Revealing the Monster (Playing with Monsters #4) by Amelia Hutchins

Lucian meant the world to me, but he continued keeping secrets.

Lucifer said he would give me the world, but he, too, was keeping things from me.

I didn’t know where I belonged anymore. I missed my brother, who hadn’t even tried to contact me since we’d returned to Club Chaos. My grandmother would have had the words to ease my apprehension and anxiety. My mother would have held me, promising that I was strong enough to endure the changes in my life. I had never been more alone in my life than I was right now, and I was surrounded by men all the time.

Staring at my reflection, I frowned. Erie was here, and she was crazy. She’s also a woman, and I felt like I could talk to her. I missed Kendra, telling her everything that was happening and having her listen and throw out encouragement when needed. I’d never noticed how much I craved female companionship until it had been taken from me.

Smiling, I quickly finished dressing and brushed my hair, excited at the idea of Erie being here. She may have been bat shit crazy, but she was a blast to be around. She was also blunt and a breath of fresh air in a world full of stagnant immortals that didn’t understand human emotions.

Stepping into the bedroom, I smiled at finding Spyder leaning against the door, watching me.

“Hello, Kitty,” he murmured, his gaze dropping to the sexy midnight-blue dress Lucian had chosen for me to wear. “Do I need to reinforce how important it is for you to behave tonight? Or do you understand the warning Lucian gave you?”

“I’m aware that the Devil is in the details,” I muttered, smirking at the way his brows shot up his forehead. “I get it. I need to act right and sit at his feet like a good doggie. When he’s finished pissing on my leg, I will find Erie and hand her my leash until His Highness returns for me. Anything I missed there?” I asked, returning his smirk.

“You missed a few pretty important things if you think that this is just him pissing on your sexy thigh, Kitten. You should watch what he does and what he is saying. You’re expecting flowery words, but he isn’t that sort of person. Open your fucking eyes, and use that brain of yours.”

“I don’t expect pretty words, Spyder. I just need to know where I belong and that I’m more than just a woman he craves to own. I need to understand why he approved of my entire bloodline being slaughtered, doing nothing about it. Lucian could have easily stopped that from happening. Tell me I’m wrong. I’ll wait,” I stated, crossing my arms over my chest to glare pointedly at him. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. I deserve to know those answers. He owes me that much, Spyder. I gave up my fucking life for him.” I paused, swallowing the angry tears that threatened to choke off my words.

“Do I think he did it out of malice? No, I don’t. I don’t blame him for their deaths, but I want to know why he allowed it to happen. I was born a witch. To me and my kind, our bloodline is everything. The Awakening was designed to ensure the line continued to breed the next generation while waking the dormant powers within us. For generations, we lived within the shadows, hiding from Lucian. And now they’re all dead, and the game he played has ended, freeing him. Expecting an answer to why all of my line is now deceased isn’t asking too much from him. Is it?”

“No, but you’re being hunted by the Devil, Kitty. That makes it hard to include you in shit that is happening around us. If Lucian tells you why he did it, Lucifer will know that answer, too. As I said, this isn’t an easy situation, and you’re not dealing with someone who is used to trusting women. He loved Katarina. The same day he uttered those words, she betrayed him and opened the box containing the seal. She even went so far as to curse him, weakening him so that her coven could attack and murder him. She was the only woman he’s ever told that he loved, and to her, it meant nothing. You’re anticipating that he should say those words to you, Magdalena. Stop expecting to hear them and start watching his actions. Now come on, we’re going to be late for him to claim you openly, which is something he’s never done for any woman.”

We stepped into the hallway, where the other men waited for us. Devlin smiled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Bane snorted, dragging his heavy stare down the length of my body to the strappy heels Lucian had chosen for me to wear.

I wasn’t an idiot. Lucian had personally selected every piece of clothing and jewelry I wore tonight with purpose. The dark midnight dress was sexy and delicate. It stopped mid-thigh, allowing a glimpse of skin between it and my nylons.

The necklace I wore, an infinity sign with three black diamonds in a platinum setting, wasn’t extravagant, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. The dress curved around the globes of my breasts, permitting just enough cleavage exposed to be sexy, yet not too much that was visible to prying eyes. I’d left my hair free of bands and had foregone my usual braid, letting it flow down my back in gentle caramel-colored waves.

“You look beautiful tonight, Kitty cat,” Spyder whispered from where he walked beside me. “He dressed you to show you off because, unlike most women, you are gorgeous in your own skin. You’re confident, and that in and of itself is beautiful and empowering. Could you do me a favor this evening and behave? I know shit is crazy, and your emotions are up in arms, but a lot is happening this evening inside the club. Lucian needs to focus on the creatures attending, and you’d be doing me a solid if you gave him a break and behaved for just tonight.”