Chapter 7

W aking up to the smell of freshly ground coffee brings a sleepy smile to my face as I sit up in bed, looking around to see I'm the only one in it. I frown and climb out of the bed before shuffling to the wardrobe and throw on some clean underwear, jeans, and a light blue jumper. Pushing open the bedroom door, I follow the scent of coffee. Walking downstairs, I try and scent who's in the house, but I struggle to pick any particular scent out over the strong smell of brewing coffee. As I enter the kitchen, I smile when I see a shirtless Killian at the stove, wearing only a low-slung pair of jeans as he cooks. My wolf stirs within me at the sight of our mate, and I watch in silence, enjoying the show as his muscles across his back bunch as he adds something to the pan.

"Are you going to come say hello, or just continue to stare at me?" he inquires, but the small smile he flashes me over his shoulder takes any sting out of his words. Thoroughly caught out, I chuckle and walk farther into the kitchen, grabbing my favourite mug, which is full to the brim with coffee, as I move closer to the stove to see what he's cooking.

"Guilty," I mutter, inhaling the scent of the coffee as I nurse the mug between my hands. "I didn't know you could cook."

"I was an alpha, remember? That involved providing for my pack, and cooking is an aspect of that. My mother taught me," he replies, unusually chatty as he focuses on his task.

"What was she like?" I press, deciding to make the most of his open mood while I sip at my coffee, savouring the bittersweet flavour of the drink. Killian stills, going silent, and for a moment, I think I've pushed him too far.

"My mother was a very loving, very open person, the complete opposite of me. She was over the moon when I mated with Julie and couldn't wait to become a grandmother." A fond smile graces his lips. "From what I remember, my father was a kind man, but we never saw him. He was always away on pack business and died when I was young. So really, it was my mom who raised me," he explains, falling silent as the smile drops from his face.

Biting my lip, I ask the question that's hanging in the air between us.

"How did she die?"

"Mom died of cancer not long after Julie and I mated." His voice is low, and he lets out an unamused chuckle, running his hand through his hair. "She wouldn't recognise me now." He laughs bitterly, and I know he doesn't mean because of his scarred face.

Frowning at his comment, I walk up to him and press up against his back as I wrap my arms around him. Feeling him tense up under my arms, I simply rest my head against his back, waiting for him to relax into me. It doesn't take long before I feel the tension start to leave him, and he lets out a long sigh.

"What did I do to deserve you? You're too good for me." His tone is light, but I can hear the self-loathing and pain in his voice.

"Me? I'm about as damaged as you can get, Kill. Plus, I come with four other men and a list of enemies as long as my arm," I joke, but my words are true.

Reaching around him, I turn off the stove then spin him around in my arms so he's facing me. "Kill, you're not responsible for their deaths. You did everything to protect them, and you do everything to protect us now. Yeah sure, you can be a bit of an asshole at times, but I still love you."

His eyes are wide, and for a moment, I think he's going to say something, but then I realise this was the first time I've told him that I love him. I open my mouth to make a smart comment, but he beats me to it, pressing a firm kiss to my lips, demanding entrance. I quickly give in, returning his kisses and holding on to him tightly. We stay like this for a moment before the smell of food causes my stomach to growl loudly. With a laugh, Killian pulls away from me and turns the stove back on to finish cooking for us.

I grin and move away, knowing I'll struggle to keep my hands to myself if I don't. Picking up my discarded coffee mug, I frown as Killian dishes up our breakfast on two plates.

"Where is everyone this morning?"

"Garett had to return to his pack, there were some issue with his brothers. Alex was called early this morning to the main house, pack business," he answers with a shrug. "Not sure where Seb disappeared to, he was gone when I woke up."

I miss them all, but I feel Seb's absence the most. He's been the one constant since I moved in here, staying in this house almost every night, so the fact he left without saying anything concerns me, it's unlike him.

"Maybe he's with Jessica?" I half-heartedly suggest, but something inside me says he's somewhere else. Pulling out my phone, I tap through it until I find his number, quickly typing out a message.

Ari: Hey packmate. Everything okay? I miss seeing you this morning.

Pressing send, I look up to see Killian watching me, his face pulled into a frown.

"I'm sure he's fine—" Killian begins before my phone buzzes in my hand, cutting off anything else he was going to say as my attention turns fully to the message.

