Anne was waiting for them when they walked through the doors into the bar. She had the TV over the bar on while she cleaned, turning it off when she saw them come through. Her eyes seemed to soak in the emotional aura around them, and she nodded grimly.

“Guess you boys have done it now,” she said finally.

Nic avoided her gaze. “Told you we would.”

“Had to turn the phone off. You wouldn’t believe how many calls we started getting from all sorts of hunters. I haven’t dared look at our email yet, but I’m sure that inbox is just chock full of all sorts of messages. It’s different knowing you’re about to stir shit up, but it’s a whole new ball game to actually see it happen. You three look like hell,” she finished, voice softening.

“So this is your parents’ bar?” Charlotte asked from where she stood, hidden behind Lucas and Shaun.

Anne blinked, trying to see around them. “Do you have someone with you?”

Charlotte pushed past Lucas and Shaun, extending her hand to Anne. “Charlotte Freese, ma’am. These three were nice enough to bring me along so I could continue their story, and to keep me safe. It’s been an interesting day so far, but it’s a pleasure to meet you all the same.”

“Lord have mercy, you’re that reporter. Goodness, I wish I’d known you were coming. I would have freshened the place up. I can only imagine what you must think of us right now,” Anne said, flustered.

Charlotte smiled at her. “Actually, it reminds me a bit of home. I grew up in a place like this, since my grandfather owned a bar back when he was alive. I spent a lot of time in that bar as a kid, though nowadays people would tell you that’s no place for a little girl. You ask me, listening to the people who came into my grandfather’s roadside bar is the reason I became a reporter in the first place. Places like this are always filled with stories.”

Nic could tell Anne was already charmed by Charlotte, as she took her offered hand graciously. “Well, that does make me feel a bit better. You get plenty of stories around here, trust me on that.”

“From what these three have been telling me, I don’t doubt it. Is there any chance you or your husband would be willing to tell me a few? I bet you two have plenty of interesting stories,” Charlotte said easily.

Shaun watched Charlotte gracefully charm his mother. Even Nic, who had honed charming and manipulation to a high level of mastery, was impressed. He might have been a master of the game, but Charlotte made it look so effortless and dignified that he could only think of it as an art form. The woman had handled herself in the heat of a fight with the same poise and strength of will. He’d never been one for watching the news, but he was quickly understanding why people seemed to like her so much.

Anne reddened at the flattery. “Oh, I don’t know about Jacob, but I certainly wouldn’t mind telling a few tales. We’re putting it all out in the open now, aren’t we? But look at me, you’re a guest and we haven’t even offered you anything to drink or eat.”

Charlotte shook her head with a pleasant smile. “Please, don’t trouble yourself. You have more than enough on your plate without having to worry about me.”

Anne returned the smile. “Well, you said you grew up in a place like this, so you should know just how important feeding your guests are. The world might be falling apart out there, but the minute we forget our manners, then it’s over for good.”

Charlotte chuckled, nodding her head in agreement. “Then I would absolutely appreciate something to drink.”

“I’ll throw something home-cooked on top of it. Shaun, why don’t you come help me get some things ready for your guest?” Anne said, shooting Shaun a look over Charlotte’s shoulder.

Shaun jerked guiltily. “Yes ma’am.”

Nic watched them go, relieved he wasn’t the one being dragged off to play the polite host. He could tell Lucas was feeling the same way, but probably doing a better job of hiding it than he was. Anne motioned to the two of them as she walked away, nodding toward the bar in an obvious gesture for them to make themselves comfortable. After how they’d left things, Nic felt a knot of tension ease at that simple motion.

“Guess she doesn’t hate me anymore,” Nic said to Lucas as he sat down.

Lucas reached up to turn the TV on, then decided against it. “She never hated you. Anne never felt as strongly about killing the supernatural as Jacob and Shaun did. I think age calmed Jacob down a little on it. She was just mad because you made a spectacle of it is all.”

