by M F Adele
“We don’t have horse shifters.” Briggs cut in sounding very offended. “Shifters are predators, Vaughn. Wolves, large felines, bears, occasionally a snake... you know? Meat eaters. Not fucking horses.”
“We do,” Stone announced so quietly that I thought I was hearing things, and he looked a little pasty too. I’d never seen Stone any color except that pretty, light caramel color that made him pass as Asian, or the pitch black color of his demon skin. His demon skin was so black that most of the time I couldn’t see him in the dark with my night vision. It was like his demon form sucked up all the light around him. He didn’t change forms very often. He did when he went to Hell though. Sorry, the Underworld, or whatever. Hell is the capital. They could call it Cincinnati and I still wouldn’t give a fuck.
Before Briggs could dispute him, Stone rolled on. Ha. I kill myself with puns sometimes. “We have one, and he is a predator. He’s a massive steed. Darker than even me. He leaves a trail of smoke when he moves and he can travel through shadows. His eyes reflect hellfire. He had a son, but no one has seen either of them in decades. Some people say they’re both dead, some say he ran after plotting to overthrow the Devil, others say he went missing just like Samuel's mate. No one knows.”
Stone was killing me with all the talking today. At this rate, he won’t say another word for two weeks. It didn’t surprise me that the Demon had that kind of information though. He was a quiet, sneaky fucker, and people never knew when he was listening to them. I thought he’d make a great spy. That’s what they do, right? Palmer though, he’d been oddly quiet. I bet he was taking notes in his mind about what was being said, all while planning out the Fae’s burial before the biggest predator in all the realms could kill him. It was kind of funny, kind of not. I think I want to meet her.
“Okay,” Vaughn interjected slowly and nodded his head. “That sounds like Jack. He’s also very... nice.” He shrugged his shoulders. I could tell that he didn’t know what to think. We were blowing his godsdamn mind. He got up yesterday morning to go to work, met his mate, met a mythological demon, had a lunatic try to kill him, and then found out we all knew shit we had been keeping from him. He was going to need a stiff drink and a long nap after all that shit.
Stone just laughed. It started out low and then grew louder until it was a deep, hysterical, belly laugh. It’s caught us all off guard. All four of us were staring at him. I didn’t think I’d ever heard him laugh quite like that. It was as if he thought Vaughn was going mad. And it’s also a little scary, if I may say so. I could understand why he was laughing though. He told Vaughn tales of two creatures; one an unheard of supernatural cocktail and the second a possible myth. Vaughn’s like “yeah, they’re nice.” Anyway. I want to fucking meet her.
“You should call her,” I advised Vaughn as I sat in the chair to the left of him. I watched him for a moment before waggling my eyebrows. “She sounds like fun.”
“Jack said to wait until Sunday night.” He shrugged a shoulder again and I rolled my eyes. When did he ever listen to anyone? He barely even listened to what we said. If we told him not to call her he’d already have the phone to his ear, whispering sweet nothings to her. Fucking Fae.
“Call ‘er. Text ‘er. Send ‘er a fuckin note with the wind. Whatever ya do.” Palmer waved his hand at Vaughn. “I want ta meet ‘er.” Palmer surprised the shit out of me sometimes with his eager, scholarly mind. Like right now. He started connecting the dots. He didn’t want to meet her, he wanted to examine her. With her clothes on. He is such a bore.
Fucking hell. There went my dick, thinking for my brain again. It wasn’t wrong this time though. This time my dick was very, very right. Think away, good sir, think away. We’re gonna be meeting our mate soon. Right. I needed to stop talking to my dick before I meet her. Probably.
Vaughn sighed for the thirty-fifth time this morning. He looked to Briggs and Stone for answers and they nodded their heads in agreement with Palmer and me. He should call her. If she was part vampire then I doubted she slept. It’s not like he’d be waking her up. He’s just stalling. The puss. “Do it and stop being a bag of dicks!” I barely contained the shouted words, but I wasn’t mad. Quite the opposite actually. I grinned extra big at him, flashing my teeth, fangs, and dimples. He glared at me.
