The portal transports me into the Onyx Lycan Nightclub, into one of the closed off sex dungeons – except and thank the lord, the door isn't locked. I have a feeling the teens that got sucked down into hell before me, had their own separate gateway through that same portal because they certainly didn't come through here. This was simply where the portal chose to spew me out.

I walk straight out of the club and I pick up a coat in 'lost and found' behind the bar and use that to cover the damaged hospital gown as I walk home.

It's noon, the sun is out, not a cloud in sight and it's a relatively nice stroll back home.

It's still a fucking trip to really grasp that moments ago I was traversing hell and being fucked by a Lycan who was my mate by the order of some strange law in the universe. Ha. And then his father appeared. And that was odd, on a whole new other level. It all confused me. I didn't know what to make of it. Except here I was; free somehow.

Back to the present – it certainly is a beautiful day, nice enough for Carmen to be doing the usual self tanning procedure on our apartment balcony. But from the street, I see all the curtains shut.

I narrow my eyes and bite my cheek as I hurry toward the lobby and the elevator.

Who is she fucking? I have a pit in my stomach, because I think I know who.

I don't have any key with me right now, after escaping the asylum, so she has to let me in.

I knock hard, three times.

And I wait.

I expect to wait a few long minutes before I'm answered – but it's rather the opposite.

The door slams open and my eyes widen as I take in a very naked vampire, with blood running down his neck, staining his teeth and lips – his eyes fully dilated with pleasure.

I hold up my hand to stop him pouncing on me next, "Mother of a pup, dick," I say it firmly, "You kill me, Sloan? You're so dead."

"That'll do it," he smiles, leans on the door and welcomes me into my own apartment.

Well... Vos's apartment... but we'd worry about his death later.

I hear high giggling and I see Carmen very drunk, dancing half naked in Sloan's shirt, in the living room, twirling in circles with a almost empty wine bottle in her hand.

"Carmen," I snap.

She stops twirling to face me, arms wide open, she tries to smile and ends up wobbling and falling dramatically to the couch.

As she makes a noise only a wailing woman would do in a movie – Sloan uses his vampire speed to catch her in his arms, and they both fall onto the couch, where he cradles her under his bloody chin.

"Just so you know," I growl it at Sloan, as I pour myself a cup of water, and Carmen dozes off in his chest from the combined alcohol and blood lost, "I don't approve of you together."

"You're a Lycan whore," Sloan eyes me off, and I feel uneasy, "Why do you judge?"

It wasn't that.

I don't trust him.

He fucking murdered her!

Now they were fucking?!

Unacceptable.

"I'm never going to like you," I stay firm on my resolve, "Whether I'm doomed to burn in hell or go to heaven, my opinion of you stays the same – you're an asshole."

"Carmen is my little werewolf pet now, and she loves how I torment her," Sloan whispers, creepily, while patting her head as she starts to lightly snore. He messes up her hair, and I start to feel more protective especially since he seems to genuinely mock her, "I feel her love for me, Silvia," and then he says that. I bite my cheek again.

I remember her hip, and I glance a look, since the shirt slipped aside.

I'm fucking relieved, Onyx's mark is gone.

He kept his word.

It makes my heart warm a bit that he followed through on our deal–

"I shouldn't lie to you, Silvia – Oswald and I work closely together," Sloan starts, immediately capturing my attention once more, "I know, funny, a Lycan and Vampire – best friends? Impossible. More – improbable."

"Wait... You and Onyx. You're. Best friends?" I speak through grit teeth.

"You don't know who Oswald is do you?" Sloan whispers now, taking care of Carmen sleeping soundly by squeezing her tight so she doesn't roll off the couch. I shake my head, no, I don't know who Onyx is, as a mortal at least, and so he informs me, "Oswald is a priest, a worshipper of god."

"Bullshit," I almost yell it.

"Fucking yeah," Sloan smirks, "It's a perfect disguise."

"Like this?" I try not to laugh, as I impersonate how I imagine that goes down, "Bless your holy fucking faces and listen to my sermons about how to fuck your whores in the bedroom, women belong in their cages after dark blah blah blah –"

"No," Sloan smiles, "Though I'm sure that's what he's thinking in his gut."

"Are you a priest too?" I ask, because that would be the best joke out.

"I'm his eyes, Silvia, I make sure his identity remains Oswald," Sloan is serious about this.

"On another topic," I put down the glass of water, suddenly not very thirsty anymore, "...why did you kill Carmen that night...?"

"She was asking too many questions," Sloan says, shrugging a shoulder, "Onyx okayed me to rip off any suss head."

"That's fucked up, Carmen talks about everything like it's a conspiracy –"

"She's so cute, I know," Sloan agrees, "I heard you got fired from your police job for being a Lycan whore."

"Yup."

"And admitted to h –"

"Double yup. And I just escaped hell," I explain further, "And I'm pregnant. How am I going to support a human baby that turns into a fucking demon –"

"Oh, you don't, you have to give all your babies to the Darkness, they're raised there for the first 20 years, then released back to you, if they wish to go to you they will and –"

"Shut the fuck up, vampire. No one is taking my fucking baby," I hiss.

"I said. Babies. You're going to have at least six, that's what Onyx told me," Sloan loves rubbing this in and seeing my face screw up, "I'm here to keep an eye on you."

"I don't want to be... a Lycan bitch," I look at the sink, "I can't allow that."

Sloan doesn't answer, and when I look over the counter, he's leaning back on the couch, getting comfortable while Carmen snuggles deeper under his chin.

He just shrugs at me, like he has no further answers.

I walk off to the bathroom, aiming to have a shower. I was a sticky mess.

"Silvia," Sloan smoothly calls my name, and I look over my shoulder, exhausted but curious by his softer tone, "I did not tell you this, so pretend otherwise as I tell you; You are the first mother of a pup in two thousand years, you're the only true breeding mate that seems to have arisen in that time... Lycans are seriously endangered... therefore Onyx will allow you to leave him, because he can't afford to lose your trust. He will do anything to keep you safe – physically and mentally, at least in the times he's not killing you with his cock," Sloan smiles at that, "Remember that. Enjoy your cold shower."

I turn around, ready to process such a big fucking statement.

But then I look back at him one more time.

"Do I have at least one superpower?" I whisper, trying to make a joke of it, "Besides 'traversing realms' like a loser?"

Sloan's eyes widen, then narrow, like he doesn't wanna tell me, but then he admits, "Indestructible," my brow rises up, then he adds, "Indestructible womb."

I stare at him.

"Are you fucking serious right now?"

"Well it's not a lie," Sloan has the audacity to look offended.

"Fuck you," I flip him one as I storm off.

"I might," he snarls a bit now, an irritated vamp, "Onyx would allow it. Lycans love to share their things."

Things.

I'm a thing.

He says that all as I've turn into the bathroom and finally slammed the door shut, locking it.

I could react, but I'm going to ignore he just said that.

I'll just remember it instead.