God, I was so out of my depth here. I wasn’t ready for this. Wait. Is this the house Damien grew up in? I’d have to ask later because now was not that time.
The car rolled forward ominously and pulled to a stop in front of a large staircase that led to a wrap around porch and the main door. I didn’t want to admit it, but the lodge was gorgeous. I had never seen something so beautiful—albeit over the top—but the growing sense of dread had me wanting to leave, to forget about this whole summons and forget this island ever existed.
Taking a calming breath, I squared my shoulders and opened the car door, prepared to face whatever lay ahead and get the meeting over with.
I had wanted to scream when I was separated from my guys. Apparently, it was tradition; a stupid one in my opinion, that a shifter who was of age must face the Council alone to show their own strength and their respect to the ruling body. I stood before the large double doors of the council room in the lodge, trying to breathe deeply and evenly to lessen the shaking in my hands and arms. If I had to do this alone, I was going to put on the bravest face I possibly could. I had dealt with Michael for years. Yes, the people may want to try and control my future, to try and put me into a labeled box that they thought was best for me, but it didn’t seem as though they were planning to harm me. From what the guys and Rini had said, they were simply looking to expand the Phoenix numbers and, if anything, would be keeping me confined rather than physically harmed.
I began to trace the intricate pattern on the gold and green carpet with my eyes, unwilling to let anyone who may be monitoring see me pace or twitch. The lodge was as lush and palatial on the interior as the exterior. Obviously, they did very well for themselves, which made sense if they had been able to gift Killian a plane. The doors were pulled open to reveal a warm, plush sitting room with a large conference table. I couldn’t resist the raised eyebrow. This was their version of a court? It felt more like a study, albeit one that I would never be able to relax in.
I spared a glance at the men who had opened each of the doors. Really? Was that necessary? I couldn’t help but wonder what type of shifters they were to have gotten those jobs. Maybe they were bodyguards and this was an act? I’d have to pick Theo’s brain later. I was sure there wasn’t much about the Council that he didn’t know. A guard appeared behind me, pushing on my back to usher me inside.
“Don’t!” I whispered harshly but quietly. “Don’t touch me” I couldn’t help but flinch away and quickly step out of his reach. I felt bad when he looked confused and contrite, but my reaction to touch hadn’t changed outside of the guys and Rini. Moving into the room through the large double doors, I took in the environment. Seven men sat at the slightly elevated conference table, each studying me in turn, their expressions ranging from curiosity to mild interest, to outright hostility. The man who glared at me from the far end of the table instantly put my back up and my Phoenix hissed. She didn’t like him any better than I did. He appeared conventionally attractive if I let myself step back and study him, if not on the thin side. His hair was nearly golden, his cheeks rounded with a strong chin, his eyes a slate grey. Yet, despite his looks, I couldn’t help my repulsion. I wondered if a Phoenix had a mortal enemy, like a mongoose to a snake? My Phoenix was flipping and whirring in anger. She obviously did not like this man, and while we both feared the Council,we had no reason to hate this man in particular intrinsically. Yet, hate him I did. I instantly ran through the list of the council members’ alternate forms that the guys had drilled into me yesterday, trying to place him.
“Annika Coxx?” I pulled my eyes from the man who continued to glare at me in disgust.
“Yes, but I go by Nix.” I briefly wondered if I could change my last name. If Michael wasn’t actually my father, did I have to keep his name? I was sure that Damien or Theo would be able to help me figure it out, but now wasn’t the time to worry about it.
“Nix it is.” The dark haired, dark eyed man leaned toward me with a grin. This had to be Damien’s father. The resemblance was uncanny—the two nearly identical down to the wave in their hair. Damien’s father didn’t have his son’s warmth, though, despite the smile pasted across his face. Remembering their shared ancestry, I focused on the wall in my head, building brick after brick. My Phoenix added her strength to my wall, sealing the cracks in with her flames. I thought I saw him flinch but it was probably my imagination. “I hear that you’ve been keeping my son and his friends company—and that there has been some trouble.” His voice hardened slightly at the end of his sentence, his head cocking as he studied me.
“Damien is my friend.” My Phoenix shrieked at my refusal to claim him as more than that.
“Your friend?” The man who leaned forward had golden skin, a few shades lighter than Hiro’s. His eyes—which were as dark as his hair—were sharp and studious, but he didn’t evoke the instant feeling of dislike.
“Yes. I’ve become close friends with Damien, his friends, and a few other shifters as well.” I answered as politely as I could. Who the hell were they to question my friendships?
“Now, now gentlemen. This isn’t an inquisition. We’ve invited Nix here to meet with us so we can get to know one another.” The smooth voice that infiltrated the room came from the man sitting beside Damien’s father. He had light skin and styled brown hair that, while graying on the sides, was cut in a modern style—shorter on the sides than it was on the top. His clothing was sharp, formal, and the way he held himself screamed powerful. More than anything, though, it was his eyes that stood out: one blue and one brown. The difference was hypnotizing, and I found myself staring before I recovered my manners and averted my eyes. Damnit. I realized instantly that he must be the basilisk and there I was, like a damn fool, staring into the eyes of death itself. I hooked my arms behind my back as I tried to hide my shaking. I knew my breathing was picking up as I tried to keep my panic at bay.
“Nix, let me introduce you to the room.” My eyes were pulled back to Damien’s father. Motioning to my left, he started with the man I knew to be a dragon. “This is Councilman Adar Khan, Councilman Eito Ishida, Councilman Santiago Maldonado, and Councilman Marius Rahal.” He paused, skipping over himself as he motioned to the man next to him. “Then we have Councilman Drake Williams, Councilman Vallen Stepanov, and I am Councilman Raphael Lacroix.” I bowed my head to them in submission and reverence as Damien had taught me to do.
“It’s an honor meeting you.” I willed my muscles to stop shaking as I gave the customary greeting. Thank the universe that Rini and the guys had educated me on the ins and outs of etiquette. I had wanted to roll my eyes at them yesterday, but today I was immensely grateful that I had yet to make a misstep with this league of terrifyingly powerful men. I mean, the basilisk shifter alone could kill me with one look if he let his eyes shift.