Amalgamate

Chapter 20

Rowan looked around the room as Karita spoke- wondering just how much these people knew about her and Dermid- and how much they'd tell her. Why was he valuable, and she dispensable? Why would other lore creatures die to safeguard Dermid while she was getting her ass handed to her? He had to be powerful because they hadn't protected her at all and look what she could do. Why was she so easily, and consistently, disregarded by everyone? It seemed to be the only constant in her life.

She was curious to know exactly who wanted to get their hands on her brother? And was there some kind of genealogy friends and foes app. or something for this shit because these names were not exactly intuitive. She was getting the cliff notes version which was fine, for now, because she didn't exactly want a face to face meeting to boost her associative naming skills, not yet anyway. A booming voice distracted her from her silent inner dialogue.

Dorian was agitated. He hated touchy feely moments. "Look Karita, enough with the family reunion. Cuan will be here any minute. His team captured Munroe and he was just getting the interrogation underway when I called. So, wherever Dermid is, he's out there on his own."

Like always, Rowan just said what she was thinkin', fuck a filter. "You know how you feel when you're the only one not in on a joke? Like everyone is getting a laugh at your expense? Like you don't matter?" She was an outsider, but they were the ones keepin' her there. he didn't know any of these people, but she needed to know them, and well, because things were going to hell in a hand basket- fast. She could sense it like an undercurrent waiting to pull her under and take her away.

Everyone looked around unsure of who should start talking and what they should tell her. Dorian shrugged at his brothers like he didn't give a shit what she did or didn't know.

Dermid was missing and he was her brother which meant she needed the 411 on these people yesterday, "Who's Munroe?"

In a cool demeanor, her cousin Silas responded, "He's one of Vertigen's dark pixies. He definitely knows something. He was there when Declan's vamps attacked Gavina's crew. Gavina captured him, but she paid dearly." Silas looked into Karita's eyes nodding his head in recognition of her sacrifice. "Cuan's very persuasive. Eventually, people tell him what he wants to know, but Munroe's been around the block more than once, so he won't be an easy nut to crack."

"Okay. Well, if this Munroe is so important, why is Cuan coming here?"

"Because you, my dear cousin, are out of control and need to be reigned in. But, apparently it's gonna take someone with a little more muscle...no offense Greer ...Callum." Dorian looked at his brothers and rolled his eyes as if he couldn't believe they couldn't handle a little newbie like Rowan.

Shocked at his tone she stood from her seat, "Excuse me?"

Silas stepped in to take the focus off Dorian knowing he didn't have the temperament for Rowan right now. "You bested our friend Greer here, and made even quicker work of Callum. I heard there were pictures?"

Without taking her heated gaze from Dorian's face, Rowan reached into her purse and tossed him the phone.

"Callum, you are never livin' this down. A female and a newbie? You really should be ashamed." Silas laughed before he tossed the phone back to Rowan.

Growling in response, Callum snapped his fangs as he bowed his shoulders back, asserting a challenge. He had enough of their shit.

Trying to keep the conversation from turning into a cock fight, Maeve stepped in. "Take it outside boys, we really do need to get a few things straight around here. Ro, you shouldn't have gone to HEAT alone. That place is dangerous." She had to give Rowan her props though. She did look amazing. "We saw the video.You looked totally hot."

"Really, Maeve? That's what you wanna talk about now?" Karita couldn't believe how vain Maeve could be some times.

Maeve just ignored her, "What made you do that anyway? Seems like that would be waaaaay out of your comfort zone!"

Rowan held her arms up and out to the side, showing her that she was still wearing the outfit she'd danced in only a few hours ago. "Seems my comfort zone is... expanding. Besides, Callum agreed to answer some questions, and he offered me five hundred bucks. You still owe me, demon!" Rowan stood by the fireplace, too restless to sit down. Prior to her transition she would've been mortified at the thought of people seeing her half dressed. But now she didn't give a rats ass what any of them saw. Prescribed social norms just weren't on her list of priorities now.

A vexed baritone voice bellowed from the front door, "Where is she?"

Cuan? His voice, though clearly annoyed, resonated pleasantly in her ears. She could feel the power radiating from his words like warmth from the sun. Innately she knew he was far more dangerous and experienced than the others. It seemed as though the men were getting more powerful as she delved deeper into this world. She wondered just how powerful these men could get, and how long she should hold out?

Rowan leaned over and whispered to Maeve, "He a big guy?"

Maeve turned to her, narrowing her eyes as if warning her. Once again the dim glow around her pupils was giving her away. "Careful, Rowan. This one doesn't play games. Try using a filter on that mouth for a little while. And tone down the violet eyes thing. You really should play a little harder to get."

Filter my ass, no one had told her shit, and she wanted some answers. Damn eyes again. "Yeah, well, I'm gonna need a cold shower for that." While Rowan didn't give two shits about this new lore creature who suddenly grabbed everyone's attention, she didn't want to meet him in her black bustier, red panties and stilettos- that was for sure. Besides, a girl had to have some hygienic standards, and right now the bar was low. Her hair smelled like smoke and booze, and who knows what she'd been laying in after Callum knocked her out and deposited her in his S&M playroom.

Vanity was a new concept for her. She'd never cared before...about any of it. Maybe she cared now because there was something to care about? Or, maybe she would've cared all along if she hadn't been under her grandfather's dampening spell? Her whole life was a lie...an illusion. She had no idea who she was, but she knew she was well on her way to figuring it out. Sifting herself to the top of the stairs she'd seen moments ago on her way in, she proceeded to look for any room with a shower.