Chapter 44
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule forty-four: Book smarts absolutely translate to street smarts, especially if you read smut.
Idon’t think you can travel to a place called the Beast Realm without having at least a few expectations. My mind immediately conjured up images of dense forests, dens carved into caves, and nests the size of minivans hanging from cliffs.
What I didn’t expect were neon leotards and leg warmers.
Sin leads us down a crowded sidewalk, his hand on the small of my back, as his eyes scan the crowd. I’m pretty sure he’s searching for danger.
Personally, I’m trying to figure out if Ragna’s ring is actually a time machine.
Except we’re definitely in the Beast Realm. While many of the faces we pass look human, others have distinctly animalistic features. Some have glowing, slitted eyes, others are covered in feathers, and then there are the ones walking (or flying) around as massive animals.
The diversity is staggering, and I quickly lose track of how many kinds of shifters exist. But they all have one thing in common: every last one of them is dressed like they’ve just climbed out of the 90s.
There are bright jackets, Walkmans, and I even spot some kids playing with a ragged-looking Furby.
Should I save them? Those things are definitely possessed.
I stole some of Arianna’s fighting leathers before we apparated here. I can totally probably take on a Furby.
A horn blares, snapping me out of my demonic toy crisis. Instead of a forest, we’ve apparated into a bustling city. Skyscrapers tower above us, and the smells of coffee and tacos make my mouth water as we pass by restaurants and storefronts.
“This is…” I finally start, not sure how to explain how confused I am.
“Familiar?” Sin offers at my hesitation.
“Yes,” I agree emphatically.
A moped races toward us, and Sin yanks me out of the way just in time to avoid becoming roadkill. I land against his chest, and his muscles tense against my hands. My body heats at the closeness, and my mouth goes dry.
Lifting my gaze to meet his, I’m struck by his rugged, deadly beauty. Everything about this man screams ‘danger: lethal warlord,’ and yet he’s looking at me with such tenderness, it leaves me completely enthralled.
My hands curl into a leather strap against his chest, trying to get even closer – until I remember we’re supposed to be on a mission.
Embarrassment floods me, but Sin only leans back against a concrete wall. He gives me a lazy smile, clearly unbothered by time-sensitive things like the looming apocalypse.
Strong hands band around my waist as he pulls me closer, and amusement flashes across his features when he takes in the blush on my cheeks.
“Feeling shy, kitten?” He asks in a low voice that has my thighs squeezing together.
“Just focused on the mission,” I squeak.
I’m definitely not replaying how I slowly stripped in front of Sin to get ready for this mission, only for him not to make a move.
Those wouldn’t be mission-appropriate thoughts.
Nope. Totally not feeling self-conscious.
I need a topic change.
Or maybe an intervention.
“I didn’t expect the Beast Realm to be so urbanized.” I try to sound casual as I tilt my chin at the buildings.
He lifts a brow, like he knows exactly what I’m doing, but he plays along. “It’s not like this across the entire realm. Many of the cities are built around certain species, especially pack-forming ones. But this is a conglomerate for all of them. It’s closer to the Ever Fields.”
I nod, even though I’m still confused. Someone walks by with a boom box, and I bite my bottom lip as I try to figure out why this realm looks like a blast from the past.
Sin’s grip flexes against my sides, just for a second. “The Beast Realm has looser laws about visiting the Mortal one. Magnus once told me they haven’t been able to get the internet to work here because magic seems to interfere with it. So, the advancement of technology is frozen in time.”
“Wait, so there are shifters in the Mortal Realm?” I ask, surprised.
Have I met one? I could have sworn my ninth-grade gym teacher was a bear.
His answering laugh sends my heart into a happy dance as he gently pushes off the wall to continue walking.
It’s an overcast day, but the sun peeks out for a moment, reflecting off hundreds of windows. I squint at the sudden glare, and Sin tucks me at his side. His pace is unhurried, making it easy for me to keep up.
“The shifters are everywhere. Those who can apparate tend to travel a lot, trying to find their mates. The Mortal Realm is the easiest to get to, since there are no wards. It’s why shifters are the prime producers of Mortal Realm contraband,” he explains, even as he continues to scan our surroundings.
My urge to match an animal to every person I’ve ever met has never been stronger. But the bone ring tucked away in my pocket heats, reminding me we’re here for a reason.
This thing is definitely sentient.
