Page 54 of V for Vilified (Hunter V #4)

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I stared out the window, catching the moonlight in a glance before it was hidden behind the late-night clouds. “So…how bad is it?”

Kate wasn’t paying attention. She was staring down at a bracelet attached to her wrist. I’d seen it glow earlier, so I already knew it wasn’t any old bracelet. Something told me Big had given it to her. “What?”

“Your crush,” I teased, spinning around. “How bad is it?”

Her grin was full of mischief. “Super bad, girl. Like apocalyptic-level bad. I’m in too deep. I’m drowning. He’s so damn hot.”

“And a pixie.”

Kate swooned at the mention of it. “No pixie I’ve ever heard about, that’s for damn sure.” She sighed and rubbed the bracelet. “But enough about me. What about you?”

Her eyes tracked my phone on the table, where it’d been chiming nonstop. Pretty sure Grams told them to leave me alone unless I asked for them. I hadn’t been followed by a single one.

My head still wasn’t totally on straight. I’d been focused on taking down the Organization for so long, and now it was here. I’d finally get my revenge. So why did it leave a bittersweet taste in my mouth? Did I know how to do any of this without being in constant danger?

“You doing okay?”

A humorless laugh left my mouth as I turned back to the window. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.”

“No, I’m not,” I whispered and peeked over my shoulder at her.

Her smile lost its luster. “I heard about Nigel.”

The burn was back in my throat, so I looked away. “Oh…”

Kate moved slowly to stand next to me. My ears tracked her pulse and movement all the way over, so it wasn’t a surprise when she touched my shoulder, but I still froze like it was. “I’m sorry, V.”

A tear escaped my eye, but I wiped it away. “Me too.”

Kate laid her head on my shoulder and wrapped an arm around my waist. For a half hour, she just held me.

She didn’t say anything, didn’t spout empty words or try to make light of it or distract me with nonsense.

She did the very thing I needed most. She held me close and was there for me, whatever I needed.

My phone erupted in another series of pings, and I finally laughed with feeling. “Bet that’s Cash.”

“That man is obsessed with you.” Kate scoffed and locked her arms under her chest. “Who am I kidding? They all are. Too bad it’s Watson time, my dear Sherlock.”

I grinned and padded over to my phone.

I was surprised to find the texts weren’t from Cash. Well, not all of them. I got one from everyone except Kris, Sungho, and Grams. Even Big sent one, though it just said “Test text, little vampire. Phones are stupid,” with a weird emoji I had no idea how to interpret.

Ironically, most of the messages were from Aram. Guess it wasn’t only Cash who loved a good emoji. The Fae god was a fan, too. Another thing they had in common I couldn’t wait to tease my Fae Karen about.

The first few asked about how I liked my new digs—a phrase I never would’ve associated with another realm’s god—and the last two were a bit more insistent that if I didn’t answer, I was about to get raided in my new home.

He pretended he was the spokesperson for the rest of them, but I’d seen enough of his head to know it was all him.

He wanted to see me. It’d been nearly three hours, and he proclaimed not even Grams could keep him from storming through to make sure I was okay. The dude was hilariously afraid of my grandmother. Lucille had obviously left a lasting impression on the poor guy’s knees.

I’d barely sent off my response before the doorbell rang.

Kate’s head whipped the direction of the front door and then back to me. “Damn. They don’t waste time at all.”

Snickering, I headed over and let the oversized menace in.

Aram ducked his head, obnoxiously large and in charge, sporting an outfit that didn’t do more than act like a second skin.

The doorway wasn’t big enough to accommodate his height.

It nearly didn’t fit his musculature. He had to jigsaw puzzle his way into the foyer.

But after he had, the visiting god stared down at me expectantly.

I pretended I didn’t know what he was thinking and made the giant wait for it. “I didn’t say you could come over.”

Aram’s expression clouded over. “But you didn’t say I couldn’t either, little mate.”

Kate sighed behind me. “My dude, desperation doesn’t look good on any man.” She gestured to all of him as if that’d explain everything. “Not even a god.” Her smile was pitying. “It’s lame.”

My friend was a goddamn joy, and I’d never let anyone tell me otherwise.

Aram brushed his hair back, hoping it’d hide his awkward discomfort. It didn’t. The powerful Nether Royal just got verbally bitch-slapped by a human, and I wouldn’t hesitate to remind him of it anytime he got cheeky.

“I only—” he started, uncharacteristically sheepish.

