Page 74 of Hybrid Heroics

Black and white.

The rules no longer applied to me.

Not that I had ever let them stop me before…

I stepped into the Void, dragging ten people and three hellhounds with me, from the druids’ realm to Nashville, Tennessee, without ever touching them.

Fuck the celestial wards.

I was unstoppable.

And Alric would discover that at dinner on Thursday.

Wednesday, June 24th

Evening

Home.

It felt like ages since we had been here for longer than a night. Traveling had taken its toll, but stepping into the familiar estate revitalized me as much as the stasis did.

There were still faint traces of our scents clinging to the fabric surfaces, though Franklin was more present. I wanted to change that.

Not that I didn’t appreciate all the ancient vampire did for us—for me.

I really couldn’t imagine life without him. He was steadfast and loyal, remarkably calm through all my chaotic bullshit... Franklin was my fucking rock.

And he was waiting in the kitchen, reading through the manual of a new surveillance system he’d put in. He peeked over the booklet, lazily sipping his coffee. I could smell the tinge of blood in the air, telling me he had been too busy to feed properly. That would have to change tonight. I wouldn’t let him come anywhere near the battle if he wasn’t at his best.

Coffee sounded amazing, but first, I needed something stronger.

“Is everything ready?” I asked, pulling a bottle of tequila from the freezer.

“I’ll walk you through the setup,” he absently commented. “It all seems very straightforward, though. And yes, Lo. I’ve fed, but thank you for your concern.”

“The monitors?” I queried, a soft smile pulling at my lips.

He hadn’t read my mind; he’d seen the tightening of my eyes when I smelled blood in the air and looked at his coffee mug.

“In the basement.”

“Wires?”

“Coated with something Dolyn brought over. He said it was tamper-proof.” Franklin scoffed. “To be clear, it was a liquid he painted onto the wires before we ran them. But he’s usually right, so I didn’t ask any more questions than necessary.”

I shrugged. “If he made it, then it will serve its purpose.”

Franklin closed the booklet and stood from his chair. “Are you ready to get started, or would you like to rest?”

“I’m ready.”

Novak wrapped his arms around my waist, propping his chin on my shoulder. “No rest for the wicked, huh?”

“It’s time to prepare,” I stated, seriousness heavy in my tone.

“Why do you say it like that?” Briggs asked, shaking his head.

“Like what?” I countered.