Page 12 of V for Vilified (Hunter V #4)

We’re All Monsters

I stared at the beauty who I hadn’t expected to see when I rushed off to make sure Kate was safe. Her dark eyes took me in a seductive onceover, then she smirked.

The whip she preferred to use was hanging over her shoulder. She’d chosen the tight number I’d seen her in the first time we met, putting her curves on display.

She’d once explained it was enchanted to protect and repel weaker magic, though it wasn’t any help against stronger opponents.

But one thing never failed to be the case: Jo was always the hottest chick in the room, even in a silly shirt and messy bun.

If I were a cartoon, I’d have hearts in my eyes and a tongue hanging out of my mouth.

“You look good for someone who’s been kidnapped,” she taunted and beckoned me over with a finger.

Jo wasn’t really a hugger, but I couldn’t help running at her. Kate’s eyes narrowed in confusion as I dashed over and threw my arms around the beautiful vixen.

The lethal Fae laughed a little before wrapping her arms around my back and lifting me into the air. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and set me back down. “Glad you’re okay, V.”

I pulled away, smiling. “That’s my line. How did you find us?”

Jo stole a look over my shoulder as Cash huffed and planted a hand on his hip, back to his Fae Karen ways. “I just know how monsters think.”

“Surely you don’t mean me.” Cash guffawed unattractively.

Jo leaned in close, and I held my breath. Her gentle flower scent perfumed the air around us. Her knuckles caressed my jaw and neck. Obsidian became amber, and Jo left another lingering kiss on my cheek. Her eyes swiped up, catching on Cash, then her mouth spread into a grin only she could give.

A new but achingly familiar rush of heat exploded with every one of her touches. Our eyes met for a heartbeat, and she pulled away with a weird look on her face. It was gone so fast I had to wonder for a second if I’d imagined it.

“I don’t see another Dark King here, do you?”

My mouth dropped open in surprise. “Wait, what? You know who he is?”

“Powerful rejects recognize one another, and I know enough about the Monster of the Realm to connect the dots after the witch was turned to ash despite never crossing his path,” she said to Cash rather than to me.

Thank fuck for that. Something told me if they’d crossed paths, one of them would be dead already. Jo didn’t back down from a fight, and Cash clearly didn’t think much of her. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it had something to do with all the daggers she’d thrown at him.

I turned my head, catching a weird look on Cash’s face before it was hidden behind the usual disgust. Guess it was just a weird look kind of day.

“Ah, yes. You’d be infinitely familiar with Mistress Chaos and all she’s capable of, wouldn’t you?” Cash said. It wasn’t a question; it was an accusation.

Jo didn’t say anything, which confirmed it was true. With a sigh, she brushed her hair back and clipped her favorite whip where it always went, her hip.

I’d nearly forgotten about Kate until she let out a little whistle. “She’s hotter than Cici,” she mumbled.

Jo’s eyes strayed over to my friend, who straightened like she’d been caught drooling. “Ah, I forgot about the human. That’s…a problem.”

Kate raised her hand like this was class and not another world with the holy grail of problems. “I actually have a suggestion for that.”

Jo’s face didn’t often show emotion around others, but I noticed the way her mouth twitched. She was amused. My girl crush and my best friend getting along? Dreams really did come true.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Jo nodded for Kate to go on.

Cash huffed again, not a fan of how quickly Jo took control over our group after showing up at his doorstep.

I, on the other hand, was simply happy to know she was okay and not in any danger with everything that’d already gone wrong.

It didn’t ease the worry I had for the ones back in the human world, but it did make me less anxious with no one else here to worry about.

They were all in the same room. Finally.

“So, I’m human,” Kate started.

“Your quickness astounds,” Cash grumbled.

Before I could verbally bash him, Kate rolled her eyes. “And you’re interrupting, Fairy Boy.”

Atta girl.

Jo covered her mouth, probably to hide a smile. I didn’t bother to hide mine. Cash deserved every bit of Kate’s ire, and I didn’t give the gorgeous asshole who’d only just rocked my world an inch even when he pouted, outnumbered and sufficiently scorned.

“I just meant that since I’m human, I’m going to drag the group down.

I’ll end up being another thing you guys have to protect,” Kate went on, crossing her arms with an adorable nod.

For someone who’d been tossed into a supernatural world of shit, she hadn’t lost her Kate-isms. Like, at all.

“So, leaving me somewhere while you deal with all this stuff is probably for the best, right?”

I sighed, side-hugging my best friend. “I’m the reason you’re here in the first place, Kate.

Don’t get it twisted. You’re not a burden.

We’ll figure this out together. I missed you fiercely, my dude, and I refuse to leave you anywhere alone.

Especially not in a realm full of crazy powerful beasties. ”

Kate laughed and patted my head. “Neither of us is to blame, my bro, so stop saying that.” I smiled at how easy it was to revert back to our usual exchanges amid all the bullshit.

“I’m only saying this because I know you’ll put yourself in danger to protect me, and I don’t want that.

I’ll do whatever I can to stay out of the way. I don’t have superpowers.”

I let my head fall against hers and closed my eyes. “But you do. Everything I have right now is because I asked myself ‘What would Kate do?’ before making a decision.”

I was wrapped up in a tight human hug before Kate pulled away, misty-eyed. “Is that what you were just doing with Fairy Boy?”

I nearly choked on my tongue, and Cash followed up my struggling sound with his own.

