Chapter 44 - Cruz's Revenge

Chapter 44 - Cruz's Revenge
Cassidy's P.O.V.

I follow Sienna and the others outside but walk slowly. When I reach them, Dina begins panting. What's that smell? I sniff the air and walk toward the front of the crowd. There are two men who look like they just arrived. They couldn't be more opposite. One seems charming, and the other seems angry. I'm not sure which man's scent is calling me. I stay back to see if either responds to me being here. Kierra and Felix are walking around the two men.

"Don't trust him. Euphenia and Calla are all over him. They tried to hide it, but they didn't do a good job." Kierra says as she and Felix go to Sienna's side. The man with blonde hair steps forward.

"Please let me explain. The two witches did send me here to spy on you. I only agreed because I thought you could use my help. They think because I'm a vampire, I'm evil like they are and can be manipulated. I have been around far longer than they have." He smiles at Sienna, and I look at the other man. I gasp when I realize his eyes are on me. He's enormous, almost like Maverick. Is this angry man my mate?

"How about Cruz? Is he okay?" Sienna asks, nodding to the man staring at me.

"I can't pick anything up on him." Everyone turns to look at me. I meet Sienna's eyes and can tell she knows this man is my mate. She turns and walks toward him.

"Are you her mate?" Sienna asks, looking up at Cruz. I love her. She has absolutely no fear of anyone. He looks from me to her and then back again.

"I think so. I didn't know that I could have a mate." His voice is deep. I can hear it even though he's speaking quietly. I hesitate and take a step toward him. Cruz looks at me, confused. I don't know what he is, but I need to know if he's going to reject me.

"Who sent you here?" Sienna asks him. Cruz groans and runs his hand through his black hair.

"I'm not supposed to say, but being around her makes me feel funny." He nods toward me and sighs. "Satan sent me. I owe him a favor and he asked me to help out. He said some craziness about a battle that's going to test both good and evil."

"Satan sent you to help us?" Sienna asks in disbelief. Cruz nods.

"Don't believe the fairy tales. Satan isn't as bad as you think. He's the leader of the underworld and takes people's souls, but only those who are already rotten to the core. He believes in peace as much as possible." I take a few steps closer and keep my eyes on Cruz.

"Cruz, this is Cassidy. If you hurt her in any way, my mate Maverick will kill you." Sienna tells him. He looks from her to me in shock.

"What makes you think I would hurt her?" He sounds almost hurt.

"You don't seem too happy to be here, and you've made no attempts to speak to her. So why would I think you wouldn't hurt her?" Sienna challenges him. Cruz looks away.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I don't know if you know much about my kind, but most minotaurs don't leave the underworld. It's in our nature to be angry because of the life we've been given. It's not that I'm angry about being here. I'm angry that I owe Satan, and if you know anything about him, once you're in his debt, you're always in his debt. I won't hurt you, Cassidy. If anyone is at risk of being hurt, it's me. I doubt I am what you expected in a mate, and I won't be offended if you reject me." Sienna and Cruz both look at me.

"Can we talk privately, please?" I don't know which one of them I'm asking.

"No. We want you to talk in front of all of us," Sienna says. I look at her in surprise, and she starts laughing. "I'm only joking. On the other side of the pack house, there's a porch with a swing. We still have some things to discuss with Zion, our other surprise guest."

"Thank you." I begin to walk away, and Sienna hugs me.

"Don't be scared to tell him everything," she whispers. I nod and let her go. Cruz falls into step next to me as we walk to the other side of the pack house. Neither of us says anything, but I'm very aware of him. My body feels tingly just being near him. I sit down on the swing, and he sits next to me. With his size, his leg is against mine, and he puts his arm on the back of the swing behind me. He's not wearing a shirt, so all his muscles are on display.

"Are you a wolf?" Cruz asks as we gently swing back and forth.

"Yes. Well, sort of. I thought I was just a rogue wolf, but I just found out that my dad is Poseidon, and my mom is Selene. Supposedly, I have powers that will be released once I'm marked by my fated mate. The Alpha of Dark Moon said I was his mate, and he kept me locked in his bedroom for several months. He raped me and beat me, so I'm not pure." I'm afraid to meet his eyes, so I look straight ahead. When Cruz bangs his fist on the swing, I jump and flinch. Is he mad at me? My tears start falling, and I quickly try to wipe them away. He moves his arm from the back of the swing to across my shoulders. I shiver from the sparks that fill my body, but I still can't bring myself to look at him.

"I didn't mean to scare you, and I'm not mad at you. I'm angry at the man who tried to force my mate to be his and raped you. When I get my hands on him, he's dead." The fury I hear in Cruz's voice brings me comfort.

"You may get your chance because he is helping Kakia come after Sienna and the others." Cruz pulls me against him, and my head rests on his shoulder. We haven't discussed accepting each other, but this feels so nice.

"What exactly is a minotaur?" I ask him as I place one of my hands on his thigh.

"People believe we have the head of a bull on a human body, but we're really just shifters who can shift from human to an enormous bull. We primarily live in the underworld. Did you say Kakia is here?" Cruz asks. I look up at his hard face.

"Yes. Do you know her?" He pulls me even closer, but I believe it's unintentional.

"I've tried to kill her before. She's responsible for killing my parents and keeping me locked in her dungeon in the underworld for twenty years while she tortured me. Now I know why Satan chose me. He knew this may be my chance to get revenge."