Chapter 54
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
There was silence around them as everyone looked at Hunter and Freja, the King and Queen of the Werewolves. They knew Meryl, and it wasn’t a name that brought anything other than dread, death, and destruction wherever she went.
Freja felt a chill go down her spine as she thought back to the last time they had met. Meryl had been obsessed with Freja’s family since her mother had chosen a vampire mate. She had killed both of Freja’s parents as well as injected Hunter with a blood curse.
“Meryl … I killed her. How is this possible?” Freja looked up at her mate Hunter in disbelief.
“I wonder if she plans to settle her old grudge,” Hunter growled angrily.
He glanced over at his son Aedan, who he knew would be apprehensive.
His mate Deeana had remained at the Black Ice Pack against Aedan’s protests.
Lycaon insisted Deeana would be safe and that it was important for a leader to stay behind.
Aedan was adamant that if Deeana stayed behind, he would stay as well, but Deeana was unwavering in her decision to stay alone.
She wanted time away from Aedan. If truth be told, Hunter was a bit anxious about the relationship.
Deeana had a wall built around her and would only briefly let Aedan in before it was back up again.
He knew his son was hurting, but he never voiced it.
Hunter knew what it was like to be rejected, and at this point, he wasn’t sure how things were going to go for Aedan and Deeana.
Aedan wanted her. But Deeana—he honestly wasn’t sure.
She seemed to care for Aedan, but she has been reluctant to accept his mark.
If Aedan ended up rejected, all he could do was be there for him.
For now, this worry needed to be pushed to the back burner.
“Is she a necromancer like Beryl turned into?” Lucie asked as she attempted to get up on her own. An attempt that failed. Three men and a little boy were on her instantly, all scolding her. Lucie clicked her tongue. “I can stand!”
“Sit down and relax. You don’t need to use up your energy standing.” Derrick slid into the seat and pulled her down onto his lap.
“Might as well forget it, Lucie. All our men see are porcelain dolls about to break.” Destiny leaned back as she rubbed her round, hardened stomach. Ever since Harley found out she was pregnant, he had doted on her relentlessly.
Harley walked back to Destiny and placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them lightly as he looked around at everyone.
“She could have been brought back a number of different ways. She is working with demons. Necromancy, soul binding … I mean, there are many forms that she can be brought back as.”
“She could materialize and teleport. And she was strong. I remember feeling her aura. I’ve never felt anything like it,” Alexa murmured as she tried to remember the details.
“Materialize and teleport ... with black eyes.” Harley trailed off as his lips curled downward.
He mindlessly rubbed Destiny’s shoulders.
He’d avoided the depths of the demon realm for quite some time.
Ever since he found his unborn mate, he’d distanced himself.
He didn’t want his sweet mate being subjected to the horrors of the dark world.
But because of his absence, there was a lot that he didn’t know now.
Even the loyal men he kept by his side no longer had the same dealings.
Harley had moved all his interests into the corporate world.
He had grown his businesses and become a global tycoon.
For a demon, his work and business takeovers were non-violent but so satisfying.
Destiny and her mother Jin were too kindhearted, and he would protect their gentle souls from any evil lurking.
And one of those evils now was someone who was brought back from the dead with black eyes.
A creature like that was very dangerous, and there was only one that came to mind right now.
“A nycrops.” Abe raised his brown gaze to Harley.
“How?!” Grayson scowled as he looked at the small child. It was hard to remember that this kid was much older than he appeared.
“Abe is right. A nycrops seems to fit the puzzle correctly. They must have sealed her body with an alabaster stone. It would have collected her soul and essence when she died. Then the demons would have only needed to retrieve it. And with the powers of the stone, they can bring back a species of their choosing.” Harley looked up at Levi.
“Deities and original demons won’t have any issues with a nycrops.
But even your guardians will have one hell of a fight on their hands.
If she is indeed a nycrops, the demons have unleashed one hell of an ally. ”
“I think they’re using her to work on the nembrant glass. Erebus asked her why it wasn’t working. Is there something special a nycrops can do with the glass?” Alexa asked, and Harley’s eyes widened.
“That’s it.” Harley nodded his head and sighed. “The nembrant glass was originally created by the nycrops, so they must need one for enhancements … or more production.” He shifted his gaze to Levi, then Ken.
“Right, we need to get rid of this nycrops as soon as possible. The last thing we need is more of that damn glass.” Levi growled. He didn’t like the sound of this at all. The whole discussion reeked of something sinister.
Asher, the patriarch of the family, finally spoke up. “At least the family is safe inside Elysia. We can take this time to observe and come up with a well-thought-out plan.”
“I’ll be taking Alexa and Mikah with me for a bit,” Ken stated firmly, leaving no room for objection. Though it happened anyway.
“Where?! I just got my daughter back. I want her where it’s safe.” Levi clenched his fists. Reiya’s small hand wrapped around his, her eyes fixed on Ken’s.
“I just got my mate back. And this is after her not being able to see my face because of the glass. I understand your concern. But she will be safe at my place. What fool would come into my home? No one. It is well-hidden and protected. And I’ll be there.
