Chapter 270 - In your Shadow (1/2)

The echo of beeping barely penetrated the deafening throb rapidly spreading through Jos's brain as she stared up into her ex-lover's eyes. ”R...Russ...” Her cheeks flared as she forced clarity back into her brain. She covered the beeping watch with her free hand, holding it tight as if it would silence the device. She cleared her throat as she lowered her gaze and moved to step past him.

Russ tangled his fingers into the material of her shirt. ”You have nothing else to say? After everything, you're fine with a simple awkward exchange of names? Are you sure you don't want to push aside our first names and rely on titles, instead?” He bit out in growing irritation. He bent. ”Come to think of it, I may enjoy you calling me Sir...” His lips turned up in a wickedly menacing smile. ”Though I can think of several other things I'd prefer you to call me...” He whispered hauntingly as he stepped closer.​​

Jos pressed one hand against his c.h.e.s.t as she shoved his hand away from her shirt with the other. ”I'll address you differently when you learn to behave differently...” She moved to step past him again, but his tight grip caught her wrist. She turned a glare up to him. ”Let go.” She bit out sternly.

”And if I don't want to?” He snarled back, closing the distance between them as he ignored the snarling from the floor beside them. ”Are you going to have your new f.u.c.k kick my ass?”

Jos gritted her teeth. ”Keep up this asshole act and he won't have to... I'll kick your a.s.s myself.”

Russ's lips twisted into a hate-filled snarl as he tightened his grip around her wrist. ”So, you're not even going to deny the two of you are f.u.c.k.i.n.g now?”

Jos returned his glare. ”Why should I if it's true?”

His upper lip twitched with rage as he shoved her hands away from him. ”Figures... You're just a cold-hearted whore anyway... I bet you f.u.c.k.e.d all those men right before you ripped their hearts out too.” He pushed past her violently.

Tears burned her eyes as she called out after him. ”F.U.C.K YOU, A.S.SHOLE!”

A wicked smile curved his lips as he turned back toward her. ”You already have, or did you forget so soon?” He barked back.

Before Arei could even get to his feet, Jos was already closing the distance between her and the kid. He knew everyone in the room had to be staring at the two of them in equal levels of shock as her hand made contact with his smooth cheek causing a loud pop to echo through the silent room. Arei shook away the surprise and quickly made his way over and stepped between them as he pulled Jos into his arms.

Ry ran his hand over his short hair. ”Well, that just happened...”

Giorgos leaned forward toward Ry. ”Is it always like this with them?”

Ry nodded. ”Yeah... What can I say the kid's young and overflowing with hormones and passion, and she's overflowing with siren-powered pheromones and a killer temper... puns intended.”

Poseidon rolled his eyes. ”Well since the cat's already out of the bag... or rather the Pomeranian...” He lifted his hand and snapped.

Russ's eyes went wide, but before he could protest, he had already been shifted into the small dog form. He began to growl, but even that was cut short when a powerful mouth scooped him up. {How embarrassing... to be carried like a baby by your own twin sister...} Russ could only pout as he was carried over to the sectional and placed on the sea god's l.a.p.

Poseidon patted Shelly's head. ”Thanks, dear.”

Giorgos forced his mouth closed as his attention moved from the small Pomeranian to the princess. He nodded a bow. ”Princess...”

Shelly held her paw up to shake, her own eyes bugging when the man placed a kiss on it instead. She arched a wolfish brow at the man before tugging her paw away and moving back beside Poseidon.

He chuckled, ”Your princess is no more accustomed to being treated like royalty than her brother.” He moved his attention back to his son and Jos. ”If the two of you are ready to join us?”

Arei nodded as he led Jos over to the sectional, settling down beside her. He set the papers that had been dropped to the floor when Russ had been shifted onto the table. ”What do you guys have so far?”

Ry leaned forward and tapped the files. ”You may not believe this, but that vamp kid ended up coming through. We have what we need to prove the poisonings mentioned in Cam's diaries and multiple formulas for various blood mixtures.” He smiled brightly. ”With any luck, the kid will be able to show us to the women and children being held in that damnable bas.e.m.e.nt within the week.”

Jos couldn't help the excited smile that curved her lips. ”That's amazing! We need to work out lodging and medical care for them until they can be reunited with their families.” She said as she sat forward and began going through the files on the table. ”Has Peg and Andy been able to compile a list of suspected prisoners yet?”

Ry and Arei exchanged knowing looks. Arei wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. ”Kitten... There's a huge chance the gir-prisoners may not even be alive.” He nodded toward Ry. ”The boy said Fern has been dealing in rare and exotic organs and bloods... that means...”

Jos swallowed hard as his meaning sank in. She could feel tears burn her eyes as she nodded slowly. ”I... I see...”

Giorgos sniffed back the burn of his own sorrows as he watched the emotions play out across the silver-haired beauty's face. It was hard to believe she was THE Kraken. Had it not been for the conversation last night around the card table, he'd never been able to pick her out from any other extraordinary beauty. His eyes shifted to the mammoth man beside her, coddling and soothing her as if she was nothing more than the fragile young woman that she appeared to be.

Jos nodded as she turned toward the others in the protective arms wrapped around her. ”We must prepare for the best and worst-case scenarios, then.”

”Of course, kitten.” Arei murmured soothingly with his lips still pressed against the side of her head. {So much for the professionalism...} He thought to himself as he continued to soothe her. ”If we are going to try breeching the most restricted portions of the palace, we need to get Fern out of the way. What's the plan for that?”

Poseidon sighed. ”I doubt we'll be able to trick and pressure him into drinking with us again. What's more, I imagine his suspicion and desperation will begin to increase significantly over the days to come.” He unfolded one of the maps. ”Our best bet will still be in finding safe passage leading away from the palace, for now.”