Clearing my throat, I try to focus. “So, how do we want to go about this? Do we look for witnesses to the attack on the collectors? Try to find evidence? Maybe set up a sting operation?” Once again, the countless hours I’ve spent watching true crime documentaries are paying off.
Rather than face me, Sin’s eyes stay locked ahead of us.
But this time, his gaze looks somewhere far away.
A small, wistful smile tugs at his lips, as if he’s remembering a happy memory.
It only lasts a second before he snaps out of it and glances back down at me. There’s a faint flush on his cheeks.
Is Sin… blushing?
“We’ll start with questioning the shopkeepers on the edge of the city, closest to the Ever Fields,” he responds in a brusque tone.
Even as I nod in agreement, I can’t look away from the blush on his cheeks.
What memory could make Sin blush? Too curious to let it drop, I decide to prod.
Just as I open my mouth to ask, Sin bends to whisper against my ear. “And kitten? The next time you bite your lip while staring up at me, I’m going to drop to my knees and worship your pussy with my tongue. And I won’t stop until the only thing that pretty mouth can do is scream.”
The citizens of the Beast Realm are lovely. Sure, I’ve only met a few dozen, but they’ve all been warm and forthcoming.
We’ve been questioning shopkeepers along the city’s outer edges. Every few minutes, I cast a glance at the sprawling fields on the other side of the road. There isn’t a single, blue-tinted light to indicate a spirit might be there.
Their absence has my stomach twisting with anxiety. But my worry has nothing on the shopkeepers.
They’re devastated.
Even shoppers who hear us asking questions stop to talk to us, hoping for news. From what I’ve gathered, the Ever Fields are sacred to shifters. To them, this feels like losing parts of their families, which I guess is accurate.
Still, we aren’t any closer to figuring out what happened to the souls. Or, more accurately, what is still happening, seeing as there should be at least a few wisps since the attack on the collectors.
I mean, it’s not like no one has died since then, right?
The longer we walk, the slower my steps become. Without fail, Sin matches my pace, casting the occasional worried look my way.
The weariness is starting to grate on me. I mean, I know I didn’t move around much during my prisoner stint, but this seems like an unfairly large hit to my stamina.
The hollow pit in my chest pinches.
I steadfastly ignore it.
We’re just about to enter a clothing shop when an older woman grabs my arm. Bony, gnarled fingers curl around my wrist, but her hold isn’t aggressive. Her hunched frame pitches forward slightly, and she uses my arm to stay upright.
“Are you okay?” I ask, trying to help steady her.
“No,” she answers with a wheeze.
Dark green eyes meet mine, surrounded by deep age lines. She searches my face, looking lost. She barely registers when Sin gently pries her hand from my arm and helps settle her onto a nearby bench.
“Do you want us to call for a medic?” He asks, concerned.
“Nooo.” The word drags, slightly pitching from alarm.
My eyes meet Sin’s, both of us unsure of how to proceed.
“You. Are you the ones asking about the souls?” The woman points a twisted finger in my direction. It sounds as though even speaking is taking a toll on her.
“We are. Uhm, I think maybe we should ask the shopkeeper if there’s someone who can come help,” I answer tentatively, since I’m not sure if this realm has 911.
The woman’s hand immediately darts out. She would have grabbed me again if not for Sin. He’s faster and pulls me back against him.
At this point, her behavior is unsurprising. After just a few hours in this realm, I’ve come to the realization that shifters are very… touchy. Many have tried to pat my shoulder or hug me at first sight.
If I were alone, I’d probably let them do it, even though it makes me wildly uncomfortable. Thankfully, Sin isn’t a people pleaser. He’s warned off more than a few people already.
Weirdly enough, they haven’t tried to be touchy with him. I’m not complaining, since the thought of someone touching him has something dark rippling inside of me. Still, it’s a bit odd. Maybe my body language screams ‘openly affectionate with strangers.’
I need to work on my resting bitch face – for safety.
“Please. I have information,” she rasps, even as she continues to grab at the open air, like she hasn’t registered that I’m not there anymore.
“We’re listening,” Sin says. He’s a little stiffer now – like he’s torn between wanting to help the woman and assessing if she’s a threat.
“My mate, he passed last month,” she starts, and Sin’s shoulders relax. “I was going to visit his spirit–” she coughs, and it causes her entire body to tremble. “That’s when I saw her. A Harvester.” Her watery eyes widen, and she says the word like it’s a curse.
“Harvesters aren’t supposed to be able to enter the Beast Realm,” Sin supplies at my confused expression.
“Despicable creatures,” the woman hisses in agreement.