“Kate!” I shout-whispered.

“What?!”

“I was…”

“Moaning and taking a long ride on a sexy fairy love train? I know.” Kate looked unapologetic when I glared at her, more afraid to look at Jo than anyone else.

But the other woman was way ahead of us. “Bond runes,” she murmured, as if only just noticing them, her eyes slipping down to my neck. “The Season has an effect on you?”

Why did I suddenly feel super naked?

“I…”

“What business is it of yours what my mate and I do to satisfy the Season, devil woman?” Cash pinned Jo with a steely glare.

Kate wasn’t smiling anymore, sensing the sudden tension between the three of us. “Mate?”

Jo’s eyes found mine, an emotion in them I didn’t recognize. “If you’ve satisfied it, then we have time,” she finally said after a long, uncomfortable pause. “The human is right. I imagine that was your intention by using Marius?”

As if he’d been expecting a fight, Cash deflated with the question. “I shouldn’t be surprised a barbarian like you would know him.”

Jo huffed, unamused. “I’ve been around a long time. As long as you, Dark King.”

Cash’s usual hoity-toity demeanor melted to something I’d only seen around the enemies he fought. “Guess that’s true, seeing how you’re the daughter of one of the Originals—Johara, Daughter of Shadows.”

Daughter of one of the Originals?

I’d never seen Jo taken off guard quite the way she was in that moment. Her jaw clenched and hands fisted. It was as if he’d summoned something dark and horrible with the name.

“How long have you known?”

Cash came over and touched my neck where his rune was. “It was simple enough to piece together.”

“I should’ve guessed when I couldn’t track you with shadows,” she grumbled under her breath before sighing. “My mother was—”

“A monster.”

Jo cut a furious look at him. “I’m nothing like her.”

I opened my mouth, but Cash spoke before I could say anything.

“That’s not what I heard, but alas, I was never lucky—or is it unlucky?

—enough to meet the Mother and Daughter of Shadows.

Nor any of the Originals, really. Thank the gods for that.

I’d seen them kill and maim indiscriminately enough to know better.

Like you said, monsters knowing monsters and all that. ”

The dark-haired woman let out a sound of frustration, absently going for one of her daggers. “You have some fucking nerve, asshole. The things I’ve heard about you would make my crimes look like child’s play. What is it the humans say? Ah, right. Pot, meet Kettle.”

Even I felt that burn. Any more heat and the room would catch fire. Which meant it was time to pour water on whatever this was and get back on track.

I slapped Cash’s hand away as it took another path down my throat and stood between them. “Look, we’ve all done stuff we’re not proud of. By that logic, we’re all monsters. Well, except Kate.”

My friend put a hand on her chest, acting shy and flattered, and I smiled before continuing.

“I’m not going to stand here and tally up the evil each one of us has committed. It doesn’t matter right now. We need to focus on how to deal with One and our enemy in common so we can go back to the human world.”

The tension eased a little, and Kate blew out a breath she’d apparently been holding. Guess she was worried they’d go all supernatural Mortal Kombat on us. To be fair, so had I.

“One?” Jo asked.

I nodded. “Lyra. The Organization was holding her prisoner. Lux made her One in his weirdo boyband.”

Jo seemed surprised to hear it, which was definitely not a comfort. “That’s impossible. I’d know if they had her. I never once sensed a Royal Siren in that realm. Chaos is different for mixed breeds, harder to detect, but Lyra I wouldn’t miss.”

Still felt weird to think I wasn’t far off what she and One were.

A genetic monster weapon meant to cross realms. Fuck the Organization and everything they’d done to ruin my formative years.

I’d barely lived before I was thrust into a world I hadn’t been aware I was part of, and now it was up to me to fix everything they’d broken.

“She said they had the key to keeping her a prisoner, but she finally got free. Maybe that was the reason you couldn’t sense her?

What I do know is that she wants me to help her go after whoever sent her there in exchange for ending the Organization.

She’s already killed Lux and the rest of the Seven as a good faith measure, or so she says.

My guess is she planned to kill off the Organization either way.

Vengeful weapons recognize each other,” I told Jo.

And it was true. Mistress Chaos was absolutely my enemy, but I also recognized the revenge plot. My only worry was how far she’d take it.

If she planned to decimate the Organization and all who worked for and with it, then that meant us.

That meant Grams, Sloan, Phillip, Kris, and every Hunter we’d converted to our side.

It meant no one was safe after I did what she wanted, and we’d need to end her after we took on the enemies here.

It meant that I’d have another fight after this.

“You’re going after the Nether Royals?” she asked me.

Nether Royals? Was that the Nether royalty Cash mentioned?

Cash confirmed. “They would become a problem if we didn’t, no? Everything suggests they were the ones who sent that ancient slag off to the humans.”

Guess they’d figured out who Lyra was bent on killing.

I’d never seen Jo so confused, as if she couldn’t quite believe any of it, but eventually she nodded. “When’s Marius supposed to be here?”

As if she’d summoned him, Cash was at the door and opening it to a dark-skinned man with jarring green eyes. “So good of you to finally make an appearance, Marius.”

The man in question cast his curious stare into the corridor, first studying Jo before moving onto me.

But it didn’t appear he knew what or who we were because his attention stayed with Cash after that.

The two disappeared into a room, and I was suddenly alone with a world of information to unpack about Jo.