Chapter 12

Soft . . . comfort . . . safety. I stretched out and wiggled my toes, but they were stuck, refusing to move. My eyelids flung open, and I blinked up at my familiar ceiling. The one I hadn’t woken to since I was a preteen. Despite the familiarity, I’d never been as enveloped.

My mind had given it a rest with the angsty memories and allowed me to sleep the rest of the night. I also didn’t have weird voices in my head anymore. Now that I’d become aware of Osmodus trying to reach me, an instinctual barrier must have snapped into place, protecting me and blocking his access to my mind. At least one good thing came from the bullshit.

After the long hours combing through Lucian’s documents, I needed rest. The search had been a waste; I hadn’t found any new information after I’d called that bitch.

The weight next to me rolled closer, fur rubbing against my arm. Beckett.

I blinked down at his wide body pressing into my side, his back flush to me as his paws hung off the edge of the bed. I sank my fingers into his fur, and he exhaled loudly, the rumble vibrating both our bodies. He’d laid beside me in his wolf form before, but I still wasn’t used to it. Everything between us had begun here and returning was surreal.

I snatched my hand back, curling my fingers, except my missing pinky. Before they’d shown up, I hadn’t been self-conscious, but now I wanted to hide it. A fuzzy glove in my sock drawer should do the job. I should have slipped it on before sleeping since sneaking into my bed was their MO. I knew better.

A warm hand wrapped around mine and pressed my palm to a firm chest. I yanked, but Enzo tightened the grip. Stubborn ass.

Beckett chuffed with irritation and wiggled his mass closer to my side before his steady breathing started up again. Beckett usually woke up easily but when he didn’t, it indicated his exhaustion. After being so close to death, I could only imagine how depleted he was.

Scowling up at Enzo, I stopped fidgeting.

He tugged my hand up and pressed his lips against the back of it. “Don’t hide from me, pretty girl.”

I dropped my eyes.

His nude, muscled chest rose with a steady rhythm, the ink on his side flexing with each breath he took. The abstract dragon on his pec stared at me from behind swirling black ink. Acceptance didn’t concern me, Enzo wouldn’t care, but I couldn’t help feeling some type of way about my lack of finger. Stupid of me since it wasn’t the end of the world, but the meaning behind it . . . I’d done it, and everything had gone to shit because of it.

“You offered yourself for my freedom, Maya. There is no shame in that.” His chest moved again, and inch by inch I lifted my eyes. He’d nailed it on the head—shame ate me up about everything. I envisioned a wall around my brain to block any hints of my emotions leaking over to him. Even though we weren’t mated, he could feel faint flashes, and I didn’t want to take the chance. The hollow at his throat flexed with his breathing.

Discomfort bubbled in my belly. I needed to feed, but I didn’t want to. I wasn’t comfortable yet. I’d accidently taken a bit of their energy while we’d fucked earlier, but that was because the emotional upheaval had left me weak. Now that I had a handle on myself, I refused to take from them.

“I need a moment,” I croaked and tore myself from his grip. The bed creaked as I crawled toward the end and swung my legs over. I plucked up the gloves rolled in between my socks and wiggled one on. It drooped where my missing finger would go.

“Maya?” Enzo’s concern filled his voice. I pressed my palm against my chest and my heart felt like it wanted to rip through.

“One second,” I mumbled, scurrying away and shutting the door behind me.

What was I doing? I didn’t know how much time I had with him, and I was running away?

I slowed on the stairs and dropped on the base step, pressing my fingertips into my temples. Okay, I would just take a moment to gather my bearings, and then I’d return. I needed to spend as much time with them as possible until I went on the potential suicide mission. Brief moments of happiness were all I had going for me, and I had to embrace them. But I needed space because I’d felt like I was suffocating.

The floor creaked and breathing hiccupped mere feet away. Small fingers wrapped around the living room entrance sill. From the muttering, I assumed the boys were all huddled behind the wall dividing the entrance foyer and the living room.

“What if she kills us?—”

“ Sh .” A smack accompanied the tight hush, and the chewed-up fingernails disappeared.

The kids had seen me with the monster, they’d witnessed me not stopping him. I accepted my demon and her cruelty, but if I’d been in my right mind, my morality would have drawn the line. Them fearing me didn’t sit well. Last night I tried assuaging Fox’s fear but hadn’t been successful.

I bounced to my feet and forced my steps to drag so they would hear me coming, but even with all the noise I made, they bounced away from me with a shrill scream.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said so fast some words blended. Licking my lips, I swung my arms at my side and backed toward the couch until it pressed into my knees, and I slowly lowered my ass to sit.

The three boys stared at me, their wide eyes not leaving me for a second. At least they hadn’t run away screaming. I puffed my cheeks out. When I had explained things to Fox, he’d seemed to relax. Perhaps it would work again; it was worth a shot.

