Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

LET'S NOT TEMPT FATE ANY MORE RIGHT NOW.

T rux flexed his fists as his gaze danced over me. He looked into my soul, leaving me feeling raw. Rhiot holding me against his chest gave me strength, against what, I wasn't sure.

"Look," Trux said gruffly, "the government wants you on Supernatural Team 3. They're interested in your demon powers." He paused, giving me a stern look. "After what happened, we don't have much bargaining power."

My chest tightened at his words. The thought of joining forces with the very people who threatened to bind my powers to non-existent made bile rise in my throat. "How can you ask me to trust them? Mr. Smith already tried to blackmail me. What if they use my powers for something evil?"

"Never trust any of them. Ever. Smith isn't to be trusted and Brantson is a bastard who should've never been allowed anywhere near our team. He's a cruel, cold manipulator with no compunctions." Trux replied, his jaw clenching with anger. "But we don't have a choice right now. Since you burned down their primary training facility, we'll be able to negotiate some things, but not the overall terms. They would try to destroy us, and while we have some resources they don't know about, we wouldn't last forever when they sent the other supernatural teams after us."

Rhiot trailed his fingers over my arm, soothing me with the simple touch. "We have enough enemies and things to fight right now. The military and government are the last things we need to add on top of it."

"Like the demon inside me?" I muttered. A flicker of darkness passed over Trux's face, but he didn't answer my question.

"Listen, I know it's hard to work with the government after what Smith did," Rhiot said softly, leaning closer until I felt the warmth radiating from his body. "But we'll be there with you every step of the way, Parker. You won't be alone. We won't let anything bad happen."

I swallowed hard, fighting against the urge to lean more into Rhiot's embrace. His presence was both comforting and electrifying, making it difficult to focus on the gravity of the situation. Stupid lust demon urges trying to make everything sexual.

"I'm just scared." I admitted, taking a deep breath. "Honestly, I don't want to be used as some weapon by people who don't care about me. Especially after they tried to bind my powers against my will."

"Neither do we." Trux met my eyes with a fierce intensity. "But we have to play their game for now if we want to protect you and ourselves."

"Trux is right." Rhiot added, his voice gentle and reassuring. "We'll navigate these waters together. We've got your back."

I looked into Rhiot's eyes, searching for any sign of doubt or hesitation. All I saw was unwavering loyalty and determination, a promise that he would be there for me no matter what happened.

"Okay." I breathed, feeling the weight of my decision settle on my shoulders.

My heart raced with anxiety, but also with the knowledge that I wasn't alone in this battle. I had Rhiot, Trux, and the others by my side. And together, we would face whatever challenges lay ahead. Even if they involved my unpredictable powers and two demons who were bound to me appearing at the worst moments.

"Thank you." I curled further into his chest, cozy that he made me feel tiny with his large frame.

He smiled at me, his emotions washing over me through the mating bond. "Let's just focus on getting you stronger and more in control of your powers for now." Rhiot playfully nudged me with his shoulder.

"Alright." I agreed, my voice steadier than before. "Let's play their game and get ready for whatever comes next."

The air in the room grew heavy with the weight of our decision. I glanced around at the faces of my team, my Tsigos, each etched with concern and determination, and my heart tightened in my chest. These people had become my family, and I couldn't imagine walking away from them now. I couldn't even think about it.

Trux nodded gravely, his jaw set in a hard line. "We have to be smart about this. First, we gather intel on the government's true intentions and the potential risks involved before making any concrete decisions or agreeing to anything they put forward."

"Good idea." Seph chimed in, her hazel gaze never leaving me. "We can't jump into anything blindly."

"I know we can't just walk away from this yet. How do we get more info about this without making it blatantly obvious what we're doing?"

"Exactly." Grayson agreed. "We need to know what we're up against."

"I'm so glad you all agree with me." Trux bit out, a hint of sarcasm in his tone as he ran a hand through his tousled hair. "We'll do some digging, find out everything we can about their plans for Supernatural Team 3, and then decide how to proceed."

As we hashed out our plan, I felt the energy in the room shift, the tension giving way to a sense of unity and purpose. Each of them had contacts and friends they wanted to reach out to for info. My fingers twisted the hem of my shirt as I realized I didn't have anything to do that would help.

Rhiot ran his fingers through my hair, gently guiding me to look at him. He flashed a smile, one that held both sarcasm and warmth. "You know," he said, "we should focus on getting your powers under control. Especially that demon fire you used. It would be a perfect motivator for negotiations. And your little companions. Those would give you the perfect hand up."

A soft chuckle escaped my lips, despite the tension still lingering in the room. "No argument there." I admitted, feeling a slight blush spread across my cheeks. "I could definitely use some help with that."

"Then let's make it a priority." Rhiot continued, guiding me off his lap as he stood from the couch. "We can all work together on your skills while we wait for the others to dig up some details before we call Smith."

"Good. Holler when you're ready." Seph added as she reached up to tickle Ryker, who was still in his raccoon form and had resumed his perch on her shoulder. "I'm going to talk to Ryker and see if I can calm him down so he'll shift back." She didn't hesitate as she nodded to us, then strolled down the hallway.

Grayson cracked his knuckles. "We'll wipe the floor with them." His voice as firm as winked at me, then returned his attention to the table between him and Kearan.

With a nod, Kearan agreed before he also returned his attention to the table.

I briefly noted the strange, oversized cards on the table between the two men. While they sparked my curiosity, I didn't let it distract me. Right now, getting a modicum of control of my demon powers was my primary focus.

"Then let's get started." I declared, my eyes locked on Rhiot's. "We have work to do."

Rhiot wrapped his arms around me, his hands taking a hold of mine as he pulled me close. His body pressed against mine, warmth radiating from him. Rhiot's voice was gentle as he spoke softly in my ear while guiding me through a simple meditation. My mind drifted to a place of stillness as I focused on the warmth and the safety of his embrace.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sensation of his embrace, letting it ground me as I willed the fire to spark within my palm. Gradually, I felt a heat grow, slowly but surely intensifying until finally, I opened my eyes to a tiny flame danced between my fingers. It was the size of a small match.

The flames that I had summoned before at the facility came into focus. I felt its power coursing through me, and a part of me wanted nothing more than to release it again. But Rhiot's calming presence reminded me not to succumb to my impulse, so instead, I tried something new. I coaxed the small flame in the palm of my right hand to grow larger. At first, it was jittery and unstable, but with each passing second, it grew stronger. Eventually, it formed into a small flame no bigger than the size of my thumb.

Its heat caressed my skin, energizing me with its power. Suddenly, I felt an intense sense of euphoria rush through my veins as I realized I had made actual progress in mastering my powers. I beamed with pride and happiness as Rhiot rewarded me with an affectionate squeeze around the waist.

"That's it." Rhiot said with admiration in his voice. "You've got it." He applauded softly as he kissed the side of my neck.

Encouraged by his praise, I continued to practice with the flame for several more minutes, making it twist and move.

"That is absolutely amazing. Soon you'll be able to do much more than this."

I nodded confidently, silently pleased with myself.

"Let's not tempt fate any more right now." Then he took hold of both of my hands before blowing out the flame between our palms, signifying that this lesson was over for now.

My excitement disappeared as a concussive blast exploded out of the now gone flame, throwing me into Rhiot. We both flew backward several feet before crashing onto the table between Grayson and Kearan.