Page 21 of Blood and Hexes

Hunter or Prey

Seeing her home after all this time was a little surreal. It had changed in places, been renovated a few times over the centuries in varying styles, but the bones of the manor were still the same. The original house had been old, but a few years before Alexius and Diana were born, their grandfather had it rebuilt in the image of Windsor Castle. Seeing lighting, an AGA range in the kitchen, and modern plumbing was as strange as it was reassuring.

"Tell me you modernized the apartments upstairs, too," she begged.

Alexius laughed. "A little. Your room's decent, though. I had decorators convert the top floor into an apartment for me. They took care of your room, too."

She blinked, taken aback. "You kept my room free?"

Alexius looked at her like she was slow. "Well, what would I have done with it?"

Turned it into a game room. Set it ablaze. Maybe even just let it be overtaken by cockroaches. She wouldn't have guessed he would have had it redesigned.

"Thank you."

He shrugged, as though he thought nothing of it.

"We'll take your bags up later. I want you to meet Avani."

He led her to one of the many drawing rooms, where the party was in full swing.

The blue and silver room had been decorated with balloons, candles, and a handmade banner that read “Avani and Alexius.” Both A’s had been fashioned into a pretty intertwining monogram.

Alexius's mate wrapped her arms around her like they'd known each other their entire lives. Diana couldn't say she disliked it. Never one to ignore first impression, she had to admit liking the she-wolf on the spot. Avani seemed equal parts fierce and endearing.

"You look exactly like I pictured you," she told Diana. "And the boots. I love them!"

They were going to get along just fine.

Diana grinned. "I'm sorry I missed the wedding. It's lovely meeting you."

And it was, though she was getting tired.

Diana was all for a party, in general, but she would have much preferred being able to crawl into bed, after everything.

Avaniintroduced her to their friends—some vampires, plenty of witches, and surprisingly, even a fair number of huntsmen. She was too tired to make her mind up about any of them. They were welcoming enough. Diana's eyes narrowed when Avani stood in front of a charming thing with a pretty smile, and told her she was Chloe Eirikrson.

Diana would never, in a million years, have picked her out in this crowd. She seemed too sweet, too young, and above all, not adequately frightening. If pressed, Diana would have guessed the girl introduced as Cat Stormhale was the Eirikrson. Taller, more imposing and remote, she had the right aura, the right majestic air. Now that she paid attention, Chloe did have the telltale Eirikrson eyes and hair, but there the similarities stopped.

Diana remained stiff, not wanting to fall in the spider's web. She wasn't one to judge people for who their parents were, but she'd heard enough about her to be on her guard. She'd observe, and then make her mind up.

Thankfully, the celebration was dying down by the time she'd met everyone.

Not wanting to take over Avani's spotlight, she retreated to the kitchen, and opened the fridge. She was relieved to see bottles of blood. Synthetic, by the smell of them. She pulled out, uncapped, and chugged one, needing the boost of energy, and the relief drinking it provided.

"Is there another one somewhere in there?"

She turned to face a man no one had introduced her to, standing next to Mikar. They were night and day. The guy stood a little taller than Mikar. He was a ginger—actually copper-haired, unlike Belial—with long hair and stubble on his strong jaw. His amber eyes seemed the exact same color as his hair. He looked pretty. Too pretty for her taste. Diana would have bet he had a haircare routine. No one could have hair that shiny without an addiction to expensive conditioner. Or magic.

"Sure." She retrieved a second bottle and chucked it his way.

He caught it, and tilted the butt up. "Cheers, lovely. I'm Sylvan. You must be the sister everyone's talking about."

She curtsied elegantly. "That'd be me."

He grinned at her. "Pleased to meet you. I hear you kicked Mikar in the family jewels. Many dream of the chance."

Mikar rolled his eyes and walked out, leaving them.

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