Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
~ Mason ~
“ W hat? No, tell her she can’t mess with this perfection,” Shade complains, flying over and settling onto my lap. I’m sitting on one of the chairs beside the table, and the she-demon, Luna, is sitting opposite me. Luna pulls back, staring at the crow uncertainly.
“Shade, this is the whole reason we brought Luna here,” Blake comments aloud, but the bird stays where she is. “We need to know what’s going on at this meeting, and to do that, we all need disguises.”
To Luna’s credit, she keeps a straight face, not commenting on the fact that my mate is speaking to her bird.
“Yeah, well I’ve changed my mind,” Shade squawks. “C’mon Blake, these are your mates. Aren’t you worried about what will happen if they can’t change back?” She stares up at me with her beady black eyes. “Seriously, look at this face! Wouldn’t you miss staring at this?”
Blake rolls her eyes, but her lips quirk into a grin. “We will all change back,” she assures her friend. “Luna has done this many times before. Isn’t that right, Dante?”
Dante smirks. “More than she would ever admit to you, princess.”
“Okay, well I’m going to try not to read into that,” Blake replies, shaking her head. “But see? It’s completely reversible. And besides,” she peers down at me, and just having my mate’s gaze on me has my heart pounding, my pants tightening, “let’s be honest, he could have the face of a goat, and I’d still bed him. He’s my mate.” The warmth and honesty with which she says this is everything to me. Even if I have no desire to ever be a goat.
“Whoa, I know you guys just bonded, but can you do something about this,” Luna cuts in then, blatantly looking at the massive bulge in my pants. There’s no point trying to hide it because my efforts would be futile. Besides, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Not when my mate looks at me like that.
“I apologize,” I tell Luna sincerely. “I seem to have little control around my mate.”
Luna shakes her head, side-eyeing Blake. “Don’t worry. Can’t say I blame you, buddy.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Shade lowers her gaze, and she squawks in surprise. Reeling back, she stretches out her wings and flaps up to Blake’s shoulder. “God, you should warn a girl before doing that,” she gripes to me, sounding more flustered than annoyed. Then she adds, “Wait, when Luna works her magic, will it change that as well?”
Nate pales, his hands lowering to the front of his pants. “Hey, no one said anythin’ about changin’ things down there.”
“Relax,” Dante says, exasperated. “Her magic only changes your outer appearance, and she only changes as much as you ask. I very much doubt Luna will want to go anywhere near that area.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Shade says. “I go back to my previous argument. Have you seen that face?”
“Okay, fine,” Blake replies via the mental link this time. “No one in Seral has seen Mason before anyway. Will you be happy if we keep that?”
Shade doesn’t reply, and Blake says to Luna. “Sorry, can we keep Mason’s face the same, but give him the features of a demon?”
“Easy done,” Luna replies.
I find it interesting that the bird is focused on my appearance. I’ve always known that I’m attractive, but for the entire time I was in Celzar’s mine, I never had access to a mirror. At most, I saw my warped reflection in the crystals I mined, and the strange image felt like a reflection of who I was inside. Someone broken made from the shattered pieces of the male I once was.
But with Blake and the bond now humming in my chest, I feel complete. Despite everything, I know my appearance pleases my mate, I do not wish for that to change. Still, I was the first to volunteer as this is what my mate wants, and I would do anything to bring her happiness.
“Your magic will also mask our power too, right?” Blake asks Luna.
She nods. “Your power will still be there, but others won’t be able to sense it.”
“Good.”
“But the moment you use your power,” Luna goes on to explain, “it will shatter the illusion magic. So, use old-fashioned steel or other weapons if needed unless you’re ready to give away your identity.”
“Hold on, so we’re goin’ to this meetin’ without our powers?” Nate asks.
“We shouldn’t need to use them,” Blake says. “We’re only going to be there for information, remember? We can’t have anyone knowing who we are.”
