Page 72 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

I see his face the moment he sees Nyx and the surprise that crosses it. But then his eyes lock on mine, and that’s when he smirks. His ugly, sarcastic smirk. I want to jump down and slap off his face.

“Back for more, Cheeks,” Aidan says, winking.

“Don’t fucking speak to her,” Nyx says, and Chepi starts to growl. I worry for a moment Nyx is going to use his magic, but I feel the tension leave his body as he loosens his grip on me a bit.

Nyx’s voice takes on a commanding tone, and I can feel the power in his words. “We have important matters to discuss with you, Aidan. It’s imperative that we speak with you immediately.”

Aidan greets us with a sly smile, and my skin starts to crawl. Memories of his rough hands and unwelcome touch flood my mind, and I can barely stand to be in his presence. I cling to Nyx’s back for support and comfort, feeling the warmth of his body seeping through my skin.

"Of course, King Onyx. Please, come inside," Aidan says, holding the door open wider for us to enter. I can see the glint in his eye as he looks at me, and I feel sick to my stomach. How could he have done those things to me?

I try to steady my breathing and focus on the task at hand. With Nyx by my side, I can do this. I just need to stay strong and keep my emotions in check.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Nyx sits me down on the couch in front of the fire, kneeling on the ground in front of me to examine my ankle. Chepi plops down next to me, cuddling close to my side. Thank the gods this is no longer the couch where I actually asked Aidan to kiss me. I try to push the thought from my mind and focus on the pain in my foot. This room is unrecognizable except for the giant fireplace in the same spot. Instead of being built out of cobblestone, it’s been turned into shiny black stone. The ground beneath me was once half-rotted, unfinished wood, but now petrified wood sparkles in the firelight.

“You got yourself hurt there, Cheeks?” Aidan says, coming to kneel next to Onyx.

“Stop calling me that. Yes, I twisted my ankle.” I scowl at him.

“Here, just elevate your foot,” Aidan says, moving some cushions and motioning for me to turn sideways on the couch.

I furrow my brows at him, wondering why he’s acting so normal. I do as he says and place my foot on the pillows. Nyx takes a seat on the mantle across from me next to the fire, and Aidan pulls over a chair to face us. I don’t know why, but sitting here looking at these two men who couldn’t be more opposite is just weird. I have so much I want to say, yet my words don’t come out. I feel tongue tied for a moment. Nyx must notice, because he starts the conversation for me.

“We want to know what the Lycan ceremony did to Lyra.” Nyx looks directly at Aidan.

I don’t know which male looks broodier. Nyx is taller and more serious and orderly, while Aidan just looks like a sarcastic ass who’s full of himself.

“Of course, you do.” Aidan chuckles. “Let me get us a few drinks before we get down to business.” Aidan moves into the newly remodeled kitchen across from us.

We wait in silence, and Nyx gives me a reassuring smile while reaching over to rub my shoulder with one hand. The touch calms my nerves.

“This should put some hair on your chest, Cheeks,” Aidan says, dropping a glass of potato piss in my hands then handing one to Nyx. He takes his seat and holds up his own glass.

“What, no moon bread this time?” I ask Aidan, giving him a dirty look, but he just ignores me.

“To . . . old friends,” he says with that ugly smirk on his face. When neither of us say anything, he just shrugs his shoulders and takes a long gulp.

I smell my glass and wrinkle my nose at the scent. I forgot how strong the Lycans like their whiskey. But I have a feeling I’m going to need whiskey to make it through this conversation, so I look at Nyx and give him a nervous smile and take a drink. I don’t see Nyx drink from his glass. Instead, he places it next to him on the mantle. I guess it's smart for one of us to stay sober for this.

“We’re not here to be friends, Aidan. Now cut the shit and tell us what we need to know before I’m forced to no longer be a gentleman,” Nyx says

“Oh, but we are friends, intimate friends. Aren’t we, Lyra?”

I feel my stomach squeeze. Nyx doesn’t know I slept with Aidan, the most repulsive, despicable fucking male other than Samael. I don’t want Nyx to know what happened. I can’t bare the idea of him looking at me differently.

“You sure do talk a lot of shit, Aidan. Now tell me where we can find the old Sorceress from the ceremony and what it did to Lyra.” Nyx gets to his feet, and I can feel the tension rising in the room.

“The old Sorceress you speak of is named Athalda, and you can find that old bitch in the Shifting Forest. As for the ceremony, I don’t know what it did to Lyra, nor do I care. I got what I wanted,” Aidan says, moving his foot to rest on his knee.

“What did you get out of it? You said you were only doing what my parents wanted. What did you mean?” I ask.

“As you can see, Cheeks, things have changed around here. Your parents may have died, but they still made sure I got my payment. They paid me handsomely to make you drink that Lycan blood,” Aidan says, and I can feel my magic again. My body is suddenly feeling too hot, like something is crawling under my skin.

“How could you kill them! You killed Luke for money? That’s all his life was worth to you?” Disgust fills me as I stare at Aidan and his hollow blue eyes.

“That little shit didn’t mean anything to me. The pack is better off without him. We didn’t need a weak link patrolling the Shifting Forest. He would’ve gotten himself killed sooner or later. At least this way I got a nice payday out of it. That money will be of more use to the pack than any of those adolescents,” Aidan says.