Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 48827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Of course, all of that held no allure for me, especially as he throws a right hook into my mate’s—into Zachariah’s—jaw.
My heart clenches at the move, every instinct in my body urging me to jump the long distance and put myself between him and Dagon, even though I know Dagon isn’t a real threat to Zachariah.
Not only because were they brothers, but because if Zachariah willed it, Dagon would be on his back. He had that much power. Power I didn’t realize was such a burden to him until a few nights ago.
Still, it’s hard to watch him take a hit. Just the idea of him being harmed is enough to make my stomach turn.
“Dagon can be an absolute ass sometimes,” I say to Annika. “But he's genuinely a good guy. What's stopping you from pursuing what put that look in your eyes?”
Her lips part as she gapes at me. “Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that he's like this ancient, awesome, impeccable hunter? Or the fact that he despises me because of how much Olivia has been bugging him to spend time with me and see if the powers trying to surface in me are like his?” She shakes her head, blowing out of breath. “I wouldn't stand a chance,” she says resolutely.
“I wouldn't be so sure—”
“Has anyone heard from Daphne?” she cuts over me, clearly stopping that conversation in its tracks. I respect the move, and deliberately back off. “She keeps dodging my questions about Halloween.”
Valor glances at Annika, and Grace gives us her attention too. “No, I can't get it out of her either.”
“Get what out of her?” I ask, feeling slightly out of the loop. I'd been pretty focused on Zachariah the night of the Halloween party.
“The demon king cornered her in a dark hallway,” Valor explains, and my jaw nearly comes unhinged at that statement. “Yeah,” she continues. “Xavier is a real piece of work, and he's had eyes on my cousin for a while, even more so now that she started college at Edgemont University. I can't tell if it's a passing amusement or something more intense, but she won't give me any details about what he said to her on Halloween. She's totally ignoring all of my calls. It's driving me crazy.”
“Do you think he's a danger to her?” Grace asks. “Because if so, I could totally read her mind and tell you what he said.”
Valor laughs, shaking her head. “While I appreciate that show of support, I wouldn't betray her trust like that. No, I just have to trust that if she were in any kind of danger, she would tell me. I just hate this for her. I wanted her to try and have a normal life at college, but being so close to me and the family we come from, I guess normal was always out of the equation.”
“She's a smart woman,” I say, having met her a couple times. “And she trusts you. She'd let you know if something was off.” Valor nods, flashing me a soft smile. “Speaking of unsolved mysteries,” I say, arching a brow at her. “Did you and Lachlan ever figure out the whole transition thing?”
Valor sighs. “We’re still evidently not on the same page,” she answers, her eyes trailing to where Lachlan continues to battle Ajax in the training room. “Which is funny, because in the beginning, I was the one unsure about transitioning, and he was the one trying to convince me. And now we've switched sides. I get where he's coming from. He wants me to do it for the right reasons, but he doesn’t agree that doing it now and using some of the artifacts we've all found to try and throw off Conrad would be an added bonus.”
“But you're certain about transitioning eventually?” I ask, knowing it's a huge step.
“Absolutely,” she says although there is a hint of anxiety in her features. “Would I love to have some kind of badass superpower crop up out of nowhere like Grace did in order to give me more reassurance regarding the success of transitioning? Definitely. But is there a world where I want to grow old while Lachlan remains how he is forever? Hell fucking no.”
“I get that,” I say, grateful that I never had to deal with the thought myself.
My eyes fall back to Zachariah, heat flashing beneath my skin at the competent smile he wears as he battles his hunter brother.
“Ajax wasn't too keen on me transitioning either,” Grace says. “But while I can tell you it was terrifying, the idea of living without him was worse. It was painful, but what was on the other side of it was more than worth it.”
“I just have to convince Lachlan of that,” Valor says.
As our conversation fades, the males on the mat switch out, Saint and Talon taking the spots of Zachariah and Dagon.