Page 37 of Flirting with Death

Closing my fingers around the surface, I shoved it into my pocket. "I'm not stupid. Even if I had no memory of what this thing does, I will not hand it to our enemy."

"You'd be surprised what you're capable of when put to the flame," Bellamy replied.

"You don't know me," I said.

"I don't have to know you. You're a dragon. If it is the gem or something or someone you value more than it. You'd pick what you hold at a higher regard." He shrugged as he passed me, his words were fact not judgment. I met Samantha's gaze. He was right, if they threatened her and demanded the ruby in exchange, I would do it.

"It won't come to that," Sam said. I hoped she was right.

"Well, maybe someone else should hold on to the necklace, just in case," Lex said.

I snorted. He'd do the same as me. In fact, all of them would, because as much as I didn't trust the demi-god, God, or demon, one thing was clear, and it was that they all were head over heels with the same person I was.

"It will be safe with me."

"Then shall we?" Alastor gestured to the exit.

"I can get us back to the hotel, there are mirrors all over this place," Bellamy threw over his shoulder as he followed the God and three-headed dog from the room.

We followed him back to the rooms we had been sharing. He had already opened the portal, it swirled on the surface of the glass. Sam and Brook went through first, followed by the rest of us. Once we were back in the penthouse, the wall clock told us we had three days until the full moon.

I paced the floor as we went over plans. I didn't like any of them. Was Samantha a powerful hunter? Absolutely, but she had faced nothing like the mage before.

"I think Sammy should sit this one out," I said.

She narrowed her eyes at me and canted her head to the side. "Sammy is not sitting this out. This is what I do, Rai. You know that, you've always known that."

"But this is different, he is targeting you. He isn't some random demon that got out of line. He is an actual threat to you."

She sighed as she tugged her fingers through her platinum blonde locks. Brook nudged her, and she glanced over at her.

"Raiden is right," she said, backing me up, and I wanted to punch the air like some kind of frat boy that won a bet. "Let your guys protect you."

"As I recall, you didn't do the same when you were in this position," she grumbled.

"Well, you live and learn. I was lucky it worked out." Brook shrugged as she leaned back on the sofa.

"Fine, I'll let you guys try. But I still have to hunt, Rai. You can come with me. We should check in with my parents and Ty before they send the rescue party." She held her phone up as it pinged with another message.

"We will make a plan while you are gone." Alastor settled into the plush white chair looking more like a king than a God.

Leaving our mismatched group in the hotel, we made our way across town. Samantha's mom threw open the door before we were halfway up the sidewalk. She threw her arms around her as she shot me an assessing look, checking for injuries.

"You guys were gone so long. I was so worried." She pulled back and then tugged me into a hug as well.

I could sense the tenseness in Sam as she stepped back watching me. She had her suspicions now about my family, and I knew she was going through what I did when I first found out.

"Did you go to Tartus when you were a hunter, Mom?"

Okay, we are ripping the Band-Aid clear-off. I sucked in a breath and rocked back on my feet as Mrs. Orion's brow furrowed.

"No," she said. But she guarded her gaze as it swung back to me. She might not have been in my birth home, but she knew who was.

"Did you know about this too? About what happened to his family?" Sam asked.

She wordlessly shook her head as she pressed her fingers against her mouth. Regret shone clearly from the depths of her eyes. "I didn't, not at the time. Come on, we can talk about it inside." She glanced up and down the street as if unknown eyes could watch us before she tugged us into the house.

Sam crossed her arms and faced her mom as we entered the living room. She lifted an eyebrow and pressed her lips together in a tight line. This probably felt like yet another betrayal to her, and I just wanted to hug her and put the pieces back in place.

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