Page 126 of Shifter Situations

Jack furrowed his brows. “What is it?”

“Lo pulled me into her thoughts while we were at the pack party, and I realized that she has two very distinct colors to her mental essence. I don’t know enough about it to do more than speculate. But when she became agitated, her presence went from a pinkish color to rolling black clouds.

“I’m thinking that’s her demon alter making an appearance. Though, I’m curious if you, Grim, or Dolyn have ever seen it happening.”

“Ah,” Sloane said, bouncing her head. “I can explain that. Sort of.”

She pursed her lips, pulling Jack, Vaughn, and me into her mind as she spoke. When I closed my eyes, I could see the pink wall that the fae was talking about. The edges were blotted with swirling, black ink, like blood mixing with water.

“This is what happens with hybrids of demons and angels. Papi’s mind is similar but more intense. The two halves war with each other constantly. They don’t blend like other hybrid mixtures.”

Sloane cut her gaze to Hyde and Arwen, calling out to the necromancer.

“Arwen? Could I borrow your mind for a moment?”

“That’s a frightening question. The answer depends on what you need it for.”

“Necromancers are hybrids, yes? Demons and dark mages?”

He stood, trudging closer to us as he considered her questions.

“I’m only asking because I’d like to show them the differences between our mental essences. I’m not exactly a true hybrid; I’m more like a cocktail, but the small amount of angelic blood that runs in my veins doesn’t mix with the rest of my genetic makeup.

“You don’t have that issue, and I’d like to show them. Or, uhm, pull them into your mind to let them see and feel the difference. I won’t go far enough to hear your thoughts, though.”

“How far do you need to go?” the necromancer hesitantly questioned.

“Just below the surface of your mental presence. If we were talking about it in the context of a cake, then just beneath the icing.”

Briggs snorted. “Do you want some cake, Barbie? Or do you always refer to sweet treats when you talk about layers?”

“I’ll have to answer that when I don’t have so many people in my mind,” she smarted, turning her attention back to Arwen.

She waited expectantly, smiling when he lowered himself to sit with us. Hyde squeezed in between Sloane and Jack, laying her head on the hellsteed’s shoulder.

“It’s about the black stuff, huh? I’ve always thought it was neat, but she says my mind doesn’t look like that. It’s buttercup yellow,” Hyde mocked, rolling her amber eyes.

“Okay,” Arwen agreed, closing his eyes. “I’m ready.”

Sloane pulled the three of us into the necromancer’s mind, continuing her explanation.

“Every species, except angels and humans, blend perfectly together, creating signature colors for the individual. Arwen’s color may be similar to other necromancers, but it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see another with this exact deep golden shading.”

She took us out of Arwen’s mind carefully and popped us into Hyland’s mind.

“Hyde’s essence is a buttery yellow color, but she also has an iridescent purple film over it. I’m not positive, but I think it has something to do with her basilisk half.”

She removed Jack, Vaughn, and me from Hyde’s mind and then her own. Reaching over, she surprised Arwen when she grabbed his hand.

I chuckled at his shock, and the tiny succubus giggled as Sloane began drawing the Third Devil’s seal on his palm.

The necromancer regarded Sloane as he weighed her words.

“There’s quite a bit of mystery surrounding the hybrid children of angels and demons.”

“I’ve heard. The more questions that get asked about them, the more likely it is that the ones who exist will stay quiet. Some people tend to be too nosey when it comes to their own suspicions.

“There are a few instances where curiosity isn’t a bad thing, but when you take it overboard, as many of them do, it becomes a conspiracy instead of a learning experience.