Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

DON'T WORRY, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN YOUR DISGUSTING HALF-brEED FLING.

T he sound that emanated from Rhiot was far from human. It was a low, guttural snarl that seemed to roll up from the depths of his chest, reverberating against the walls of the room and sending a chill down my spine.

It was terrifying... or it would have been if he had aimed it at me. Instead, his snarl was directed at Evelyn, who had been trying to approach him to calm him.

Every muscle in his body shivered with anticipation. He stepped closer to Evelyn, his entire body ready to spring in attack. "Back off," he growled, his words laced with a threat.

"How dare?—"

"I will kill you." Rhiot didn't bother to say more. We all knew he would do exactly that.

"Don't think this is over." Evelyn hesitated for a moment before scowling and storming away. She retreated to the room at the end of the corridor.

Rhiot watched her, staring at where she disappeared for several minutes until he was sure she wasn't coming back. Finally, the snarl softened and his body relaxed a fraction. The sound of Rhiot's snarl still echoed through my head, and I knew that it was a warning I wouldn't soon forget.

Rhiot turned to face me, his eyes searching my face, as if ensuring I was uninjured. His gaze washed over me like a gentle caress, and it felt like he had seen more than just the physical damage that Evelyn had caused. He pulled me against him, murmuring reassurances and apologies. As his strong arms closed around me, I felt a wave of comfort wash over me like a balm.

He held me close to his chest, his heartbeat echoing in my ears and providing an anchor amidst the chaos surrounding us. His arms were comforting, and though I was still afraid, there was something about being in his embrace that made it all easier to bear.

I wanted to stay there forever, but eventually he pulled away and looked deep into my eyes. The intensity of his gaze took my breath away; it seemed like he could see everything inside me - the fear intertwined with the strength I knew I possessed - and saw it for what it was. He gave me a small smile before pressing his lips lightly against my forehead in silent comfort before he scooped me into his arms.

"How did you know?" I buried my face into his shoulder, loving how warm he felt as he held me.

"I'd always know if you needed me."

"Was it something I did?"

Rhiot looked at me, his eyes softening with concern. "When Cerbie came to life, I felt something was wrong. Trux sensed your distress too." Rhiot admitted, his gaze flicking away from mine for a moment before returning with renewed intensity. "He couldn't come to check on you himself because he's dealing with some... political issues among the staff."

"Political issues?" I frowned, feeling a shiver of unease crawl down my spine. "What kind of issues?"

"Nothing that concerns you right now," Rhiot dismissed, his tone firm but not unkind. "Just know that we're all here for you, Parker. We'll figure this out together."

"Thank you." I whispered, the weight of his protection settling over me like a comforting embrace.

He nodded, his jaw clenched tight. "We need to be careful, Parker. There's something not right about this place, and I don't trust Evelyn or anyone else who works here. You shouldn't either."

"I don't, but I couldn't let them hurt Ryker." I admitted, my heart pounding erratically in my chest. Cerbie's energy swirling around me, a constant reminder of the danger we faced and the lengths he would go to protect me.

As we rounded a corner, the cold stares of several staff members met us. They stood tall and imposing in their dark uniforms, their eyes narrowed and lips curled into sneers. Though they didn't speak, their contempt was clear... I felt it radiating off them like a suffocating wave of heat.

"Looks like we're making friends already," I muttered under my breath, trying to sound casual even as my heart hammered against my ribs.

"Let them stare." Rhiot growled quietly, his body tensing beside me as if preparing for a fight. "They don't know what we're capable of."

One of the staff members, an older woman with a pinched face and sharp eyes, stepped forward, her voice dripping with disdain. "So this is the half-breed demon we've heard so much about," she sneered, her gaze raking over me like icy talons. "You don't look like much."

"Neither do you," I shot back, my temper flaring despite the fear that clenched at my stomach.

"Back off." Rhiot snapped, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the air. "Don't start shit you can't finish, Greene."

She glared at him, but didn't say anything else.

Rhiot's eyes narrowed dangerously as he studied the sneering staff members, their malicious whispers growing louder. I felt the tension radiating off him, a palpable energy that seemed to crackle in the air around us.

He set me on my feet, using an arm to guide me behind him. His hand clenched into a tight fist, his knuckles turning white as he fought to maintain control.

