Revealing the Monster (Playing with Monsters #4) - Amelia Hutchins Page 0,130
through dark obsidian eyes. The immense creature was kneeling, shoulders hunched as its wings slowly rose, aiming toward us where we stood motionless, staring it down. Its mouth opened, releasing a scream that had me clapping my hands over my ears. Then, just as quickly as it started, it ended. The aisle was vacant. The winged creature had vanished, and we looked around frantically, trying to find it again.
“Where the fuck did it go?” I asked, directing the question at everyone.
Spinning in a tight circle, I gasped as the lights extinguished, bathing the room in darkness. I grabbed onto Lucian, turning to where I felt shadows wrapping around me as the screaming from the other room turned to a slurping noise.
I closed my eyes, allowing the furies to fix my sight, knowing when I opened them, I’d be able to see again.
We entered the chamber off of the library and paused.
“Holy shit,” Synthia whispered, echoing my thoughts.
In the far corner were more winged creatures that spun on us, abandoning the women on the floor who stared sightlessly at the ceiling. They looked just like the one we’d seen in the other room. Their huge silver wings expanded with claw-like tips, and dark glyphs painted their flesh, pulsing as if alive.
“Oh my gods,” I whispered as the middle one moved closer to us.
The creature slithered toward us, its gaze holding mine as it opened its mouth, hissing. Tears burned my eyes as I shook my head. He hadn’t wanted to be immortal. Alden had chosen his path and planned to die as a mortal, yet here he was, a full Unseelie prince with wings and all.
“How the hell did this happen?” Synthia whispered, her words coming out choked as she spoke them.
“Why is he not like Zahruk?” Erie asked, turning her gaze toward Zahruk, who shrugged.
Ryder grunted, pushing his fingers through his dark hair, shaking his head. “Zahruk is fae already. Alden was human. They’re not the same species. Humans that change—they have to go through the transformations that the breed suffers. My guess is, Alden is in transition. It seems that the Unseelie prison claimed him as one of their princes.”
Alden looked majestic. His salt and pepper hair was thicker, darker. Light gray eyes switched from blue to obsidian sheen as he studied us. His brands were silver and black, and his large wings appeared soft and beautiful. His mouthful of serrated teeth, on the other hand, didn’t look gentle in the least.
The other creatures beside Alden turned their heads, listening to something. Ryder’s eyes swung to the doorway. Before anyone could prevent it, the newly created Unseelie shot toward us as Ryder swore vehemently. Just as they would have slammed directly into us, all the Unseelie vanished.
“Jesus, fuck!” I shouted, shock and adrenaline flowing through me.
“Where the hell did they just go?” Synthia demanded, rushing into the vacant library.
“Someone called them, and they chose to answer that call,” Ryder informed coolly. “They’ve decided on a king, or they’ve chosen to serve the existing one. Only a king can summon princes.”
“They have one,” Zahruk stated. “He’s calling them to him right now. I can feel it within me, the need to go to him.”
“Do me a favor, and don’t answer,” Ryder grumbled, his inner frustration exposed in his voice. “Pet, you need to open the shelter so we can check on the children.”
Synthia nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Alden didn’t want this.”
“No, he didn’t. It can’t be undone, though, and he’ll have to come to terms with it, eventually. Right now, all we can do is see if the children and enforcers made it into that protective chamber before Alden began feeding with the others.”
“I can’t put him down, Ryder. I won’t.”
“I second that,” I stated, nodding at Synthia. “Alden is family. He’s our family.”
Synthia nodded, her tears falling with mine as she came closer, hugging me while everyone else watched. It was heartbreaking to know Alden was turned against his will, making him an immortal now. Normally, I wouldn’t feel bad about that, but it was Alden. He’d chosen to live the rest of his life as a human or as close as possible. Now that wouldn’t be happening.
Synthia released me, drifting toward the doorway leading to the enchanted walkway that opened up at the shelter’s entrance. The runes swirled to life around us the moment we stepped foot into the hallway.