Nic sighed. “I guess I could have done that a bit differently, huh?”

Lucas snorted. “Ya think? You didn’t even give any warning. Just dropped that surprise in their lap.”

Nic eyed the dark TV. “I guess Jacob can probably empathize with the rest of the world right now.”

Lucas followed his stare and nodded. “I don’t even want to know what’s going on out there right now. I’m pretty sure the world is losing its shit over everything. I haven’t even turned my phone back on since we first got to the studio, and I’m not checking my email either. We were willing to turn the world on its head, but I’m not willing to face the consequences of it.”

Nic didn’t know if that was a comment against Lucas himself, or one against Nic since he’d spent most of the ride back on his phone. The results were in, but they were inconclusive. For as many death threats and vows to never speak to him again, Nic had also received an equal amount of praise. Most of the people he spoke to were amazed at his decision, and were on the fence about whether it was a good one or not. Shaun and Lucas didn’t understand, but the supernatural community overall had known that the day they would be out in the open was coming closer and closer with each passing year. It had been as inevitable to them as it had been to the Brotherhood. The difference was that until now, no one had known what to do about it.

“We just spent the past day driving a stolen car across a country that desperately wants to get ahold of us. I can’t say I blame you for wanting to stick your head in the sand for a little bit longer,” Nic told him.

“That’s not going to help us, since avoiding it isn’t going to make it go away,” Lucas said, hand in his jacket.

“I’m just surprised we only had to deal with issues leaving the parking garage,” Nic commented.

Lucas snorted. “You and me both. I was damn sure we were going to get blown up halfway here or something. I don’t think I’ve ever been that worked up before in my life.”

Nic’s eyes fell on the hand Lucas had jammed in his jacket. “You’re still worked up.”

Lucas looked at him questioningly, until he noticed where Nic was staring and yanked his hand out of his pocket. “Habit. Sorry.”

They both knew it was coming, and Nic sighed. “You know I have to ask.”

Lucas closed his eyes. “Is this really the time for it?”

“I don’t think we’re going to have too many times after this where you and I can talk one-on-one. We’re not going to have much in the way of peace and quiet for some time, and we’re going to have Charlotte and Shaun with us a lot. It might not feel like the best time for you, because you don’t want to talk about it, but it’s the only time I think we’re going to have for a little while, so yeah, it is the time for it,” Nic said.

Lucas mouth tightened. “Ask.”

“Did you kill Masters?” Nic asked without hesitation.

Lucas winced. “You couldn’t sugarcoat, just his once?”

Nic stared at him. “Would that really have changed the question? No matter how nice I asked, the question would have been the same. So did you do it or not?”

Lucas took in a deep, shaky breath. “Yes.”

It was so quiet Lucas didn’t think a normal human would have heard it, even if they were sitting as close to Lucas as Nic was. Nic nodded, watching as Lucas dealt with having finally admitted it out loud. Pain, guilt, shame, anger, terror, all of those emotions and more darted across the hunter’s face. He hadn’t spoken those words aloud, and Nic wondered if Lucas had even admitted it to himself so bluntly.

“How?” he asked next.

“When we confronted him, he started drinking from a flask. Shaun took it from him and gave it to me, I don’t know why. I had the poisons like I always do, and I just…took the opportunity. Neither of them were paying attention, so I was able to do it without getting caught. I knew which one would be best, and I have the positions of each vial in the case memorized. I was wearing gloves at the time, so it was easy to put it on the lip of the flask while they were focused on one another. I knew Masters would end up drinking from it again, and that he would die after we were long gone,” Lucas explained in a rush.

Nic looked down at his hands. “As far as assassinations go, that was a pretty smooth way to do it, especially since you haven’t been doing it for years. Now, here’s the big question. Why did you do it?”

Lucas slumped forward, voice thick. “God. I almost believed him, just like Shaun believed him. His story was so convincing, and who the hell wants to believe the worst of the people they’re supposed to trust like that? I think I believed him because I wanted to believe him. He had me so convinced he was telling the truth, the lying bastard. He tricked Shaun. He lied to Shaun.”