"Listen up," Rhiot snarled, his voice low and menacing. "If any of you lay a finger on Parker or any member of my team, you'll have me to answer to. And trust me, you don't want that."

Their mocking laughter died down, replaced by a silence as they stared at Rhiot, clearly unnerved by his threat. For a moment, I dared to hope that they would back down, that they would leave us alone.

But then one of them, a tall, broad-shouldered man with cruel eyes, stepped forward, his lips curled into a sinister smile. "You think you're so tough, don't you?" he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "Just because you're some bigshot shifter, you think you can scare us?"

Rhiot didn't flinch, didn't back down. Instead, he took a step toward the man, his gaze never wavering. "I don't need to scare you, Carter." Rhiot replied coldly. "I just need to make it clear that if you hurt Parker, I will tear you apart. Limb from limb. And no one in this nightmare of a facility will be able to save you."

The man's eyes flicked to me for a brief second, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as I met his icy stare. But then he looked back at Rhiot, his expression unreadable. "You never know when an accident might happen." Carter finally muttered, taking a step back. "Don't worry, we're not interested in your disgusting half-breed fling. We won't touch her. But don't think this means we're afraid of you, shifter."

As he turned and stalked away, the other staff members following in his wake, I couldn't help but exhale in relief.

"Are you okay?" Rhiot asked, his voice softer now as he turned to me.

I nodded, trying to push away the lingering fear that still clung to me like a dark cloud. "Yeah," I managed to say. "Thanks to you."

He offered me a small, reassuring smile, but I could see the worry in his eyes... The same worry that gnawed at my own heart, reminding me just how precarious our situation truly was.

"Come on," he said, placing a gentle hand on my back as he guided me down the corridor. "Let's get out of here before they decide to do something fatal."

As we continued deeper into the facility, the echo of their mocking laughter still ringing in my ears, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. I knew coming back here would be hard.

"Why do they hate me so much?" I finally murmured as we neared the sleeping quarters I was beginning to recognize. It felt like a silly question... after all, what did it matter why they disliked me? The point was that they did. And they wouldn't ever let me forget it.

Rhiot's expression softened as he stepped closer to me and cradled my face in his hands. "It's not you, Parker." He said, his voice low and gentle. "It's their fear and ignorance that makes them hate what they don't understand. They see you as a threat because you're different. But to me, to all of your Tsigos, you're perfect just the way you are."

I felt my heart swell with emotion at his words, and I leaned into his touch, grateful for his unwavering support. "Thank you," I whispered. He leaned in, pressing his lips to mine in a soft, tender kiss that made my heart skip a beat.

In that moment, everything else faded away, and I was lost in the warmth and safety of his embrace. But as we pulled away, reality came crashing back down upon us.

I was the reason they were here... why we had to return and couldn't just run away from the lot of them.

"Let's get you settled while I check in with Trux." Rhiot said, taking my hand in his and leading me down the hall. We'd reached a point where I knew exactly where we were going, but I still wasn't sure what would happen when we got there.

Once I stepped inside, Rhiot smiled at me one last time before walking off down the hall, leaving me alone in the small, less than inviting space. No feeling of safety came over me as soon as I was inside my room. Unsure what to do with myself, I plopped onto the bed, draping my arm over my eyes as I focused on breathing. The worst thing I could do right now was let my thoughts run wild with speculation and worry. Or my demon powers.

But several minutes later, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Rhiot's footsteps. He entered the room soon after, a small smile on his lips. "Not sure they'll survive the rampage Trux is on."

I let my arm drop onto my chest as I lifted my head to look up at him. "Shouldn't you be with him, then?"

"Nah. Besides, he ordered me to stay with you." He took a seat next to me on the bed while his index finger danced between us. "You're part demon and I'm a demonologist... uncontrollable powers. You know."

A wave pulsed through me, suddenly filling the surrounding room with pheromones. My body responded immediately. From the rapidly growing erection in his pants, he noticed it, too.

This was bad... very, very bad.

The atmosphere between us was electric with anticipation, and I fixed him with a piercing stare. His eyes held mine in a vice-like grip as we sat frozen in time, and for a moment I thought the tension would tear us apart... we'd tear each other's clothes off from the sudden need. But neither of us moved, yet.