Page 37 of Bloodstained Chrome

“That’s not part of the deal. You should be glad I don’t have you somewhere, naked and moaning like . . .”

“All right, that’s just about enough of that!”

I startle, focusing my eyes on the source of the words. I hadn’t even realized that Aziz and Orpheus were in the room with us.

“Oh shit,” Sibley squeaks. She hadn’t realized that either.

She tries to get up, but I hold her still, not letting her get away. I’m sure it’s going to be an adjustment for both Aziz and Orpheus to accept that she’s now mated with someone, but it’s just going to have to be an adjustment made quickly.

“Don’t bother. We both knew this was what was happening the other day when you came into Dyrk, going on and on about how much you couldn’t stand Primal. No one hates someone that much for no reason. Unless they’re just lying about what they truly feel,” Orpheus says, shrugging. “I’m just happy you both finally got your heads out of your asses long enough to figure out that you’re mates.”

“I guess so.” Sibley leans back against me.

“Can we focus a bit here?” Justice snaps his fingers, drawing my attention back to the group.

“Right. What’s the update?” I ask, picking up where Sibley left off.

“Well, the update is that we’re still waiting for Kakos to make his move. With a sneer, Corbin answers, "We don’t know his plans, and he hasn’t appeared on any of the town’s cameras.”

“He’s going to take me,” Sibley answers, and I tighten my grip on her. The way the words slip out of her mouth sounds so final, almost as if she doesn’t think I have a chance of stopping it.

“I’m not going to let him,” I growl as I say the words.

She turns to look at me. “I’ve already seen it, Primal. He doesn’t have a set plan yet, which is why I can’t pinpoint a specific day. He’s desperate. He must know what’s happened to my powers and that if he doesn’t complete his task now, he will never have the chance. He will take me. And you will fight him.”

“Wait a minute. How do you know this for sure?” Aziz asks, shaking his head in confusion.

“You were both right," Sibley says, nodding as she looks over at her brother, then at Orpheus. "An evolution, not a loss.”

Both Orpheus and Aziz smirk and nod.

Unfortunately, the rest of my brothers still don’t know what’s going on or what they mean by evolution and not loss, whereas I do. I take the time to explain what Sibley told me this morning about her seer abilities. It still blows my mind that she’d been willing to give them up to be with me, and yet she didn’t lose them. Sibley is probably more powerful than she was before.

They all seemed happy to hear the news. Everyone but me.

Yes, I’m glad she didn’t lose her abilities. I’d have hated myself for causing her to lose such a part of herself. But I don’t want her taken from me. I don’t want Kakos to get his hands on her. She’s mine to protect, and the thought of this bastard touching her pisses me off.

I know just as well as every man around us that you can’t stop fate. If what Sibley says is true, something is going to go wrong at some point, and that bastard Kakos is going to get his hands on my woman. I’m going to have to figure out a way to stop it.

“You can’t,” Sibley leans back and whispers, only for me to hear, speaking my unspoken thoughts.

“I will not let him hurt you.”

“I have to go through with it. The more you try to stop it, the more desperate he’s going to become, and the worse it gets. I’ve seen all the possibilities. There’s nothing you can do to stop him from taking me.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. There may not be anything I can do to stop him, but she did say I would fight him.

“I’ll have a shot at fighting him, though. You said you’ve seen me fight this bastard.”

She smiles at me. “Let’s just say I’m going to bet on the right kitty.”

I nudge her, but instead of snapping at her about the ridiculous name she insists on calling me, I just wrap my arms around her tighter. I’m going to have my chance to take him out. When I finally get my hands on him, I’m going to make Kakos feel more pain than he could ever imagine. He’s out here searching for the end.

His end will come at the back of my knuckles. Or from my teeth ripping out his throat as I rip him to shreds.

Chapter

Twenty-One