Page 69 of Dante's Circle Reborn

“That won’t be happening,” Dante growled as well, his voice sure.

“You’re right, it won’t,” another voice said. Misha turned to see a man who looked remarkably like Caly walking towards them.

Misha stood up a little straighter and was pleased when Caly didn’t remove her hand from his.

“Seth,” she said and smiled at him. “Misha? My brother, Seth. Seth? This is my mate, Misha.”

Seth looked him up and down, the younger man fierce but warm. “Well, I know she said over the phone that she had mated, and we had things to talk about, but this is interesting.”

Misha just nodded, yet he didn’t lower his eyes. “I’m sorry for the way things turned out, or how we got here anyway. I’m not sorry for having her as my mate, though.”

Caly squeezed his hand again, but he kept his gaze on Seth. After all, he didn’t need to get his ass kicked by Caly’s brother for how things had turned out. Not that he thought Seth would actually do that. However, he wasn’t going to risk it, just in case.

“There are more important things for us to worry about. You don’t need to be all big brother right now,” Caly said quickly to Seth.

The man pulled his gaze from Misha and looked over at Caly. “You’re right. But I will have to grill you. And so will my mates. And my son will probably do the same. However, Caly will be the one to hurt you if you hurt her. I’m not going to threaten you. She’s strong enough to protect herself.”

“That’s a good answer,” Caly said, and Misha nodded.

“Understood. Now, are we ready to begin?” Misha said after a moment.

Misha’s cousin came out, his family at his side. “We’re ready, the others are here, too.”

Dante spoke up. “It’s good that you’re bringing your young with you. It will show that you trust those around you.”

“However,” Seth said, surprising Misha, “you won’t be going alone. We will be going in as your bodyguards.”

Misha’s eyes widened as he looked at the large group of diverse paranormals, not recognizing them. “Who are all of you?”

A brownie came forward and grinned, her skin gold, and her smile wide. “We are the lightning-struck seven, and these are our mates. Our children are at home right now, though a few of them are upset that they couldn’t come and see their aunts and uncles.”

“We’re here to be your voice if you cannot. The Conclave will hear you, and the elders will listen. Your children shouldn’t be forced to hide from their own kind,” Dante said, and Caly squeezed Misha’s hand.

“Nobody should be forced.”

He looked down at her and lowered his head, kissing her softly.

“Thank you for this,” he whispered, knowing it was she who had put this all together.

“Excuse me,” Seth growled. “Maybe you could keep your lips off my sister while we’re doing this thing?”

Everybody laughed, but Misha kissed Caly again, and then he turned to the large gold doors that led into the Conclave.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

“Well,then. To being an official species of the paranormal,” Caly said, clinking her glass to Misha’s. They were at a bar called Dante’s Circle, with the seven lightning-struck, as well as their mates and most of the vampires of his small group.

The Conclave meeting had been relatively quick, the elders unable to stand up to all of the lightning-struck and their mates. Personally, Misha thought the dragon alone could have handled it, however, the show of force from everybody from so many walks of the paranormal realms had meant something.

Misha’s body warmed, and he held Caly close, not wanting to let her go. He had just found her, and their story was only beginning.

“We have much to do, a new realm to form, and so many people to find. We’ve been hiding for too long.”

“We will make this work, cousin,” Broderick said, looking down at his mate and child. “I never thought we would have the chance.”

“Do you think there are more paranormals out there?” Caly asked.

---