The shifter scratches the back of his neck. “Great. We just get a boost, and we can’t even use it.”
“Unless you’d rather wait here while the rest of us go?” Dante teases.
Nate’s slitted gaze settles on our mate. “Not happenin’” he murmurs.
“So that’s it then,” Blake replies. “All right, ready Mason?”
“Of course, my mate,” I answer, my gaze snagging on Blake’s perfect lips.
My mate turns to the red-headed female. “Okay, Luna, we’d better do this.”
~ Princess Blake ~
It feels wrong asking Luna to disguise us and mask our powers, but I need to know what’s happening between the clans. I keep assuring myself that at least if we need to use our power, all we need to do is reach for it.
When Luna is finished with Mason, I can’t help but gape. My centaur mate still has the same face and dark hair, but protruding from his head are now twin brown horns like that of a mountain goat. His long-forked tail curls around, and Mason stares down at it without concern. I guess it isn’t too different from having a tail when he’s in his winged centaur form.
Luna leans back in her chair, dusting off her hands as she stares at him with satisfaction. “How do you feel?”
Mason tilts his head to the side. “Strange,” he admits. “I can sense my magic is still there, but it’s like it’s just out of reach.”
“That’s good,” Luna says. “Keep it that way unless you want the illusion to fall apart.”
With a curt nod, Mason lifts from his chair and moves to the side.
“I’ll go next,” Alaric offers, and Luna goes about working her magic on the assassin. The process seems to take longer, but when she’s finished, Alaric peers down, running his fingers over the smooth skin of his arms. Where there used to be the distinct black tattoos, marking him as a Drozac assassin, now the skin is completely bare, and there’s something about the way Alaric is staring at it that makes my chest tighten.
“Are you all right?” I ask him. “Don’t worry, they’ll come back.”
When I say the last part, I swear he flinches a little, though he continues to touch the skin. “The last time my arms looked like this my brother was alive,” he murmurs.
“Before you joined the order of the Drozac?” I ask softly.
“Yes. It feels…odd.”
I reach down, placing my hand over his.
For a moment, he simply stares at my hand, but then he clears his throat and stands, moving away from the chair.
“Your turn, Nine Lives,” Dante says with a grin.
Nate still doesn’t look too impressed with the idea, but he moves and slumps onto the chair. “Go easy, will ya,” he tells Luna.
“It’s his first time,” I say to the she-demon with a mischievous grin.
She stifles her smile. “Nothing to worry about, tough guy.”
Nate squeezes his eyes shut, and Luna is finished in a matter of minutes. “All done,” she says, still grinning.
Nate peers up at me. “Still want me, gorgeous?”
Instead of his shaggy reddish-brown hair and reddish-gold eyes, his eyes are now turquoise like the sea, with matching-colored twin horns. Nate reaches up, feeling his horns, and his gaze shoots to Luna. “They’re smaller than the length of my thumb,” he grumbles. “Is that even normal for a demon?”
Dante’s lips twist into a smirk as he watches Nate with wry amusement. “Be honest, Luna, you did that on purpose.”
She shrugs. “What? He was only worried about me messing with the size of his cock.”
“Hey now, it’s not about the size, it’s how you use it,” Noah says, winking at Nate.
I lean down, kissing my perplexed shifter on the cheek. “We’re bonded, Nate. I’ll always want you.” Then I turn to Luna. “But the less we stand out, the better.”
“Yeah, I know,” she replies, still grinning. “But I couldn’t help but tease.” Lifting her hands again, her magic fills the air, and Nate’s horns grow larger.
This time my shifter grins when he reaches up. “Now, that’s more like it.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“We’re never going to stop hearing about this, are we?” Shade says, staring at Nate’s horns which are now the biggest.
