Chapter 14
Fourteen
ROGUE
Man, this kid is so behind, and we’re going to drop another enormous bomb on her.
I look at Morgana, and she grimaces a little before she replies, “Since demons aren’t likely to find their fated mates in Hell—from what you’re saying—they probably glanced over it when you talked about it in class.
Supes who grow up on the surface who aren’t ‘lost ones’ are taught starting in middle school by parents, counselors, and doctors what that means and how to know when you find one. ”
Coughing, I grin a little as I add, “Or more than one.”
Kat frowns, tilting her head. “So they… expect to find one someday? Do they just date forever while they wait? That doesn’t seem right.”
“Not always.” The gargoyle shakes her head and then sighs.
“Some species might or even individuals, but depending on circumstances and culture, they may simply marry a non-fated and start a family. It’s uncertain you will find this destined person, and there could be very specific needs that dictate supes have to be attached for political, survival, business, or other reasons. ”
“Like with royalty,” I say. “Arranged marriages are common to rare species that need to procreate, like the caladrii, who are often city/town physicians. It can be family line or business things—that’s your celebs, political folks, and really traditional wealthy supes.”
Morgana gives her a rueful smile. “I will run into problems with this because of some of my mates. It’s hard for people to argue with the Fates for fear of reprisal, but Liam, Slade, and Iggy’s families won’t be thrilled—or haven’t been in Slade’s case.
Lucas is lucky that his Nana doesn’t support that kind of crap after his parents were put together and do nothing but humiliate the family.
I have no idea about Kaspar, but that’s not a current concern, anyway. ”
“Javi’s parents will be furious, and the twins’ evil ass father was not on board. Their mom is pissed, too. Reb and Archie don’t have those issues,” I admit. “Since we have told no one but the Geminis, I haven’t processed the problem yet—not fully.”
“Amen to that,” the dark-haired woman mutters as she swigs the scotch before wiping her mouth. “Kat, you need to consider what happens to you.”
“Why? I’m nobody, and I definitely don’t have a fated mate, even with the, um, odd things I have appearing. It’s like soul bonding and whatever, and my soul is barely good with me, much less anyone else.” She tucks her knees up, sitting her chin on them as a stubborn expression settles on her face.
This will not be easy—her brain is pushing her to be obtuse on purpose to protect herself.
“Kat…” Morgana leans forward, the look in her eyes serious. “When you first met the demons, how did you feel?”
“Scared. Confused. Worried. Anxious.” She bites her lip and her brows furrow as she pets the kinkajou absently.
“I knew nothing about this world or its counterpart back home. They all seemed angry and snarly about my being on this floor and in this room. Everything was crushing me, but I refused to let it win.”
I grin broadly. “Good for you, girl. But what she meant was… how did you feel about the guys in general? Not the new shit, not the secret stuff… about them.”
Kat grabs the scotch and takes a bigger drink than before, making a face. “Whoa… that’s strong. Um… well, for the first time since my thing, I sort of… thought they were hot?”
Morgana chuckles, nodding as she asks, “All of them?”
“Well, yeah. I mean… they are, right? How could I miss it?” The shaggy-haired girl looks at us for confirmation, and I feel sad she was so disconnected and abused that she really is asking.
“Duh. Of course they’re smokin’. But what else?
Because anyone supe could be sexy enough to finally turn your crank, especially if you’d worked so hard to get better.
” I wink at her before I add, “I surely knew my guys were fucking gorgeous long before I was old enough to be considering jumping their bones.”
Kat’s face gets bright red, and she mumbles, “Salem was nice when he took me in here and Jasper left. He had me help him cook, and was patient in teaching me when I didn’t know what I was doing.
I felt this… pull… to him, but I thought it was because guys weren’t nice to me up there.
I don’t just mean dating, by the way. My foster brothers were the popular dudes, and because of that, I was a pariah at school.
I didn’t care, but I also didn’t get how nice it would be for someone to treat me that way without expecting something in return. ”
Holy fuck. She doesn’t mean sex; she means in general. This girl was severely emotionally abused up there.
“We expect nothing as well, but we need you to understand how these things work,” Morgana says softly.
“That pull wasn’t gratitude or comfort. When you feel such a demanding attraction, an unexpected swell of emotion that you can’t ignore, or even the reaction of your magic/animal/demon to people? It’s a sign, Kat.”
I nod, my lips twisting as I gaze at her.
“And even someone like me, who grew up there and learned shit, can miss it if they’re not looking for it.
I never put stock in the fated shit and assumed I’d play the field forever.
My bad parent shit and missing brother trauma made it hard for me to trust anyone with long-term commitment.
But when each of the guys made their move, something just snapped, and I knew I’d suppressed it for most of my life.
They were always the ones, which is why no one ever measured up to the ‘crush’ I thought I had on them. ”
“Really?” Kat whispers as she lifts her head, her eyes wide. “You thought it was a crush and um, when they… touched you differently… you knew?”
“I did,” I reply. “Damon was first, and we were drunk in the pool at their house. It felt like a fun hook-up at first, but there was this… deep-seated need once we got going. I could feel the hunger of my Unseelie magic and even my Cubi demanding that we go further, do more, and eventually, make him ours. I couldn’t have stopped it if I had wanted to; that drive was so primal that my brain lost control. Have you felt that way?”
The small demon hybrid looks down, biting her lip as she thinks.
When she lifts her eyes to us, she murmurs, “Three times I felt this… darkness in black and in red inside of me. The darkness isn’t like the sparkling or the other colors.
It demands that I let it out, and if I fight, they can swamp me and take over.
Once in class, there was this magic that made everyone aggressive as fuck, and Jasper’s dragon went bonkers.
