A raven-haired worshiper of the Titans--Hekate and Nyx--is determined to save her lover from an ancient curse, she must prove to him that life is worth living and that being a werewolf has its perks.
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Are you ready? Haha, that's a trick question. Of course, you're not. ;)
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Lycius helped me into my coat before we trod lightly through the wild gardens about his house. This expanse of land—because it wouldn't be right to call it a backyard—was unkempt. Creeping ivy tangled around weeping statues, and wildflowers grew through dying rose bushes. When I gazed up at the night sky there was a small waning moon and shy stars winking at me. The night air was crisp against my flushed face, and I was tempted to let out my night skin and have the stars glimmering up from the back of my hands.
Tempted to enjoy my nykta body in the way it was supposed to be embraced.
Instead, I settled with switching to dark vision and admired the violet lights that shone from anything with a hint of life. It outlined every blade of grass turning the lawns into oceans of mauve and lavender. Something small with large eyes threatened us from its perch and cawed warningly. I caught a flash of Lycius' wolf eyes on his human face, and they ignited like hot blue fire. They were unsettling.
And kinda hot.
Though we were dazedly walking around on the grounds of his property, Lycius didn't seem to be mad at me for my round of questions. Perhaps he expected them at this point. It was me after all and he knew me too well. I looped my arm into his and found him to be such a warm presence against the cold dead night. We wandered to the trees and zig-zagged through them as we waited for Lycius to work out some sound and steady answer. Who are the wolves that he kept on a tight lead?
In the meantime, he pointed out fountains that nature had grown over and the werewolves' favourite spots to prowl about and be menacing. They liked anything tall enough and wide enough to hide their bodies. There were times they had scared Lycius to his breaking point even when he knew they were there watching his movements.
Finally, I learned the wolves' names. Lycius only knew of their pet names. He didn't go into depth about what he meant by pet, and I felt a little concerned about that. All he could share was that he had to buy them off. That he didn't want them being commodities just because they've lost their humanity.
I stopped us. 'Is someone taking advantage of them?' Paul had never said anything like that.
Lycius' lips curled in. He let out a guttural growl. 'It's-it's not important.'
'It sounds important.'
He nodded. 'Humphrey came from one family, and I was able to save the girls from another...' Lycius' face contorted through a series of grimaces and wrinkled with quiet anger. His mouth was glued shut but wobbled and frowned along with the rise of his eyebrows. I called his name and he gasped for air. 'Sorry. We'll have to talk about something else.'
'Okay.' I looked around us then back at him. Was I just supposed to let that go? 'So, it's Humphrey, Alexis, and Coco,' I said and chuckled. 'Who would name a werewolf Coco?'
