“Touch her again, and tip the balance. Become wicked. Become mine.” My voice sounded strange to my own ears. Angry. Commanding.
The boy who gripped Zoe paled and released her. The ones holding Kelsey released her as well. Kelsey grabbed her sister and hugged her close. The pair shook together, their cheeks wet with tears.
“I'm not wicked,” the incubus said, reclaiming my attention. “She agreed to kiss me.”
“Asshole!” Kelsey yelled. “You tricked her.”
“Darling, that's not my problem. She agreed. That's all that mattered.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Because if that were true, I wouldn't be itching to punish you.”
The boy narrowed his eyes.
“The fact that you haven’t already, fury, means I'm right. I'm not wicked, and you have no fight with me.”
“Maybe not as a fury, but as a pissed off girl, I sure do.”
I laid into him, hitting his pretty face again and again. It took a lot more effort to make him bleed than it would have a human, but I didn't mind taking the time to do the job right. By the time I finished a few minutes later, he looked satisfactorily messed up.
“Next time, consider the consequence before messing with a human. There's always a bigger, badder monster out there; and that monster might take offense to what you do.”
“The same applies to you, fury,” the boy said, turning his head and spitting blood on the floor. When he looked at me again, there was retribution in his gaze. “There just might be more powerful creatures out there than you, who will take offense at what you just did.”
“I look forward to hearing them complain.” I turned my back on the boy and looked at Kelsey and Zoe. “Can I give you two a ride home?”
“We have a car. We can't leave yet, though. Adira said until eight.”
“And I'm saying now. If Adira has a problem with it, it'll be my fault, not yours.”
Kelsey nodded and moved toward me, not releasing her hold on Zoe.
“We'll walk you out and follow you home,” Oanen said from just behind me.
He led, and I followed the pair. No one messed with the girls, and everyone moved out of Oanen's way.
Outside, the cool night air brought my attention to my temperature. I hadn't realized how warm I'd grown inside.
“Thank you for your help, Megan,” Kelsey said.
“Don't thank me. If I'd really been helpful, you wouldn't have been in there in the first place. You’ve only been in Uttira for a few days. Why did the Council have you working at the Roost already?”
“We wanted to know what we were getting into before too many days passed.”
“You should have talked to Ashlyn, then. She would have been able to give you an honest view of life in Uttira for a human.”
“Ashlyn? Is she human like us?”
I felt my temper twinge that the Council hadn't even introduced them.
“Human, and not a fan of this place. Hold on.” I turned to Oanen. “Can I use your phone?”
“What happened to yours?” he asked as he handed it over.
“Where on this dress do you think I'd stash my phone? I left it in the car.”
His gaze swept over my dress, and I knew he wasn't thinking of my phone. Trying to ignore him, I sent a quick text to Ashlyn to see if she was home and had time for some company.
Oanen's phone immediately rang. Eliana's number.
“Hey, we're almost there. What's up?” she asked.
I felt a twinge of guilt. I hadn't even thought of Eliana since arriving, and it definitely hadn’t occurred to me that Ashlyn would come to the Roost willingly for a night out.
“The new girls had a run-in with an incubus. I was thinking they should have a frank talk with Ashlyn before attempting any more assignments from the Council.”
Eliana was quiet for a moment.
“Are they okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Just shaken up.”
“We're pulling up now.” The call disconnected, and I saw the blinker go on for the set of headlights coming down the road.
A moment later, Eliana parked and got out. She and Ashlyn both wore cute, modest dresses and sad expressions.
“Kelsey, Zoe, this is Ashlyn and Eliana.”
“Hi, Ashlyn. Nice to see you again, Eliana,” Kelsey said.
“What happened?” Ashlyn asked.
“Some guy tricked Zoe into making out with him in front of everyone. Then a few more guys came up and said they were next. I tried to stop them, but every time I looked one of them in the eyes, I forgot what I was doing. He wouldn't even stop when Zoe started to cry. He said the salt of her tears gave the kiss more flavor.
“Then Megan showed up, eyes glowing, and kicked his ass.”
The asskickery hadn't been nearly enough now that I'd heard the whole story. I wanted to go back inside and find the guy again.
“Eyes glowing?” Eliana said looking at me.
“It's nothing.” I definitely did not want to talk about my freakish changes just then. “Kelsey and Zoe were here because they wanted to know what it would be like for them if they decide to live in Uttira.”
The door behind us opened and the incubus who’d met my fist walked out with his two friends. His eye had swollen shut and his bottom lip had puffed up on the right side. Despite that, he grinned when he saw Eliana.
“About time you acted like what you are. I warmed the little one up for you. You're welcome.”
Before I could take a step, Oanen's hands settled on my shoulders.
“Leave now, Eras.”
The boy's eyes settled on Oanen and his hold on me.
“Your parents’ influence doesn't matter to me,” he said. “I'm not going to cower and bow like the other mindless idiots inside. There's three of us, and that fury can't do a thing if we haven't broken any rules.”
The door had opened during his little speech, and a familiar chuckle reached my ears.
“It doesn't look like your opinion stopped her from doing something to your face a few minutes ago.”
The incubi parted, and Fenris strolled toward us.
“It's always fun when you show up, Megan,” he said with a grin.
“Not sure I'd call tonight fun,” I said.
He winked and looked back at the other guys.
“You're in no position to continue this fight. Go home. I'm sure your mother will give you some love after she sees your face.”
Eras's face grew red, and his eyes blackened. I fisted my hands, more than ready for him to make his move. Instead of giving me another reason to hit him, he pivoted and stalked away, taking his little followers with him.
“You coming back inside?” Fenris asked.
“If Megan wants to go back in, that’s fine. But, maybe we should postpone our night out,” Ashlyn said, her gaze flicking between Zoe, Kelsey, and Eliana.
Eliana nodded, a look of guilt on her face.
“I think we’ll all pass tonight,” I said to Fenris.
He sighed and nodded.
“Next time.” He turned and went back inside.
“I'm really sorry that guy kissed you, Zoe,” Eliana said softly after the door closed.
I suddenly understood Eliana’s guilt and shrugged out of Oanen's light hold to wrap her in a hug.
“You didn't do this; they did. And, you are not them,” I whispered in her ear.
She nodded against me.
“Let's take this back to my house,” Ashlyn said. “We can all watch a movie and talk Uttira.”
I released Eliana.
“You're invited too, Megan. Oanen,” Ashlyn said.
“Thanks, but I think it would be better for everyone if I headed home. Take Eliana with you. If anyone can teach Kelsey and Zoe how to resist the creatures here, Eliana can.”
Eliana tried to protest, but Ashlyn won her over quickly with a pleading look. The four of them walked away, leaving me alone with Oanen.
Sighing, I faced him. The fight had been a nice distraction, but it hadn’t erased the issue of us. His shirt still hung open, and I could see the edge of the red handprint. I knew he wanted me to not worry about it. To go with the flow and pretend like it had never happened. But I couldn’t. I’d hurt him just like I’d feared I would.
His gaze held mine, and he reached up to smooth back some of my hair.
“I know what you’re thinking. You’re wrong. This burn doesn’t matter just like the one before didn’t matter. Just like all the future burns won’t matter.”
Panic hit me hard right in the sternum. Future burns? Hell no!