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Inarrow my eyes on the approaching figures. Guiding Liv behind me. Kyros and Mateo step up on either side of me, forming a wall of protection around our mate.
“Go back inside,” I murmur, my tone even and firm. Despite my warning, she sticks to my side and places a hand on my back, refusing to retreat to safety. I huff out a breath of exasperation, scolding myself for relaxing back into her touch rather than forcing her to safety.
Movement pulls my gaze back to the distance. Five more black-cloaked figures appear around the first three, their images wobbling into focus.
“Fucking shadow demons,” Mateo growls, stepping forward. His sword appears in his outstretched palm, calling it forth with his war magic. I conjure my own, along with one in Kyros’ waiting palm. The three of us fall into our usual positions. Well, usually four of us, yet Maximus remains absent from this insane night we seem to be having.
I join Mateo in the front. Although he knows how to fight, Kyros stays behind to protect Liv. His powers are the most helpful post-battle. We move forward, charging to meet the demons, not wanting them to get too close to Liv.
As we surge forward a familiar form appears behind the charging swarm of shadow demons, now close enough to make out their desecrated faces past their billowing robes.
Maximus reaches out his palm, the closest demons to him crumbling to the ground in a pile of dust. I swing my sword, cutting a demon’s head off as Mateo skillfully chops down two closest to him with one fell swoop of his sword, battle lust clear on his face.
I stay back letting him work it out of his system. Mateo approaches the last demon. Cutting him down with one final arc of his sword. My eyes survey the distance, ensuring there aren’t any more about to attack.
Satisfied that no new demons are taking form, I turn towards Maximus, about to ask him what the hell is going on, but I blink in confusion. His massive form is no longer there.
Only then do I register the footsteps pounding on the pavement just behind me. Maximus is already barging past me, barreling down the path to Kyros and Liv. I quirk an eyebrow at them, seeing how close they’ve gotten, as Kyros attempts to hold her back.
“Olivia.” His voice is booming, and his large mitts-for-hands grip her shoulders. “Didn’t I tell you not to put yourself in danger?” he bellows, a mix of fear and anger blazing in his eyes.
“I just wanted to—”
“No,” He cuts her off, shaking her slightly. I take a step towards her, when Mateo of all people, grips my shoulder, halting me. His eyebrows are furrowed in confusion and his gaze bounces back and forth between the two of them. Wanting to see how this will play out.
I scowl back at him, wrenching my shoulder from his grasp. He may be cavalier with our mate’s safety, but I for one am not.
“Didn’t you learn after the first attack? I don’t know what happened, but they’re after you now.” He lets loose an angry growl at that thought before reining himself back in. I bring my foot down, halting my momentum at his words, glancing at Kyros and Mateo.
I’m clearly missing something here. Yet, I see the other’s faces twisted with the same confusion that’s clouding my mind.
“I’ve been tracking the power that summoned them for weeks all over the infernal realm. For some reason, they have their sights set firmly on you now.”
I see the moment his words sink in, fear finally flooding her eyes, despite her charging towards literal demons just moments before.
I shiver at his words, a deep chill settling in my bones, and the blood drains from my face. There was some sort of attack? The questions swirling around my mind like a tornado. Unable to grasp on to a single one to form a word—a question out loud.
There’s someone after Liv, and Maximus knows about it? Despite the time we spent together and how close I thought we’d grown, she didn’t think to tell me this either?
I glance up at her—only now realizing my gaze had dropped to the ground—and attempt to process the racing thoughts. She winces at my look. My face is still so numb, I’m not even aware of the look I’m giving her right now.
“What attack?” Mateo growls beside me before prowling over to Liv. The sudden noise shocks me from the flurry of thoughts. Cementing me in the present moment. I need answers. Maximus blinks at him, as if just now taking in who else is here. His sights firmly set on Olivia before.
“Yes, yes, get with the program.She’s all of our fucking mate. Deal with it.”Mateo projects to all of us, despite just coming to terms with the realization himself.
My gaze moves between them, assessing the fear in Maximus’ eyes, only now understanding the strange emotion on my brother’s face. I’m only just piecing together the reason for his actions. I’ll deal with the reality of Liv having yet another mate later. Now I need to focus on the threat targeting her.
Maximus emits a low growl, drawing a curious gaze from Liv. He quickly composes himself, remembering she can’t listen in on our conversation.
“What other attack?” I echo Mateo’s previous question. Kyros looks around nervously, obviously already knowing the details. To my surprise, Liv answers. Apparently, neither of my brothers have the balls to answer for themselves.
“There was a chaos demon that attacked my history class a few weeks back.” Mateo and I start talking simultaneously, but she cuts us off. “Everyone is fine. Kyros patched up the few students that were injured, and the professor. Everything is fine,” she assures, yet Maximus’ face tells us otherwise.
“Everyone is fine?” he asks, shaking her again. “Everyone was not fine,” he growls. “That demon was about to take you, don’t you understand that? Just like these demons tonight would’ve done if you were by yourself…” He lets his sentence trail off, not wanting to speak the consequences aloud.
“Why would they…” Her voice is soft now, lacking its usual confidence as Maximus’ words finally sink in.
“I don’t know,” he admits, his grip falling from her shoulders. His shoulders slump in defeat. “I’ve been trying to figure it out for the last couple of weeks, but every clue I find leads to a dead end.”
