"A job would be nice." Anything to get me out of the house or compound.
"Fantastic," Ethan said, his teeth snapping together.
I had a sinking feeling it was anything but fantastic, but I wasn't about to bend over backward and let him make yet another decision for me — regardless of how much I wanted to launch myself at him and never let go.
It was the bond.
Nothing more.
And that really sucked if you asked me, because someone like Ethan… well, he was the type of man, person, being that you wanted to want you. Not just because he had no choice, but because he couldn't imagine existing any other way.
Ashamed of my thoughts — or maybe just embarrassed — I returned to my stare-down with the kitchen table.
"Drystan owns a book shop," Stephanie suggested. "When Genesis isn't with us fighting crime, she can go there. God knows she'll need to get away from Ethan in order to have some breathing room."
Ethan rolled his eyes.
"Drystan?" I repeated. "He's immortal too?"
"Ancient." Mason nodded. "Another werewolf obsessed with books. It should be a good arrangement."
"Arrangement," I tested the word. "And when I'm not at the book shop?"
The others fell silent while Ethan reached across the table and grabbed my hand. My skin buzzed to life at his touch. "I teach you everything you need to know about us… about your job, about the humans' place with us… and I take you to your first Gathering."
"Like a party?" I gripped his hand tighter, pulling strength from him that I didn't know I needed but lusted for, nonetheless.
"Yes." He shrugged. "In fact, if you're up to it, we can introduce you this evening."
"Oh." Waves of pleasure washed over me as he released my hand; his fingertips dancing along the pulse in my wrist. "I think I can probably manage that."
"The others will love to meet you," Stephanie encouraged, placing her hands on my shoulders.
"How many others are we talking here?" I squinted. "In my studies it said that the oldest leaders… you guys…"
Alex choked on his laugh.
"…only number in the hundreds."
The laughter died, amusement gone from Alex's eyes.
"Four of us," Ethan answered. "There are four Elders left, and Cassius makes five. The rest are relatively younger, but they number in the thousands."
"For just Seattle?" I squeaked out.
"Of course." Ethan rolled his eyes and released my hand. The temperature in the room dipped. My hand itched to reach back and grasp his. "Immortals are able to live in society, you know. Most of us either have a job in the real world or have had in the past until it began to bore us."
"Weird, I was always told you kept to yourselves."
"We aren't good at keeping to ourselves, just like we aren't good with sharing." Alex grinned. "Isn't that right, Ethan?"
Ethan growled while Alex walked around the table and held out his hand. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you truly are? It's extraordinary… the color of your hair, the light of your eyes, the—"
Ethan kicked Alex in the back of the legs, sending him colliding into Stephanie. His laughter was the only thing that made me think that Ethan wasn't going to kill him, since his eyes had gone completely black.
"Need more blood?" Alex asked in a soothing tone. "Don't want you accidentally attacking your mate tonight in front of God and everyone."
My gut clenched. "Do you, um, take my blood?"