Page 235 of Hunters and Prey

“What?” Revik growled, turning on her. “Look at his goddamned light! Are you going to tell me you don’t see it?” Motioning at Black with a graceful hand, he turned, glaring at him with cold eyes. His voice lowered, growing so deep and menacing I jumped, staring at him in shock. “I know what you are, motherfucker. You get any ideas about me and my family and I will kill you… do you hear me? I will fucking kill you.”

“Revik!” Allie raised her voice, looking up at him sharply. “Jesus. Stop. He has no fucking idea what you’re talking about!”

“Are you sure about that?” Revik growled, turning on her. Still standing over her, he glared at Black. “Maybe he just doesn’t remember yet.”

“He has a mate, husband!”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

She stared up at him in disbelief.

“You’re acting like a psycho right now,” she said after a pause, giving him an exasperated look. “Take Narik outside, okay? You’re going to freak him out. He’s going to think Daddy’s having one of his episodes…”

Revik glared at her, but, seeing something in her face, he seemed to give in, at least enough to click at her in annoyance. Even then, he didn’t argue, but took her advice, wrapping his arms tighter around their son and leaving the room.

I watched in bewilderment as he stalked around the table, then to the front door.

I heard the door open, then shut firmly behind him a second later.

I continued to stare in that direction, completely thrown.

Allie’s husband had never done much more than smile at me, in the days, weeks and even months I’d spent more or less living in their house. He’d been staring at Black like he saw him as a threat to his life and family.

“What was that all about?” I said, looking between Allie and Black.

Allie looked mildly annoyed, but Black grunted, giving me a hard look.

Just when I thought neither of them would speak, Black did, his voice a low growl.

“The mighty Syrimne d’Gaos thinks I’m Dragon,” Black said, giving Allie an equally annoyed look before looking back at me. “And for some reason, apparently that means I’m going to steal his kid. And his wife.”

“Dragon?” I frowned, looking between them. “What does that mean?”

There was another silence.

Then Allie let out a startled laugh, staring at Black.

“You haven’t told her?” she said. “Your wife doesn’t know about the intermediaries? About the pantheon?”

Black scowled at her, digging his spear-like fork into the bowl of meat and vegetable stir fry his cousin had made for him. Laughing a little more and clicking at him after she studied his expression, Allie popped a grape-like fruit in her mouth, crunching it with her back molars.

“That’s kind of hilarious,” she said, still grinning.

“It is?” Now I was the one looking at her, frowning. “And why is that?”

Allie turned, aiming her jade green eyes at me.

“For two reasons,” she said, swallowing the fruit. “One, for all this time, we’ve been talking to you, assuming you did know. And two…” She aimed that smile at Black. “…We both figured all along you had to be one of the beings in the pantheon. Both of you really, but especially you, Miri.”

Nodding towards Black, she added,

“My husband wasn’t very nice about it, but he’s got his reasons. And he’s not wrong. You do look like Dragon. Not exactly, of course… the Dragon we knew was batshit crazy. But you carry some really similar markers in your light.”

Black frowned.

Finishing with his lunch, he pushed the bowl back, still staring at our hostess.

“Pardon me for saying this,” Black scowled, looking at her. “But so what?”

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