“I think I should chain you and give you another example of just how well I can fuck,” he purred.
The elevator doors slide open as it stopped. I quickly ducked beneath his arms and practically ran down the hallway and headed to the short stairway that led to the club below. Obviously not fast enough, since I could hear his boots close behind me as they padded on the floor. I stiffened my spine and took the steps that lit up beneath my feet as I stepped onto them.
At the bottom of the steps, I paused, wondering how everyone would react to my new appearance. I couldn't pretend to be anything but Fae, with the telltale glowing eyes and fangs I was now sporting. I gasped as Adam came into view.
He was beautiful. His vivid green eyes met and held mine. They were now the emerald and lime green double iris I had seen before and held the same thin obsidian black circles around the iris as mine did. His hair was a little longer, as was mine now from Transition, and it was the same dark brown it had always been. He was taller and wider in the chest area. His t-shirt showed his own brands pulsing; like mine were beneath the sleeves of the shirt I wore to hide them.
He smiled with perfect white teeth; no fangs though. I stepped closer to him, but he was faster. He could sift now, and, before I'd even placed my foot on the floor, he had me in his arms, crushed me against his massive chest. “Stop thinking that I could ever hate what you are. You know better than that,” he whispered roughly against my ear.
“Adam,” I cried and wrapped my arms around him.
“I remember what I did to you, Syn. I'm so sorry. I was afraid you’d hate me for it,” he whispered.
“As if.” I smiled to reassure him, and winced as his eyes grew huge.
“You have fangs,” he laughed uncomfortably.
“Baby ones. Ryder, said they'll go away,” I replied self-consciously.
“You plan on hoarding her all to yourself?” Alden asked from behind Adam.
I pulled away from Adam and looked at Alden, and waited for his disgust to show on his face. It didn’t come. Instead, he smiled and held his hands out, which I accepted and allowed him to spin me around once. “You look beautiful, Synthia. You shouldn’t fear what we think, and before you start telling me you’re not that girl, remember, I raised you. You’re still that same girl inside, and that is what matters to us.”
“Thanks, I—” The lie I meant to say— ‘don't feel any different,’ —froze on my tongue. I did feel different, and I felt a pull to Adam that hadn't been there before, as well. I could hear every heart that beat, as well as the blood that flowed inside of every person in the room. This was an in-your-face reminder that the Fae really can't lie—even over stupid things, and another reminder as to why they were masters at manipulation.
He smiled as if he knew I’d tried to tell a lie, but didn't comment on it. “Glad to see you're okay. I wasn't expecting you to accept it so easily.” He smiled sadly.
“Who says I accept it? I'm still me. I may be Fae, but I'm still an enforcer by blood, trained by the best Guild in the Nation. Changing into something else hasn't made me forget my priorities, or what I was taught.”
“You’re royal Fae, Synthia—this whole time you’ve been under my nose—you and Adam here are both royal Fae. This is something I should have noticed. I failed the Guild in that aspect, and I have a feeling that there will be hell to pay for it.”
“I’m always here for you, Alden,” I mumbled.
“I know that. I raised you to be a proud woman. I also made sure you would be able to handle anything life threw at you. I couldn’t be more proud of you,” he said, his eyes misted with tears as he smiled.
“If you ever need me, you only have to ask.”
“Thanks, but I can handle this, Synthia. You focus on what you need to, and stop whoever is killing the Fae. That's what's important right now. So far, no more Witches or Fae have turned up dead over the past few days, and I think I can handle the Guild for now.” He smiled as he patted me on the back and then headed back to his seat at the bar.
“Nice fangs, Fancy Face. Sexy as fuck,” Adrian said, stepping closer.
I smiled and wrinkled my nose. “Mine will go away.”
“That's too bad. They really are fun.” He smiled, showing off his own.
I blinked at his words and shivered as the whole room faded to nothing. I was once again back inside the candle-lit room with Ryder, biting him for the first time. I blushed profusely at the memory, and swung my eyes back to his, where he stood behind Adrian. His mouth turned into a sexy smirk as if he knew exactly what had just flashed through my mind.
“I'm glad you made it through Transition in one piece,” Adrian finished, Vlad moving in beside him and the tension built inside the room.
I tilted my head, listening as Ryder's heart rate increased and the brands started to pulse violently across my arms and chest. “It's the call of the blood,” Vlad said from beside Adrian.