Page 74

The jukebox still played, and the pixies continued to grunt like humping pugs. I winced, then carefully cracked an eye open.

Zee stared, eyes wide, mouth wide, wings wide. Everything wide.

Both eyes open now, I grimaced, shrinking on my stool. “I would have told you sooner, Zee, but I was afraid you’d freak out and leave. You already said the Prophesied One was a coward. I never wanted to be Chosen. It’s just been there, my whole life, chasing me. It’s why I’m hiding in this hotel, why I cursed myself in this glamor, and why I’m trying real hard to be nobody. Because if anyone finds out, then they will come. Bounty hunters, religious crazies, trophy hunters, sorcerers. I’ll lose my heart, just like the prophecy says. You have no idea the things I’ve done to keep my heart in my chest. And I’m sorry, Zee, I really am. I wish I wasn’t the failure everyone thinks I am. I’m sorry this changes everything. It puts you and Victor in danger—it’s why he left. It puts this hotel in danger. I never wanted that, or any of it. I just want us.”

Okay. That was a lot.

Even Tom stared, speechless.

Zee hadn’t even blinked.

“Say something,” I told him. “Anything. Tell me I’m a loser, a coward, how I should step up and be a hero like you. Tell me what I know already, but always fail at.”

Victor’s hand settled on mine. Its reassuring weight slowed my racing heart. I had him, I knew that much. I had Victor. He knew me, he knew my secrets, and after a wobble, he’d stayed. But Zee . . . Zee was everything to me. I loved him so hard that a single bad word from his lips now could shatter me. After everything he’d been through, and how he still attacked each day as though it would be his best. I admired that. He was my hero.

Zee blinked. “We’re in a fucking prophecy?”

Was he angry, frightened, confused? “Yeah?” I ventured.

His smile twitched, growing at one corner. “I’ve always wanted to be in a prophecy.”

“You have?” He wasn’t mad or upset?

“Yeah. Look at me. What the fuck is all this magnificence about if it’s not some grand plan? Fuck yeah, I am here for it.”

Victor’s hand squeezed, and my heart swelled.

Zee’s smirk grew. “You know, you could be the world’s most viciously fucked-up, mass-murdering psychopath, and I’d still want to spend every second of every day with you. I fucking love you more than I love myself, Kitten. And everyone knows, I love me a lot.”

I’d been such a fool. All this time, I’d been afraid the truth would ruin what we had, when I should have known our love was stronger than a silly prophecy.

I flung my arms around Zee, almost knocking him off the stool. His wings flapped. He spilled his drink, swore, but then his arms came around me, and for the first time in forever, I truly felt as though I had a home.

“I will always stand with you,” he whispered. “For better, for worse, prophecy or fate. I don’t care about any of that, I care only about you. And maybe Victor. Whatever. Bring it in, Fancy Pants.” Zee’s voice rumbled, and a few moments later Victor’s reassuring embrace closed around us too. “This one time, Daddy Spice, you get a hug.”

“Frankly, I’m only participating in this embrace for Adam.”

They were so cute. “I love you guys,” I mumbled against Zee’s chest, then hooked an arm around Victor’s neck and dragged him closer, making me the filling, squished in the middle of a vampire-demon sandwich. Yes, this was where I was meant to be. This was what home felt like.

To be accepted.

To be loved.

For being me.

For us.

CHAPTER 18

The next day began well. The sun blazed outside, birds tweeted, and the hotel had a lively buzz about it. I didn’t matter that our guests were staying for free. We’d done a good thing, even if it had been an accident. We’d killed the queen who had plans to enslave the human race. It felt good. And I’d told Zee everything about me. No more skeletons in my closet. Although, we did still have one up a chimney. But in the grander scheme of things, we were mostly doing okay.

Guess what? Yeah . . . Let’s just say, those happy feels were about to be severely tested.

I headed down the stairs to meet Madame Matase at the reception desk for our typical morning catch-up. But the tall, green-haired, well-dressed fae standing at the desk put an unwanted trip in my step.

Agent Leomaris.

I’d have turned on my heel and vanished back up the stairs, had they not already seen me.