” Ken looked down at Alexa and smiled. He was keeping his temper under control for her.
He really wanted to lash out at the cold-blooded flying serpent.
Instead, he wanted to make this less stressful for Alexa.
For her, he would behave himself. “It will be safer for Alexa if she is linked to my summon abilities. I’ll be able to teleport to her instantly. ”
“After everything that’s happened, I don’t think this is a family decision. I think Alexa needs this.” Mikah winked over at Alexa and listened to Levi’s quiet snort.
“I understand. Selfishly, I want you here with me. But Ken is able to protect you, just like Lee protects me. And I know he would never put you in danger.” Reiya squeezed Lee’s hand and looked up at him.
One of the toughest things they had to do now was understand that their daughter was an adult.
It was time for them to let go and allow her to make her own decisions.
“Well, before you go, you’re having girl talk with us!” Lucie insisted. “It’s been a while since us girls have been together. Someone go get Raine. She can come up for air for a couple of hours to be with us.”
Brody began coughing and Chasen started laughing. Chasen’s daughter, Destiny, had already taken a mate and was pregnant. He knew all too well the emotions his brother was feeling.
“It won’t be long before you become a grandpa yourself,” Chasen teased his brother.
“I’m too young to be called grandpa,” Brody pouted. His baby girl now had a mate, and it was hard not to be the number one man in her life. They’d always had a fun, close relationship, and he was still adjusting to the newness of it all.
“Young? I’m having specially engraved canes made for your birthdays this year.
” Justice grinned widely at his uncle and father.
“We should make one for your dad too, right Aedan?” He looked over at his cousin, who had a blank expression on his face.
His mind seemed to be somewhere else. He lifted his eyes and nodded with a faint smile.
Alexa looked at her cousin and felt her heart shatter into pieces.
She understood the pain of your mate distancing themselves from you.
It hurt. You felt like there was something wrong with you …
that it was because of you that they didn’t want you.
You weren’t enough. Otherwise, they’d be by your side.
She knew that look. She didn’t know what was going on in Aedan’s life, but there was some pain there.
Luckily, she had experience with it and knew how to help it. And that was to distract yourself.
Alexa swirled her fingers together, forming several white, thick, fluffy balls.Then she unleashed her frigid barrage. Justice, Aedan, and Jasper were soon wearing a layer of white snow on their faces. It dripped down slowly, melting as it hit the ground beneath them.
Aedan looked up at Alexa and a smile reached not only his face but his eyes. “A snowball fight? Like when we were kids?”
“Why not?” Alexa smiled.
“What are the teams? Because these two can’t play. They can only roll.” A cheesy grin spread over Justice’s face as another snowball slammed into his cheek.
“Oops.” Alexa shrugged with a giggle.
“Hit him again, Lex!” Destiny snorted, glaring at her brother. “I’m busy cooking your niece or nephew in here. Have some consideration.”
“I was having consideration. I didn’t call you Stay Puff Marshmallow Man.” This time, Justice dodged to the side, missing the next flying snowball.
“No teams. It should be a free-for-all,” Aedan said and then glared at Mikah. “No teams, Mikah.”
Mikah snorted and shrugged. “I know what a free-for-all is.”
“Oh, you know it, but every time we have one, you end up protecting Alexa.” Justice turned a scolding eye to Mikah.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mikah shrugged, a sly grin on his face.
Ken held her gently, brushing his lips over the top of her head.
“Why don’t you go get Terra and bring her here? I’m sure she would like to participate as well.” Alexa watched as Ken frowned slightly.
“It will take you seconds to grab her and come back here.”
“Terra?” Destiny asked, raising her brow at Ken suspiciously.
“Terra is half demon and half vampire. Ken took her in after the demon war. I don’t think she thinks very highly of herself. She was nervous when we met, thinking I wouldn’t want to be around her. Being around our family is exactly what she needs.” Alexa smiled up at Ken.
Ken grabbed onto Alexa’s shoulders and guided her to Mikah. “Hold onto her and don’t let her go. I’ll be back in seconds.” He listened to Alexa laugh, but Mikah nodded in understanding. He released Alexa into Mikah’s arms as he prepared to grab Terra and flash back instantly.
Alexa watched Ken disappear, and in what was maybe twenty seconds, he was back with a confused Terra by his side.
“What is the rush?” Terra asked, her whole body tensing as she looked up at all the people. She bit her bottom lip nervously, her gaze instantly dropping to the ground.
“Terra! I’m glad you can join us. We’re going to have a snowball fight. It’ll be fun.” Alexa shrugged herself out of Mikah’s arms and grabbed Terra’s hands. She could feel how tense Terra was, her eyes looking up at her anxiously. Confusion washed over her as she glanced around timidly.
Terra was being hit with an overwhelming wave of emotions.
She had never been around a lot of people, and suddenly it was a crowd.
But there was also this strange scent pulling her.
She glanced around, trying to locate the source.
Then her gaze landed on a pair of brown eyes that were staring at her intently.
Her breath caught in her throat as they stared at her possessively.
Then she heard him growl, and he marched toward her.
“Mine.”