Placing his palms flat on the tiles, he leaned his weight against his arms as his head hung low. The water cascaded over his body, a torture in itself as he breathed in long, drawn out inhales and exhales.
Fuck.
Scrubbing a hand down his face he washed himself in quick, precise movements until the water at his feet ran clear. He didn’t bother with the towel, the air turning the water droplets to ice as he moved back towards his room.
He couldn’t sleep, not when the beast was riding him so hard. Instead, he grabbed some leathers and a weapon he kept in the corner and pulled them on with a quick tug. He wasn’t on rotation, but hunting seemed like a genius idea right when he craved violence. He could deal with little sleep, his body used to the insomnia that had haunted him for as long as he could remember.
The house was quiet when he stepped out of the lift on the upper level, dark as he made his way to the garage exit. He didn’t want to be seen, didn’t want to show the control he had worked so hard on was fracturing at an alarming rate.
“How did I know you were going to sneak out,” a voice grunted from the darkness. An orange light illuminated Xander’s face, the glow lasting a second before smoke billowed out from his nose.
“Speak of the devil,” Kace growled, “what the fuck are you doing out here, Xee?”
“Not the devil,” Xander said, ignoring the question. “He’s in his place sulking because he lost at poker, again.”
Lucifer wasn't the devil, not when they knew exactly who had inspired those myths. While the human mythologies depicted various editions of the male who controlled Hell, Hadriel was a fallen angel who powered The Nether. Which, to be fair wasn't that much different according to Lucy, who had once been trapped down below.
Souls weren't taken there to be punished in death, no it was a realm created to hold the cruellest magic bearers, and once was the home to all Daemons and Shadow-Veyn. Now they had escaped and were causing fucking havoc up on Earth Side, and that was why he was headed back into the city centre with a blade in hand.
“I asked you to keep Kyra away,” Kace said, glancing at the rising sun in the distance.
“You've met my mate, right?” Another drag of his cigarette. “You'll learn that women don't listen to fucking anyone.”
“I can't have her there, just in case. You know it’s a risk.”
Xander stubbed out his cigarette before crossing his arms. “You won't hurt her, you’re better.”
Kace’s laugh was hollow, forced. He wanted to agree, but Xander wasn’t the one who had woken from a red rage covered in blood with no memory of what had happened. His beast rarely shared the information, which meant it had been bad.
“Your control has improved,” Xander continued. “You’ve been working with Jax and…”
“Just, keep her away, at least from down there.” Kace clenched his fist, shoulders tight with frustration. It was a place he needed to be alone, to feel like he wasn’t a threat. “I’ve got to go, I need to…”
Fuck, where was his motorbike?
Xander stepped into his path. “Jax said you saw Eva, why didn’t you come straight to me?”
“Jax has a big fucking mouth.”
“This isn’t a joke. Kyra hasn't been able to contact her in months, she's worried.”
“How is that my problem?” Kace snapped.
Xander pinned him with a hostile glare. “Stop being such a fucking prick for one minute.”
“Can't, it's a personality trait.”
“What did you see?” Xander asked with a growl, his usual patience nowhere to be seen.
“I’m not even sure I saw her, and if I had solid information I would have shared it.” Kace calmed his pulse. “You’re clearly not that concerned for Eva if she’s been missing for months, and you haven’t fucking found her.”
“Fuck you, K.” Xander’s eyes narrowed. “You’re sneaking out almost every night, should we be concerned?”
Kace straightened his spine.
What the fuck was this? An intervention?
“You want to just come out and say exactly whatever you’re thinking?”
