Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“I knew they spread lies like that,” Larkin chides. “The same way they say we can turn humans into wolves by a bite.”
“The scary thing is, most Order members believe the lies. But I know they’re spread only to perpetuate hate.”
“Okay, so obviously they were wrong,” Delphi says, pushing her red hair back. “You started showing powers or whatever happens when a witch comes of age. And they didn’t toss you to the curb.”
“No, they didn’t. They realized having powers made me a superior hunter.”
James holds up a hand. “So you’re telling us that you’re like a full-fledged demon hunting witch?”
“Yeah,” I answer. “And not to brag or anything, but I might hold the highest kill-count for someone my age.”
The waitress comes over with a tray of cheese fries, sweet potato tater tots, nachos, and platter of calabash-style seafood. Delphi wasn’t kidding when she said she ordered a lot of junk food.
“What game do you play?” the waitress asks me.
“Hollow Knight,” Delphi answers without missing a beat, thankfully, because I am not a gamer.
We dig into the food, dividing it up onto plates. I finish my drink and start to feel a little buzzed already. I haven’t eaten much before this and it’s been a while since I’ve had alcohol.
“Can I ask a question now?” I ask, picking up a fry and dipping it in cheese.
“You can, but I don’t know if I’ll answer,” Larkin replies with a playful smirk.
“What are five werewolves doing here, at this exact hotel that’s hosting a VC summit?”
The wolves all look at Larkin, not saying anything their pack master doesn’t want them to say.
“You’re a smart girl, Wren,” she starts. “There’s no reason to bullshit you, because I think we can be friends.”
“You want something from me.”
“I do. I want to talk to Xavier without the audience of the coalition.”
“Talk about what?”
“This new string of drugs…it’s making its way to my pack,” she says and a chill runs through me. “And I’ve heard the vampires are supplying them.”
Chapter
Fourteen
“Ican assure you, it’s not Xavier,” I tell the wolves. “Bringing drugs into the city isn’t something they’d do.” Because it would poison the blood, but saying that probably won’t help my case.
“And you think you’d know if it was?” Larkin asks, raising her eyebrows.
“I do.”
“I’ve known the Malus family since I was just a girl. Granted, that time might not seem to add up to much when you’re immortal, but never have I witnessed a single member of that family do anything that wasn’t directly beneficial for themselves.”
She pauses, but I don’t argue. She’s not wrong; the Maluses are out for themselves and have a very high respect for their blood relatives, taking the meaning of family very seriously. Larkin leans forward, and I can sense what she’s about to say before she says it.
I’m not blood. I’m not a true part of the Malus family, and even if Xavier does turn me, even if his blood ends up running through my veins, my magic will die right along with me.
“So why me?” I ask before she has a chance to. “Why would Xavier trust me?”
“You took the words right out of my mouth.” She finishes her drink and signals for our waitress to bring her another. “Before we can trust you, I need to know why Xavier would.”
There’s no way I can explain any of this to her, because I don’t really know myself. What started out as a political move quickly turned into something more, and the wounded part of me who felt chosen and loved and then tossed aside like yesterday’s paper is terrified that maybe I see more of this relationship than Xavier does.
But I know what we have is real. There’s no explaining it; we just get each other in a way no one else ever has. He sees the darkest parts of me and doesn’t try to bring them into the light. He steps into the shadows and holds my hand, welcoming the night.
“There’s nothing I can say to make you see something that can only be felt,” I start. “But I can assure you, causing chaos in the city isn’t going to benefit the Malus family. Like you said, you’ve known them for years. While I’ll be the first to admit the way they do things can be a little unhinged, they like order and being in control.”
“She’s right,” Delphi says quietly.
Before we can delve deeper into it, a man walking by pauses at our table before continuing on. To anyone watching he looked like a guy debating to stop and flirt with us—then deciding against it. But I know better, and a chill runs through me as I sense the dark energy coming off of him.
“That man’s a demon,” I rush out and get to my feet. Seeing me stand, the man turns and bolts out of the bar, crashing into a table on his way. It overturns as patrons scream with shock.