Chapter 22

LYRA

"Come on, lovebirds. Rise and fucking shine."

Crashes sound from inside the house, as if a wild animal is loose. I hope they're not damaging things before I've even had a chance to look properly. The home is breathtaking, gothic on the outside, with arched windows and dark stone, and a warm inside. Or at least, what I've seen of it is, which has been limited to the bedroom and a small bathroom off to the side. My skin is hot, with Ryker's sleeping form draped over my body, his hand clasped around my neck. So possessive.

"I can hear your heart racing. Come on. I put the coffee on. Even bought your favorite syrup."

I try to move from under him, but he snarls, pulling me in even tighter. Without opening his eyes, his lip curls before hurling out a string of curses at Void. It's not something I have quite come to terms with yet, nor do I understand what the fuck happened. How I came to be in the presence of a cat who isn't actually a cat who relied on so heavily blows my mind.

"If we ignore her, she might leave," he whispers, sleepy eyes fluttering open to meet mine. What I see has me choking up, holding back tears threatening to escape. The way he looks at me, staring right down into my soul—it's not surface level; something much deeper swims in his dark eyes. He coached me through last night, tending to my body whenever it needed him, coaxing out a side of me otherwise dormant and frustrated.

"I heard that, mutt. Don't you dare hog the girl. Let her have her coffee so we can explore. There's so much room for activities!"

Ryker runs a hand down his face, huffing as he pulls me in for a hug. He's so warm and comforting. This is the side of him I remember, though there were a lot more clothes back then and less sexual tension. Not that I'm any better at reading his emotions, but his cock digging into my thigh indicates he's feeling just fine.

He gets up, his muscular back rippling as he stretches. The urge to bite into him pops into my mind, my small fangs peeking out from my lips. That's new. Throwing one of his black t-shirts at me, he points to the chest of drawers next to the bed. It's beautiful, ornate, covered in vanilla-scented candles.

"Top one, you should find your panties."

Pulling it open, I see many folded pairs, from red to black and everything in between. Lace, satin, cotton, even, all perfectly set into colored rows. I pick out a bright pink lace pair, shaking my head when I pull them up and they fit me perfectly.

"What, you think I didn't know what size you are? Baby, I know everything there is to know about you. Everything you will ever need is within these walls. This house was made with you in mind."

He approaches, his hand grazing my ass as he leans in to kiss me. It's hungry, consuming, and everything I need. The low throb through my core hurts a little, but I could go once more, regardless of the entire night being spent flowing in and out of sleep and sex. My body is well and truly spent in every way, but him kissing me like this has me needing more.

We walk out, hand in hand, to find Void at the counter with three cups of steaming coffee in front of her. It smells like heaven, strong and sweet, just how I like my coffee. I guess she would know. My hands clasp the mug, a moan slipping free as the first drop of life elixir hits my tongue.

"Hey now, none of that. We have much to discuss, and I don't want this caveman stealing my thunder and whisking you away."

Laughing, I sit on one of the black wooden stools, scooching it across the floor to close the gap. Her pointed features are stunning, regal, even, despite her wild black hair. Her fanged smile reaches her eyes as she looks at the two of us, Ryker now standing behind me with one hand on the back of my neck and the other holding his coffee.

"I have a lot of questions," I breathe, casting my eyes down. "I don't even know where to start."

"Void here was hired to ensure you were safe, even when I was unable to be there. She lived in the apartment beside yours when you were asleep or at work but otherwise existed as the fluffy black bitch that shat in your kitty litter."

She swats a clawed hand at him, malice flashing across her features that quickly softens. These two seem like siblings almost; not like Ryker and me, but more in the typical sense. Fighting, baiting eachother. Warmth that has no lust attached at all and is portrayed with a kind of violence.

"What he means to say is that at first, yes, I was hired help. But as I got to know you, I stayed because I wanted to. Never once did I spy when you didn't need me around, and I assure you, my eyes were averted when you got changed. This asshole would have ripped my eyes out if he ever thought there was ill intent."

The more they spoke, the more it all made sense. I should be pissed off, annoyed at the invasion of privacy, but without Void, I wouldn't have made it through my darkest days. I wouldn't be here with the people who matter most.

"She was thoroughly vetted and approved by your father as well. So was I, to a point. When I arrived in Hell after you escaped, he took me in knowing exactly who I was. I was trained, shaped into the perfect tool for his arsenal—except he didn't take into account that we're mates." He leans down, kissing the back of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.

"But why didn't you reach out earlier? I would have come with you." I feel vulnerable in this moment, not knowing if I want to hear the answer. There is zero doubt in my mind that if he had come to me even weeks after I escaped and asked me to go with him to the depths of hell, I would have. He has always felt like the missing piece for me; I'm incomplete without him. This mate thing he keeps throwing around makes a lot of sense.

