Page 105 of Vengeance and Vipers

I see the others come out of the door behind Krase, who’s still looking at the phone, but I know he must be able to feel me now. He’s just playing to Maddox and Daemon, who are looking around the alley. Iron, Jayce, Axel, and Krase are basically looking right at me. They know exactly where I am, irrespective of the tracker Krase has on me.

‘Time for me go. Bye, Fluffy,’ I say, and I step out into the light.

‘Looking for me?’

I see relief in Krase’s and the others’ eyes, but it’s Maddox who comes to me. It’s not to hug me, though.

‘Where the hell were you?’ he thunders.

‘Looking for you,’ I spit just as angrily. ‘Then I saw some fae in the bar, and I took the nearest exit like any other human who has an ounce of self-preservation!’

He lets out a noise of frustration and mutters something about the vexing female.

‘It’s dangerous out here these days,’ he says, pulling his fingers roughly through his disheveled blonde hair. ‘There are packs of hellhounds roaming these streets! Do you have any idea what they’d do to a defenseless human like you?’

‘Sit for me and wag their tails? Get a name like Fluffy?’ I smirk at the angry demon in front of me and give him a wink. ‘Careful, Maddox, you almost sound like you care.’

I swear I hear one of the others snigger, but when I look at them, they’re all so stoic that I can’t tell which one it was.

‘Come on,’ Maddox growls, grabbing my arm and hauling me back to the side exit I took. He throws the link key to Daemon, who attaches it to the door and opens it.

The portal is quick, and we arrive at the library in record time, Maddox still gripping my arm like he’s afraid I’ll up and disappear.

‘You can let go,’ I murmur, and the fingers go slack.

I don’t look back at him as I follow the others out of the library. I make for the stairs because I’m dead tired after my evening of supe fun.

‘Jules?’

I turn to find Axel.

‘We’re going to watch a movie. Want to join us?’

Jayce is behind him, giving me an encouraging nod, and I give them a smile because this is the first time they’ve asked me to hang out since I got here, but I shake my head.

‘Consider me Cinderella,’ I chuckle, gesturing to the grandfather clock by the wall near the stairs that’s showing it’s about five minutes from midnight.

‘Are you okay?’ Jayce asks.

He steps closer and lowers his voice. ‘Something happened in the club. We felt your fear multiple times, Bana-Phrionnsa.’

‘I’m fine,’ I say, turning and ascending the stairs as I push all my emotions down.

I definitely need to find a way to mute my feelings, I think as I go into my room and close the door. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before they learn about my past. The thought of them knowing everything makes me sick to my stomach. I touch my chest and can’t feel the brand. The conjure hiding it is still working fine.

I peel off my dress and get into my bed, glad I made it back in one piece and realizing how at home I feel in this house.

Fuckety fuckety fuck my dumbass self.

I fall asleep almost instantly but wake in the night to find Krase in the bed next to me, his arms around me while I sleep. He doesn’t say anything, just holds me, and I fall back into a deep sleep.

--

I wake to a grey and wet morning, feeling unsettled but trying not to because I don’t want the incubi to feel it too and start asking me questions I can’t answer about last night.

I frown at the empty bed next to me, sure that Krase had been here. But he’s gone now.

I get up and pad to the bathroom, following my usual morning routine. I stare at myself in the mirror. I look the same, maybe a little healthier. Regular food and sleep will do that, I guess.