Nic looked at Lucas in confusion. “Wait, hold up. You said you believed him because of what he said, so what makes you say he was lying?”

Lucas reached over his shoulder, tapping a spot on the middle of his back, between his shoulders. “Tattoo. The bastard had the same tattoo on his back that asshole Devin had. I almost didn’t recognize it because it was in the middle of the other tattoos he had. If Shaun hadn’t hugged him the way he did, I would have never known the truth. I would have gone on believing him.”

The tattoo Nic hadn’t seen but had been shown to Lucas. The same symbol Nic had found as a necklace with one of the earliest members of the Brotherhood. Apparently, when the symbol was upgraded from a trinket to carry to ink on your body, it was a sign of pure dedication to the Brotherhood’s aims. That included the aims to gain power by whatever means necessary, meaning the plan to seize power from the Council by force.

“Jesus,” Nic muttered in shock.

Lucas looked at him helplessly. “What was I supposed to do? I knew what that tattoo meant. Devin ran his mouth off enough about it for me to know everything. All I could think of when I saw it, was that I would never be able to convince Shaun. Masters would find some way to spin that story to make himself look good, and Shaun would fall for it. He loved that man, and he was ready to believe anything that came out of the lying bastard’s mouth. So long as he was alive, he was a danger to all of us, more dangerous than the Brotherhood itself. The only way to make sure he wasn’t a threat was to get rid of him, and I…it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. He would die, no longer be a threat, and Shaun would blame the Brotherhood.”

“You never planned on telling him the truth?” Nic asked, knowing the answer before he even finished speaking.

Lucas looked horrified. “Are you kidding me? I planned to go to my grave with that secret. If it hadn’t been for that one slip-up, I wouldn’t even be having this conversation with you! I couldn’t tell Shaun, not ever! Fucking hell Nic, he would hate me.”

“Even if you told him the truth?” Nic asked, frightened by Lucas’ intensity.

Panic slipped into Lucas’ features. “You can’t tell him, Nic. Please, you can’t tell him! He would never forgive me for doing it and then keeping it from him. Just losing Masters almost made me lose Shaun, let alone if he were to find out I’m the one responsible! Oh God, I finally have him in…in the way I didn’t realize I ever needed to. We’re finally where we should be in our relationship. I can’t…”

He’d never seen such a blatant emotional display come from Lucas before, and it was jarring to see such stark fear on his face. Lucas’ dark-green eyes were shining with unshed tears, and in his panic he reached out to grab hold of Nic. The man who had faced down dozens of rampaging monsters was coming undone at the merest thought that Nic might tell Shaun his secret.

Nic felt himself nod, trying to reassure Lucas while he found the right words to say it aloud. He’d never had any intention of telling Shaun anything about this conversation. Before he’d even spoken to Lucas, he’d known the possible consequences of Shaun knowing the truth. Whether Shaun believed the truth about Masters or not, Lucas had killed someone Shaun loved dearly. Even if it was deserved, sometimes that was a bitter pill to swallow.

“You know I’m not gonna tell him,” Nic whispered, reaching down to hold onto Lucas who looked like he was on the verge of collapsing.

“I can’t lose him. Not now,” Lucas muttered, shaking his head fervently.

Nic shook Lucas slightly. “Listen to me. Hey, Lucas, look at me. Are you listening?”

Lucas stopped, though he still shook as he nodded. “I’m listening.”

Nic spoke clearly and slowly. “I am not going to tell Shaun. I don’t know if keeping this from him is the best thing, but I know what damage it could do if he knew. And listen, you did the right thing, okay?”

Lucas’ face scrunched up in sudden pain. “Did I? Did I really?”

