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“I, for example, am a hybrid,” he adds.
My eyebrows shoot up, and I’m unable to mask my confusion. “You’re not just a monster?”
He shakes his head and pushes his empty plate away. “My grandfather was a warlock. I’m mostly monster, but warlock blood runs in my veins too. That’s how I’m able to open the portals.”
“What about Azarius?”
Elio shrugs. “He’s a dumbass.”
A smile tries to cross my lips, but not because of the insult. For this first time since I came through the portal, Elio is acting like the snarky guy I met in the Uber.
It’s a relief.
“He’s a monster,” he answers, getting serious again.
“What about Rafe?”
To wield so much power, he must have something other than monster blood in him. And the way he can materialize out of the shadows is unlike anything I’ve seen Elio or Azarius do.
Elio nods, confirming my suspicions. “Rafe is a hybrid, and one of the most powerful kinds. He’s half demon, part monster, and part warlock.”
“Everything but the kitchen sink, huh?”
“Pretty much.” Elio pushes his chair back and collects his dishes, finishing off the rest of his drink before making his way around the table.
I stay seated, intent on waiting until Elio disappears before I take my plate back upstairs, but he stops next to my chair and stares down at me.
“Do you want to go for a walk?” he asks, gesturing to the double doors with a jerk of his head. “We can’t go far, but it might be nice to get outside for a bit.”
“Sure.” I answer too quickly, but I don’t care. I’m just glad he isn’t being an asshole.
“Come on. You can change first.”
After helping him wash the dishes and store my food, which I promised to eat later, I slip upstairs to get my shoes and meet him by the front door soon after.
He’s dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a tight-fitting navy shirt, which makes his coppery skin stand out, and he redid his man bun, tying it slickly behind his head. My gaze tumbles down his form and stops at the pair of work boots on his feet.
“Not a fan of tennis shoes?” I joke, looking him up and down.
“These are my ass stomping boots.” He gestures to them with a smile. “Steel toed, and they have a blade hidden in the bottom.”
I stare shamelessly, impressed. “Where can I get some of those?”
“I think I got them in Atlanta,” he said, scratching one of his horns. “Or Lexington. Either way, we can find you some. If you’re going to be here a while, you might need them.”
He pulls open the front door and a column of pale green light spills into the foyer. The twin suns hanging in the wide expanse overhead bathe everything in green light, a brighter version of the moon at night.
The constant, sickly effect is one thing I won’t miss about the monster realm.
I can’t wait to see sunlight on Earth again.
“After you,” Elio says, gesturing to the doorway.
The warm arm hugs my skin as I make my way down the stairs, and I pause at the bottom for Elio to catch up. Being outside for the first time in a week is a freeing experience, but the drastic openness leaves me feeling exposed. Vulnerable.
“Are you sure this is safe?” I scan the dark tree line surrounding the mansion, but I can’t see anything past the closest trunks. All the foliage melts into a smear of thorny blackness.
“Relatively,” he says, strolling off to the left. I fall in step beside him, anxiety crawling over my skin.