“It’s fine,” I finally relented, glancing at Kate over my shoulder. “Kate has to go check on Big, anyway.”

My girl didn’t even try to hide how eager my suggestion made her. She touched the bracelet on her wrist and nodded. “Yeah. He’s big and grumpy and tots not realm-broken. I probably should make sure he’s not causing a scene at any of the local bars like he did when he first got here.”

“Wait, what?” I asked before she scurried past us and stole Phillip’s car keys from the hook by the door.

“Ta-ta. Toodles. Love you. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” my bestie shouted on her way out.

“That’s a very small list!”

“Exactly!” She giggled and winked before closing the door behind her.

Oddly out of sorts, I gestured for the oversized king to come inside. “Well, you’re already here, so I guess I can humor you for a bit.” He followed me into the living room, and I pointed to the couch. “Sit.”

I nearly snickered at how quickly he followed my orders. You’d never know which one of us was the reigning royalty from the way he eagerly did as I said. The giant sat on my tiny sofa and peered around in overt curiosity.

It was oddly human to be hosting a god in my new home, and I didn’t exactly hate it. It was the first time I’d breathed since Kate was kidnapped. If I were completely honest, the first time since Nigel was killed.

“Uh, tea or coffee?”

I sensed his amusement, but he answered me anyway, “Tea, if you would. It’s a lovely home.”

This was so damn awkward.

“Yeah, thanks. I just live here,” I replied in mocking.

I searched the cabinets for a kettle and breathed a thankful sigh when I found one.

The pantry was fully stocked with everything I could possibly want.

Thank god for Grams. She’d thought of everything.

After getting both of our cups ready, I walked over with the two in hand.

I didn’t often drink tea, but tonight felt like a night I should.

Channel my chill or whatever.

I checked my phone and found another horde of messages, this time from Cash and Phillip.

Both weren’t the least bit happy Aram had snuck off to find me, but they’d apparently been banned from coming if they hadn’t stormed through my house by now.

Grams must’ve leveled some serious threats against them to get the two overprotective menaces to stay put.

Aram peered down at my phone, then hid a sneaky grin behind a sip of his tea. “I take it they aren’t happy I’ve come to see you.” His thoughts gave him away. The dude was absolutely tickled over how much he’d pissed them off.

I sighed and cocked an eyebrow at him. “Which we both know was entirely your aim.”

“Not entirely, no, but a nice bonus, I suppose.” His joy made it tough to be mad at him. “We haven’t had much time together, you and I,” Aram started and leaned back, the muscles in his chest tautening. “I mean to correct that. And I only asked for one night. They’ll live.”

Says the guy who unraveled after only a few hours…

“What will one night change?” I asked, taking a sip of my own cup.

His pretty red eyes glittered. “Everything, Nioche .”

My pulse came to life, but I hid it by humming and shrugging. “If you say so.” I set my cup down. “What does that mean, anyway?” His eyebrow went up, and I explained further. Forgot the dude couldn’t read my thoughts. “ Nioche . You keep calling me that.”

Smug, he put his cup aside. “It doesn’t exactly translate to your language, but it’s a significant term to our kind.”

That’d explain the strong reaction it got from his brother.

“Significant?”

He shifted and held my stare. “We only use it once.”

“I don’t follow.”

Aram’s fangs caught the light. “It’s a claim, little mate, and something we only use with the person who we live for.” His eyes moved beyond me. “And the one we die for.”

The flash of his mothers on the ground cemented how he meant it, and I suddenly didn’t have anything snarky to say.

I scrambled to reclaim my tea and took a sip of it. “Oh, cool.”

Yeah, V. That’s exactly the thing someone wants to hear after they’ve proclaimed their undying love.

I might believe that these bonds were significant, but love was a stretch.

I’d just met the dude. Sure, he’d done everything he could to save me, to integrate into my life, but I wasn’t even sure if I liked him.

The connection made it uncomfortably clear how real it was to him, so I didn’t have any choice but to play the fool.

I eyed my phone, but he snatched it off the coffee table and turned it off. “Hey—”

“One night,” he said again. “That’s all I ask. Then you’re free to humor them should you wish to.”

“Would you have helped if Grams didn’t make the deal?” I demanded.

A smile crawled across his lips. “Of course.”

“Then why demand one?”

Aram set his cup down again and tossed his long, white hair back. “Because I’ll do whatever it takes to have my way.”

Yeah, that tracked.

“Well, I guess you’ve earned it. Grams is never taken for a fool. She must really want your help.”