’t cross the line. At least a quarter of our members are non-human.”

“Wait, back up,” I say. “You mentioned there were creatures here in the human world. How many are we talking?”

Since humans are virtually unheard of in the creature world, I assumed the same applied here. The cuffs that cut off magic and the vampire alarm should’ve been a clue, but I’d chalked them up to human paranoia, not actual experience.

“Quite a few of us, in fact,” Ares answers. “Part of the mission of the Silent Order is to keep our existence secret from humanity, but many were trapped here after the gates were sealed. Or part of Lucian’s group.”

Talon leans forward, and Imogen tenses on the other side of me.

“Lucian’s group?” he asks. “What are you talking about?”

Ares and Kade exchange a loaded look.

“We have a lot to fill you in on,” Kade says. “Then I’m hoping you can fill us in on some things too.”

Kade launches into a brief history of the Silent Order’s formation and mission. According to him, Lucian—the Vampire King’s son—and a group of loyal creatures, crossed into the human world over two thousand years ago, sealing the gates behind them.

“Lucian is the founder of the Silent Order,” Kade says, and when I glance at Talon, I can’t tell if he believes him or not.

Then I catch him stealing a glance at Titus, who gives a little nod, and it occurs to me what’s going on. Titus is using his truth-telling powers to gauge if Kade is lying or not.

Talon leans back in his seat, crossing his arms. “Lucian is credited with founding the Arcane Society back in the creature world.”

“And who’s to say he didn’t?” Kade says. “But we know for a fact that he traveled to the human world and then lived out the rest of his life here.”

Talon cocks his head, assessing. I know that’s not what he was taught. “Why would he have done that?”

“Because of the prophecy,” Kade says.

“We know the prophecy,” Talon challenges. “And I can’t think of anything in it that would make Lucian leave his world for this one.”

“That’s because you don’t know the whole prophecy.” Kade leans forward in his seat, his glance locked with Talon’s. “Do you know how the prophecy came into being?”

“It was told to Lucian by the demon before he was vanquished back to the human world,” Talon says, which is what he told us back at Grimspire.

Kade nods. “And what do you think the prophecy says?”

Talon glances at Imogen, who just sighs. “You’ve already spilled most of the Society’s secrets and been expelled because of it. Why stop now?”

Even so, Talon hesitates before saying, “That when the dagger was returned to the human world, it would eventually lead to the destruction of their world, and then ours. More or less.”

“That’s right,” Kade confirms. “But there’s more to it than that.

The demon told Lucian that one of his direct descendants would be the reason the dagger returned to the human world.

To prevent that, Lucian knew he had to leave the creature world, putting distance between himself and the dagger so none of his descendants would have the opportunity to be the cause of its return. ”

“Well,” Imogen laughs, “too bad he went to all that trouble, because our girl Locklyn over here opened the portal to the human world anyway.”

“She sure did,” Kade says, and then his gaze, along with every other head in the room, turns in my direction.

“What?” I say, blinking as they all stare at me, Kade giving me a pointed look.

I can’t help but let out a half laugh, unable to believe what he’s actually implying.

“You can’t seriously think I’m a descendant of Lucian?

That makes no sense. Lucian was this super-powerful creature, and I’m clearly human. ”

“A human with the ability to wield magic,” Ares says, speaking up. “Do you think an ordinary human could do that?”

My mouth falls open. “Come on, that’s because of Shadow Striker. I don’t have my own magic.”

I glance around the table, expecting someone to back me up, but all I see are mixed expressions of surprise, concern, and even a little envy.

“Still,” Ares says, glancing over at Kade. “It’s her. I’m positive.”

“No way,” I say, shaking my head. I refuse to believe this.

“If that’s part of the prophecy,” Talon finally speaks up, “then why have we never heard about Lucian’s descendant?”

“That’s a valid question,” Kade says. “You haven’t heard that part because Lucian hid the full prophecy from the creatures in your world.

In fact, from what we’ve been told, he forbade the original members of your Society from recording any account of his departure, which matches what you know.

He didn’t want anyone to know that one of his descendants might one day be the cause of catastrophe.

“He feared someone would try to use that descendant to bring about the destruction of the human world. So, he left the creature realm and had every possible means of travel between the worlds sealed and guarded, ensuring his bloodline would remain separated from Shadow Striker.

“The hope was that this day would never come,” Kade finishes, his gaze shifting back to me.

“Stop,” I say, shaking my head. “I am not Lucian’s descendant.

” I’m starting to sound like a broken record.

“I grew up in the creature world, remember? And let’s say, for argument’s sake, you’re right and Lucian did travel to the human world.

If that’s true, then his descendant would be here, somewhere in your world, not in the creature one. ”

“That’s right. His descendant would have been born here.”

Kade slides a manila folder across the table to me. I’d noticed it when we entered the room but hadn’t thought much of it.

“What is this?” I ask.

“Open it,” he says.

I glance over at Talon, feeling off-balance. Under the table, he places a hand on my knee and gives it a gentle squeeze. I take it as his way of saying he’s here for me, no matter what’s inside that folder.

Taking a deep breath, I flip it open. Inside is a single sheet of paper: a birth certificate for a girl.

There’s a small square photo of a baby in the corner.

Her features are scrunched like she’s about to let out a wail, and she has a full head of hair.

According to the document, she was born here in New York a little over eighteen years ago.

“Why are you showing me some random girl’s birth certificate? Who is she?” I ask, looking up at Kade.

Kade stares straight into my eyes and says, “That’s you.”