"What's going on?" Kane asks, suddenly growing protective when he senses my tension.
His arm snakes around my waist, drawing me closer, as his gaze grows expectant on the duster.
"Something has come up. Alyssa is involved, and I'm trying to keep the councils from finding out. Her creatures are stirring. From now on, she stays locked up at night. Otherwise, I'll have to do something I really don't want to do."
He really does know. Shit.
His stern glare, set jaw, and tight expression don't appear to be the least bit friendly. This is a warning—one he considers an extended courtesy.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Kane asks, well—growls.
Chaz's smirk quirks up in a sideways position, but before he can answer, Gage sighs out hard.
"You're part of the council."
"He's their lapdog," Dice snarls, sniffing the air. "I can smell his tattle-tale stench. Stupid snitches."
Chaz's glower returns to find the incubus, but before anything can be said, I answer.
"He's an enforcer for the light council," I say, turning toward Kane. "When one of us steps out of line—"
I can't even finish. To this day, I can't believe Chaz even took that position.
"So you're going to what? Try to kill her?" Dice scoffs. "Good luck. In case you haven't noticed, there are a few entities in this room that have far more power than you."
"You're not one of them," Chaz threatens.
"I am," Gage mutters, his tone low and menacing as his eyes burn a dark promise.
Chaz rolls his eyes, and Kane stands, worrying me. A night stalker as strong as Kane could shred through a duster with no problem.
"Relax. I didn't come to kill the girl I've always loved like a sister. I'm here to warn her. I wouldn't harm a hair on her head. If she doesn't stay locked up here, I'll have to take her to one of our holding houses. I really don't want to. They're fucking creepy as hell, and they're all in the middle of vortexes that allow certain fey to sneak through the planes."
He shivers dramatically, and I smile as tears fill up in
my eyes. It's sad that I'm thankful my friend didn't come to threaten my life.
Kane and Gage both visibly relax, putting away their testosterone, and Dice swats at some of the glittery dust in the air.
"What prompted this visit?" Gage asks, coming to stand closer to me, while keeping his eyes focused on the blond duster.
All of the softness falls from Chaz's face, and a touch of sadness takes its place.
"Alyssa's darker side is coming out to play—and yes, I know about the prophecy. My mother told me long ago. It's never given me any concern until now."
Gage tilts his head, as does Kane, but I just stare numbly. What have I done that drew in Chaz's attention?
"How did you know she was changing?" Dice asks, tiring of the suspense.
Chaz turns his eyes on me, sighing heavily as he takes a seat.
"A rape victim and five children."
After three hours, the shock still hasn't lifted. I killed that cop. That means I turned into a lycan after I turned into a night stalker and knowingly fed on him in front of a human girl. Albeit, he was a serial rapist who deserved to be punished—but not by me, and not like that.
Then I killed that woman who was abusing those children. I turned into a widow—a frigging widow. I ballooned her, fed from her, and sent those children to Chaz to be taken care of. Even my monster half knew I could trust him, but my sane half knows that it could come at a cost.
If the light council finds out he's affiliated with a creature not allowed to exist—me—they'll punish him. Possibly condemn him to death. The dark won't get so much as a slap on the wrist. Their rules are more lax, usually.