Lost Beauty (The Deadly Beauties Live On 4)

The man I can only assume is Drackus shows up next, wearing a long leather duster. He shakes it once, and suddenly Amy—the lycan—and her night stalker appear. Their fingers lock together, and a sense of eerie washes over me.

There’s something about his eyes...

Before I can think too much about it, Calypso is suddenly appearing. I’ve studied her intensely. With her, she brings the other lycan, Sierra. And she also has Deke. The other night stalker.

I wasn’t expecting them, and I don’t think Slade was either, considering they haven’t been big in the pack over the past few months.

My heart hits my throat when the person I was most looking forward to seeing appears with an incubus at her side. Karma... I have no idea how to act around her—my twin. I just love seeing her and her bright eyes as she grins at whatever the incubus whispers in her ear.

I really wish she’d choose someone much stronger. An incubus is pointless.

They all stand across the field, and I wait for Alyssa and Kane to join them... but the only other person that appears is a woman and a man I don’t know.

I cock my head to the side, confused. I would assume the queen would be the most desperate to get the info. But maybe they’re showing caution. I know I wouldn’t want to be around Slade after he’d attacked two people I’ve protected. Which, to be fair, they weren’t technically theirs when he started attacking.

The stand-off commences. They stay on their side, and we stay on ours.

“I thought they had a lot of people,” Simone says to someone close to her, even though she blatantly speaks loud enough for me to overhear.

“I didn’t expect them to bring their army with them, considering they keep them out of the loop. Too many people to not trust and all that. Sometimes I think we need to trim our circle as well,” I say with a dark smile, arching an eyebrow at her when she snaps her head over to me.

She mutters something under her breath, and I return my attention to the man staring directly at me. Chaz smirks, as though he’s toying with me right now. He got them all here. I guess the next move is on us.

But I can’t just start this conversation. I’m not our leader.

Thunder crackles overhead, but it’s not nature this time. Breaths exhale harshly along our side, and I step back as Slade slowly materializes in front of me. Everyone on the other end of the field tenses. I can almost hear the ripple of nerves ratcheting up along with tensions.

He stands to his full height, his silver eyes glowing as though he’s warning everyone to behave. Zee killed one of ours. People want retribution. Slade has told them to focus on the big picture and warned of the consequences if anyone went after Zee.

But Zee is here.

No one expected that.

Chaz eyes me curiously as Slade takes a step forward. “Kya,” Slade says quietly, his eyes not moving from our new guests.

I step forward, ignoring a few of the scoffs and whispers. Everyone has something to say when Slade acknowledges me.

“Yes.”

“Fill them in on what they came to learn. I’ll be in my training room.”

“And the training?”

“If they’re willing to help some of ours train, then so be it. If not, we’ll train without them.”

He disappears with that, and all the tension slowly starts to dissipate.

There’s no doubt they overheard all of it, so I study Chaz, not bothering to repeat anything.

He looks back at his group. I’m not sure what they say, since they make it a point to keep their words too quiet. They seem like a democracy, but I was sure Kane and Alyssa made all the decisions.

One second, they’re all on the other side. In the next breath, Chaz is suddenly in front of me, restraining a smile when I stumble backwards in surprise.

He grabs me at the waist and hauls me closer before I fall, and I internally curse myself when I hear mocking laughter being smothered. I’m sure everyone on my side enjoys seeing me spooked, since it never happens.

Damn him.

“Ready when you are,” he tells me, studying my eyes.