“Fine.” The word was clipped and dripping in sarcasm. It was like we’d twisted his arm or something. If he doesn’t want to call her then I will. He grumbled under his breath all the way to his room and came back with his cell. “I’ll text her first. Then, maybe, I’ll send a note with the wind.” He rolled his baby blue eyes at Palmer, who just smirked back at him. Palmer was a legit genius, but he was also a smart ass. He knew how to push each one of our buttons. I loved him for it, but I hated him when he pushed my own.
I got up from my chair to stand behind Vaughn, reading the texts from the number we assumed was her. I liked the elegant way her texts read and the fact that she didn’t misspell her words or shorten them. She said he should’ve kissed her this morning, and I damn well agreed. Even though I wasn’t there. I’d have kissed her. Probably done more. Forget probably. I definitely would have.
“Sloane?” By the Devil. Why had no one ever taught him how to pick up a woman? That’s just ridiculous. That single text nearly brought saddened tears to my eyes.
She texted back almost immediately, and I couldn’t decide if she knew it was coming or just had her phone in her hand. I scratched my chin while I debated with myself about it. That was an interesting thought to unpack later. I wouldn’t point it out yet.
Sloane: “Jack said you guys took care of Caplin. They took him to the drunk tank to sit for the day. I hope he didn’t get any shots off. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you before. I thought he was coming after me, not you.”
Vaughn: “Are you busy today? We need to talk about Caplin. I can meet you somewhere, but I’d rather not wait until Monday to talk about it. The offices at CBP are bugged.”
Oh gods. I groaned as I bit my knuckles. Why didn’t he thank her? Acknowledge her help. Make her feel useful. Oh right. He was fae. He didn’t thank anyone. I wondered if she knew that.
Sloane: “Not anymore. I had the whole facility swept last night. And no, I’m not busy today. Jack and I are having brunch then training. You guys can head over. Tell the nosey Vampire not to look through my phone though. And let the Shifter know that I won’t kill him unless I have to. (Winking emoji)”
Sloane: “13648 Reignwood Drive”
Vaughn: “(laughing emoji) I’ll let them know. See you in an hour?”
Sloane: “Sure. Hit the intercom when you get to the gate. Franklin will let you in. Park in the front by Jack’s car and follow the right side path to the back. The hounds will be waiting to escort you. They’re big, but very sweet.”
“Well, that’s troublesome.” I smirked to myself. “How would she know I was reading your texts?” That made me curious. Also, I was now wondering what was in her phone. Probably nudes. Godsdamnit. I hope so.
“I don’t know, but she said guys, so she knows that we’re all sitting here. And she said to stay away from her phone, so stay away from it, Novak.” He gave me a pointed look and I raised my hands in surrender. I didn’t want to piss her off, but I did want to see her nudes. Or, maybe just her nude. Actually, that would work best for me.
“Also, Briggs, she said she won’t kill you unless she has to. I haven’t the slightest clue what that means, but I think that was her way of trying to ease your nerves. Maybe leave the alpha posturing for another day.” Vaughn handed his phone to the guys to let them read the conversation, and another text came in. They bounced their gazes between each other and passed it back for Vaughn and I to read.
Sloane: “So nosey boys. Do you share everything?”
Oh, I fucking like her.
I was a shameless flirt. Some would even call me a player... but I definitely knew when a female was hitting on a male. Uhm, a group of males? I scratched the back of my neck and chuckled.
“I think we’ve met our match, guys.”
Sloane
Saturday Late Morning
“Jack,” I called out as I maneuvered through the chairs on my patio, “I want to be mad at you for giving him my number, but honestly, I’m not.”
Jack laughed low as he sat down. “Can you repeat that?”
“Seriously, Jack.” I glared at him. “I like him. His friends seem nice. Nosey, but nice. They’re on their way over.” Which freaked me out a bit. Jack and Grim were the only people who ever came to my house. I’d never invited other guests over. Except one. The fucking Druid.
