“Yes, well, I’m the charmer, not the thinker of the bunch. It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Damien tells him defensively.

Emit’s growl rumbles deeper, and Damien takes a step back. “Psychotic alpha vampire on the rabid edge trumps poor-decision-making Morpheous,” Damien adds.

Emit side-steps into me like he’s pushing me back, the top of his back almost eye-level with me, since he’s massive in comparison to all the other wolves toward the front of the house.

My eyes lift and lock with Arion’s again as the memories continue flooding back.

Arion just winks at me. “Choosing sides, love? I’d hoped you wouldn’t do such a thing. It makes me rethink my plan.”

Emit’s growl thunders this time, and he turns abruptly, knocking the air out of me with his back half as I’m slung back several feet, landing hard in the snow.

That’s when he launches himself at Arion.

I really wish I had on my arsenal bra right now instead of just Vance’s sheet.

“C’mon, wolf. Let’s finish this so everyone can get on with their bloody night then,” Arion says in an amused drawl just as Emit snaps his jaws, barely missing Arion’s throat.

Arion moves like a streak of dark wind, and he’s suddenly behind him, kicking him hard in the stomach.

Emit yelps then snarls before snapping again, catching Arion on the arm just enough to make the vampire hiss in pain, before he punches Emit in the face with his free hand.

Five more punches sends Emit off him, but now Arion is cursing his mangled arm.

I’ve never been accused of being the smartest girl in the world, but for a second, I allow myself to pretend that Arion is still Ace, since it makes it easier to run toward him instead of away from him.

Never get in the middle of two dogs fighting…that’s the rule of thumb. No one ever said anything about wolves and vampires.

Just as Emit forces himself up to an unsteady stance, Arion’s attention turns to me. His eyes widen when Emit launches himself once more, and the vampire moves like that streak of wind again.

I feel myself being lifted seconds before the dizzying sensations of spinning, and I clutch whatever is closest.

When we stop moving, I realize my arms are around Arion’s neck, and he’s still holding me off the ground.

“You really shouldn’t interfere, gypsy girl,” Arion tells me, smiling over at Emit, whose growls have intensified to the point of rattling the ground under us.

I can feel the vibrations through Arion’s body, since my feet are dangling.

I’m clutching a psychotic vampire to keep him from tearing apart a rabid wolf, while wearing the sheet from a Van Helsing’s bed, and the jacket of Damien Morpheous. Just a typical…whatever day this is.

I really miss Anna right now.

“Stop!” I shout, causing Emit to snarl at me. “Please stop. You’re hurt and bleeding, and I don’t have on my bra to help you,” I go on.

I think that’s the wolf version of a confused expression on his face.

He glances from me to Arion, and takes another step before growling louder.

“Relax. Violet and I made introductions not long ago at all,” Arion states, sliding his hand down my back and stopping just above my ass as he smirks. “Though it smells like she and Vance have made much more fun introductions even more recently.”

“It was a sight to behold,” Damien adds with a smirk, as I try to pinpoint exactly how searching for my mother’s death spot landed me in this position.

When Arion sniffs my neck, I go stiff. “You do smell prettier when you’ve been pleasured,” Arion goes on, gripping me tighter.

Shera steps out, licking blood from her fingertips, and she winks at me.

How did I forget that she kidnapped me?

Emit’s wolf begins to pace, as the fur slowly starts to recede. It’s not a pretty process to watch him turn from wolf to man, but it’s like a gory train wreck you can’t help but stare at with curious fascination.

As the fur is replaced by fleshy skin through a rapid transformation, he stands from his crouch, lips curled back as his claws stay out. “Let her go,” he says in a raw, animalistic tone that is quite terrifying.

I feel Arion’s grin against my neck as he places a small kiss there. Gently, he lowers me to my feet and pats me on the ass like I’m a good girl.

“Sure. So long as she accompanies me to my Welcome Home party tomorrow, she can even leave with you and tend to those nasty wounds.”

Emit starts growling again, and Damien sighs dramatically. “You’ve lost tonight, mate. Try again on another,” he tells Emit.

Emit, very naked and cut up all to hell, reaches out his hand, gesturing for me. Arion leans over to my ear, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.”

“No,” I say while turning and glaring at him.

He just grins at me. “Then I’ll kill the rest of the wolves here myself, before putting him underground.”

He turns like he’s about to do just that, and I grab his hand. His claws retract immediately, like he’s careful not to cut me, which is slightly reassuring.

He turns a cocky, expectant look toward me. “Fine,” I bite out. “Seven, and no one else gets hurt tonight.”

Emit turns and stalks toward the front where it sounds like the battle has ceased. His wolves retreat when he makes some sort of howl in the air, though they sound extremely pissed about it.

