Evil

CHAPTER TEN

He narrowed his eyes. "Why would Vespar think that I'm angry with him?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Shay?"

"I might've told him that."

A normal being would groan in frustration. Kellan flashed a smile. "Really?"

I couldn't help, but smile back. "Now I'm glad. They're both on edge because of it. I was just going off what you told me, that Vespar thinks we're going to war with them."

He laughed now. "I said that because he does think it. I didn't mean today or next week. I meant in the future. He knows the lines are drawn. He knows the alliances and you and I are more powerful than those two. I have no intention of fighting them now."

"They don't need to know that."

He quieted and asked, "Tell me the real reason why you found me."

"Matt was replaced with Dylan Cavanagh. Vespar punched him in the hallway. I think he's a little pissed. He's already started trying to bully me. He threatened us, said that we won't get away half the stuff we do now."

Kellan sobered, watching me. "That's not why you sought me out either. Why, Shay?"

He was annoying when he did that. "I don't know. I really don't." And I didn't, not really. I could've guessed, but those were emotions I didn't want to acknowledge, especially now.

"And if I were to guess, I'm sure Vespar or Guiseppe have already dealt with him. Am I right?" Both his hands cupped my cheeks and he cradled my face in his hands now. "What's going on with you, Shay? Don't tell me that it's you being a nephilim because you sought me out for a different reason. We will deal with your different parentage. I'm not concerned with it, not how you are, but I know things will be fine. That's not the reason why you came here. Tell me why."

I opened my mouth to say something, but I had no idea what. So I halted, speechless, as he held me in his hands. When his thumbs started to brush against my cheeks, caressing back and forth, I couldn't help to close my eyes and lean into his touch. It was like I needed it, I needed him. I had sought him out because I needed this. The reality of that rushed through my whole body and I jerked away.

Kellan didn't let go. He felt the tension in my body and instead wrapped his arms around me, anchoring me against him, against the wall. We stood there, enveloped together, as he murmured into my hair, "You need to be more honest with yourself. You have all the answers, Shay. You decide where we go from here."

My hands balled into fists and rested helplessly against his shoulders. I was half hugging him, but I felt like I was half dying at the same time. "What does that mean? I have no idea."

"What do you want?" His breath teased my forehead.

His phone rang and we both knew it was important. No one would call Kellan unless it was me or something life and death. He pulled away and looked at it. His voice was rough. "It's Gus."

Something had gone wrong.

We both felt it and then he answered, "What happened?"

I listened to her nearly hysterical voice before he interrupted her, "Where are you?" A second later, after she told him, he added, "We're coming." Then he hung up. As he pocketed the phone, he took my hand and pulled me behind. "She's in trouble."

As we left the house and got into his car, I asked, "What happened?"

"Cavanagh was into demon/devil worship stuff. He had some tricks up his sleeve. Gus couldn't handle herself and killed his entire family. It's too much. We can't handle this much death on our hands. Messengers will come now."