“She’s my mate. It’s why I was waiting in the woods. I smelled her blood last week, but when I tried to get close enough to tell her what she is some guy with green hair came out and threatened me. He told me that if I came sniffing around here again, he’d kill me. His threat wasn’t very convincing considering he’d been hiding in the shadows at the back of the house, but I couldn’t stay away. She’s my other half. My missing piece. I have to find her.”
“She’s not your mate.” Again Rourke and I speak at the same time.
“She is.” He argues. “The only way I can have a human form is if I’ve met my mate after my maturity. Mephisto demons don’t get human forms until then.”
“I didn’t know that.” Rourke says, cocking his head to the side as though he’s considering the demon’s claim on my girl. “If you’re her mate, wouldn’t you have a bond with her?”
“I do, but it’s odd, I put it down to her being a Quinbrid, but I’m beginning to wonder if maybe it’s because she has more than one mate. That would make sense since she’s of five different breeds.”
“How do you know that?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“It’s my breed, we can scent what something is made up of. Whether it be living or inanimate, we can tell you the exact composition that makes it up.”
“Well that explains a lot.” Rourke mutters beneath his breath.
“How so?” I ask turning to face him.
“Well, to start with, we captured him far too easily. Secondly, higher demons use Mephisto demons to search for things that others can’t find. It was one of the reasons I wanted to capture this one.”
“I have a name you know.” The demon snaps, “It’s Thorinthistousmanicus.”
I shut my eyes and rub my temples, “What?”
“Thor-in-thist-ous-man-i-cus.” He repeats slowly.
“Okay then Thor, we’re not letting you go until you tell us where Areyna is.”
“Not Thor, he was a pompous Greek god with an ugly face. My friends call me Manny.” He shakes his shoulders before standing up as though the chains that had been binding him to the chair were just an accessory and not really there for any other purpose than to look good. “Sorry, I gave you the chance to interrogate me, but we have been idle too long. I need to find my mate before the full moon or I will be trapped in one form for the rest of my long life.”
“That’s why we captured you. We thought you were working with the person who took her.” I rub my temples again, before adding angrily, “And she’s not your mate. Areyna is the only one who can decide who someone is to her, not some twist of fate.”
“She will decide, then I will live my life how she chooses. Knowing this though, I intend to prove to her that I am the best man for the position of mate. I can give her the world, what can you give her?”
“Are you two fucking serious right now? We’re supposed to be finding a way to rescue Areyna and bring the Hybrids upstairs out of their comas and you’re standing here debating over whether Areyna will want either of you.” Rourke throws his hands up in the air and storms out of the basement, stomping his feet so hard on the stairs that dust rains down upon our heads.
“Jealous much?” The demon laughs before following Rourke. I stand here for a few seconds, staring up at the ceiling praying for someone to give me a break. Nothing is going to plan anymore and I’m starting to think there’s a reason for that. I just wish I knew what that reason was so I don’t feel like I’m being manipulated by unseen forces.
I regret wasting time the moment I reach the top of the stairs and come face to face with none other than Richard Fucking Talon. My asshole ex best friend who betrayed us all and by the look of things, he’s about to fuck us all over once more.
THIRTY-ONE
Richard
The second myfather told me what was going on, I was in my car and hightailing it to my house without slowing down to think about what could possibly go wrong. After everything we’d been through, you’d think I, his best friend, would have been privy to information as vital as this, but no, I’m just a schmuck who believes everything he’s told. Even when it’s something that could change everything for all of us, but no, Richard doesn’t need to know that sort of information. He’s fine living like a mushroom; kept in the dark and fed shit all the fucking time.
I finally pull up into my driveway and my veins are filled with white hot rage. So much so that I speed into the house and straight to the scent that drives me fucking insane. It takes one single blow to his face to knock Jason out. But it’s not enough. I kick, I punch and I scream as I keep hitting him, swearing and shouting unintelligible words that make no sense to anyone but me. “You fucking lied you stupid asshole. If you had have just been honest with me from the start I might have been able to forgive you.”
The men who followed me round up the remaining occupants of the house and load them into the vans as I pick the traitor up and carry him to the nearest van. If I don’t get Jason out of my sight now, I’m going to kill him.
The drive back to Laverton is done with “Your Betrayal” by Bullet for my Valentine on repeat blasting at the highest volume. My throat is practically raw by the time I pull into my parking spot and turn off my engine. The men who rounded up the hybrids take them straight into the cells inside as per my instructions, but I don’t follow them. I go upstairs to the security room and make myself comfortable.
I’ve been hiding in the security room all afternoon, knowing that my little lamb is only a cell block away and that my ex-best friend is only a few cells down from her. My father has called me twice now, but I’ve been ignoring him. He only wants me to tell him that we’ve started the experiments, but I can’t bring myself to begin them. Eliza is supposed to be the key to bringing the Seelie and the demons to our side, but I have no idea how she’s supposed to do that. I know I could just answer my father’s calls, I could ask him and he’d tell me but I’m torn. On the one hand I want the power that comes from being my father’s son, but I also want my little lamb as my own and if my suspicions are right, then my father has no plans of ever letting her go, not even for me.
I feel I’ve made a huge mistake, but there’s no going back, not now that we’ve captured all of the heirs and are holding them prisoner.
I flick through the screens, searching the cells for the prisoners that concern me the most. Jason didn’t just lie to me, he withheld vital information; He is the heir to the witches throne. Somehow my little lamb has collected all of the heirs without me realising it. Remington Salvis, bastard heir to the incubi throne by his father’s behest. Jason Lance, sole heir to the Witches. Rourke Camilliri, Hybrid Incubi and Seelie, heir to the demon throne. Derrin Bach, only living son of the Alpha and heir to his throne. Ossias Adel, last remaining Dragon prince. Thorinthistousmanicus, hybrid Seelie and demon, Prince of the Seelie and then of course, there’s Torren Falcon, my bastard brother and the one my father has decided will take the throne if I don’t do everything he tells me to do.
How’s that for a kick in the teeth?