Page 40 of Monsters of Mayhem

“This isn’t my home,” Ryder said, “and you know it. This is the command center for the monsters. It’s some place you’ve never wanted to be before.”

“I’ve never been invited here before.” Magnus shrugged.

“How did you find out where it was? “ Ryder asked as his body went back into human form.

“I might’ve told him,” Laney said. “I quickly texted him when you said we were going to Mount Diablo. Before we went through the portal. I didn’t think he’d show up. I’m so glad you showed up.” She planted a kiss on Magnus’ cheek.

For being a bad ass chick Laney was head over heels for this guy. Maybe she wasn’t making the best decisions. I could tell by the look on Ryder’s face he didn’t like the fact his brother was here. Heaven help us if anyone told him Magnus and I had been on a date.

I looked from Laney to Magnus. I trusted Laney with my life, but I wasn’t so sure about Magnus. His presence didn’t seem to do anything to reinforce Ryder’s comfort. Instead, it just made him more on edge.

“Dinner is ready,” Elle called from the kitchen.

Ryder looked like he was about to say something but then he hesitated, shrugged it off, and turned to look around the room. “Come on, let’s eat. Nothing gets done on an empty stomach, especially where monsters are concerned.”

Chapter 23

The map on the table disappeared and all the rifts went with it. The witches had made an amazing spread of food. It was laid up before us like some medieval feast, with chicken pot pies and a rack of beef ribs, mashed potatoes and big green salads full of fresh vegetables.

Caroline looked around the place. “How did you get this here?”

“Magic,” Lady Albright said with a smile.

“Of course,” Caroline smiled. “I should’ve known.”

As everybody tucked into the meal it felt almost like we were a family, even though a lot of us had just met. Magnus and I were brothers and Ratchet and I acted like brothers. Laney was dating Magnus, and clearly besotted with him. Caroline and I were... I wasn’t quite sure what we were at the moment, but it was something I definitely wanted to explore. I was never going to be closed off about my feelings again. She was clear on the world we lived in now and there was no hiding it from her.

“So, you want to be part of this world now?” I asked Magnus.

“There’s a lot of rumors going around in the supernatural world,” he said. “As much as you think I don’t pay attention to it, I do keep up with the latest news, and all the news right now is talking about these various monster outbreaks happening all over the world. There are so many, you’re not even able to deal with them, although you might have something else on your mind.” His gaze went to Caroline.

I didn’t like the way my gut clenched when he looked at Caroline. There was something personal and intimate about it, something I didn’t like at all.

“Where are the rings?” Magnus asked as he bit into a bread roll.

“Father’s rings?” I responded, wondering why he’d immediately started asking about them. “I have them in a safe place.”

“Where is the safe place,” Magnus asked.

I could feel Laney’s gaze on me as she looked from one of us to the other. I knew she wanted everything to be fine between Magnus and I, and she had some idea we were going to be like a family, but I wasn’t so sure about that. I’d been taken completely off guard when he had shown up here. This was one of the places he’d sworn on his life he never wanted to be, and the reality was, there was a monster out and about trying to make a mess of things. What if that monster was my brother?”

I could never be too sure.

I could never be too safe.

“The rings are in a safe place,” I said loudly, making sure the entire table could hear me. Everybody at this table knew the rings were being held in the safe at the DGC, everybody except Magnus. For whatever reason, which was exactly how I wanted it to be. Most of all I wanted Laney to get the message, because it was going to be really hard to tell her she needed to treat Magnus with a bit of care and suspicion. I shouldn’t have this problem with my brother but with Caroline‘s life on the line I could never be too sure.

“Do we know what the monsters are after?” Magnus asked

“Who told you monsters were attacking?” I asked.

Laney raised her hand sheepishly. “That’s going to be my fault,” she said. “I texted him and told him monsters were chasing Caroline.”

“How could you do that?” Caroline asked.

“Dude, I had just been flown from Oakland airport by a beast with wings. I was a little bit shaken up and why would you think I wouldn’t reach out to my boyfriend and let him know what was going on. I know you and Ryder have a weird relationship, but you know, most couples usually communicate and they support and help each other. That’s why he showed up. You guys have it all weird. You’re making this into something it’s not. I’ve got to tell you straight up. I’ve never liked the way you and Ryder kept secrets from each other and I’m not about to buy into that bullshit. When you have a relationship, you have a full relationship on all levels.”

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