The next time these assholes were attacking my guys, and I woke up later having shifted to a lioness.
And the last one is where I shifted to the dragon and killed the Major. ”
“Ooh, you got something with the angry, aggressive shit in your demon lines then,” Morgana says before she takes a drink.
“Both of my shifts are justice-centered, and they are not peaceful warriors. Keeping control of those shifters, plus whatever else, and a war-focused demon type is going to make you very powerful.”
“And in a lot of fucking danger.” I shrug as they both look at me, gaping at the blunt statement.
“Look, I work with people whose charges are stupidly powerful. Everyone is always after them—the Society wants them as agents or black bag operatives, bad guys want to cage and use them, some people are fanatics who want them dead… That’s not even discussing the black markets or realm armies who see them as weapons. ”
Kat’s face turns white, and her kinkajou scrambles to her shoulder again, hugging her.
She closes her eyes, taking slow breaths to calm herself, and then finally comes back to us.
“Yeah, I get it. I’m somehow no one and a glittery prize simultaneously.
But again, I don’t know what all this has to do with fated mates. ”
“I have a friend—he’s a colleague, too—but he has lots of wealthy clients.
He works for the family law firm but also the Society, and he’s very sought after.
” Morgana stops, watching to make sure we’re following.
“Jax is helping us with Lucas and Slade’s legal troubles, but he’s also working for an old college friend.
He says she’s run into a lot of trouble lately, but it’s because she doesn’t know what she is yet.
It will be very powerful, according to what he told my assistant, and she has seven fated mates she’s slowly accumulating. ”
“And?” Kat frowns as I take the scotch and goes for one of the beautiful cupcakes instead. “How does that relate other than a similar number of men around her?”
I roll my eyes. “She’s saying that the more powerful supes get more mates.
You’re purposely pretending not to get this because it scares you; I get that.
Knowing that the guys were all mine terrified me, too.
I mean, Reb and I argue all the time. Only Archie has parents who don’t suck.
It’s a lot, you know? Why tie myself to that forever?
And what happens if it isn’t forever? How would I survive it? ”
Morgana smacks her palm on her knee. “No shit! My ex-fiancé was a crooked, cheating pervert who I hunted and killed for his crimes. It almost landed my ass in prison or on the execution block. Now I’m stuck cleaning up his mess at his old school as punishment, and these fucking…
dudes… kept showing up. I couldn’t resist them, even the stupid asshole dragon who acts like a dick.
It wasn’t like I even wanted anyone in my life, Kat. ”
The kid’s lips curve a little as she says, “Men ruin everything, huh?”
“They so do,” I snort as I take a swig of the earthy liquor. “But… There's good parts to this, too, and it’s not just the mind-blowing sex. Though, gotta be honest, it’s a major perk. I had no idea how fucking awesome they were at it until it happened and damn, I’m lucky.”
Kat swallows hard. “You’re saying the caliphate are my mates? That I’m going to… have sex with them all? And then, um, something will happen that ties us together forever?”
I can see the panic rising; we have to get her to calm down.
“Yes, we are. But that’s not a bad thing,” Morgana interjects as she scoots closer, bringing her hand to cover Kat’s.
“It’s actually a much better thing than I expected.
Kaspar and Iggy haven’t really earned their way back in—they fought this at the beginning—but the others?
They ground me, keep me safe, teach me things, and make my world feel like it’s not missing huge pieces.
I didn’t even realize how much I would love them until it all clicked into place.
I was certain I could take care of myself and that I didn’t need anyone after Magnus. ”
“Totally.” Kat looks at me and I shrug. “I had the Derby and my team, even my bestie defected. Reb was still my Guardian partner, and my sex life was fine, even if I was in-between lovers. I thought that was all I needed, you know? Career, friends, money, sex… and there’s nothing wrong with being fulfilled by those things, but… ”
“But what?”
I chuckle and sigh as the small bird squawks indignantly. “I didn’t have a family, even one I chose, and having one has given me the peace I never had after they sent Reck off. Even if part of that is this goddamn flightless turkey yelling at me right now.”
“Your lion is much better with the little ones, I think,” Kat says softly. She looks at her familiar and gives me a crooked grin. “Some of my guys are better with Dottie than others, too. She really likes Salem, Oriel, and Slash.”
“She’ll accept them all eventually, I bet.
” Morgana snatches another piece of meat and looks thoughtful while she chews.
“But I also believe some of your guys know they are your mate. Whether it’s their animal or demon, deep down the primal part knows, even if the human part wants to deny it.
Mine did, and I’m sure Rogue’s did, too.
Fuck, I think even my cranky-ass dragon knows and fought his lizard part out of fear. ”
Kat’s brow furrows and she blinks, then whispers, “Oh, fuck. That’s why the black and the red—the furious parts—pushed me to shift and defend them. They were being attacked at every single event.”
I give her finger guns and a playful wink. “Now you’re getting it, kiddo. To whit, if you fight those parts of you because you’re strong enough and succeed, they punish you for it. At least, that’s what the guys told me, and I assume it’s true. I don’t have an animal, obviously.”
“Is that why Jasper is so damn pissy all the time? You think his dragon knows, and he’s fighting it?”
“Mine certainly is,” Morgana grumbles. “So, yes, that’s probably why he’s acting like someone shoved a flagpole up his ass.”
“I need to know more about the mating part and the other stuff during and um… the equipment. So I’m not surprised,” the small demon giggles then claps her hand over her mouth.
“Do you have a drawing app on your tablet?” Morgana asks with a mischievous look in her eyes.
Uh-oh, this is about to get very wild.