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“Thorn, we’re here because?—”
“Dear Alpha. Indulge me, I beg of you. Chameleons are so rare. I give you my word I’ll help with the vessel, but I insist … the chameleon.” Thorn extended his hand in a polite manner, giving a slight bow, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on Cassia.
Julian weighed his options. His wolf urged him to stop the madness but his mate could handle her own. If Thorn tried to hurt her, he guessed her beast would trample him before he got a chance.
Julian looked to Cassia. “This is your call.”
“Of course, yes. I’m not sure what else you want to know?”
“Do tell me everything, my dearest. Start from the beginning.”
“I’m chameleon. I’ve survived the past hundred years moving from city to city because …” She paused and took a breath, weighing her words. “There is no easy way to say this. I’ve always had a problem with hellhounds. They’d come in my dreams … well, more like nightmares. I’d see them and I’d know it was time. Time to move. Time to run. I lived among humans and never had to worry about becoming too attached. I’d been working in New Orleans when I booked a personal job. I’ve done private gigs before, even a couple where I traveled, so I didn’t think much of it. A human had booked me for a job in Idaho. It was far away but they’d prepaid. They’d arranged for everything … the airfare, hotel … it all seemed legit. Until I got there. A mansion full of humans. At the same time, they weren’t. I could feel the evil … taste it. I tried to make an excuse to leave but they came after me. I ran.”
“Idaho?” Thorn peaked his hands, tapping the pads of his fingers together.
“Yes.” Julian nodded.
“Please continue, lovey.”
“I don’t remember that much after Julian found me in the woods. They shot at me and there was a landslide from the rain. Julian took me to the hospital because he thought I was human. But I shifted and skipped out without telling him. There’s not much that scares me in this life but whatever was in that house … the humans … I don’t know what they were planning but it’s like they knew what I was.
“When I got back to New Orleans, I tried brushing off what had happened. But then the visions … of the Alpha, of the hellhounds began again. I tried astral projecting to him … to warn him, but the hellhounds were already there. They burnt down his home. He survived.”
Thorn shot Julian a smile. “It’s like a fairytale. You saved the royal prince.
“There’s nothing much to tell after that. The hellhounds have found me again though … not just in my dreams, but in New Orleans.”
“That is quite unfortunate. Even I don’t care for the creatures. Satan’s beasts of burden. I don’t have much say in the matter.” Thorn clapped his hands and servants swarmed over them, handing out cups of tea. The scent of peppermint swirled in the air. “Let’s have a cuppa, shall we? Your chameleon is quite intriguing, Alpha. Go on.”
Cassia accepted a steaming teacup, and continued. “But in New Orleans, at Logan’s … a hellhound almost breached the wards. Dominique …”
“I killed it.” Dominique’s flat expression revealed no emotion whatsoever. “Disgusting creatures. Sadly it wasn’t a hellhound. Still though. It’s dead. Whatever.”
“Ah, a plot twist. Do tell.”
“As it was dying, it transformed to its original state. A wolf. We don’t know what pack it’s from. We think someone is doing something to these wolves.”
“If they can do that to a wolf, they may be able to do it to other creatures,” Greyson surmised.
Cassia shook her head. “The hellhounds came to me in a dream once again, and told me about the vessel. I don’t know what it is or what’s in it. But here we are.”
“I’d like to rewind a bit dear. I share concern over this situation for reasons I will divulge in a minute. Lovely chameleon, do you remember details about the evening you went to the party? Anything special about the humans? Perhaps something they were wearing? A scent?”
“Why is this of any value?” Greyson asked.
“Because I. Want. To. Know,” Thorn growled, his eyes flickering red.
Julian’s jaw ticked in anger. Fucking vampire couldn’t shut his trap, and damn demon played with them like a cat with a mouse. But it would be the patience and wisdom of a prince who would steer the ship.
“What is the purpose of your inquisition?” Julian asked, his demeanor calm.
Thorn sipped his tea while keeping his gaze on the Alpha. “Because … it’s never a good thing when humans are conjuring demons. Not for them. Not for any of us. I must know who was involved, who is possibly feeding these monsters. Perhaps the same one who is giving the fae cambions?”
“I don’t know.” Cassia’s brow wrinkled in thought. “They looked like regular humans. It was a party. It was black tie. They were dressed up. The home looked new. No, wait. It was old on the outside but new on the inside. Renovated. The man … he was American. But the woman, she sounded British.”
“Do you know where in Britain? Try listening in your mind.”
“Northern England. Lancashire.”
