Page 33 of Peacemaker

I wasn’t one of the vampires.

And I wasn’t one of the humans.

I was an outsider.

Himself broke through, and I grimaced with the pain of his entry.

“I belong to none of you,” I said, but my words were only in my head and only for him.

“You belong to all of us. We’re all inside you. The supernaturals, the humans, the vampires, the demons, the spirits. We’ve chosen you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Yes, you do.”

And then I did. They’d all given me something. They’d all created something within me—a power, a mutation, a weapon. Even the demons, who were the creators of the sword that rested inside me.

“You will help us create change. You were born the Peacemaker.”

“Peacemaker...”

“This. This is who you are.

“No one?”

“Everyone.”

He exited my mind as forcefully as he’d entered, and when I became aware once more, I was on the ground and my men surrounded me. Shane knelt beside me, his blades in his hands.

“Death will come with the rifters,” Himself said, calmly. “But so will life. So will change. You will be our liaison. Speak with the mayor. Speak with the humans. They will see the benefits we can offer them. Now is the time. The rifters are our enemies, but we can use them to create a better existence.”

I stood, wobbly, unfocused, confused, struggling to recover from Nadine and Himself. “What did you just do to me?” I felt the difference. I felt something inside me that hadn’t been there before. It didn’t hurt—it was just a nagging sensation on the edges of my mind. It began to fade almost immediately, that sensation, but the knowledge of it remained. “What’d you do?”

My men were gathered around me, each touching some part of me, and I wasn’t sure if they did it to soothe me or to soothe themselves. It didn’t matter.

Himself watched me calmly, and for a second I thought he wouldn’t answer. Finally, though, he spoke. “If the rifters had so much as scratched you, Trinity, they would have scented your pure blood. You would have been devoured. We would have lost you.” He leaned toward me. “They must never know your blood is pure. You would not survive that. I have masked it. When they return, and you bleed, they will not catch the scent unless I lift the mask.”

As I stood in silence, digesting his words, he sat back and gestured at the murmuring, quietly excited crowd. “Jade.”

She strode forward, aggression in every step, and the woman at her side walked with her. When they reached their ruler, they took a knee before him.

But only for a few seconds, and when they rose, Jade looked at Himself with somewhat amused affection.

I realized then that Himself had been the one to bring in Jade all those years ago.

“Sir,” Jade said. “It’s good to see you.”

Nadine gave Jade her hand. “Himself says it is good to see you, as well.” She released Jade and clasped the other woman’s hand. “Amanda Hammer, it is. This is a night for old friends.”

Amanda winked at Nadine. “It’s a night for many things.”

I would never have imagined anyone being so…casual with either Himself or Nadine. Nadine had a hair-trigger temper and a killing power, and Himself…

I shuddered, and Amias tightened his grip on one hand at the same time Clayton tightened his grip on the other. Angus’s warm body pressed against the back of me, and Rhys and Shane stood like a barrier between me and Nadine, protective and watchful. “I’m okay,” I told them.

I was sure I saw contempt in both Jade Noel and Amanda Hammer’s faces when they glanced at me. But maybe I was wrong.

Maybe.