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“What? He’s going to put it back on the West Coast?” Cosmo asked. “For fuck’s sake, it’s trapped where it is now. It’s not going anywhere.”

He just cut a piece of steak, which was beautifully cooked, and had a bite. He was hungry. Very much so. It just never seemed prudent to let someone know how bad off you had been… And it was lovely to hear Cosmo defend him.

“I would just like to see,” he put in mildly.

“We’ll all go! We’re still pretty new. We love exploring. This place has ghosts, but it has magic as well.” Cullen waved his hand, sending rainbow sparkles about.

“Of course.” Disappointment speared him, and Cosmo’s face took on a mutinous expression, but no one argued.

It would do no good, Hawk could tell.

Regardless, this was still the most fun he’d had in decades. Perhaps longer.

“I hope your hoard is here. Do you think it is?” Cullen blinked at him.

Corbin shook his head. “Right now, we need to see if we can find him clothes and shoes.”

“And comfy things for his private parts.”

Cosmo made him smile.

Are you worried about my private parts, Rosie?

Cosmo blinked up at him, wide-eyed. “And about your hoard. I haven’t seen it.”

Nice save.But his hoard was a large one… All precious stones, and all one-color variation. Tourmaline. Pink sapphires. Pink topaz. Rose quartz and pink diamonds…

He understood the obsession now… He’d been waiting.

He’d been waiting, and Cosmo was here.

In his house.

Hawk smiled, knowing now why he hadn’t crossed the veil.

His life was about to start again.

“My hoard is safe here. I have no doubt.” He didn’t have to doubt. Cosmo was protecting it. He might not know it yet… But there it was.

“It is. I mean, if it’s in the house somewhere, no one is getting to it.” Cosmo smiled at him, cheeks darkening a bit.

They ate in silence for a bit, all of them polishing off their steaks. Then Cosmo hopped up. “Come see my part of the house.”

“Of course.” He rose, following.

The scent of Cosmo was heavenly, and he barely resisted the urge to touch. As it was, he grazed Cosmo’s back with his fingers, just barely.

Tingles. You can hear me, can’t you? I’ve never heard anyone but my brothers. You can hear me. You can hear me.

I can hear you, my sweet rose.Excitement filled him, starting at his toes and rising like the lava he’d been accused of breathing more than once. Really, it was more like he spit it.

Cosmo’s excitement felt like tingles, dragging up and down his spine. He understood. He felt energized. Interested. For the first time in ages.

“So this is the main part of the house. We’ve got a couple of rooms blocked off, because they’re…haunted.” Cullen sighed softly.

“Haunted?” His eyebrows rose up. “By whom?”

Corbin shook his head, shaggy green hair like a mane. “A family of dragons were murdered here. One male omega and three children survived.”