Page 11 of Wrath

“We don’t have to decide anything now,” B told us. “There may be another way to receive support from the kingdoms and council.” He speared us all with a look before turning towards Davia. “Why don’t you show them to their tents? We can reconvene in the morning.”

I was moderatelysurprised when Davia led us to the second biggest tent in the very center of the camp—large enough to easily fit me and all of my mates. Mali was placed in the tent to the right of ours, and B took the one to the left. I didn’t know where Phineas and Toylo went. Probably somewhere far, far away, if the cautious glares directed their way were any indication.

The orange walls of the tent almost appeared black in the darkness, the candlelight doing very little to extinguish the shadows. There were only five cots scattered haphazardly around the open space, and I spotted a tiny chest that I assumed was for our clothing.

“This is fucking insane.” Bash threw himself on the nearest bed and dramatically placed a palm over his face.

“I don’t like this.” Ryland moved until he stood opposite the doorway, the shadows coalescing around his lean body.

“What don’t you like? The trials or being surrounded by a bunch of humans who want to see us dead?” Bash asked.

“Both.”

“No one is going to hurt you.” As I spoke, I moved towards the closest bed, where a pair of fresh pajamas sat.

They appeared to be about my size. No idea how they knew, but I was desperate to get into something clean.

“You didn’t see the looks they gave us when we walked through camp.” Bash shuddered. “There was murder in their eyes.Murder, I tell you. The stabby kind.”

“Is there any other kind?” Dair asked.

“The strangling kind,” Bash answered seriously. “And the shooting kind. And the hanging kind. And the?—”

“I don’t blame them.” Killian tentatively perched himself on the bed farthest from us—well, he attempted to. He accidentally sat on his tail, causing him to jump up with a startled yelp. He grabbed the tip, pulled it forward, and then rearranged himself on the mattress. “Our kind enslaved theirs for centuries.”

“Don’t group yourself in with them,” I warned. “You’re not like the other nightmares.”

“That may be so.” Devlin frowned. “But it’s hard for people to let go of prejudices they have had their entire lives. These humans were conditioned to fear us—to see us as the enemy—and that won’t change anytime soon.”

“So what are we supposed to do?” Jax scratched absently at his wrist. “The nightmares won’t accept a human as a queen, but the humans won’t accept nightmares as their rulers—not after everything our ancestors put them through.”

The coherence in that statement momentarily struck me dumb. For as long as I’d known him, demons I couldn’t evenbegin to understand had plagued Jax. I knew my presence was helping to heal him, but…

Warmth for my vampire mate unfurled inside of me. I moved to stand beside him and interlocked my fingers with his. The smile he threw me caused the butterflies in my stomach to riot.

The rest of my mates continued talking, oblivious to the moment shared between Jax and me.

“The Trials of Lilith might be our only option, if we can believe that ancient text,” Lupe said. His hair stood up in all directions, as if he’d repeatedly run his fingers through the brown strands. “Having Lilith’s approval will go a long way towards bringing the nightmares to our side.”

“And the humans?” Dair lifted a brow. “If we want to change the world—and I mean truly change it—then we need to figure out a way to bring humans and nightmares together.”

As one, all my mates turned to stare at me, even Dair.

I shifted, unnerved by being the sole focus of all of their gazes. I would much rather be naked for this.

“I don’t think we have to worry about bringing humans and nightmares together,” Ryland murmured, his ice-blue eyes penetrating the darkness and locking me in place. My breath caught, and the sound caused a slow grin to curl up his lips. “No. I don’t think we have to worry about that at all.”

SIX

Z

Iwoke to movement.

At first, I thought someone was trying to sneak into our tent. I automatically reached for the knife under my pillow, the copper handle feeling like an extension of my body, and waited with bated breath. Tension lined my spine as I slowly, quietly, pushed myself into a sitting position…

I caught sight of light-brown hair just as Jax ducked out of the tent flap, the night swallowing him whole.

Confusion replaced my unease.

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