Arion thumbs my chin, and then he’s gone, a ghost of a tremble left in his wake.

“Hard to fight someone who moves that quickly, eh?” Damien asks Emit’s back.

Emit tenses, looks back at me, shakes his head, and walks away again.

Damien comes to lift me from the ground, but I bat his hands away, determined to walk on my own, despite the deeper snow back here.

“I think I just agreed to a date with a psychotic vampire,” I grumble as Damien grins.

“I bet I seem like the much lesser threat at this particular moment. It might not be so bad having a creepy guy hanging around who can move quickly and hide you from sight.”

I start to tell him something…but forget what…it is…

Shaking out of my foggy thoughts, I follow him to his vehicle, where he opens the passenger side door for me.

I say nothing as we follow the running wolves toward Emit’s home, since every time I try to talk about things pertaining to Arion, my mind seems to fog, and the memories start to slip.

I don’t want to forget everything again, so I keep my mouth shut.

When we pull up to Emit’s house, Damien just sits still. “Are you not going in?”

“To watch you nurse the wolf? No thank you. If you plan to fuck the wolf, though, please give me a call. Otherwise, I have business to attend to that involves Dorian’s loose turner.”

“What?” I ask incredulously.

“Another problem that’s fortunately in no way yours. In fact, I never want you around Dorian.”

I turn in my seat to face him, my lips pursing.

“Why?”

It’s unnerving how gorgeous he is and how complex he is. One second I hate him, and the next I feel safe with him. Which is weird, since he’s the one who took me to a vampire and werewolf battle like he thought it was an excellent plan.

“Because, unlike me, he’s quite charming all the time. I’m a little out of practice,” he tells me, leaving it at that. “And he’s quite possibly the only person I genuinely hate with every fiber in my body,” he adds like that’s important.

“Well, I think one Morpheous stalker is plenty, so no worries,” I tell him as I push out the door.

He grabs my hand, pulling me back, and I watch as he stares at me.

“I’m rather serious. Dorian is an unforgiveable boundary of mine.”

Instead of asking why, I just keep staring at him. After a few beats of silent pause, he finally decides to elaborate without me prompting him to do so.

“He spent his mortal life as the outsider of the family because he was a bastard, and now he’s the only one of us who gets remembered. Even you’ll forget me if you go too long without my presence near,” he goes on, confusing me. “Only the alphas remain unaffected by that curse and can remember me when I’m not in their presence for long periods of time. He enjoys when people forget me. Loves it, even. Loves it when any of us are forgotten, and now he’s father’s favorite because he’s the only one of us who still has any fame to his name. He’s what keeps us relevant at all, which is important to Father.”

“Minor fame. Not everyone knows about Dorian Gray. Even I had to look all that up,” I point out, causing his lips to twitch. “I wasn’t kidding when I said one of you stalking me is enough. Orgies aren’t my thing, and that seems to be what he’s most well known for.”

Again, his lips twitch. “Take care of the wolf,” he adds before picking the pockets of his jacket, retrieving an orange and a mirror I never felt when I checked the pockets earlier.

“This orange is a gift from you now and not from Arion. Agreed?”

I have no idea what that means, but I shrug, since it’s the least random thing from the night. “Whatever.”

I keep his jacket on as I hop out, mostly because it’s surprisingly warm, despite the fact it’s a simple, thin blazer.

He’s dropped me off just a few feet from the front steps of the House of Morrigan. Considering I have what I assume is Emit’s blood on my toga now, I see no reason to bother knocking.

However, I regret just walking in when I see about five—make that six—half naked women fawning over Emit, tending his wounds while he stares at the ceiling. Wait…it’s back down to five. Was there really a sixth woman?

Shaking out of my distraction, my gaze returns to Emit. He’s lying on the tile floor, jaw grinding like he’s still furious, as they clean him up.

Why exactly did I come here? I’m not really sure at this point.

“How do you know Arion?” he bites out, eyes never meeting mine.

“If I start talking about it, I’ll start forgetting. Since I just remembered everything, I think I’ll keep the details to myself,” I answer, looking around uncomfortably when all the women swing their suspicious gazes toward me.

“I should…go,” I state awkwardly, wishing I had my phone so I could call Damien—of all people—to come back and get me.

“No. You shouldn’t,” he bites out. “Arion clearly wants to get his hands on you, likely for the same reason we all do—”

“Which is?” I interrupt, my eyes narrowing.

He makes a sound of annoyance, as though he’s still partially a wolf and is an angry fella.

One woman deliberately stares at me while gently stroking his chest with a wet cloth.

Fortunately, the door opens and Vance steps in. My entire body relaxes, but the confused, stunned expression on his face when he sees me lets me know he also thinks I shouldn’t be here.