"We'll handle it," Selene said, not unkindly. "We have resources. Your employer will receive a resignation letter. Your landlord will receive notice that you've moved. Your friends will receive messages explaining your sudden absence. It will be seamless."
"You're going to erase my life."
"We're going toprotectit," Darius corrected. "If our enemies discover you, they won't be as merciful as we are. They'll use you to get to us, and when they're done, they'll discard you. Staying here keeps you alive."
I looked at each of them in turn. Darius, stoic and immovable. Selene, elegant and amused. Azrael, quiet and watchful. And Lucien, who had returned to hover in the doorway, his amber eyes burning into me with an intensity that made my stomach flip.
Werewolf, I reminded myself.He's a werewolf. And a criminal. And he held a knife to your throat.
But my body wasn't listening to my brain. My body remembered the heat of him, the weight of him, the way his nostrils had flared when he'd smelled my arousal. My body wasveryinterested in exploring that further, despite every rational thought screaming at me to run.
"So I'm stuck here," I said finally. "In a Gothic manor. With a vampire crime lord, a werewolf enforcer, a demon, and a witch. As your... what? Pet? Mascot? Hostage with benefits?"
"Guest," Selene repeated firmly. "And if you're very good, we might even let you redecorate. This place could use some color."
Despite everything—the fear, the confusion, the absolute insanity of my situation—I felt a laugh bubble up in my chest. It was hysterical, borderline unhinged, but it was real.
"Fine," I said, throwing my hands up. "Fine. I'll be your aggressively adopted human. But I have conditions."
Darius's eyebrow rose. "Conditions."
"One: I want my own room. With a lock. Two: I want access to snacks. Three: nobody touches my tote bag. And four—" I pointed at Lucien, who stiffened like I'd aimed a weapon at him. "—if he threatens me with a knife again, I reserve the right to boop him as many times as necessary until he learns some manners."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then Selene burst out laughing, bright and genuine, and even Azrael's lips curved into that devastating almost-smile. Darius pinched the bridge of his nose like he was developing a headache.
Lucien just stared at me, his expression caught somewhere between fury and bewilderment.
"Deal," Darius said finally. "But don't push your luck, Miss Saltz. You're alive because we're curious. That can change."
I met his silver gaze and didn't flinch. "Noted. Now, where's my room? I need to process my trauma and possibly cry for a little bit."
Selene rose, offering me her hand. "I'll show you. Come along, darling. Welcome to the family."
I took her hand and let her lead me out of the sitting room, past Lucien's burning stare, past Azrael's golden gaze, past Darius's cold assessment. My heart was pounding. My hands were shaking. And somewhere deep in my chest, beneath the fear and the confusion and the absolute absurdity of it all, a tiny spark of excitement was starting to glow.
This is insane, I thought again.
But I didn't try to run.
And when Lucien's eyes followed me up the stairs, I made sure to put an extra sway in my hips, just to watch his jaw clench.
Game on, wolf boy.
