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He let her hit him several times, then caught her small hands in his. “We really don’t have time for you to continue beating me. I’m pretty sure the Hunters are riding closer to my ass than I’d like. Also, I’m not happy you let yourself get captured. We’ll get to that when we’re sure you’re safe.”

“Spoken like a truly good big brother. As for her getting caught...that shit needs to stop. Especially since they seem to want Mari more than any of the others.” Severin motioned toward his sister with what he could only describe as an imperial hand gesture.

“What are you?” Pax asked.

“Our secrets are not something we share with outsiders, Pax. Once you know about us, you can't unknow it. If you betray us, I will know instantly. While the fuckers who had you might seem like truly awful people, you’ve never seen what awful is until you’ve fucked with the likes of me and my kind. There are no second chances. Do you understand the weight of what I’m saying?” Severin asked, flashing bright eyes at him. If Pax hadn’t been watching so closely, he wouldn’t have believed what he’d seen as the other man’s eyes turned a bright shade of red.

“Are you some sort of shifter?” Pax guessed. Throughout his time away, he’d seen a lot of strange shit, including men and women who could turn into wolves and other animals. However, he’d never seen any with burning red eyes.

Severin glared at him. “I’m not one of them ass-lickers.”

Pax lifted his arms, palms forward. The dude looked ready to tear his throat out as if comparing him to a shifter was like saying he was a pile of shit. “Okay, then spill. I’m not good at guessing, obviously.”

“Why don’t you tell us what you’ve become first? Sharing is caring after all.” The woman named Thana interjected. He could feel her and the man speaking to one another, like waves flowing between them.

“I’m actually not sure. To be honest, I know hardly anything about myself other than my psionic abilities are better than any others that I’ve come into contact with. Are you familiar with psionic abilities?”

“Of course. They range from Telepathy, where many can read, send, or control thoughts and emotions in other minds. Telekinesis...Psychokinesis is the ability to move, lift, or break physical objects with mental power alone. Clairsentience is the power to gather hidden information and see the future. Better known as precognition, or the ability to view distant events. Some refer to it as clairvoyance. Psychometabolism is the power to control your own body, such as blocking pain, healing wounds, or changing physical traits. What do you have?”

Pax scratched the back of his neck. “Um, a little of all of them.”

Chapter 16

Severin blinked a little dumbly at the young man in front of him. He would never accuse the kid of lying, but fucking-A, the thought that Pax had more than one ability truly stunned him. “Interesting,” he said.

“Interesting? That’s the word you come up with when the kid just told us he can do all kinds of mind shit?”

Severin let out a weary sigh. “Uriel, when did you get here?”

“I’ve been here for over a minute. None of you even recognized a threat inside your space. Not even you, oh great one.” Uriel smiled, flashing his fangs.

Pax backed up until his legs hit the couch and fell onto his ass. If Severin hadn’t been pissed at his inability to recognize a threat, he’d have found the arrogant kid’s loss of control hilarious.

“Don’t fucking laugh or I won’t be responsible for what I do to you.” Pax pointed his finger toward Severin.

“Oh my god, stop it. I swear, you males are all the fucking same. It’s like you have to measure your dicks or some shit.” Mari settled into the seat next to her brother.

“It’s better than a pissing contest. I’m not up to seeing any of your dicks flinging shit around.” Uriel leaned against the wall.

“Technically, dicks don’t fling shit.” Thana’s words made everyone in the room laugh, but he wanted to cover her sassy mouth with his lips.

“The absolute only cock you will be seeing is mine. Sometimes you won’t see it, but you'll feel it.” Severin sent Thana an image of him taking her from behind.

“You’re sexy when you’re jealous. Seriously, though, that’s a lot of power in your young body, Pax. How do you deal with all of that without going insane?” his female asked and moved to sit in front of the brother and sister. He noticed her hands folded between her slightly spread knees, showing them she wasn’t a danger. If they believed that show of submission, they were fools.

“It’s been...difficult at times. Mostly, I’ve been used by those fuckers for what they needed, and in turn, I’ve used them to my own ends. When they took us, I was seventeen and had barely made it through high school. If it hadn’t been for Mari, I couldn’t have kept going to school at all. Once the scientists started fucking with my head, I could pick up a book and have it read and memorized in no time. Mind you, I selectively lost the shit that I didn’t want.”

“Whoa, wait a minute. You can pick and choose what you take in?” Mari gasped.

Severin noticed Enzo focusing on the female through their link. “Is she yours?” he asked Enzo.

“She’s a child,” Enzo muttered.

“Mari’s twenty-one, Zo,” Severin replied.

“And I’m over a hundred and seventy. Severin, there’s an age gap, and then there’s the she’s way too fucking young gap. She’s into K-pop while I’ve been through every sort of music from beating on wooden barrels to knowing Elvis before he was seducing young girls.” Enzo breathed out a weary sigh.

“Come inside and meet them face-to-face, Zo. This kid has remarkable mental abilities.” Severin looked at the kid, then shook his head, rethinking his thoughts, remembering Enzo’s words about Mari being too young.