Seb: This is one of the best things you could have said to me this morning. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but it won't be too much longer. Miss you too, packmate.

The message makes me smile, but something still strikes me as odd, I just can't put my finger on it. What does he mean by ‘not sure when he would be back,' where is he? Having nothing else to go on, I show Killian the message, and he just nods, gesturing for me to sit down at the table, where breakfast is waiting for me. Sighing, I put the phone down next to my plate and sit across from Killian, who's watching me with a raised eyebrow.

"Why are you so worried?" He doesn't have to explain what he means by that, I know he's asking about Seb.

"This is unlike him, to just go without saying anything." I try to put my emotions into words, but I know he doesn't really understand. "I just have a funny feeling, that's all."

Killian nods, acknowledging my comment before gesturing towards my food. "Now eat," he commands, picking up his own knife and fork as my phone rings. Ignoring his growl of frustration, I accept the call, pressing it to my ear without checking the caller ID.

"Good morning, Ari. How are you today after last night's…exertions?" Eric's smooth timbre greets me, and I can't help the smile that crosses my face. It's very obviously Eric and not his demon form calling right now. I can tell by Eric's central American accent and easy, soft tone that I like to call his doctor's voice, compared to the deeper accented voice of Eiríkr that set the hair on my arms standing up.

"Morning, Eric. I'm well, how're you?" I ask as I take a sip from my coffee as another thought comes to me. "And how do you know about my exertions?" The way he said the word tells me that he means more than just our pack run.

"Ah…" Realising he'd been caught, Eric pauses on the other end of the phone. "Well, we may not be fully bonded, but I still feel strong emotions from you." I can hear him moving around and closing a door as he explains this to me, his voice amused.

"Wait, so you have felt every time I—" Pushing up from the table, I fight down the embarrassment and amusement that's warring within me. Killian smirks, obviously able to hear the conversation, thanks to his supernatural hearing. Spinning on him, I point a finger at him accusingly. "Shut it, wolf boy. Hang on, we're bonded, does that mean you can feel when I'm having sex with the others?" I demand, ignoring Eric on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, but you knew that already," Killian replies with a shrug.

Eric laughs on the other end of the phone, having heard our conversation. I remember a discussion we had early on, and realise he's right, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it though.

"Is that weird? Doesn't it make you feel, I don't know…jealous?" The question comes out more unsure than I would've liked it to, but I can't imagine being able to feel one of my guys having sex with someone other than me. I'm pretty sure it would tear me up.

"No, Ari. I can't speak for Killian, but I find it a turn-on." Eric's voice deepens as he reassures me.

"Really?" I glance at Killian as I say this, finding it difficult to believe that he wouldn't get jealous. I watch with wary eyes as he pushes away from the table, his every step predatory as he stalks towards me.

"I find it difficult to say this, because the alpha in me doesn't like sharing what he considers his, and he definitely considers you his. But the human part of me knows there's something greater going on here, and I'm not going to risk losing you because I was a jealous dickhead. I know you are my second chance, and I intend to make the most of it." Taking the phone from my hand, he presses the call end button and places it on the table behind him, pushing me up against the cabinet. He dips his head and presses his lips to mine, growling as my phone buzzes again. Laughing into his lips, I push him away and answer the phone with a grin.

"Sorry, Eric."

"I need to come over, there's something I need to tell you." Dread lines my stomach at Eric's complete change of tone. I want to ask questions, but I know I would just be holding him up .

"Yeah, of course," I reply, urgency suddenly underlining my words. "I'll get the others together." Hanging up, I turn to look at Killian, who's already on the phone to Garett. I can hear the concern in my bear's words from here, and Kill assures him that everything is okay, that Eric needs us all together to tell us something.

Glancing at my phone again, I tap in a message to Seb.

Ari: Can you come back to the pack? Eric needs us all together to tell us something.

Killian calls Alex, asking him to come around, and I keep myself busy with making tea for him and Garett when they arrive. While we wait for Eric, I keep checking my phone to see if Seb replies. He doesn't.

A slight tugging in my chest alerts me that Eric has arrived. I say as much, stand up to open the door, and give him a tense smile as I see him walk up the porch steps. He looks healthy, his skin almost glowing as he hugs me close, his power pressing against me as if looking for a way to escape his human shape. He must have fed, it's the only way he can appear this healthy.

