“Oh, shit.” Alex snorted out a laugh. “You been eating Wheaties or what?”
Mason’s expression went from anger to horror. “Cassius, I’m sorry I don’t—”
He cursed and ran up the stairs before Cassius could even say anything.
“I’ll go.” Hope kissed Alex on the cheek and ran after Mason.
Jealousy pierced my heart. It was wrong. I knew she was mated to Alex, but it didn’t make it any easier to watch her go after Mason.
Alex sauntered over to me in that sexy way he had no control over and then sat down in the empty chair and stared me down. “So, you wanna bake cookies or something?”
“What?” I narrowed my eyes.
He jerked his head toward the stairway. “I bet he’d love warm cookies. He’s more beast than man anyway — and if he doesn’t like the snack, you can always offer your neck again. Seemed to work well the first time.” His grin was dazzling. “I’ll help, and you can tell me all about how hard it was growing up a sad, powerless vampire.”
“How does she even live with you?” I wondered aloud, much to Genesis’ and Ethan’s amusement.
Alex grunted. “She wants me for my body, but can you really blame her?” His eyes changed color as his hair turned an orange blue.
“Cut it out, Alex.” Ethan shoved him to the side. “You don’t want to kill her. I’ll grab the chocolate chips.”
It wasn’t the life I could have ever possibly imagined for myself. Making chocolate chip cookies with two of the most powerful immortals in existence while an archangel watched, his face a mask of worry. I almost missed the look he gave Genesis, the slow shake of his head, and the way her eyes filled with fear as if he’d just given her a warning only she would understand.
And when she went over to him and Stephanie, it wasn’t to laugh and talk; it was to huddle in the corner and hold hands, as if it might be the last time any of them would see each other again.
MASON
I sat in complete darkness on the windowsill. My gaze on the stars. Thousands of years ago, I’d asked to be the Great Wolf, without any regard to what that would mean.
And now?
Now it just felt like I was failing my parents all over again.
All they’d ever wanted was for me to be powerful.
Instead, I was turning into a blood-obsessed freak, unable to control any of my emotions. The very fact I could shove Cassius, without putting effort into it, terrified me.
The fact that I could somehow sense the fear in that room — the anxiety — to the point where it wrapped itself around my neck and squeezed was wrong.
All of it was wrong.
Her heartbeat increased until I was afraid she was going to pass out, and then the sound returned to normal. I listened a bit longer, interested in the way my ears were able to pick hers out amongst all the different immortals’.
What was even more interesting — I heard Cassius’ heart.
Felt it beat in my ears.
It was louder than the others. More powerful, but slower. Purposeful, like each beat was communicating something to the universe that none of us would ever get the privilege of seeing or understanding.
“Knock, knock.” Hope shoved the door open and made her way toward me, her brown eyes sparkling.
“Why do humans say “Knock knock” instead of just knocking? And you didn’t even wait for me to let you in.” I crossed my arms.
Hope sat opposite me on the window and smiled brightly. She tugged at her plain black shirt and pressed a hand to her stomach briefly before answering. “First, it’s more like ‘Hey, I’m announcing that I’m coming in, and you can’t stop me,’ and second, I didn’t want to give you the opportunity to say no.”
I growled.
“Oh stop.” She scooted closer until I could feel the heat from her body. Her heart began to race.