Nic smiled sadly. “You knew what kind of threat he posed. So long as he had Shaun believing he was innocent, he could do just about anything he wanted. He sold out the people who cared the most about him, and he did it for a pack of crazy hunters hellbent on bringing war down on the world so they could feel special. Shaun never wants to believe the worst of the people he’s given his loyalty to, and I don’t know if you could have ever convinced him of the truth. You did what was necessary to protect the people you love. Sometimes we have to do ugly things to protect what matters the most to us.”

Lucas sniffled. “Kind of like what you did with the Fae thing?”

Nic nodded. “Like that. Sometimes you have to be willing to sacrifice your day-to-day morals in order to stand up for what you truly believe in. No one ever protected something important to them without coming out of it with dirty hands.”

“I’m so scared he’ll find out one day,” Lucas admitted dully.

“I can’t sit here and tell you the truth might not come out one day. But you can’t live your life afraid of what could happen. You made your decision and you’ve decided to keep it a secret. I can’t say I would have chosen any differently in your position. But at least you don’t have to suffer through it on your own,” Nic told him, taking hold of both of Lucas’ hands.

Lucas chuckled thickly. “I can’t tell if talking about it is helping or just making it worse.”

“Feels like shit right now, but you’ll feel better about it later. That was one hell of a secret you were holding onto, but I can help you shoulder it,” Nic promised.

Lucas looked up at him in what looked like amazement. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

Nic snorted. “After that heartfelt conversation all three of us had the other day? You bet I mean it. I might not know all the details of how a relationship works, especially a three-person relationship. But I know damn well it means promising to help, and to be there for you guys when you need it.”

Lucas sniffed. “Feels like I’m asking you to keep something from him. That’s not fair.”

“And when has anything in my life been fair? Like I said, you had a hard choice, and you made the same one I think I would have made in your place. I didn’t even have to be there, and I thought Masters was a lying son of a bitch,” Nic said.

Lucas looked at him in surprise. “You did?”

“Yeah, but you and Shaun both seemed like you believed him and were upset about him dying. Guess your being so upset makes a lot more sense to me now, but still. I couldn’t exactly turn to you guys and go ‘hey, so that guy you guys totally trust and care about? The one who’s dead now? Well I think he was lying to your face,’ now could I?” Nic asked.

Lucas snorted, trying to sound amused. “I guess not.”

“There, feel better now?” Nic asked as he reached out to run his thumb over Lucas’ jaw.

Lucas shook his head. “Not really, but thank you all the same, Nic. I’m still not sure if what I did was for the best, but at least I know I’m not alone in knowing what really happened.”

“After everything you guys have done for me, helping you get through some messed up shit like this is the least I can do,” Nic told him gently.

“I feel like the only thing we’ve done for you is bring messed up shit into your life,” Lucas said darkly.

“Trust me, my life was already full of it before. At least with you guys in my life, I have something to come home to that makes me happy. Hell, before you guys, I didn’t have anywhere I could think of as ‘home’ in the first place. Now I’m all cheesy and mooshy, thinking that my home is wherever you guys are,” Nic said in mock annoyance.

Lucas bent forward and kissed the corner of Nic’s mouth. “I’m glad. We meant everything we said the other day. You’re a perfect addition to our lives and we want you to continue to stay with us for as long we can manage.”

“You mean until we all die horrible deaths whenever a hunter or creature finally gets lucky and takes us down for blabbing?” Nic asked in dark humor.

Lucas pressed his forehead against Nic’s. “I think they’re going to have one hell of a time trying. Between the three of us, they’re going to have to fight like hell to take out one of us. You’ve yet to see Shaun fight whenever he thinks someone he cares about is in danger.”

Nic hummed. “I find myself oddly aroused at the thought.”

Lucas laughed. “It’s sad, but I’m inclined to agree with you. It’s scary, but it’s also incredibly hot to see.”

“Scarousing? Fear Boner?” Nic asked, trying the terms out.

Lucas bowed his head as he tried to contain his laughter. “This was supposed to be a super-serious moment, you know.”

