Chapter 136

XAVIER My eyes are always drawn to my little cupcake any time we’re in the same room, but now, as she sits on Malachi’s lap and lights the wood stacked in the hearth with a flick of her wrist, making flames lick and dance along the thick logs, she is truly mesmerizing. “I can’t believe he was here.” Axl’s deep growl snaps me from my daze and drags my attention from Ophelia to him—and to the conversation we’ve all avoided having since we got back here half an hour ago. The atmosphere in the house was decidedly gloomy when we returned from hunting. All of us were in such high spirits today after feeding on Ophelia together last night that it was easy to forget the middle of the shitstorm we’re currently in. Lucian Drakos paying a visit to the house was a stark reminder of that. The professor was clearly distressed, and the sight of him undone in Ophelia’s arms when we got back was enough to turn my blood to ice. I didn’t have it in me to make any kind of snarky comment on the prodigal so