"Because you needed to live, and I would have been kept far the fuck away from you until it was your time. There are rules down here—rules that apply to non-royals, anyway. Those pricks get away with anything. But we can only reveal our true forms to humans in extraneous circumstances, and usually, those humans end up dead. Your soul was never tainted enough to come here, so it needed to happen at the right time."

We sit in silence for minutes as I let it all sink in, my mind a mess of thoughts all tangled into one. It would be a lot for anyone to take in. Ryker's hand draws circles on my lower back, his scent calming me. The smokey smell infiltrates my senses, bringing my mind back to a place where I can think a little clearer.

"What if we take you somewhere reasonably safe, show you what this place has to offer? It's not all bad, no worse than up there. You're less likely to get hurt here; they have the trash demons for that, like your stepfather and mother for example. Man will be stripped of his flesh and veins like a big ole' spaghetti squash."

My eyes widen at the visual she gives, darting between her and Ryker. He pretends to be mad, but the small quirk of his lips gives it away. I should be taking this slow, easing into my new life, but her idea does sound tempting.

"Wait— mother ?" The word finally registers after a second; she was alive that night. Not in the house, or so I thought. "Did we kill her in the fire?"

"No, we didn't. She tried to sneak out and ran into Markus. First time he had seen her since her and my dad killed him and he may or may not have snapped. Two souls for the price of one," Ryker laughs, watching me warily.

I am aware there should be some emotion at the news, some sadness that she's dead, but nothing comes. A small grin creeps across my mouth, one I have absolutely no control over. I have felt different, more at ease, since leaving Grimm's throne room. My emotions are much more level since Ryker teased my demon side out. Every bit of pain and anguish within my body has vanished, leaving my mind more at ease than it has ever been.

Rykers hands run down the sides of my dress as I stand in front of the mirror, gripping where my hips round out. His sharp teeth nip at the side of my neck as he gazes appreciatively at my reflection. The dress clings to me, something I never in my wildest dreams would have picked for myself. It's black, hitting the ground with a slit up one thigh. My chest fills out the top perfectly, just enough that I'm not spilling out.

The way he's dressed makes me want to stay home—black ripped jeans and a t-shirt, lazily laced combat boots on his feet. He looks sinful in the best possible way.

"You look perfect," he whispers in my ear as he leads me out to the lounge. Void is there with my father, the two of them bantering back and forth about this club we're going to. It's apparently owned by two vampires, twins. Who are together.

We all walk together, and I'm silent, taking in the moment as much as I can. I'm still in utter disbelief that my father is here, the man I had lost fifteen years ago. Then there's Void, my friend who days ago was a cat I patted as I went to sleep, and Ryker, my missing piece.

Weaving in and out of charred trees, we approach a giant, gothic-style building with big, red doors. I can feel the music thumping, each drop of the bass vibrating right through me. A sweet taste floods my tongue, confusing the hell out of me.

"That's the lust and debauchery coming from in there. It means you are slowly learning how to siphon," my father says, throwing his arm around my shoulders and pulling me in for a side hug. Ryker snarls from beside me, but it tampers down quickly when I shoot him a look.

We walk straight through the double doors without waiting in line, bypassing the two security guards. They don't so much as look in our direction. I'm in absolute awe of what I see when we step through: demons everywhere, each completely different than the next. The dark red neon around the base of the room is the only light, giving the space a smokey ambiance. A few of them look in our direction, inhaling deeply with their intense stares.

The crowd parts, with a man and woman walking down the middle of the club. Well, he's walking. She's kind of skipping with a grin on her face. Large fangs are the first things I see, plus dark spindles around their honey-colored eyes. They are both beautiful; everyone down here seems to be.

"Oh, isn't she pretty, Alexander? Look at her hair!" the woman squeals, hurrying to take my hand in hers. She's cold to the touch, sending a chill down my spine. "It's okay. You are safe here. Come on up to the VIP; let's get a drink in you."

Ryker and Void are both scowling at the woman, but my dad seems to find her amusing, his smile reaching his eyes. We follow anyway, up a winding staircase with iron balustrades to a platform much higher than everyone else. Large hellhounds are at the bottom of the stairs, two demons manning the top.

"Apologies about my sister. She isn't used to newbies, especially one so fresh. Most of the time, they run riot in the pits and spend their time beating the shit out of each other or fucking themselves with anything that sniffs their way. You, however, are different." The man she called Alexander nods, walking off to the bar to help himself.

Ryker sits on a large Chesterfield sofa right in front of the balustrade, one with a perfect view of the demons below. Pulling me down onto his lap, he wraps his hands around my middle, holding me close. Everyone around us is making a fuss, my dad laughing, Void yelling at the bar person. The two ethereal-looking beings who dragged us up here are looking into the other's eyes with wide grins.

This may all be new to me, but this feels like home. My home. Where I was always meant to be.

The End.