Page 236 of Caelum

“That will come in handy before too long,” Samuel pointed out.

Eren agreed, “You read as much of the N-Files as possible, didn’t you?”

“I did,” I replied with a huff. “I learned a lot of information about a few of the Great British nests.”

“Nowhere else?” Samuel asked.

I shrugged. “That’s where the teacher was focused on.”

“I wonder if I could access the databases for you to read up on them remotely.” He shifted position, leaning so his belly pressed into mine, and considering our legs were tangled, and I could feel his cock, that had me softening in ways I really didn’t want to tonight.

Thankfully, though, Samuel was curious and that meant his focus had shifted. If anyone was like me, it was him. He couldn’t remember everything he’d ever read, not like I could, but he was close. He had an affinity with languages and knew how to get whatever he wanted when he was hooked up to the internet.

Whether it was illegal or not.

“Is there much point at the moment?” Eren countered. “It’s not like we’re going Ghoul hunting?—”

“You mean like we didn’t tonight?” Sam cocked a brow at us both. “Ghouls are everywhere. You know it; I know it. We’re going to come across them, and it’s handy to know what we’re dealing with.”

“Didn’t you have to study the N-Files?” I retorted with a huff.

“Some, but not like the females do. Males are for fighting,” he told me, but I heard the laughter in his voice. “Don’t tell anyone at Caelum that you managed to beat three Ghouls while holding your seven mates in stasis, yeah? God forbid we wreck the patriarchy’s view on womanhood.”

I snickered because he and Stefan were always coming out with shit about the Man, and the patriarchy, arguing over human and creature rights alike. For people who possessed penises and not a vagina, I was coming to realize that women’s rights bothered them more than they did me, an actual woman.

But then, that was what happened when you were raised havingnorights andnovoice.

You grew accustomed to it, and the very worst that could happen didn’t seem so bad, and yes, I was aware of how stunning an indictment that was against the New Order…

I heaved upward, pushing him off me so I could sit up properly. With my knees bent, I stared over at the window with the light that continued to fascinate me. “When I was at home and we needed the bathroom, there were outhouses on the demarcation line of the compound. We used to have to use them whether it was sunny or pitch-black, freezing or boiling hot.” I pointed to the light. “They would have been very useful back then.”

Eren’s hand came up to squeeze my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here with us and not there.”

I wanted to say that I was too, but… “Even if I’m turning into a Ghoul?”

Both men stiffened, but it was Samuel who murmured, “There’s no empirical evidence to prove that.”

My lips quirked.Empirical evidence.See? Who’d say that if they weren’t AI? I’d check for circuit boards if he wouldn’t take it the wrong way and think I’d gotten mixed up with his erogenous zones again—and yes, that was as embarrassing as it sounded.

“Considering we’re working blind on all fronts, I’d say we have no idea on any front as to what’s happening. But I saw the way you all reacted when I said it wasn’tmewho was in control. You were all scared. I could scent it.”

Eren blew out a breath. “It’s disconcerting how you can tug on all our powers at once, Eve, that’s for damned sure.” He shot Sam a look. “Scenting is a Were talent. On a…” He stared at me. “What are you today?”

“Thegouilleis mostly in charge today.” The keyword there being ‘mostly.’

Ever since I’d come across the guys, had started Choosing them and then turning them, the lines had begun to blur. So, while thegouilleshone a little brighter in my psyche today, there wasn’t that much difference between her and the rest.

That was why I was concerned. Even if they weren’t fighting, weren’t struggling for space in the tight confines of my soul, it couldn’t bode well, could it? When the creatures could overtake me, as well as overpower my mates like they had in the alley?

Eren’s hand moved over to cup the back of my neck. “We’ll figure it out, Eve.”

His words and tone were reassuring, but I wasn’t soothed. How could I be?

“The appointment’s at ten tomorrow, isn’t it?” I asked instead, scampering over the sheets because I wasn’t going to be able to sleep unless the curtains were closed. Something I hated because I liked waking up in the morning with the sunlight coming in to greet me.

“Yes. It’s about thirty minutes away from here.”

I hummed in pleasure, accepting that we could sleep in for a little while. The days started early at Caelum, but over the last two weeks, our six AM starts had morphed into ten AM.

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