Chapter 491


    1


    Sephie


    We continued our discussion over dinner, but it finally changed to somewhat lighter subjects. Andrei


    finally asked Stephen, “so how much are you still hanging out


    with Keith?”


    Stephen seemed surprised by the question. “Not that much, honestly. I’m always with you guys now. I


    kind of don’t have time. Why?”


    “He still very much pines for you,” I said, smiling at him. “We noticed it when we were checking


    everyone outst night.”


    “Oh,” he said, almost shyly.


    “I don’t want to embarrass you about it. We just thought you should know that he’s still carrying that


    torch for you,” I said.


    “You’ve changed since you discovered your gift, Stephen. You have a quiet confidence you that’s very


    noticeable now. I’m sure he finds that attractive,” Adrik said.


    “I do?” he asked.


    “You do.” Adrik said.


    “You’ve always been hrious, but you kept it hidden away. You’re letting everyone se it, as well as


    your intelligence now. It’s no surprise he’s still wildly attracted to you,” I said.


    “Wildly attracted’ is putting it mildly,” Andrei said, smirking at Stephen.


    “Huh. I had not noticed,” he said.


    “How could you? You’re always with us. Getting c|*ck-blocked,” Ivan said,ughing. I used another


    round ofughter from everyone.


    I snapped my fingers, pointing at Ivan. “I told you I was holding you guys back from gettingid!” They


    could all feel my amusement at the situation, so none of them took me seriously. It did remind me,


    however, to ask Viktor about Ilya. “Have you talked to Ilya? Did he call Jessica after the fundraiser?” I


    asked him.


    His deepugh filled the kitchen. “He did. They’ve already gone on at least one date


    “You guys are going to have to cycle through to Vitaliy’s team if you ever want to get hid,” I said. “We’ll


    come up with an exchange program. It’ll work out smashingly well.”


    Once theughter died down, Stephen said, “Seph, you’re not keeping us from anything. Stop thinking


    that. We choose to hang out up here over doing other stuff.”


    “You keep saying that. I still don’t entirely believe it, but I love you for saying it anyway,” I said.


    “I mean, our dinner conversations alone are more interesting than anyone else I’ve ever dated,”


    Stephen said.


    “Now I know you’re lying. You can’t tell me we have better dinner conversations than d, I mean, the


    ambience of his dinners alone wins everything. Who doesn’t want impaled boyars around the feast


    table?” I said.


    Stephenughed loudly. “I rest my case,” he said.


    Viktor chuckled. “Vitaliy asked Ilya about d.”


    -Shut up.”


    “He did. Ilya said he’d never met him, but he knew he was a friend of Stephen’s,” Viktor said, causing


    all of us tough even harder.


    “Did he believe lim?” Ivan asked.


    “Ilya thinks he was mostly satisfied with the answer, but just the fact that he asked him about d


    means he’s curious about this weird character we keep referencing.” Viktor said.


    “We should just pay someone to pretend to be d. Make him into a real person for Vitaliy,” Misha


    said.


    “Give him a pet red panda while we’re at it,” Adrik said.


    “You have the money. You can make this dream a reality.” I said.


    As everyone sat around the kitchen,ughing uncontrobly at the absurdity we’d created for


    ourselves, I couldn’t help but love every single one of them a little bit more. They were so much fun.


    The joy that they brought me on a daily basis was something I never would’ve thought possible when I


    first met them all.


    “I love you all so much right now,” I said, wiping the tears from my eyes fromughing so hard.


    Stephen got up and walked to me, sliding his arm around my shoulders. “See why I want to hang out


    with you guys and not anyone else now?” he said, kissing the top of my head. I grabbed his arm,


    keeping him with me for a few moments.


    As we calmed down, the conversation turned back to more serious matters. “We heard from the mayor


    about Dr. Moretti. Eric is ready to charge him for creating brawn. He won’t be charged for any of his


    back-room procedures as of now, because no one can remember him, but Eric feels certain that he can


    make the charges stick for the brawn and he’ll go away for a very long time,” Viktor said.


    I felt Stephen’s anger slowly rising as the doctor’s name was mentioned. His hold on my shoulders


    tightened slightly as well. “Surely there’s a way to make him pay for all those procedures he did, too?”


    he said, almost through gritted teeth.


    “Because nobody but Sephie can remember him, there’s no proof. I’m not making her testify against


    him, either,” Adrik said.


    Stephen’s anger continued to rise, at the injustice of it all. I knew what was about to happen, but


    Stephen was so outwardly calm that no one else had caught on just yet. “What does Eric think the


    sentence will be if he’s found guilty for the brawn?” asked.


    “15 to 25, I think he said?” Viktor said.


    That was the push Stephen needed to lose control of his anger. He stepped back from ine, putting his


    hands in his pockets. He knew he was losing control and was trying his best to not let it happen. As


    soon as he stepped back from me, everyone els figured out what was happening. They all went on high


    alert, but stayed where they were.


    I turned to Stephen, telling him to let go. “You’re going to have to gopletely nucar for it to happen,


    Stephen. I can show you how to control it, but I have a feeling you won’t need me,” I said.


    We watched as his breathing rate increased slightly; his cheeks flushed. He had been looking at the


    floor, but he looked up at me as I was talking to him. His eyes were normally hazel, but right now, they


    were almost ck. I could feel his anger, but I could feel him trying to contain it. Knowing how


    independent he liked to be, I waited to see if he could master it on his own before helping him. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It took him a few more moments, but he eventually began to calm himself down and his eyes returned


    to their normal hazel color. Adrik had been watching him the entire time, studying him as well as his


    demon. “Your demon is colder than normal, top. Just like you. Even though your anger burns just as


    hot as ours, ites from ice,” Adrik said.


    Ivan chuckled. “That makes no sense and yet, it makes perfect sense.”


    “I think it needs to be that way. Stephen is the closest to you when ites to sending people to Hell, if


    you will. He just sends them to their own darkness instead. He needs to be able to withstand the cold


    thates with that,” I said, looking at Ark. “I do, however, think everyone needs contacts now,


    though,” I said as hyot up to give Stephen a hug. His vampiric vice-grip held me tightly. I could feel he


    was happy about this finally happening to him. I could also feel he was proud of himself for doing it on


    his own.


    “I’m proud of you, too. I knew you could figure it out without me,” I said silently to him Since I was


    already touching him, he got the message night away. He didn’t say a word, he just held me tighter for


    a moment longer.