NIRVANA I was back to the ce where it all started. Where I first met Cyrius, how he showed me everyone I loved died. It was painful, and I was hopeless. And then he appeared.
“I’ve shown you, your future-how it will end. Resisting against me, you know you can’t win, Nirvana. Come and join me, and see how your future changes, just the way you’ve ever dreamed, having family and kids-”
I felt extreme fear again as I watched the future, losing hope. “Over my dead body! You can stop spreading your tentacles, asshole. You won’t get what you want. Even if you will kill everyone I love, I will find a way to kill you.”
“You had your chance.”
“Fuck you!” I jolted to sit, my heart galloping in my chest. I realized I was still in the vehicle, and we hadn’t arrived at Inverness.
“Whoa.” I thought it came from Kailin.
“What’s wrong?” I saw their worried face.
“You must be dreaming. You just cursed in your sleep,” Knight said. He still looked hurt. I knew he cared about me, but I was more concerned about what this gue could do to them.
“You can’t protect me forever, Knight.”
“Well, that might be a problem because I will not stop protecting you. I’m your mate. My job is to protect you and give you what you need.”
“What about you? Who will protect you? Your pack? What’s my role then? If we can’t win this, everything is over. Our pack, our lives, and everyone we love will die. That son of bitch just showed me how you all die because I was resisting joining his army of octopus ink-drinking buddies.”
Knight didn’t say a word but breathed deeply, and it just pissed me off.
“Too bad. The world will end anyway, so why join Urs if we can build our resistance for Ariel and Prince Eric? We fight till the end,” Kailin said, offering her fist for a fist bump.
“Really?” I bumped my fist at hers. “You quickly went overboard referencing Little Mermaid.”
“Yeah, why not.”
“I’m up for war, but I’m not gonna die from the ck virus.”
“Don’t be so quick to go to war, Dn. If we do this, we make sure we’re ready.” McKaye blew a breath. “We can’t lose. This is not just about us anymore.”
“You’ve been silent, Alpha,” Sebastien said.
“A lot going on in my head. Cyrius’ only goal is to kill all women in Katzius’s bloodline so he can eliminate the threats.”
“Yes, Alpha. One question for Nirvana. If you can jump to another ce, have you tried jumping through time?”
I ping-ponged my gaze between Sebastien and Knight, and my mate looked like I had just figured out what was in my head.
“Don’t ever think about trying.” Knight faced me.
“I don’t even know how or what my limit is. If I know, maybe there’s a side effect I haven’t felt every time I teleport. If it’s unnecessary, I don’t even want to do it.” I looked at Dn, sitting behind us. “If you ever tell a soul or your friends about what you saw earlier, I will take you with me and lock you in that tomb.”
He chuckled. “You’re not serious.”
I showed him my angry face. “Try me.”
Heughed nervously. “You’ll do it to your cousin?”
“If it put her life in danger, I will not hesitate, Dn,” Knight told him.
“Jeez, guys. Rx. I’m dedicated to ending this gue, just like all of you. I’m one of the Keepers and intend to be on the right side of history. If I die, at least you have a story to tell your great-great-grandchildren that Dn helped save the world.”
For the first time, I heard Lukaugh. “And why in the hell would I do that?”
“I don’t know, man. What’s your role anyway?”
“Stop. This is not a joke. Once we got to the pub and met Kain, we should go back to the States. I had a bad feeling the vineyards are not safe anymore.” I stilled when all their gazes were on me, including Luka’s. “Eyes on the road, Luka.”
“What made you say that, sweetheart?”
“That dream I had, it was where I badly hurt. I don’t know, a gut feeling, I guess. I don’t wanna risk the people there.”
“Don’t worry. We’re fifty miles away from Inverness. By then, Zarah will be done with the meeting with her coven.”
Later in the afternoon, we finally arrived at the Inverness. We entered the pub, and most customers were local humans. I couldn’t feel other supernatural beings but us.
“Where’s your friend, Alpha?” Knight asked.
“He’ll be here, but Kain is always on time.” He looked at the time on his watch as we took a table while Luka, Dn, and McKaye took another table.
“I wanna drink Scotch.”
“You don’t look twenty-one, Nirvana,” Knight whispered, amused.
“Really? Thest time I checked, Scots can start drinking at eighteen. Then you shouldn’t be sleeping with me.” I put my hand on his thigh, slowly tracing up just below his crotch.
“Not funny.”
We ordered drinks and the rest of the guys.
Before our order arrived, Sebastien said, “Something is wrong.” He picked up his phone and quickly typed a message.
“Alpha King, may I ask you something?”
“Go ahead, Nirvana.”N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
“What was like about fifty years ago?”
“No cell phone and people just read newspapers.” He wandered his eyes around until he sniffed the air.
“Maybe it was nice living with fewer distractions, and people would just eat in the restaurant without wasting time taking selfies and pictures of the food on the table.” Kailin’sment made me smile.
Our drinks arrived. Before I could pick up the ss, Sebastien put some bills on the table and said hurriedly, “Let’s get out of here.”
“What’s wrong?” I held Knight’s hand.
“Kain is here, but I sensed some fear in the air.”
We hurriedly made our way out of the pub while locals got our attention. We were about to climb back into the SUV when a tall, bulky man with salt-and-pepper hair walked in our direction, and everyone was growling.
“What is he?” McKaye asked.
“Who is he?” Dn came before me, shielding me from the man.
“Rx. That’s Kain,” said Knight.
“He smells different.” Luka sniffed the air.
“You’rete,” Sebastien grunted.
“My apology, Your Majesty. You’re lucky you see me in one piece. I just came across two sick werewolves, and they came after me.”
“Are you scratched or bitten, sir?” Dn asked.
“No, young man. I used my gun with silver bullets and shot them in the head.” His eyesnded on me. “You must be Nirvana.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Alpha Knight, good to see you again.” They shook hands. “I take it you have an extra seat for me.”
“Yes. Let’s get in the vehicle and find a safe ce so Zarah can portal us.”
“I missed Zarah, Alpha King. How’s she? And Shadow?”
“They’re good but terrified. I heard the gue can infect every supernatural being, and they were somewhat controlled.”
“So we’re not safe.” Knight’s voice sounded worried.
“Oh, no. We’re not, my friend.”
“What is he?” I asked Knight.
“He’s a shapeshifter.”
“Whoa.” The guys were as surprised as me. Dn was more amazed, checking Kain from head to toe.
“Wait.” I chuckled. “But you are, too.”
“No. He’s a nasty fe. I’m a werewolf. I can only shift to a wolf. He can shift to any animal, but he has to shed.”
“So what is your go-to, sir?” Dn asked.
“He’s a werecat,” Knight answered.
“Cool. Never seen a werecat before, not a Lycan wolf, but I just met a vamp, so I guess you are not extinct.”
“We’re limited in numbers, young man,” Kain told Dn, who seemed so interested.
“His face is Califf’s half-brother’s uncle,” Sebastien said.
“One question, Kain. Isn’t it that you shed if you shapeshift to a new host?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” I heard the fear in Dn’s voice.
“Wait. What am I missing something here?” I muttered.
“He can have any face he wants, but he keeps his victim alive.”
I blinked as I swallowed hard. “You can take my face, too?”
“I don’t do that anymore. I’m stuck with this body as a promise to Calder’s uncle.” Heughed. “So you’re not just human, are you, Nirvana?”
“I’m pretty much just human, Kain.”
Everyone snorted except Knight and Sebastien.