"They want to host the ball at their house?" Jae scoffs, throwing the note on the table after reading it. "Obviously they're planning an attack."

"You don't know that," Layla frowns. "Maybe they have a nicer house."

"Nicer than mine?" Killian rolls his eyes. "Yeah, right."

"I bet they do," Maryn says excitedly. "Vampires are supposed to be rich."

Knox scowls. "You're only basing that off of the Twilight movies."

"And you only know that because you've watched them!" Maryn yells the accusation, and her and Layla do a victorious handshake while laughing.

Knox rolls his eyes. "Please tell me you're not considering this, Killian."

Killian shrugs. "Why not? It's even better than having it here because we can snoop through their house. We can even find where they're holding the wolves."

"If they're holding the wolves," Gabe interjects thoughtfully. "We have no evidence."

Jae sneers, "Oh, shut up, Gabe. Obviously, they're the ones responsible. Why else would Katrina have visions of blood, and a vampire coven just so happens to be staying a few miles away from our territory?"

"I agree with Gabe," Kage says quietly. "It doesn't make sense. That coven has been there for hundreds of years based on the books. Why start to break the peace now? It says vampires are avoidant of werewolves."

"You're basing your opinion on an old ass book?" Mar scoffs. "People change."

"They're not people, they're vampires," Layla says seriously.

Mar glares at her. "Fine. Vampires change."

"No, not really," Gabe argues. "They don't age at all. They literally don't change."

"Let's put it to a vote," Killian suggests. "Yes, we go. No, we don't."

"Yes," Jae says immediately. "It's worth the risk."

"No," Maryn says after a moment. "We have it on our territory or not at all."

"No," Gabe agrees. "It gives them too much of an advantage. And it's sketchy that they insist on having it on their territory."

"Yes," Kage says, his voice soft. "For all we know, they're peaceful. Maybe they could help us find the missing wolves."

Jae rolls her eyes at his optimism.

"No," Knox says. "It's not safe for any of us. We already lost too many wolves to them. They'll sure slaughter all of us as soon as we take a step inside their coven."

"I vote yes," Layla says excitedly. "I have a new dress and want to see if my poison works on vampires."

Killian glances at me. "Katrina, you give the deciding vote."

"Ah," I say hesitantly. "This seems more like a circulus thing."

"You're in our circulus," Layla says in confusion, and when I don't respond, she looks sad. "Right?"

"Do you have any visions about it?" Killian asks me.

I shake my head. "No... Sorry. There's nothing."

"Even more of a reason not to go," Knox adds.

Jae swallows, and I see her throat bobbing. Killian must have seen it too, because he quickly says, "We're going."

"This is the dumbest thing we've ever done," Knox mutters, shaking his head in disappointment.

"No, the dumbest thing we've done is fill an inflatable pool up with chocolate syrup," Layla disagrees.

Gabe sighs. "We didn't do that. You and Maryn did. The rest of us told you that was disgusting."

"It was fun!" Maryn says defensively. "You didn't even give it a try."

"I'll get Akoni to come," Killian puts the conversation back on track. "He can witness when we find evidence against them."

"Will he help fight when they undoubtedly attack?" Knox asks maliciously.

Killian doesn't answer.

****

"Three shots," Killian reminds me as I pull the arrow back.

"Yeah, yeah," I grin. Finally, I won't have to worry about waking up with Killian in my bed.

"No teleporting, no moving," I frown, still not trusting him.

"I won't move or teleport," Killian grins mischievously.

I breathe in deeply, and release the arrow. It barely misses, hitting the wall above his head.

"Wear red to the ball, would you?" Killian requests, smirking at my miss. "Something sexy. And nothing underneath."

"I'm going to enjoy watching you bleed after I hit you," I say sweetly. And mean it.

I load up another arrow, but miss by a hair again.

Nothing underneath, he mouths.

I scowl, but I have a good feeling about this shot. Sure enough, when I release the arrow, it heads straight for his stomach.

Without moving, he opens a portal right in front of his stomach, and the arrow disappears into wherever the hell he sent it.

"Cheater!" I yell. "You said you wouldn't teleport!"

"I didn't," Killian laughs victoriously. "I opened the portal without moving or teleporting. You should really be more careful with your words next time."

"Doesn't count," I roll my eyes, putting the bow down. "You cheated."

Killian shrugs. "Not my fault I'm smarter than you. Don't feel bad, darling, I'm smarter than everyone."

