We can cover you. You don’t need to expose yourself yet. Hiro pushed gently in my direction. I felt his nervousness over being heard by the other psychic.
I shut down the link, trying my best to block them all out. I turned around, trying to gather my courage and calm my racing heart. I was sure Ryder could hear it, but he kept his ear to the door, listening to the conversation downstairs. I studied his room, trying to focus on the small things to distract myself and lower my heart rate. The last thing I needed to do was to walk down the stairs all keyed up. The walls of the room around me were a light gray with a stylish maroon, white, and gray comforter adorning the bed. The dark cherry furniture was modern and sleek, just like Ryder himself. An expensive space-age looking clock sat on one nightstand, while the other was stacked with books. I wondered what he liked to read and resolved that I would make sure I had time to get to know him better. I wouldn’t let the Council take me from the life I was carving out for myself. Turning back toward Ryder, I caught sight of neatly lined rows of shoes through the partially opened closet door, and I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. I loved that everything was neat and tidy, stylish yet fun. Just like my crazy Ceraptor. All fun and games but serious and studious underneath. I knew you didn’t study to become a doctor without serious dedication and hard work. Taking stock of myself, I realized the thrumming in my chest had steadied.
Pulling myself from my reverie, I met Ryder’s eyes. He was still trying to listen to what was happening downstairs. Placing my hands on his chest, Ryder’s shocked eyes met mine as I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
Leaning around him, I opened the door and slipped into the hallway as Ryder chastised me. “Bloody hell woman. Are you sure about this?” He rushed after me, trying to halt my progress by beating me to the stairs. He planted himself on the first step that led down.
“I’m not going to get in the way of Damien’s family. The Council was going to find out about me one way or another. Might as well be now and on my terms.” I shrugged, my mind made up as I ducked under the Ceraptor’s arm and headed downstairs. I walked into a disagreement, about me I was sure.
“Hello,” I announced to the room, and four pairs of startled eyes met mine.
“Nix! Go back upstairs,” Theo demanded.
Damien looked so torn, and my heart ached over the position I’d put him in.
“Hello dear, it’s nice to meet you. Nix, is it?” The old man moved toward me and held out his hand. I hesitated only a moment before taking it and allowing him to pull it to his lips. He pressed a chaste kiss to the back of my hand before releasing me and introducing himself. “I’m Damien’s grandfather, Gaspard Lacroix.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I nodded my head in his direction, trying to show the respect I knew his age and his previous position in the shifter world probably required. When my head tipped back up, I knew I had made the right judgment call by the twinkle in the old man’s eyes as well as the small smiles from all the guys in the room. They seemed resigned to my fate now, but I knew they would be here with me every step of the way. It had never been fair to ask them to keep me a secret, although I was grateful for the time I’d had to assimilate to the idea of shifters before being thrust into their world.
“Come sit! Come sit.” He motioned me over to the couch with little fanfare, acting like the house was his instead of the guys. Going along with it, I sat on one side of the sectional while he sat on the other, pivoting to face me. “Now then, pray tell, what type of shifter are you?”
Glancing at all the guys, I saw their faces harden, some going as far as to widen their feet and cross their arms as they stood like statues around the room. I knew they wouldn’t like it—hell I didn’t either—but I had already outed myself and decided to see it through. Sitting up straight, I locked eyes with the stranger and put on my bravest face. “I’m a phoenix shifter.”
The man’s jaw popped open and he stared at me, open-mouthed. “A phoenix shifter? Damien,” He turned to his grandson, “is she shitting me?” I almost laughed at his outright curse. He didn’t seem the type. I smothered the reaction, trying to school my face, but I knew there was light in my eyes as Damien confirmed my declaration. “Young lady, there hasn’t been one of your kind in a long while.” He looked away as he spoke, taking in the room around him.
“So I’ve been told.” I waited for him to continue the conversation, not wanting to share any extra details about myself.
When he brought his attention back to me, he continued, “May I see you shift? I’d like to confirm what you and the boys here are saying.” His voice was awed but also held a note of something I could not place. Did he not believe me?
“No. I’m not comfortable with that. You’ll have to take my word and scent at face value.” I made sure I was projecting confidence as I kept my posture strong.
“Gumption, this one. Strong. A true shifter female.” He pointed at me with a thumb as he looked to his grandson. “I like her.”
“So do I.” I warmed from my Gargoyle’s avowal.
“Well, young lady, I have to infer from the lack of information that the boys here have shared with me and the fact that I haven’t heard of a documented phoenix shifter in recent years that you’ve grown up out of the fold. Undocumented, we would call it.”
“That’s none of your business…” Ryder leapt to my defense, moving closer to my spot on the couch. I held up my hand to quiet him. In for a penny…
“That’s correct. I didn’t know about the shifter world until I moved to Alaska to attend college.” His grandfather was all ears as he prodded for answers, but I remained as vague as possible.
“You know you boys could be in a lot of trouble for keeping her away from the Council.” His voice was hard, professional.
Low growls reverberated through the open space.
“It was my idea. I asked for more time.” I’d be a monkey’s grandmother before I let my men take the blame for something I’d asked them to do. Something I’d needed.
“Alright, boys. I know you all had the best intentions, but you know what happens now. Be prepared to meet with the Council tomorrow… all of you.” He made sure to look directly at each one of us, the days he served as a Councilman serving him well as he scolded us.
My stomach dropped as the news that I’d have to go before the Council settled on my shoulders. The weight of it made me nauseous. Would I have any say in the outcome of my life? I didn’t want to be held prisoner just for existing as a rare shifter.
As the men talked around me, I sank into myself, my bravado deflating as Gaspard stood to leave. I stood on autopilot and walked behind the group to the door.
“Nix.” My name drew me back into the conversation.
“Yes?”
“I wish we had met under better circumstances, dear. Any woman who’s caught Damien’s attention must be some woman indeed.” He tipped his old hat at me as he walked out the door. I decided right then and there that while I liked Gaspard Lacroix, Damien’s grandfather, I wasn’t keen on Gaspard Lacroix, Councilman.
Sixteen
Killian
The morning had been a complete waste of time. I was so frustrated that I planned to go home and head straight for the basement to take my growing aggression out on the punching bag. The fact that Nix was left to worry about a potential threat to her safety made me feel like I had failed her. Where the hell could that fucker be? The muscle in my jaw ticked as I clenched my teeth.
I pulled into the driveway, stepped down from the Hummer, and headed for the front door. As I slid the key in the lock, I caught a scent in the air that I knew, but hoped to hell I was wrong about.
Inside I found Ryder pacing across the living room, Hiro sitting next to Nix holding her hand while Damien sat on the floor in front of our girl.