I remember when he first came clean about what he was—a pain feeding demon, a type of incubus, and that I was his mate. As some weird rule of fate, when an incubus finds his mate, he can't feed from anyone but his mate until the bond is accepted. The night Tori was killed, I let Eric feed from me for the first time. I wasn't ready to accept the bond, but somehow, it created a semi-formed bond. Since then, Eric has been able to feed off others, but it never lasts long before he has to feed off me again, describing it like drinking watered down wine, not as strong or potent as the real thing.

When Eric is like this, full of power, it's difficult for me to take my eyes off him, and I wonder how on earth I never knew that he was anything other than human, since it seems so obvious now. As if he knows what I'm thinking, he winces slightly, and all of a sudden, it's easier to breathe, and I look around to see what just changed.

"Sorry, Ari, I didn't realise how much power I was leaking. I'm usually so good at keeping it dimmed, but I haven't been as careful since I told you about what I am," he explains, pulling me in for another hug before walking into the kitchen where the others are gathered. "No Seb?" he asks with a raised eyebrow, glancing around the room before turning to me.

"No, I can't get a hold of him." My response makes Eric frown, and he runs his hand across his face. "What's this all about?" I question as I lean against the kitchen counter, all our eyes glued on the demon.

"Last night after I left to feed, I was in the city…looking for my next meal," he begins with a grimace. We all know what he means by that—he was hunting. Feeling the atmosphere in the room change, he rushes to add, "You know I don't hurt anyone. I simply find someone already in pain, and I syphon off power from their pain. I didn't even touch them."

"You're looking pretty healthy, Doc, practically glowing. You must have found someone in a lot of pain to syphon off that much power," Killian grumbles, his words sarcastic.

"That's what I need to tell you about." He looks around the room before his eyes settle on me. "I'm able to feel large uses of power, and in the city, I felt bursts of it, really strong, but unfocused, like the user didn't know how to use it. I followed the bursts, but by the time I got to the place the power had been used, the person had left, leaving behind a body."

"Someone is killing people in the city?" Garett inquires, his voice concerned, undoubtedly thinking of his family and pack who live in the city.

"That's the thing, the victim wasn't dead." Eric's reply is met with a chorus of swearing and groans. "That's how I was able to feed."

"But you shouldn't be that strong from one dying person… Shit. There was more than one?" Cursing, Alex pulls his phone from his pocket and starts tapping out a message to someone as Eric nods.

"There were four of them. The last one was more compos mentis than the others, and I was able to…ask a few questions. They were all ASP agents."

"Fuck. So this is the guy that killed the other ASP agents the other week?" Pushing away from the table, Garett starts pacing the length of the kitchen. "Do you think other supernaturals are safe?"

I shake my head at his question. "With Shadow Pack still around, no one is safe." Walking up to Garett, I put my hand on his arm, stopping his pacing. "We won't let your family get caught up in this. Did you manage to get any more information about the killer?" Aiming the last question at Eric, I turn to face him, keeping my hand on Garett, who in turn wraps his arms around me, pressing my back to his chest.

"No, I couldn't pick up much, but this feels like a baby demon."

"What do you mean?" Alex asks.

"Some of us are born demons, others are only part demon, they could go their whole life not knowing they weren't fully human, then one day, something triggers them and their powers start to come in. They are difficult to control at first, sporadic, and usually there is a trail of bodies following them until they learn to control it." Eric looks at me as he says this, and I feel my stomach drop, remembering what he said the other morning, that Seb's power outbursts felt a little like a demon coming into power. No, not Seb. Grabbing my phone, I press the home screen to see if he's replied to my text. Nothing.

When I look up, the whole room is watching me, obviously picking up on my distress, but I'm not ready to share my theories with the others yet.

Feeling lost, I take a deep breath and focus on Eric again. "What do we do now?"

"We need to know more about the ASP killings," he responds.

"How are we going to do that? Just hang around street corners until an ASP agent happens to get murdered?" Killian drawls helpfully, and I restrain the urge to throw something at him.

Eric doesn't rise to his jibe and keeps his gaze steady on me. "Who do you know that would know about ASP, who works for them but trusts you?"

Shit. Em.

I haven't spoken to the lying bastard since I found out he'd been working with ASP, not to mention the fact he kept quiet about a group of Shadowborn after he let me believe I was one of the only ones left. I feel sick at the thought of talking to him again, but I know he'll have answers I need.

"I need to go back to the Shadow Realm."