Page 50 of Julian

“It didn’t give me a name but Samantha suggested the same thing to us. To see the fae.”

“Kellan’s a nasty sort. He can sometimes have answers but they always come at a cost.”

“And Thorn? Is he as bad?”

“I like to think of him like a coin. Can be useful but you never know which side you’re gonna get. He’s mostly harmless but he’s the type that enjoys drama.”

“Maybe these hellhounds that have been chasing me. Maybe they’re like other people who get stuck in Hell but they’ve been transformed … lost their ability to shift.”

“Hell can do that to ya,” he confessed. “I’ve struggled myself after my last trip. It’s like our pure driven magick gets tainted. And now, I’m having trouble with a few things. Not shifting but some of my other powers aren’t always working. Too many trips and you have a harder time shaking off the evil.”

“Maybe they are cursed or something.”

“What makes you believe them? They’re hellhounds.”

“Instinct. Don’t get me wrong, they looked like hellhounds. They smelled like hellhounds too.” Cassia wrinkled her nose, recalling their putrid scent.

“If your instinct senses the truth, trust it.”

“I have this feeling … it sounds crazy, but if I don’t find this Aroya thing … something bad is going to happen. To them. Maybe to us.”

“I wonder why they are coming to you for help?”

“I don’t know … maybe because I’m chameleon?”

“There’s a missing puzzle piece. If the hellhounds came to you to ask for your help, why burn down your shop? Why burn down my house? Unless they knew….knew you were my?—”

Mate. He didn’t have to say the word. A lump formed in her throat. She chose her words carefully.

“We have a connection.” Her fingers brushed over her neck and recalled her visceral reaction to the wolves in the woods. My Alpha. “Do you believe in destiny?”

“I believe everything is connected,” Julian told her. “The Goddess knows things but sometimes so does Hell.”

“Maybe someone there knew about us?”

Julian nodded. “Sounds like it’s possible.”

“We need to talk to Kellan,” Cassia said, her voice determined.

“And find ourselves a demon.” Julian traced his fingertips over the tattoo on her shoulder.

Cassia yawned and relaxed against him. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. “I’m sorry about tonight.”

“You were spectacular.”

“My beast … she’s wild.”

Julian pressed his lips to her shoulder where he’d marked her. “As long as you promise not to kill any of Logan’s wolves, we’re okay.”

“I promise.” She smiled, content in his arms.

“Did I tell you how fucking badass that was tonight … seeing your lioness?”

“I just hope Logan isn’t too upset with me. I wasn’t going to hurt her. I just acted on instinct.”

“And your instinct was to take down a wolf?” A corner of his lip tugged upward.

“She wasn’t just any wolf. By that I mean … she was close to you and, well, I was just … protecting you.” Liar liar pants on fire. Cassia couldn’t tell the truth because it was far worse than a lie.

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