Page 13 of Conflicted

“Is it fuck,” he hissed. We watched Quill put his bowl on the floor, life finally showing in his eyes as Dahlia prowled towards him. “I did it last time. It’s Darius’s turn.”

“Well Darius isn’t here.”

Jeremiah huffed. “Surprise, surprise.”

Dahlia moved first, a thin dagger coming out of the sheath at her waist and swiping at Quill’s throat. He ducked it with a laugh before his fist connected with her stomach.

Jeremiah and I winced. Not because it would’ve hurt Dahlia, because it wouldn’t.

But it would’ve pissed her off.

A pissed-off Dahlia wasdefinitelysomething one wanted to avoid.

Dahlia straightened and I could feel the power humming from her. A glimmer of panic flickered in Quill’s eyes before she slammed a wall of fire into him.

He flew backwards into the kitchen and, from the sounds of it, landed on the table.

Jeremiah groaned. “Not the fucking table again.”

“We should get a steel one next time.” I rubbed at the stubble covering my chin. “Might survive longer than a week then.”

“Doubtful,” Jeremiah said. “Why do they have to do this every fucking day?”

I shrugged, slipping my arms into my leather jacket. “Probably because Dahlia can’t find her mate, and Quill refuses to leave the house.”

“Neither of which is our problem, yet we’re the ones picking up after them.” Another massive crash echoedthrough the townhouse, followed by Dahlia’s unearthly cackle. “Speaking of which, are you really about to fuck off and leave me to deal with it alone?”

“Yep.” I picked up my helmet with a smirk. “I’ve got plans.”

“Plans that involve a certain blond angel?”

My smirk slipped away, replaced by a cold mask. “Absolutely fucking not. Why would you even say that?”

Jeremiah grinned as we both ignored the small explosion from the kitchen. “Well, when I popped to the shop yesterday, I happened to walk past a heavily warded area…one that stank like archs.”

My skin prickled. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t.” Another crash. “But I am curious why you decided we should settle in London when there’s a whole world for us to explore.”

I busied myself with putting my helmet on. A completely unnecessary accessory given my immortality, but humans tended to get suspicious if you didn’t wear one. Plus, it made me look hot. Sue me. “It was a group decision.”

“One very much driven by you.”

Glass smashed in the kitchen, making Jeremiah drag a hand down his face. “Fuck’s sake. Darius really needs to be dealing with his share of this bollocks. Where is he, anyway? I’ve barely seen him since we arrived.”

“No idea.” I pointed at the door. “We done here?”

“Guess so.”

Fire billowed into the hallway, and Jeremiah and I raised our shields in sync, the flames bouncing off them harmlessly.

“I’m not decorating this hall again. Make sure they know it’s on them,” I said.

“Will do,” Jeremiah said, staring pityingly towards the source of the chaos. “I wish we could help them.”

I clapped him on the back. “Me too. It’s an adjustment living up here, that’s all. They’ll come around.”

Iwasn’t wrong in what I’d said to Jeremiah, ithadbeen an adjustment living topside. There was no one instructing us on how to go about our days. No one to torture. No politics to navigate or manipulations needed. I’d even had to get used to sleeping in silence, the ambient screams I’d lived with for centuries conspicuously absent.

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