Let the Rain Come Down [The Moonlight Breed 6] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Gabrielle Evans (tools of titans ebook .txt) 📕

the word outside of movies, but he took it as an affectionate term of friendship. Besides, it was really hard to dislike someone as happy-looking as Jackson. The smile on his face was so infectious that Oscar found himself grinning back as he gave a small wave. Maybe this was really going to be okay.

“The blond Keeton is trying to climb is Logan.”

Glancing in the direction where Braxton was pointing, Oscar slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle the outburst of laughter. Keeton had literally climbed up on the desk and was attempting to attach himself to Logan’s back.

“Slut,” Boston said in an ostentatious fake sneeze, which just had Oscar laughing even harder.

Logan, however, barely reacted to the behavior. Reaching behind him, he pulled Keeton around to his chest and pecked him on the lips. “Behave, angel.”

“So, this is us,” Braxton concluded, waving his hand around the group. “We’re going to move into the lower west wing of the mansion until the cabins are complete, so someone will always be around if you need something.”

“There are like a million people here.” Zavion cocked his head to the side and frowned. “No offense, but why are you here?”

“We’re like specialists,” Xander explained, speaking for the first time since the meeting had begun. “You’re all Moonlighters, right?”

“No.” Zuriel looked over at Oscar and then back to Xander in obvious confusion. “We’re Desirables.”

Xander opened his mouth to say something but stopped, furrowed his brow, and pressed his lips back together. His lips moved, silently forming the word several times before he finally said it aloud. “What exactly is a Desirable?”

Now, Oscar was confused. “Well, what exactly is a Moonlighter?”

“A white-pelted shifter.”

“Oh.” Well, they were definitely that, but why would they need help for it? “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Is that a bad thing?” Every shifter in The Hive had a white pelt. Other than the fact that they were prisoners, the color of their coats seemed to be a very attractive trait.

“Oscar.” Boston stepped in front of him, took his hand, and held it in both of his own. “I know you don’t like to talk about it, but I think we need to know what you’re running from. We can’t help if you don’t tell us, and it could be putting everyone here in danger.”

And there it was. Just by being in Haven, Oscar was endangering the lives of everyone who lived there. There was little doubt in his mind that the Drones would come for them, and they’d cut down anyone who stood in their way. “Maybe we should go.”

“What?” Zuriel yelled. “No! I like it here!”

“Please, Oscar,” Zavion pleaded.

Even Cicero was in the corner, shaking his head rapidly.

“Maybe,” Boston said quietly, “you need to trust us.”

It was much easier said than done. When the coven learned exactly what they were facing, Oscar doubted they’d be so willing to offer their aide. It was only fair to warn them, though. Just because Oscar and his friends left, there was no guarantee that the remaining members of Haven would be safe. The Hive didn’t play by any rules but its own.

“We escaped from a place in Missouri called The Hive. Desirables are engineered and then trained to become a person’s every fantasy. They will come for us.”

Stavion and Xander exchanged a look before the alpha stepped forward and crossed his enormous arms over his chest. “Then we’ll be ready for them.”

Chapter Two

 

“Do you understand the situation?”

Demitrius kept his hands behind his back with his wrists crossed and nodded curtly. “Yes, sir.”

“Cut it out.” Leader Stavion Shogard huffed and rolled his eyes. “You know I hate that shit.”

He did, which was exactly why Demitrius did it. Keeping his expression completely neutral, he stared straight ahead at a point somewhere above Stavion’s shoulder. “Yes, sir.”

“Why are you such a dick?”

“We could go into great detail, but maybe it would be better if I meet the guys I’m supposed to be guarding.” He did relax his stance and gave the vampire a half smile.

Stavion had taken a big risk allowing Demitrius into the coven. No one in his life had ever given him a chance. One look and people literally ran in the opposite direction. Even the Enforcers and other members of the coven were reluctant to allow him refuge in Haven, but after a simple, twenty-minute conversation with Stavion, the leader had seen something that no one else had ever bothered to look for inside him.

For that, he felt indebted. At the same time, he viewed Stavion as a friend—though he’d only known the vampire for a few weeks. It was a new experience for him, since he’d never had a friend before, and he was bound and determined to not screw it up. Whatever Stavion needed him to do, Demitrius would make it happen. He just had to convince the asshole that he didn’t need to be “fixed.”

“Have you found out anything else from Jeremy?”

Stavion sighed and shook his head. “He said he couldn’t remember what happened to him or how he ended up at your house. I don’t know if he was telling the truth, protecting someone, or just too embarrassed to admit what really happened.”

“Why are you speaking in the past tense?”

“He’s gone.” Dropping his head on his shoulders, Stavion rubbed at the back of his neck, looking tired and frustrated. “We give them shelter, food, and compassion when they come here. I can’t make them stay, though.”

Demitrius hadn’t seen Jeremy since he’d brought the half-breed to Haven, so it wasn’t any skin off his nose if the guy wanted to move on. They weren’t friends, and he didn’t owe the man anything. He’d simply been the catalyst that had brought Demitrius to Haven. Still, he hoped Jeremy was safe, wherever he was.

Right then, however, he had more important things to worry about. “Okay, tell me about these shifters.”

“Nothing has happened yet, but we want to be prepared just in case. Xander, Logan, and Talon are big guys, and