“We’re going to have super-serious moments in our lives without dragging them out further than necessary. Plus, you’re way cuter when you smile, even if you’re acting like you don’t want to,” Nic told him.

Lucas wrapped his hand around the back of Nic’s neck, smiling at him. “I think you’re better at this relationship stuff than you give yourself credit for.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” Charlotte’s voice said in surprise from behind Nic.

Lucas pulled back slowly, showing no sign of being embarrassed in the slightest. “Nothing to be sorry about. We were getting ready to see if anyone needed any help.”

Nic scoffed. “How do two well-trained hunters and a guy with supernatural abilities and senses keep getting snuck up on by everyone?”

He turned to see Charlotte eyeing them curiously as she motioned over her shoulder. “Anne told me to fetch the two of you to see if you’re hungry. Though, those weren’t exactly the words that she used.”

Nic grinned. “I bet they were far more bossy and colorful.”

She looked between them. “So, are you two…?”

Lucas stood up. “We’ve told you quite enough without putting our personal lives into your story. No offense.”

Charlotte shrugged good-naturedly. “I’m a reporter, not some tabloid hack. I’m personally curious, not professionally.”

Nic looked skeptical. “And if we should choose to answer that question, you’ll just happen to not mention it in any of your stories?”

“I think the existence of the supernatural supersedes any stories of romance between a hunter and something he supposedly shouldn’t like,” she told him.

“Hey, we said that wasn’t all hunters,” Lucas protested.

Nic ignored that. “Even after it all dies down and stops being pressing news, and you might be tempted to call in the three who originally broke the news? You wouldn’t find it sorely tempting to go into our personal lives to add a little spice?”

She frowned at him. “I was hoping we might build a little trust between us. Considering I’m going to be with you three for a while, it was my intent to build a rapport.”

“Meaning you wanna get us comfortable with you, to talk and spill everything to you so you can use it at your leisure,” Nic replied.

Charlotte looked pained. “I might have been framing different things in my mind, organizing them into different stories. But honestly? Everything you guys have going for you professionally will be enough for me. I have no problem swearing an oath to not mention anything private that you don’t green light beforehand.”

“So, does that mean you make that promise and if I say that if you should break that promise, I have every right to retaliate in whatever form I see fit?” Nic asked casually, knowing from experience that an offhand threat could be far more menacing than one done with a flourish and a growl.

“You can rip out my innards,” she said solemnly.

“Nic,” Lucas complained, seeing the decision on the kitsune’s face before he even spoke.

“All three of us,” Nic told her.

Confusion replaced the serious expression on her face. “All three of you…what?”

“All three of us are together,” he explained.

“Like…as lovers? Is this some sort of kink thing?” she asked with a rising brow.

“If that’s what helps it settle in your mind better, sure,” Nic said brightly.

“He’s playing with me,” Charlotte said to Lucas.

“He is, but he’s also being serious,” Lucas explained.

“Gangbangs, all the time,” Nic continued, as if the other two weren’t speaking.

“This doesn’t feel serious,” she continued.

“Once you sift through the bullshit, you’ll see he actually makes a lot of sense, and even occasionally makes a good point. I promise,” Lucas continued at her wary expression.

“I’ll take your word for it,” she said, still looking confused as Lucas led her away gently.

“C’mon, let’s go get some food in us. Maybe we’ll even get a good night’s sleep before we tackle the world’s problems tomorrow,” Lucas told her, rolling his eyes at Nic’s attempted protests.

“I feel like you guys aren’t taking me seriously!” Nic called to their retreating backs.

It wasn’t the humor that sent the rush of warmth through him; it was the noticeable lack of tension in Lucas’ shoulders. The hunter might still bear his secret with plenty of internal conflict, but spilling it to Nic seemed to have eased some of that pain. He might have set the world on its head, but he had eased Lucas’ mind a little. It probably didn’t balance a damn thing on the cosmic scale, but it certainly brought a smile to his face.