“Osmodus had me under mind control when we last met.” I grimaced; saying it out loud sounded ridiculous. My first semester at Moretti Academy, Professor Lawrence had been ready to scrub my brain of memories, which would’ve caused brain damage, but that was before I’d matured. Now, only my own type of Unnatural could mess with me. He’d thralled me, and with his power of influence, he’d royally fucked me over.

I waited . . . and waited as they stared.

“What was he?” Fox finally asked, inching forward.

“A demon.”

Griffin scowled at me, his gaze searching my face. “Is that what you are?”

“Yep.” I leaned into the couch cushion, watching tension leak from their postures. “When did you mature?”

Silence. I sighed. Okay then . They may be the youngest Unnaturals to reach maturity and going through a shift hurt.

A growling stomach broke the silence.

“Hungry?” I swallowed a laugh and stood. Lucian had to eat for energy, so he usually had the fridge stocked. Without waiting for their response, I strode to the kitchen. They were prickly little guys, but I couldn’t let them starve. There were minimal options, and eggs with bacon would have to do. I grabbed the essentials, including a cutting board and a knife. The carton of eggs squeaked with each one I pulled from the container. Unnaturals were known for their huge appetites, so I’d make all of them. Cracking them into a bowl, I whisked, tossing salt, powdered garlic, and pepper into it.

The kitchen door leading outside to the backyard creaked open. Elliot’s amber scent floated to my nose. I kept my expression blank, but all I wanted to do was bury my nose in his neck. He hadn’t been in the room when I woke up, but it hadn’t surprised me after he’d lashed out.

Each step he took toward me caused my shoulders to hike.

“Maya,” he murmured, his sweet breath lifting the hair on the back of my neck. His ring on my finger glinted under the light; the snake circlet served as a reminder of how entwined he was in my life.

I licked my lips and hummed in response, not breaking my concentration as I poured the mixture of eggs into the pan.

Footsteps stopped his words as the three kids crept into the kitchen. Probably because they took comfort in Elliot’s presence. Setting out another griddle, the bacon sizzled within moments. A shirtless Enzo strode in, blinking sleepiness from his eyes. He plopped on one of the stools.

Elliot’s hand pressed into my waist with a quick squeeze. I reached for the tongs, but before my hand wrapped around the metal, he turned me and pulled me to his chest.

Each inhalation quaked against my breasts, and his green eyes dulled in color. A knot formed in my throat. I rolled my lips into my mouth. Seeing a shadow of himself within the sad eyes didn’t feel good, but I didn’t want to force anything. His dark eyebrows furrowed together, and when he blinked, those long eyelashes shuttered the sadness in their depths. His arms banded around mine, and he squeezed as he lifted me to his chest.

“The food,” I heaved through tight lungs, flailing my feet.

“Enzo, take the food over.”

With how close his body pressed to mine, his words vibrated through my chest.

Elliot maneuvered to the door attached to the kitchen and turned the doorknob.

“I’m going to burn it,” Enzo hollered, and the door slammed with a clatter of the blinds hanging across the square window.

“You don’t need to take a page out of their book, you know. If you wanted to talk, you should have asked.”

He sighed and set me down. Hooking his arms behind his neck, he pursed his lips, raking his eyes over my face.

Okaaaay . I cleared my throat. “Something you have to say?”

He cleared his throat again, and his teeth dragged over his lower lip. “My behavior . . . hasn’t been the best?—”

“I know,” I deadpanned. I turned his ring on my finger with my gloved hand. If I had to return it to him, it would tear away something precious in my chest for what it symbolized. He’d been with me even when he wasn’t physically present.

“I have never experienced being insecure. Seeing you with the other three . . .”

I had to give it to him, at least he was communicating about it, which was better than nothing.

“You said you didn’t care about them. I offered you an out,” I muttered.

“I know,” he croaked and closed his eyes. “This is not on you, Maya. I meant it but seeing you with them—I don’t have the history that you four have. That’s what bothers me, ma mignonne .”

“Well, you’re free to go if that’s what you choose.” I lowered my head and fixed my gaze to the ground to hide the moisture sheening my eyes. “I think that may be best.”

His sigh reached into my gut and tugged at it. The golf ball-sized knot that had been growing, stuck in my throat.

“Blanchets tend to be spiteful. I believed myself above those baser reactions of the Blanchet lineage, but it looks like it’s a part of my make after all.” He exhaled hard. “I’m rambling. What I’m trying to say is—I’m sorry.”

The knot doubled. I licked my lips. I forgive you . The words refused to come out. Dammit, there was no need for me to be all emotional about it.

The door rattled and wood slammed against wood.

“The food’s gone to shit,” Enzo snarled as smoke plumed outside and curled into the sky, disappearing.

“We can talk later.” I forced the words through my tight throat and scurried around him.

Enzo scowled over at me. He waved the tongs in his grip and shook blackened bacon in my face. “This is the vampire’s fault,” he snapped mulishly.