Franklin arrived outside with food and beverages, seemingly ignoring us as we talked. He had a way of being so silent that sometimes I didn’t even notice him. Not in a “you’re my staff” sort of way, but more like he projected an “I didn’t want you to notice me so you won’t” sort of vibe. I often wondered if he was an assassin before my parents assigned him to me. I'd never asked him, but it would make sense. When I was thirteen he started teaching Jack and I how to use an array of weapons. He still corrects us when we practice with them.
“Franklin, I have visitors coming over. They should be here within the hour. They’ll park out front and join us on the patio. Please send the hounds to me if you see them. I’d like to warn them of our guests too.” He stared at me for a solid minute with his eyebrows raised to his salt and pepper hairline. Then, he grinned down at me and patted my shoulder, like he knew something I didn’t, and hustled away to bring more plates. Sometimes I thought the old male was more than just a vampire. Other times, I was pretty sure my parents told him things they didn't want me to know yet.
Atlas, Cronus, and Helios came bounding up the path a few minutes later. They held the appearance of English Mastiffs, except maybe a 100 pounds heavier. Father always said they resembled the breed from hundreds of years ago, like they were ready for the frontlines of war or lion hunting. I may or may not have had special armor made for them in the case of... an emergency. Really, I bought it because I knew they would look badass covered in it when they were on fire. The armor was made specifically for them by a friend in Stars, and it stayed on their true forms. It couldn’t be seen when they looked like regular-ish dogs.
They barked, nipped, and bumped into each other as they made their way to me. I found myself smiling at their playfulness. I mean, they were cute and deadly, but still so super cute. It was my favorite mix of adjectives when describing them. Cute and deadly. Just like me. They really did look like regular dogs from a distance. The remarks were pretty easy to say whenever someone was nearby and didn’t understand what they truly were. They usually stayed far enough back that people didn’t have a chance to notice their true size.
They weren’t regular dogs by any means though, not at all. They were hellhounds, gifted to me by my Papi as pups. I’d had them for a little over six years, but they didn’t age like dogs. they’d be with me until I died. That was their level of devotion. I loved them dearly too, but I loathed their diet. The woodland creatures around my home probably didn’t care for them either. I hadn’t seen any deer, squirrels, or rabbits here in... ever. Just the half chewed bones when I ran the wooden paths around my property.
Atlas trotted over and laid his head on my left shoulder, leaning his body weight into me. He was the sweetest of the three and was always laid back unless he sensed a threat. I rested my head against the right side of his face and rubbed my left hand down his neck. He loved affection. When he was done with my attention he headed to Jack. Jack never gave him more than a few strokes to the head. He didn’t care for my hounds after being my roommate for several years. Jack and Cronus had a sticky relationship.
Cronus was extremely overprotective and liked to herd me from my car to the front door. It was annoyingly adorable. He waited by the gate when it was time for me to get home. He patrolled the grounds like a good watch dog. If he, and Atlas, would stop chasing bees I thought I might love them even more. When they got stung it fucked with the glamor that was layered on top of their true forms. The swelling distorted the illusion that disguised them, making them look very displeasing to the eye. Fun fact: giving hellhounds antihistamine is like feeding them cocaine. They go nuts and tear everything apart.
Helios had a fiery personality, hence his name. He was an irritable, growly beast who watched over everything but still loved a good ear scratch. He was a tiny bit temperamental with everyone, except me. Okay, a large bit. I was the head bitch of our pack, so he didn’t do more than simply test my patience. He wouldn’t dare bite the hand that scratched his ears.
I touched each one of them in the center of their heads and sent them blurry images of my visitors so they knew not to attack. I couldn’t see all the males clearly yet, but the idea was that they shouldn’t defend against the group of five. I swear Cronus lifted an eyebrow at me when he understood what I was implying. Rotten hound. I’ve been getting too many of these curious looks lately.
“Cronus,” I warned slowly, “Don’t look at me like that. These are my guests and I want you three to escort them to me when they arrive. Please be nice.” I turned hard eyes to my troublemaker, “Helios, don’t growl at them. I told them you were sweet. We won’t be letting them know that you guys are hellhounds, is that understood?”
