Page 15 of The Monsters We Are

Wynter unlocked and then pushed open the thick door, strangely comforted by the familiar scraping sound it made as it scuffed the floor. Hearing voices coming from the kitchen, she made her way through the living area, pausing to kick a rumple out of the Moon tarot card rug.

The cottage’s interior was charming with its curved walls and wooden ceiling beams. Synthetic vines and maple leaf garlands were twined around the tree-trunk columns. A crescent moon mirror hung above the arched, brick fireplace. Pretty throw pillows adorned the plush sofa and single armchair. Triangular vases of fig and ivy hung from the walls.

A triple moon trunk sat beneath the corner altar, to which they’d recently added some symbols of late fall. So now skulls, pumpkins, acorns, and dried leaves sat with the athame, bell, candles, and cauldron.

The scents of coffee and freshly baked goods washed over her as she entered the kitchen. Xavier and Delilah sat at the barn wood dining table, empty plates in front of them. Hattie was pulling a loaf of bread out of the oven, humming to herself. Anabel stood at the counter sprinkling herbs into her cauldron; her tools and other jars of ingredients were close at hand.

They glanced Wynter’s way with a smile and said brief hellos. Then, as one, they frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Xavier asked her.

Wynter began to clear the table, stacking plates. “I don’t much like that so many people felt the need to stare at me or look at me all weird just now.”

He grunted. “Assholes.”

“Some were probably simply wondering how willing you’d be to answer some questions about what Adam said last night during his little broadcast,” said Hattie.

Wynter placed the dirty dishware in the sink. “Cain will be making a speech sometime this morning. He’ll clear everything up.”

“That’s a good thing.” Xavier stretched out his long legs beneath the table. “I hope he also makes it clear that people had better not dare try taking you to Adam.”

She had no doubt that he would, but . . . “We all know some will be up for it. A million is alotof cash.”

Pushing out of her seat, Delilah let out a little growl. “I could honestly murder that son of a bitch.”

Anabel slid Wynter a quick look. “From now on, you need to take healing potions with you wherever you go.”

Wynter nodded. “Will do.” Being immortal now, she was harder to injure, but she could still be gravely wounded.

“Want tea?” Delilah asked, rooting through the homemade mixtures in the cupboard near her cauldron, which was at the opposite end of the kitchen from Anabel’s. “I was just about to make myself a cup—ooh, wrong tea balls. They’re for pain relief.”

Hattie smiled. “They have a nice ‘kick’ to them, don’t they? I always feel all floaty after I drink those. Like I’m in subspace.”

Wynter almost jerked back. “What do you know about sub—you know what, I don’t want to know.”

A wicked glint lit Hattie’s eyes as she cackled. “No, you really don’t.”

“Anyways, it would appear that the lycans have my back, which is nice.” And useful, because they made excellent backup and there weretwopacks on this street. That was a whole lot of claws and teeth.

Xavier snorted. “Lycans aren’t nice.”

Wynter sighed. “I thought Elias had stopped provoking you,” she said, referring to the Alpha of one lycan pack.

“He has, but now the Beta of Diego’s pack is being rude to me all the time.”

Wynter felt her brow crease. “Why?”

“Stewart doesn’t like that I had a one-night stand with a vampire.”

“Well, you know how lycans feel about vamps.” There was some bad history between the two species. “In Stewart’s mind, since the lycans consider us ‘theirs,’ it was a betrayal on your part.”

“Notmy issue,” said Xavier. “When I told him to stop being an asshole, he grinned and said he had way too much fun tormenting me. He won’t be grinning by the time I’m done with him.”

Wynter tensed. “What does that mean?”

“It means he’ll be reminded that payback is a bitch.”

Which would be fine, if Xavier’s idea of payback didn’t tend to be fatal. “Xavier—”

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