"Enjoy going dateless," I laugh.

Killian raises an eyebrow. "Who's to say you're my only option?"

I glare at him, and for some reason, his words piss me off.

"Ooh, you look mad," Killian taunts me. "Don't want me, but don't want anyone else to have me? Greedy girl."

"Go with whoever you want," I spit out. "Maybe I'll go with Knox."

Killian laughs. "Knox hates you."

"Does he?" I ask, cocking my head to the side and smiling innocently. "Then why does he keep asking me to train more with him?"

Clearly, Knox does hate me, but my words make doubt flash in Killian's eyes, and I press on.

"Or maybe Akoni," I continue. "I bet he wouldn't mind escorting me. Especially in a red dress with nothing underneath."

A dark shadow casts over Killian's face, and then he disappears. I jump when he reappears right in front of me.

He twirls a piece of my hair in his hand, and his eyes are completely black. His expression is completely calm, but something about him seems dangerous. Predatory.

I gulp.

"Touch the Princeps Viatorem and I will make sure it is the last thing he feels," Killian says softly, still twirling my hair.

"I'm your Seer," I hiss. "You can't tell me what to do."

"You're mine, Katrina," He says simply. "My Seer, mine alone."

"I am nobody's," I say, but my voice cracks as his eyes get even darker.

"Akoni knows you belong to me," Killian says, and his eyes lighten slightly as he pulls his hand away. "He knows the consequences."

"Why are you doing this?" I yell in frustration, feeling my wolf come out. I have a weak wolf, I know that, and it almost never resurfaces, but something makes me want to claw out his eyeballs.

"I thought you didn't care," Killian taunts. "Change your mind? Want to know? Care to hear me explain?"

"There's nothing to explain," I say harshly. He wants me to be his Seer and is worried Akoni will try getting me to join the Viatoribus. It's that simple.

"Are you sure about that, Katrina?" He asks, his voice low. "Then why don't you ask? Ask why it's your bed I teleport to every morning. Ask why I don't want you near Akoni."

"Because I'm your Seer, and you enjoy making me miserable," I say through clenched teeth.

Killian raises an eyebrow. "Really? You're miserable? It doesn't look like that to me. In fact, you seemed to have a blast this morning, putting your lips all over me."

My cheeks redden. "It wasn't like that."

Killian chuckles darkly. "It wasn't? Then why is your heart racing right now?"

"I'm thinking about shooting another arrow into you," I smile, but he's right. My heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest.

"Fight me then," Killian flashes his canines. "You seem so eager to touch me, so let's spar. You wanted to train against me, remember?"

I throw the quiver down. "You could use a punch to the jaw," I say.

Killian grins, his canines dropping. "Let's see what you got then, little Seer. I'm sure your bark is worse than your bite, but remember: You're always welcome to bite me."

I scream in frustration and launch myself at him, ready to pummel him so hard he's launched into the in between.

Killian dodges me, laughing. I throw a punch at his face, and the idea of knocking out some of his teeth is so appealing it's borderline erotic.

He ducks, and punches me in the ribs, though I'm sure he's holding back, since it barely hurt. "Didn't See that coming?" He taunts, still laughing.

I snarl, and throw a fake punch to his face, which as expected, he dodges, but I use my other fist to punch his spleen, hard.

"Didn't see that coming?" I smirk, and he grins.

"Not bad, darling," Killian laughs. "Maybe I shouldn't take it easy on you."

"Do your worst, Alpha," I snarl, but his grin only widens as my fury intensifies.

He shrugs, and in an instant, I'm pinned to the ground. I struggle underneath him, but he holds my wrists to the floor with one of his.

"What, you didn't think you could best an Alpha and the Ultimum Viatorem, did you?" Killian asks, grinning victoriously.

"He's looks pretty weak, I thought I had it in the bag," I respond, hoping to piss him off as much as I am.

It seems to work, because he growls. Perhaps it worked a little too well, because he presses his canines to my neck.

I shudder, and realize why. He's resting his teeth on the part of my neck that was supposed to be Marked by Leo.

"You wouldn't," I whisper in horror.

Killian teleports off of me, across the room. "Of course not," He mutters, and his jaw is clenched.

"The ball is a week from today," Killian says through his teeth. "I'll pick you up at seven."

And he teleports out of the training center, leaving me gasping for air on the ground.

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