Page 23 of Enticing Monsters

“No, you don’t.” The smug bastard smirks at me.

He’s right.

I really, really don’t.

We’re in the middle of eating when Xander clears his throat, garnering all of our attention.

“The last person who interrupted me in the middle of my meal got stabbed,” V points out lazily, swirling a strand of bright-red spaghetti around his fork.

I swear the psycho only eats the pasta because it reminds him of blood and intestines. His words, not mine.

Xander ignores the fae prince and focuses his intense stare on me. “I think it’s time we addressed what happened today.”

Devyn pauses with a bite of salad halfway to his lips. His brows furrow. “What happened today?”

Foster’s hand immediately clamps down on my thigh, squeezing tight, and I place my hand over his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. No doubt, he thinks Xander wants to confront him about his…episode, but I know that’s not the issue.

I take a sip of my water and slide a glance towards Kian, who sits on the opposite side of me. The two of us exchange a long look before Kian nods once and focuses on the others.

“It seems as if Sera is able to use my powers.”

His words permeate the air—heavy and full of a weight I can’t even begin to understand.

Tristan chokes on his bite of spaghetti. “Huh?”

I stare at Kian in alarm. “No, I didn’t. At least, I don’t think so. I mean, I helpedyouuse your powers by amplifying them like I did with Gage…”

I’m rambling. I know I am, but I can’t wrap my head around what he’s implying.

“Yes and no.” Kian runs a hand through his tousled hair. “It was almost like…” He struggles to find the right words. “It was almost like we werebothusing my powers at the same time. So yes, everything felt amplified, but I don’t think it’s because you were channeling your magic into me. I think we were channeling our magic into each other.”

I remember the strange feeling I felt in the clearing—the warmth blossoming in the pit of my stomach and spreading to my fingers and toes.

Could this be true?

Is it possible for me to use my mates’ powers?

My stomach dips, the way it does when you’re descending in an airplane, and the food suddenly tastes like ash on my tongue.

“I don’t know what happened,” I confess. “I just know I needed to help Kian with Hudson?—”

“Who the fuck is Hudson?” Devyn growls.

Quickly, Xander fills him in on everything that happened, with V throwing in his “helpful” commentary from time to time. And yes, I’m being completely sarcastic. I swear V gains powers from stirring the metaphorical pot.

“Her eyes… They glowed like Kian’s do when he uses his incubus gifts,” Foster murmurs, his tone filled with awe and wonderment.

No fear, thank fuck. I think if I were to see terror in his eyes, I would have to stab him, mate or not. We’ve been over this time and time again—an incubus isn’t inherently evil, just as a human isn’t. There are facets to every aspect of nature, and human nature is no different. Or fae nature, as the case may be.

“We suspected Sera would be able to amplify our powers,” Devyn points out. “Is it completely out of the realm of possibilities that she can use our powers as well?”

Xander steeples his fingers together beneath his chin and studies me. “How do you feel, Ms. Jenkins?”

Trust Xander to check on my wellbeing with everything going on.

Affection for him unfurls inside of me, even as I do a mental inventory of my body. I am absolutely not going to mention the lingering headache or the fact that my muscles feel weak and wobbly. Nope. Not happening.

I shrug. “Normal, I guess. I don’t feel any different.”

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