Pandora's Box - Eve Newton Page 0,3

them, but I shake my head.

The males return, covered in snow, expletives of all kinds filling the silence.

“Snow?” Devlin asks rhetorically, shaking it off his black duster.

I wait for them all to seat themselves again.

“Roberta?” I prompt.

“Nothing whatsoever,” she says. “This is…new.” She gives me an accusing look for a brief moment before she resumes a neutral expression.

“You sure?” I press, just in case.

“Very, Ma’am.”

“Thanks,” I mutter. “Please ensure that Darius and his army are prepared for every eventuality. This is going to throw the Demons and coupled with a lockdown, I don’t want to be the one to go out there and sort out my minions if they get unruly.”

She bobs her head, clearly in full agreement. The more Demons I kill off, the harder her job is.

I wave my hand and send her on her way.

“Snow?” Elijah growls.

I’m getting agitated by his troubled attitude. I stand up and start to pace.

I feel Gregory’s eyes on me, so I stop and look at him.

“You feel that Shax leaving has something to do with this?” he asks quietly, stopping the further rumbling complaints from the males about being wet and cold.

I tap my foot. “Possibly,” I say, after a hefty pause.

“Why do you think that?” Aleister asks quietly.

The rage fires up and I kick out at the chair I’d been sitting in, watching it skitter across the room.

“Because Hell was fine and then he left, and this happened!” I snap, feeling my wings pop out and flap wildly.

All of the males head for the hills, diving off theatrically to the sides, Devlin taking Gregory with him.

Everyone, that is, except Killian. He sits back and gives me a bland look.

I hiss as the Shift is ready to take me over. If I do that, I’m risking everyone in here.

“One, two, three and smile,” Gregory calls out from underneath the table.

I take in a deep breath and mutter, “One, two, three and smile.” I force a beam on my face, my hands clenched at my sides.

“Nicely done,” Gregory’s voice states proudly.

I throw Aleister an apologetic smile as he ventures closer now that I seem to have my temper under control. He knows my anger isn’t at him, it’s at my twin for abandoning me.

“Annabelle,” he says in that calm way that he has.

“What?” I ask, as all the males come closer and peer at me in fascination. “What?” I growl when no one says anything.

“Your wings have grown bigger and a lot more intricate,” Drescal says, moving in as close as he dares. “You are spectacular.”

“Oh,” I say and look over my shoulder at my wings. “Oh!” I say in wonder as I see what he means.

“Beautiful,” Killian mutters. “I can’t wait to fuck you that way.”

“Mm,” I murmur, wanting that as well.

But then I shake my head. We need to sort out this mess first.

“I think Shax is with the box,” I say, stashing my wings and sitting back down in the chair that Elijah recovered for me from across the room. I give him a nod of thanks.

“I need to go and see the Hounds,” he says, remaining standing and looming over me as he puts his hand on the table.

I purse my lips at him.

“They will be frantic with this change and they need feeding anyway. I’ve left them for too long,” he insists.

“Don’t linger. If Darius finds you…”

“You’ll get me out of it,” he replies with a gruff laugh. “Besides, I wouldn’t go down without a fight and I’m itching for something to hit.”

“That’s…aggressive,” I point out, to the amusement of the assembled males.

“Pot, kettle, Queenie. I’m going,” he states, straightening up.

“What about my shit?”

“Lian will catch me up,” he murmurs and bends down to kiss me gently on my lips.

I grimace at him, but how can I be angry with him for looking after his Hounds and prioritizing their needs? He totally should. They can’t sort themselves out. I can.

“Take Mouse,” I call after him as he gives me a wave.

He lets out a loud, ear-piercing whistle and she comes bounding out of the main hallway to join him.

“So back to the box and Shax. They are together? How do you know?” Drescal asks, taking Elijah’s seat before anyone else can scoot over.

“Earlier, I was with Sid in a dream. I saw the box and all this mist. I knew Shax was there, but I couldn’t see him. Sid confirmed it. He is weirdly connected to him as well now.” I screw up my face as I