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“Out on the grounds with four protection officers, one of whom will be either myself, Davenport, or Zayn who has agreed to join our team. Your father believes he is a consultant.”
“West, you can’t do this,” I pleaded with him. “You can’t just lock me up again. This is worse than before. I can shift, I can fight. You saw that yourself in the cave against thehatay. I can protect myself. I’m not helpless anymore, please.”
“And if these cult members or whatever they are turn out to be human, what then? They attack and you shift and rip them to shreds. Problem solved. Except guess what? Someone filmed you on a smartphone, and now the footage is being uploaded to the internet, and you’re in a cage as some kind of lab rat. Even if someone didn’t see you, the police would find the bodies and soon track them back to us. The gods swore to stay below the radar, to no longer involve themselves directly in human affairs, and not to let their existence become known. They took an oath, and even if you don’t remember yet, so did you.”
“Okay, I get it, no shifting, but—”
“No. Let me make this perfectly clear, Lady Victoria. Leaving this house is forbidden without my express permission.” He glowered down at me, and my rage began to simmer.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, talking to me that way? I don’t give a rat’s arse if you are my high priest. If I have so much power over you, I’ll just click my fingers and have you replaced. Zayn seems like he’d be a vast improvement.” I tried not to look at his throat. My teeth were already tingling, and I felt the strongest urge to tear into him and feel his blood rushing over my tongue. The hunger burned deep within me. It had been several hours since I had fed from Jack that morning, and the desire to feed gnawed at me from the inside. I swallowed, forcing my gaze up to his. His teeth were clenched together, and a nerve ticked in his jawline. I was definitely getting to him.
“If you won’t listen to me, I shall simply show the photos to your father. I am sure he will support my new measures. And yes, you would have the power to replace me, my queen, but it would be a mistake. I am the strongest of all of them. I was made that way.”
Afraid I’d lunge for him, I turned and walked away. At the door, I turned back. Furious, frustrated, afraid, and desperate for his blood, I settled for a well-placed insult. “Well, I don’t know who picked you, but they made a shitty choice.”
I stepped through the door and into the hallway, but his quiet response reached my supernaturally heightened hearing.
“You picked me, my goddess.”
Four
TORY
“Oh,yes.That’sit,just there...” I lay on my back across my bed, dressed in my slouchiest sweats. A ginger cat had just jumped onto my chest, disturbing the black and white one that already sat there. Turning around a couple of times, he snuggled down and settled. Trying not to disturb Simba, the huge fluff ball that currently dominated most of my stomach area, and the other ginger tabby stretched out along my legs, I glanced over at Kitty Cat who sat on my dresser watching us. I rubbed my fingers together, trying to entice him to join us.
“Kitty Cat!”
He simply stared at me with golden eyes. I always found it incredibly amusing how patronising cats could be, and Kitty Cat was a master.
“Come on, we’re setting a record for the number of cats sitting on me.” Yes, I really was that bored. Kitty Cat stared at me and then fucking yawned.
“Oh, come on, you grump. You’re as bad as West!”
Kitty Cat seemed to glare at me, and I swear if he were human he would have rolled his eyes. He stood and stretched, crossed the room, and jumped gracefully up onto the bed. I patted my shoulder, and he put his front paws on it before leaping up and sitting square on my face.
“Kitty!” I mumbled from under his furry tummy. He settled down exactly where he was, claws out and raking gently through my hair.
“I suppose I asked for that,” I muttered as a purr began to resonate from his warm little body. I sighed and closed my eyes.
It had only been a week and a half, and I was ready to scream. West had been as good as his word, and my father had gone along with him. When I’d found him to apologise a few hours after he’d shown me the letters, he’d pulled me into a tight hug, and then we’d sat and talked over a brandy and a game of chess. I’d promised him to be more responsible now that I knew the whole truth, but the novelty was starting to wear off. Hattie was still in France, so she couldn’t come visit, a few of my other, less close friends were apparently in Kenya on some trip, and Jasper still hadn’t returned any of my calls. My parents had buggered off to London for the week for a couple of charity events they needed to attend, so the house was silent. I was bored shitless.
It was partly my own fault. I’d pointedly ignored Jack since we got back, not quite forgiving him for not standing up for me against West. I understood why he hadn’t, but I was bored and frustrated, and I needed something to be pissed off about. I was starting to behave like a proper brat, especially around West, which probably wasn’t the best idea, but it was keeping me occupied. I had kept my promise to my father though and hadn’t tried to make a break for it.
My phone rang, and I rolled over immediately to grab it. Cats went flying in all directions, except Kitty Cat who still managed to step off my face with grace and dignity. Obnoxious little shit. I stared at the number for a moment, not recognising it, then answered the call.
“Tory.”
“Hey, Tory, it’s Jabari... from the dig site?”
I smiled and rolled onto my front, reaching out to rub Kitty Cat’s tummy. “Jabari, hi! How’s it going out there? I’m so sorry I left so quickly, I had...”
“A family emergency, yeah, no, it’s fine. Is everything okay now?” He sounded genuinely concerned.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Bit of a parental health scare, but it’s all good. I don’t think I’ll be able to get back to the dig though.” I sighed, letting my honest disappointment show in my voice.
“Ah, that sucks, but hey, I rang to say I got selected as a representative to come to London in a couple of days and brief Lord Fallon on the progress so far, bring him a few artefacts, that kind of thing.”
“Oh, hey, that’s cool, congratulations,” I said, meaning it. Jabari had been lovely to me for the short time I’d known him.
