Then it hit—the scent of danger, sharp and acrid, stinging the back of my throat. I stopped dead, my hand flying out to halt Liam. “Stay behind me,” I snapped, my voice more abrasive than I intended.
He blinked at me, confused. “What?”
Before I could answer, the growl rolled through the night, low and menacing. My heart sank. Krampus. The bastard stepped out from the shadows, his hulking form illuminated by the faint glow of the streetlights. His eyes gleamed with malice, and his claws scraped the pavement as he advanced.
Liam froze, his breath catching. “What the hell is that?”
“Trouble,” I muttered, stepping in front of him. Cal let out a deep, guttural snarl as his skin turned gray. Carnell was already moving, his leather coat flaring out like wings. His eyes burned red, a stark contrast against the pale snow.
Krampus roared, the sound ripping through the air like a battle cry. Before I could react, he lunged, faster than something his size should’ve been able to move. His claws raked out, and I heard Liam yell. A raw, pained sound that turned my blood cold.
I turned just in time to see Liam clutching his arm, blood seeping through his fingers. My vision narrowed, rage bubbling up from somewhere deep. I felt it take over, the familiar burn spreading through my veins. My eyes began to glow, the golden light piercing the darkness.
Carnell was already there, his movements precise,calculated. He grabbed Krampus by the arm, his strength nothing short of inhuman.
“You picked the wrong night,” he snarled, his voice a guttural growl.
Krampus roared again, his claws lashing out, but Carnell didn’t let go. Then Cal—damn him—shed his human skin. His gargoyle form burst forth, wings stretching wide as he launched himself at the creature. The impact was brutal, sending both of them crashing into a streetlamp that snapped under their combined weight.
Krampus hesitated, his glowing eyes flicking between the three of us. The demon criminal turned tail, fleeing into the night with Cal hot on his heels, his massive wings beating the air.
The street was suddenly quiet again, the fight leaving a heavy, electric charge in its wake. Liam stumbled back, his face pale, his bloodied arm trembling. He stared at me, at Carnell, at the space where Cal had been only moments ago.
“You…” His voice cracked. “You’re monsters?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. The words wouldn’t form, not with his eyes locked on mine, filled with equal parts horror and disbelief.
“What the hell is going on?” he demanded, his voice rising. He clutched his arm tighter, the blood dripping onto the snow at his feet, bright and accusing.
I swallowed hard, the glow in my eyes fading as I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Liam, I can explain,” I said, my voice low and steady. But even as I said it, I knew nothing I could say would ever be enough.
CHAPTER 7
“Liam, calm down!” I said, holding my hands up, palms out, trying to stop the rising panic in his voice. My chest was still heaving, and the adrenaline from the confrontation with Krampus was making it hard to focus.
“Are you kidding me?” Liam stepped back, his eyes wide, his gaze darting from my face to my hands. “You have claws, Mom. Claws!”
I glanced down, realizing too late that my shifter side had bled through during the chaos. My fingers were tipped with sharp, curved claws, my skin still carrying the faint shimmer of transformation. Damn it.
“It’s okay,” I said quickly, my voice calm but firm. “I’m part shifter.”
He stared at me like I’d just grown a second head. “What does that even mean? What are you—?” His voice cracked, and I could see the shock and fear behind his confusion.
I took a slow breath, forcing my claws to retract as I stepped toward him. “Liam,” I said softly, “I promise I’llexplain everything. Just… not here. Let’s go back to the apartment, and we’ll talk.”
His jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “Fine,” he said finally, his voice clipped. “Go ahead. I’ll catch up.”
I hesitated, searching his face for any sign that he might bolt, but he held his ground, his expression stormy. I nodded, knowing I couldn’t push him now without making it worse. “We’ll tell you everything, I swear.”
As Carnell and I turned and started toward the building, I let out a slow breath, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease slightly. Carnell’s voice broke the silence beside me, dry and laced with sarcasm. “Well, that could have gone better.”
I shot him a look as we walked toward the Moreau Building, with Liam trailing behind. “Thanks for the commentary, Grandaddy.”
Carnell smirked faintly, his hands tucked into his pockets. “I’m just saying, the claws probably weren’t the best introduction to the supernatural world.”
“Yeah, you think?” I muttered, my voice tight with frustration. “He’s going to freak out when I tell him everything. And then there’s the whole Luke thing…”
Cal emerged from an alley. He was fully human, but had lost his shirt when he shifted to his gargoyle form. “I lost him. That demon is far faster than he looks.” He glanced back at Liam. “How is he taking it?”
