Page 78 of The Monsters Within

“Can we wait for Val? I can’t do it again. Not more than once.”

I pulled her into my arms. “Yeah, baby, we can wait for Val.”

“Kytten, if there is something wrong, you need to tell us,” Harmony pushed. “We can help you.”

“Not now, Harmony.”

I turned when I heard Sypher’s voice. Everyone had spilled out of church. Torment stood off to the side, watching the three women that had arrived.

“Sypher, what the fuck is going on here? Is Kytten in some kind of trouble because Amber is missing? What kind of dog and pony show is this?” Arsyn asked.

“Get the fuck out of my house,” King barked.

“King, no. Please, Arsyn will behave.” Rose turned to glare at the woman. “Please let them stay until Val gets here.” She pleaded with King until he gave in. Then she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He looked at me with panic. His eyes bulging out of his head. I shrugged, then shook my head when he patted the top of her head.

“Ladies, please behave,” Sypher begged.

“Why don’t you share your happy news, Rose?”

Rose looked at me with confusion. I kissed the crease between her eyes and said, “Mimic.”

“Oh!” She spun around and looked at the Nyght Nymphs. “I found my brother.”

“Kytten! That’s wonderful! Where did you find him?” Lucky asked.

“Here. He’s in the Silver Shadows.” Her bright smile lit up the room. “Val asked me to follow her granddaughter, which led me here. And I met Cash and the old ladies. I was invited to a birthday party. And it was for my brother.”

Kytten spun around, searching the room. When her eyes landed on Sam, Sam smiled and said, “He’s on his way.”

“Thank you!” Rose smiled back.

The front door opened again, and Mimic walked in. He stopped a few steps inside when he noticed everyone staring at him.

“Thorne! Come meet my friends.” This Rose was different. She was animated and happy. I watched her face, and I was kicking myself for missing it. This was Kytten, the Nyght Nymph.

The happy little pixie she pretended to be for her family.

“Baby,” I called. She was talking a mile a minute about Mimic and her, and everything they had learned about each other since they reconnected.

“I even learned who my father was.”

“Rose!” I shouted above her chatter.

She spun around. “What?”

“Stop,” I whispered, drawing her closer to me. “You are so caught up in being what you think they want you to be, you almost told them who your father was. They can’t know that. Not yet.”

She closed her eyes and leaned against my chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize I was doing it. I’ve been hiding myself for solong that when I saw them, I just slipped right back into Kytten.” She paused, then muttered, “I can’t do this, Cash. I feel like my world is caving in.”

“Kytten, do you need to talk?” Torment was at my side, looking after my old lady, and I was fucking glad someone was.

“FUCKING GODDAMMIT!”

Everyone turned toward the couches when Beck yelled. Blade was at her side in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

“My fucking water just broke.” Sam was snickering on the couch, while Ellie looked horrified. They were both due with their own babies in a few months.