Helios huffed smoke from his nostrils but inclined his nose to let me know he comprehended my request. He was the only one I ever worried about not following instructions. Cronus and Atlas would follow them exactly. Atlas licked my cheek as the three trotted off to wait by the gate, looking to anyone else like well trained dogs. I had a feeling Helios was going to be a dick though. It’s just his personality. I was sure before my guests left I’d have to explain why my “dog” has a fire tipped tail or why smoke was pouring from his nose. Should be a fun conversation. Insert heavy sarcasm here.
“I can’t believe you: A) trained hellhounds and B) let him lick you. That’s gross, Lo. Do you know what they eat?” Jack constantly gave me shit about my boys. Always has, always will.
“They are my babies, Jack,” I told him for the millionth time. “Those hellhounds don’t run around looking for ass and they feed themselves. They even have a bedroom.” I raised my hand before he could interrupt me. “I know, I know. I spoil them.” I rolled my eyes. “But I don’t regret it. They are loyal to no one except me. They’ll protect me with their lives. Literally. No questions asked, and they expect nothing in return except a good belly scratch.” Who needed a man when I had a thousand pounds of extra warm, cuddly hellhounds in disguise. Me. I need company that talks. Preferably of the sexy male variety. Please and thanks.
I felt like I’d rolled my eyes more in the last few days than I had in my entire life. That shit was getting out of hand. Papi used to tell me they were going to get stuck in the back of my head one day, and that terrified me. Still did. Then Dad laughed at me for that being the one thing that would scare me. I’m a little vain, sue me. I would not look sexy with my eyes permanently viewing the front of my brain. Also, I get that isn’t how it works, but it’s what I imagine.
Jack and I chatted about training while we ate, or he ate. I wasn’t really hungry for food. I drank a mimosa with a shot of blood added to it. It sounds nasty, I know. Orange juice and blood? It wasn’t that bad. The champagne made it better. It had been a few days since I’d fed. The ounce of blood in my glass would hold me for a week. I didn’t need nearly as much blood as a pure vampire. I still had to eat regular food too. You know, to keep the rest of my body running. If I was being honest with myself, I just wasn’t hungry because I was a little nervous about Vaughn and his friends coming over.
I knew they were heading this way. I felt that thread pulling tighter and tighter with every minute that ticked by. Fuck me. I needed to do something active before I started thinking about all the nasty shit that had been floating around in the back of my mind. That feeling had basically reduced me back to a horny teenager with nothing better to do than think a
bout sex. It was time to fight.
Jack planned today’s workout routine while finishing our brunch, and headed to the grass for a swift stretch. We were about 20 minutes into our match when I heard the gates open. My nerves began to ramp up when I spotted a vehicle coming down the drive. I caught a glimpse of a sleek, black SUV before it was out of sight again. Five new people were in my territory. It made me feel both giddy and uneasy. I was being ridiculous, but I never invited people to my house. Especially people I hadn’t met before. It was a big space to occupy by myself, but I was a private sort of person and I liked it that way.
Jack was in his shifted form and took my distraction as the choice opportunity to ambush me. The large horse came barreling in, long legs eating the distance I had put between us moments ago.
Just as he was about to use his head to knock me across the yard, I stepped to the side and gave his ass a hard slap. He turned to huff smoke in my face. It was an unfair advantage against me but most fights were like that. I crouched down to make myself a smaller target. I couldn’t see through the thick, sooty smoke. I could feel him moving though.
I heard his light steps flatten the blades of grass as I focused solely on him. His heartbeat was slow and even, his breaths deep and steady. When I knew he was close enough, I jumped up to wrap my arms and legs around the underside of his neck.
He let out what should be considered a whinny — if it weren’t so deep and guttural — and threw his massive head around to dislodge me. Flames shot from his nostrils in his frustration, but I wouldn’t let go. He should know that by now. He never did account for my stubbornness. He swung his head from right to left trying to sling me off. I anticipated the next swing to the right, and then used the momentum to launch myself onto the top side of his neck. I grabbed a fistful of his mane in the process, and waited for him to throw his head again.