“Aren’t you a vision for sore eyes? You look beautiful, sweetheart.” Angel climbs the stairs to where I’m standing with my suitcase and greets me with a soft kiss.
I look down at my outfit—another pastel purple pullover I stole from Angel, and a pair of jeans Grace gave me.
“Yeah? I like it too, especially the jeans. It’s someone’s mother’s.” I shrug, rubbing my hands over the smooth yet rough material.
“What?” Seiji asks, standing behind Angel, looking confused.
“Grace said these are ‘mom jeans,’ but I don’t knowwhosemom gave them to me.”
I peer over Angel’s shoulder, looking for Grace to back me up. When I find her, my sister is sitting at the dining table beside her mate, holding her cheeks so hard her knuckles have turned white.
Suddenly, everyone bursts into laughter. Their obnoxiously loud cackles echo through every corner of the penthouse, and I’m pretty sure even the humans across the city can hear us.
Before I can ask what’s so funny, Angel wipes a tear from the corner of his eye and cups my face in his massive hands, smashing our lips together.
“Fates, you are adorable.” He’s still laughing, so the words tumble out in a shaky breath.
I had accepted my new family was full of weirdos, but now I know I’m surrounded by complete idiots.
I don’t have the time or patience to fix every brain in this room, so I let it slide. It’s easier to ignore how they’reall competing in the stupidity contest when I’m practically vibrating with excitement about finally going home.
Now that Harvey is here and we’ve gathered all we can about August’s biological family, there’s no reason to stick around these pesky humans.
After the night at the club, we took a few days to recuperate before Angel arranged for us to leave this realm.
Harvey and I used the time to talk about what happened after he escaped. We’re still coming to terms with the memories of a time that will forever stay with us. It’s not easy to accept that we’ll always be the ones scanning the exits as soon as we enter a room, but at least we won’t be alone anymore.
This past week has been one emotional breakdown after another. But being surrounded bymy peoplehas soothed the little girl inside me who used to be afraid of dying alone with no one to remember her. The banter, the silly fights, and their constant care are so refreshing. I don’t remember the last time the kid in me felt so safe and cherished.
The night after the club wasn’t the only time I allowed myself to let it all go. Now, when I break, I don’t have to fear if I’ll be able to piece myself back together because Angel is right there with me, holding me, caring for me. With my mate by my side, that voice in my head that keeps taunting me to look over my shoulder feels so far away.
I reach for the suitcase again, but Angel grabs it before I can and lifts it with ease.What a show-off.
A thought strikes me when I glance at the cluster of bags gathered near the elevator. “Wait, how are we getting home?”
“Same question,” Harvey mumbles around a mouthful of food before diving back into his breakfast. The man has two plates in front of him, eating like no one has fed him for a decade.Oh, wait…
Seiji shuffles some bags around to make room for allfourof his own. How long did he think he was staying here? “I don’t care how we leave, but I’m not staying in this realm a daylonger. The pollution alone is a deal breaker. If humans keep this up, I don’t think we’ll need to step in. They are very capable of killing themselves.”
“The cars are ready,” Hazel announces, strolling into the living room while tapping on her phone at lightning speed.
“Again? I thought I’d get to ride my horse,” I grumble.
Seiji turns to me, exasperated. “We can’t just ride our horses—thatfly, mind you—among humans! Honestly, woman, have you forgotten the rules, too?”
He’s probably talking about the guidelines our elders left us. But what he doesn’t know is that Papa thought he could do better and gave me his own version of the rules.
And judging by Grace’s grimace and her painfully sympathetic smile, I know Papa gave her the same list.
Rule number one:Don’t let anyone fuck with you. Always hit first and hit hard. No second chances.
Rule number two:Don’t go flashing my mumbo jumbo at humans and expect Papa to clean up my mess. He doesn’t like dealing with those annoying little shits unless he absolutely fucking has to.
Rule number three:Mates are the most precious gift in life. When you find yours, love them unconditionally.
Rule number four:Family is everything. The Horsemen are your second family. Protect them with everything you have.
“We can’t risk an attack with August traveling with us. And you and Harvey don’t have your rings or weapons. We don’t wantMr. Big Bad Grim Reapercoming after us if his daughter gets killed or kidnapped…again.” Hazel teases.
