Cassius
“SLOW DOWN, TIGER.” ALEX LAUGHED at my expense, but I was too hungry to care. Why was I always so hungry? As if my stomach was in constant anger at its emptiness?
I chewed then swallowed. “I am not a tiger.”
“Sar—”
“—casm,” I finished for him. “I’m not an idiot, but name calling is lost on me. I’ll slow down when this—” I patted my stomach. “—is full.”
“You’ve had three steaks.” Mason spooned more steaming green beans onto my plate. “You’re going to put us in the poor house with the way you’re putting away food.”
“Impossible. Immortals have endless amounts of resources and money.”
Alex reached for one of my green beans. “Not with the way you’re eating.”
I stabbed at him with my fork and growled, “Get your own.”
“I don’t need food. I just find great satisfaction in trying to steal yours. What are you going to do about it?” His smile deepened. Damn I wanted to punch him. “Fight me?”
“Poke the bear, and when he wakes up from his hibernation he may just remove your intestines with a fork.” I lifted my fork in the air and matched his smile. “And it pleases me that the only time you could ever beat me in a fight would be when I’m this weakened. Sirens aren’t known for their muscle.”
“No.” Alex’s lips twitched. “But we are known for our prowess in bed. Try not to be jealous, Dark One.”
I snorted. “The last thing I’d be jealous of is the poor humans that stumble into your bed while you promise eternity only to fan your own narcissism.”
“My touch saves lives.” Alex chuckled. “Or so I’ve been told.”
Mason plopped down between us and snarled as he started slowly, methodically, slicing his meat into tiny pieces.
Pieces fit for a mouse.
Mason had always been more sensitive than the others, so I kept my mouth shut… or tried, that is, until he started lifting the fork to his lips.
Alex’s eyes went so wide I thought he was going to explode on the spot.
We both watched. Waited.
But the minute the meat was brought to Mason’s lips, he frowned and set the fork back down.
Alex let out a defeated sigh and looked away.
“Mason.” I licked my lips and pushed my plate away so I could lean across the large wooden table. “You honor her by trying.”
Mason had once been mated. But the curse of the humans had taken his mate’s life during the night. He’d woken up to her cold in his arms.
I had seen it coming.
But I was never allowed to alter those types of futures, the ones that dealt with life or death.
That was above even the Archangels.
We were not allowed to play Creator. It was not our place, would never be our place. It was why, saving Genesis a few weeks ago had gone against everything I’d been taught.
Thankfully, Sariel had agreed with our decision as had the Creator, or we would have all been… nothing but dust.
“The scent of meat reminds me of her,” Mason finally said, his voice gruff. “She loved steak.”
“Most Werewolves love steak,” Alex mused while slowly bringing a glass of wine to his lips.
I shook my head at him. He was so callous at times that he was truly lucky he had the ability to seduce women with his looks. It sure as hell wasn’t his warm personality.
Alex glared. “Like you should talk.”
I’d forgotten he could hear people’s thoughts, though usually only when very close and typically only of the female variety.
“Chill.” Alex rolled his eyes. “You’re a dude. Promise.”
“Er, thanks.” I scooted my chair back and stood. “It’s time to train Stephanie.” Yawning, I covered my face with my hands and was half tempted to steal some coffee, so I had energy enough to stay awake.
“You know you could always spike yourself with a bit of vamp blood.” Alex shrugged. “Just saying…”
“No.” I shuddered. “Never again.”
“I wasn’t that bad…” Ethan stumbled into the room and retrieved two bottles of water from the fridge, while memories of drinking from Eva ran rampant through my brain.
Alex’s eyes narrowed in on mine. “Yeah, I don’t think he was talking about you.”
The room fell silent.
I let out an irritated sigh. “Must you muddle through my thoughts, Siren?”
“Must you think so loud?” he fired back.
“It was only a dozen or so times,” I said defensively. And then, “Because we were in battle.”
A vision of Eva and me locked in a heated embrace flashed to the forefront of my mind. Nothing had happened, but we were in a cave for two days. She shared her blood and I shared mine, with no other choice but to strengthen one another before facing the fighting again.
“So if I had a bite of Dark One…” Alex’s lips twisted into a thin line as he rubbed them together. “I’d basically be a ninja.”
“Eva knew how to fight without my blood. It just enhanced her regular abilities. You’re too sedentary. I imagine a Dark One’s blood would just turn you into a comatose state.”
Ethan smirked. “So he’d be the same then?”
Alex scowled his eyes narrowing into tiny slits as he glanced in my direction, his face impassive. The bastard was picking away at my thoughts. Self-preservation told me to back away and go upstairs, but my feet felt sluggish, my body, exhausted and sore as if I’d taken on an entire army by myself.
“Sleep.” Alex said helpfully. “You’re a human now, you need actual rest.”
“I just woke up!”
“Good, then you’ll remember how to go back to sleep,” Stephanie said walking into the room. “You’ve spent no time sleeping, most of your time trying to do everything you used to be able to do sans power. Sleep and then we can train.”
A scream erupted from downstairs.
John.
“No.” I shook my head vigorously. “Absolutely not.”
“Yes.” Stephanie held out her hand. “For me.”
Her voice was so enticing, before I knew it, I was grasping her hand and following her up the stairs as Alex parroted, “for me,” in a high pitched voice.
I chose to ignore him.
Because she’d be upset if I tried to kill him and I was the one that ended up dead. At least I hoped she would be.
If I ever had my powers returned, if the future ever changed and Stephanie didn’t kill me, I was going to have a serious talk with that Siren.
He mimicked her voice again and burst into a laughter.
A very serious and damning talk.
The thought cheered me the entire achy way up the stairs.