Page 95 of Failed State

Nodding, I take the breakfast he’s offering and, like a good automaton, I take a bite. It’s better than saying something stupid as I wait for the others to respond to my presence, especially since the room is quiet as a tomb right now.

Sebastian puts his tablet down, then rises from his stool to stand in front of me as I mechanically consume the tasty breakfast food. “Excellent, kitten. You need the protein for the amount of energy your body is using to push you toward emergence. The caffeine is simply to off-set our lack of rest—though, by the look of you, I believe you rested better than normal. Is that right?”

I wipe my mouth on my hand before I take a sip of my coffee. The bitter burn of the drink is soothing and I savor it for a second before I answer. “Yes, I slept very well—surprisingly so, in fact. And, um, I?—”

Rory bounds over like the overgrown puppy man he is and elbows the vampire aside with an eye roll. “Idiots, both of you. Come here, Vicious. Let me breathe you in for a minute, hmm?”

Blinking as he tugs me into his arms and just hugs me with his face buried in my neck, I carefully put my coffee-holding hand around him. “I have hot java, you know.”

He snorts against my skin. “Don’t care. Taking care of you means you don’t get up wondering if we give a shit or if we were lying to get in your pants, Sydney.”

Holy shit, that asshole is reading my fucking mind, I swear it.

“I’m not reading your mind,” he says as he pulls back with a soft chuckle. “Not even right then. What I’m doing is remembering how I’ve felt in the past—and despite being right in my case, I want you to know that your panicking brain isnotright in this one.”

“It’s gonna sound bad when I say that I thought you were about as deep as a spit puddle when we met, mage, but I’mawful impressed with your emotional intelligence now that we’re gettin’ to know you.” Huck pushes his hat back as he gives Rory a sheepish grin. “I was a bit of a snob, too, I suppose. Sorry ‘bout that, man.”

The others look at each other, then Thad coughs. “Yeah, me, too. Sorry. I just… you know.”

Rory pulls away from me, his face resigned as he faces the group. “I play a role when I first meet people. It’s easy, safe, and gives me time to figure out who’s real and who’s not. If they don’t go beyond the surface, I don’t worry about showing them anything deeper. Clearly, all of you felt safe enough for me to show the real me. That’s also how I know what’s going through Sydney’s head when she’s getting caught in her trauma.”

I consider that for a moment, then hand Sebastian my coffee mug. He takes it and this time; I turn to the mage, wrapping my arms around him to squeeze him tightly. He seems surprised and I guess that’s fair, but I swallow my fears to say, “Thank you for trying to make sure I don’t feel like you did. You’re a pretty decent man, Rory Stormbringer.”

“He is, and we will help him remember that as we do for you.”

Elias’s support makes me grin as I squeeze Rory again, then I let go so I can face them all again. “You’re all pretty decent. And I’m going to try very hard to not be a jackass when things are overwhelming me. I promise.”

“That’s fair,” Thad says as he stands and clears his plate. “I accept it; how about you, Huck?”

The demon gives me a slow, sexy grin as he nods. “You know I’m in, sweet pea. Always have been.”

“While this repetition of commitment is touching,” Sebastian says with an oddly amused expression. “We need to get to the first session. If we don’t leave now, we’ll get caught waiting for the elevator and have to hustle to get to that stupid social media thing?—”

A loud squeal echoes throughout the room and my eyes widen as the Irina speaker in the living room makes a long wail like a siren. We all stop in place, concern etched on our features as we wait for the sound to stop. Sebastian moves to stand behind me and Rory grabs my hand, both looking resolute.

I don’t know what’s coming, but I knew yesterday went far too well for it to last.

DISASTER? I BARELY KNOW HER.

ELIAS

The alarm isear-splitting for the bear and me, so it was certainly set to a frequency that would make shifters take notice. I don’t know if that was intentional or if the humans believe all species are affected similarly to that tone. Thad is holding his ears, his palms pressed tightly to them because he hasn’t had the lifespan I have, nor the power of a mythical in his bloodline. He isn’t weak, simply weaker than someone like me.

“This is hurting him,” Sydney says, her eyes reflecting the fear and upset we were trying to chase away by admitting our desires to her. “When is it going to fucking stop?”

As if she willed it into being, the siren stops and I let out a long breath of relief. I can withstand it better than the bear, but not forever. The vampire’s jaw is locked as he glares at the ceiling in fury, then he turns to the demon, his expression determined.

“I want you and Stormbringer to figure out how we can block that kind of shit like you are in our conversations when the device’s name isn’t said. That will never incapacitate one of us again—I’d tear it down if that wouldn’t bring the wrath of Krista on us.”

My lips curve when he avoids calling attention to the fact that it was painful for me as well. The little rebel is worried enough about Thaddeus; she doesn’t need to know I was white-knuckling it in order to remain staunch for her. I do not aspire to be dishonest with her; we promised not to coddle her. However, I believe this small omission is simply counterproductive, nor is it necessary at the moment. She’s tensing up to prepare for whatever bullshit is coming and that’s totally fucking up our efforts from last night.

I am unhappy with this turn of events and if I can punish those responsible, I will.

“What the hell do you think they’re—” Rory’s question is interrupted by another squeal, then the sound of a throat being cleared.

“Good morning, Competitors! On this wonderful day in the Federate States of Human America, we have a most exciting announcement for you: the honored, the selected, the venerated supernaturals of the very first Supernatural United Challenge of Endurance.”

We all look at one another, the chill of the unknown flowing through our group at those words. There’s far too much insincere flattery for whatever is coming not to be awful, and we’ve barely had time to train for this nightmare, so if they’re moving the start date up, we’re definitely in trouble. We hoped we could getsomemeasure of Sydney’s powers to come out before the beginning of the insane competition, and this is making me worried we will not have time to do so.

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