Page 34 of Prey

Ahead of us, Ethan lets out a roar as Logan drives off. I’m sure everyone in the neighborhood can hear it. I’m just as frustrated. Next time I see the little shit, he’s dead.

My hands start to burn.

Ethan exclaims at the same time and I look over to see him trying to wipe his hands off as smoke starts rising from our skin. Shasta gasps and waves her hand and the blood disappears just like the other night when the hoodie guy melted himself on the floor of her shop.

“What the fuck was that?” Ethan asks her.

“Their blood is toxic. I’m not exactly sure how it works being able to run through their body that way, but when it’s outside of their body it can burn like acid if you leave it. That’s one of the reasons I learned that handy little clean up trick. We’ve run into the Society enough that it’s become a necessary form of magic to know. Now, we’re all taught it at a young age,” she says.

Waving the barrier off the door to the shop, she opens it and her and I step inside. Ethan walks across the street to find Judd, who was supposed to be watching the door. Everything looksjust fine. We lock back up and head upstairs to her apartment. Loki is sitting on the back of the couch watching the front door when we walk in and he immediately runs to Shasta. She picks him up and cuddles him to her. He rubs his furry little face on hers and I can tell they are speaking with each other in their minds.

It’s pretty odd that he can do that and I remind myself again that we need to look into why he can do things that other familiars can’t. I know it’s on Shasta’s to do list, but at this point, the list is pretty long, and that’s the least of our worries right now.

Loki bats at her wrist where her new tattoo is and when he does, a flash of magic hits them both. They both look shocked, though I can’t wrap my mind around a cat face looking like a shocked human, but it does.

“What the hell was that?” Shasta asks incredulously.

Loki answers where we can all hear this time.

“Don’t know, but…I think I’m having some…memories? Maybe? I need to go.”

He blinks out and leaves Shasta standing there looking confused.

Ethan walks in the door about the same time Loki blinks out and we tell him what happened.

She nods. “Guys, I think we need to move Loki up higher on the list. He’s…a demon.”

“What do you mean he’s a demon?” he growls out.

“I…think he’s cursed to be a familiar, but the tattoo definitely marked him as a demon just now. I’m not getting a bad vibe though. More like an identification than a warning. I’m going to have to get used to a whole new skill set of magic with these demigod powers and the artifacts. We need to find my dad and then we can work on this. No matter what, Loki is important to me and I need to help him with this.”

I nod. “I was just thinking the same thing when the flash happened. I don’t feel like you’re in danger from him though so we can leave it for now. Let’s get you in the bath and settled. After that, we can get food sorted. It’s been a long day and if you don’t mind us staying, I just want to hold you and get some sleep,” I say.

“What happened with Judd?” I ask.

“He was knocked out and just coming to when I found him. Bastard must have zapped him. He’s alright now and on the way back to the Clubhouse”

Ethan heads to the kitchen while I follow Shasta down the hall and into her room. She walks over to her dresser to get what I’m sure is another set of the smallest pajamas I’ve ever seen in my life and I go to run her a bath. I add some salts and a bit of bubbles to the bath for her. It’s been a long day for everyone.

She’s mumbling to herself as she digs through the drawer, finally pulling out what she needs.

“Are you okay? I mean I know you aren’t okay. You have had the longest day in the history of existence, but how are you holding up?” I ask.

“Honestly? I’m sorta numb. Found out I have not one, but two mates. Had to deal with one trying to kidnap me and then the removal of a dark magic life sucker that he’s had since he was a child, and learned that he had to watch his parents killed before his eyes. Finding out my father is still alive is amazing, but what if we can’t get to him in time?”

She looks at me with shadows under her eyes. I can’t imagine the stress she must be feeling right now. Her family thought he was dead all this time. Her mother was broken in the process with Winnie and the Coven having to hold it all together for her.

“Seeing Logan here was just the icing on the cake. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have feelings for him anymore, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring back some hurt. Being cheated on…it’s oneof the worst feelings in the world. You wonder what’s wrong with you, or if you could’ve done something differently. It leaves you feeling very much like you’ll never be good enough or deserving of love. When I realized you were my mate, my first thought was relief that I would never have to go through that hurt anymore.”

She has tears in her eyes when she looks at me and I walk over to her and hold her to me. I can feel her hot tears wetting my shirt as she releases the stress of the day, and some of the stress she has felt for the last couple of years. My heart breaks for my little mate.

“He is the dumbest man on Earth to have ever cheated on you, my Little Lioness. But you don’t ever have to worry about that again. I know things were rough with Ethan but I think you’ve worked through the worst of that for now. It’s definitely going to take some time for him to get better, but at least he’s willing to work on it now and that’s a long way from where he’s been all this time,” I say, rubbing the back of her head.

She nods and sniffs. Pulling away, she heads to the tub and starts removing her clothes. Gods, she really is beautiful and I marvel at how lucky Ethan and I are to have her as a mate. I always wanted someone like her. Strong, beautiful, and able to handle herself around Ethan. He’s a prickly bastard at best most of the time.

She ties up her hair and steps into the tub and once she’s settled I shut the door and leave to go help Ethan. He’s coming out of the bathroom in the hallway as I walk by. He must've jumped in for a quick shower while he was waiting.

“I called the Club while you were with Shasta and Laken is bringing us some fresh clothes. We can just burn these. Go grab a shower and I’ll put your clothes in there for you when he gets here. Then we can make our girl some food and put her to bed.”

---