Ignoring her, Nate lifts to his feet, grabs me and crushes our lips together in a punishing kiss. It’s weird, seeing as he has a different face, but our bond is still strong between us, and I melt against him, losing myself. It’s only when Noah clears his throat that Nate finally releases me. “All right,” Nate muses. “It’ll do.” He slaps my ass as he moves to make way for the others, and he goes to stand with Alaric and Mason.
Prince Callan finds himself on the chair next. I expect the archangel to hate the idea of losing his wings, even if it is only temporary, but he simply stares at me, his gaze fixed on my face as Luna changes his features. And then he’s no longer my golden-haired archangel, but a demon with tan skin, violet eyes, and ash-colored hair.
When she’s finished, he rolls his shoulders, lifts, and presses a kiss to my cheek before stepping to the side.
“And what about you?” Luna asks Dante. “Demons have been talking about how you were last seen leaving with the princess in the Perstalian ruins. Not everyone believes the rumors, but the demons will have questions.”
“Then disguise me as Noah,” Dante replies, sitting opposite her. “You said they keep inviting him in my absence. So I’ll go as him.”
Noah grins. “Always knew you wished you could be me, brother.”
Dante arches a brow at his friend. “If only to get a reprieve from the ladies,” he teases.
Noah shakes his head, pretending to be unimpressed despite the grin threatening to break out on his face.
Luna turns to me, and I nod. “Do it.”
Once again, magic prickles the air, and then there aren’t one, but two Noah’s in the room.
The real Noah admires Dante, grinning as he appreciates his copy. “I’m such a sexy beast. Promise me you won’t get me into too much trouble?”
Dante slaps him on the shoulder and goes to stand with the others.
And then all eyes are on me.
My heart pounds as I settle onto the chair.
Luna stares at me. “Are you sure about this, your highness?”
I chew my bottom lip. Truthfully, I’d been all in, but now that I’m sitting here, my stomach is a mess of knots. I hated being powerless and under King Celzar’s control, but I remind myself this is different. “Yes,” I say, steeling myself.
Shade flies from my shoulder, settling onto the table and watching me intently.
Luna swallows, reaching up. No doubt, she’s worried that if I don’t like the result she’ll be punished. It’s what Dad would do. My instincts are telling me this is wrong. That I shouldn’t be letting the demon tamper with me and my power, but it’s the only way for us to attend the meeting in disguise. Or at least, it’s the most reliable way.
Magic flows from Luna’s fingers, making my skin tingle, and it feels like ice passes over my skin, washing over my wings. Seconds blur to minutes, and then Luna leans back, her expression serious but pleased.
For a moment, I don’t move, but then my tail flicks around and my heart nearly stops.
My. Freaking. Tail.
It’s long and black, and the forked tip comes up, resting on my knee. It feels so strange, like another limb, and my mouth goes dry.
“Whoa Blake, you look…” Shade trails off, and I lift my head, peering at Dante. Because out of all my mates, I know he’ll understand.
His midnight blue eyes are soft as he steps forward and takes my hand, lifting me to my feet.
I swallow hard. “I’m…I’m a real demon,” I say to him via our bond, because I can’t seem to say it out loud. I know the words are wrong, but I say it anyway.
He frowns, lifting his hands to cup my face. “Having horns and a tail isn’t what makes someone a demon,” he tells me. “Your heart is here, princess. Your soul is in this land, and no one deserves the throne more than you.”
My heart pounds, and that’s all I allow myself. One moment of vulnerability while Dante holds me. One moment, to let all the crushing slurs from the past weigh me down. That I’m not worthy. That only a true-blood demon should be the one on the throne. And then the moment has passed.
“Thanks,” I whisper.
Taking a deep breath, I close off my emotions, letting indifference flow through me. Never show weakness. This can’t be the thing that defines me. I need to attend this meeting, and this is simply a way to do it.
Besides, I may have gained horns and a tail, but it’s shadowed by the loss I feel for my wings. My back feels incomplete without them.
I pull from Dante’s hold. “We’d better find something suitable to wear and get moving.”