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Enda felt as if he’d suddenly landed on a really slippery slope and was being hurtled down, against his will, with no idea where he would end up and no way of stopping the slide that he was on.

The sensation started when he got up - later than usual as Giorgio had suggested - and found that the two new hellhounds, Lamont and Damon, were already in the kitchen. Giorgio was busy cooking up large piles of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon.

The two men were a lot like his mate. They were big, nice to look at, and very friendly. Lamont was as tall and broad as Giorgio and had long dark hair caught in a man bun at the base of his neck. He was dressed in a black suit and black shirt. Damon had his hair cut short, shaved on both sides and the back, with just a mop of wavy dark hair on top. He was in jeans and a worn T-shirt, but he promised he was changing before they “went out.” A statement that started the butterflies in Enda’s stomach fluttering.

Both men happily introduced themselves, and Enda got the sense that their congratulations on the mating were genuine. Although Enda also got the impression that Lamont was harboring some issues of his own, though no one mentioned it or talked about anything heavy as they all caught up with each other. Some of the names mentioned Enda had heard from Giorgio before, others were new, but he focused on picking at his eggs and bacon.

“I suppose we should get down to business,” Lamont said when the food was gone and the men were sipping on their coffees. He pulled a sheet of paper out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket. “We have a schedule of events. It seems that Coda has taken to Zeus’s idea of using social media as a means to further the spread of targeted information to a whole new level.”

He laughed, his bright teeth showing against a very tanned skin. Enda had learned that he had been in Egypt when he’d got the call to come and lend a hand to Giorgio, and apparently, as a freelancer, taking some time off wasn’t going to cause him any issues.

“Honestly, I hope like hell they don’t hear me say this, but the gods are about twenty years behind with the idea of social media. It’s like most of them have never heard of it before.”

Damon was chuckling, too. “You know how we’re all meant to keep a low profile. Live a typical life, blending in with everybody else, running our businesses, staying out of trouble, and hope that nobody notices that we can turn furry on a moment’s notice. But no, Coda and Zeus have, well, apparently the orders came from Zeus, but it’s Coda that’s running the operation…but anyhow, they are using this as a test to see whether or not public opinion or information can be sent out through the masses via social media, without any apparent godly interference.”

“Which means, my pretty new packmate,” Lamont said, tapping his piece of paper, “this is a list of places we’re all expected to visit within specified time spans. Giorgio, in his role as the agent protector, and Enda, our sweet and shy victim, whom we all know is a first-class survivor, but we’ve got to go with what the articles were saying about you.

“And then with Damon and myself providing handsome, very picture-perfect security for you so that nobody gets too close to our pretty little one. The only added qualifier to this is we’re meant to provide photo opportunities, which fortunately, in my work as a freelancer, I do know something about.”

Enda realized he couldn’t object. He had agreed to the plan in Lord Hades’ house and after all the preparation, he could hardly back out. He was pleased with the survivor comment – he didn’t want to be pitied by anyone, but he did think that the two new hellhounds were having a little bit too much fun with everything.

“I’ve not had a lot of experience in being out in crowds and among people recently,” he said. If Lamont and Damon had read the article, then they probably knew that already, but he didn’t think it was fair if they weren’t warned. “I’m not sure how I’ll cope in crowds.”

It annoyed him that he hadn’t had a chance to read the article for himself. Giorgio had read it, and apart from rolling his eyes a few times and making a few tutting noises, apparently, it was good enough as far as Giorgio was concerned. Enda would have really liked to have seen what was written about him. He made a mental note to ask Giorgio if he could have access to a phone, a laptop, or something at some stage or other, because he felt like the only mushroom in a crowd full of, well, not daisies, because nobody could call the hellhound daisies, but they were very definitely sturdy trees who kept him in the shade.

“We shouldn’t have too much problem with crowds,” Giorgio said. “I’ve gone over the list, and there’s nowhere on there I haven’t been before. We’re basically going out and about doing what any new couple would do under ideal circumstances. We’ve got a visit to a couple of museums to make. They want us to be seen sitting out having lunch at an open-air cafe…”

“But the idea” - Lamont broke in - “is that it’s not that you are being seen out and about by the right people. Apparently, the idea is that when people realize who you are because of the article being spread by every outlet virtually known to man, then they’re going to want to take pictures with you, they’re going to want to have those selfies. Selfies get posted to social media accounts, and that’s going to make news of where you are spread even faster.”

“But that makes a mockery of anything that was said in the article, doesn’t it?” Enda looked at Giorgio in alarm. “I thought it said we were supposed to be hiding - hiding out because of the agency you were working for and because someone is trying to kill me. This doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s all part of the greater plan,” Damon said, laughing like the whole thing was a joke. Enda was starting to think the hellhound might have been dropped on his head at some point. “The experiment, test, or whatever you want to call it, that Zeus is working on with Lord Hades’ support, and that Coda is implementing, is to see how fast the news of your whereabouts hits the main media, from social media, and how quickly criminal elements and government agencies act on that information.

“Coda is seriously invested in this, which is why instead of enjoying the wonderful tourist spots in Tuscany, we’re starting in Rome. The plan is to draw our marks close, but not too quickly, or it won’t look natural. Criminals and scam artists pride themselves on their contacts, this tactic overwhelms them with information. Coda has given this experiment a week to see how effective it is.”

“What made Coda or Zeus think of social media?” Giorgio asked. “Most of us don’t bother with it.”

“Apparently, it had something to do with Hephaestus.” It was Lamont who answered. “From what we heard, when Hephaestus first met his mate, those fucking cyclops were not happy about it at all. So, they turned to social media, showing pictures of themselves all shirtless - I think people call it a thirst trap or something ridiculous - but they had pictures of themselves and of Hephaestus’ work promoting huge discounts for new clients, and within days, he was swamped with orders.

“The plan, according to the cyclops, was that Hephaestus had such a strong work ethic, he would work all the hours under the sun and more to complete the orders. Landyn would be neglected and probably give up on his mating, probably slinking away, and life could go back to normal for the cyclops – their end game.”

“That was an absolutely stupid plan,” Damon continued. “Landyn, as a shifter, would never give up on his mate, but when Hephaestus learned about what the cyclops had done, he went through the Paulie app, which in turn got in touch with Coda, asking if all references to his work could be taken off social media.”

“That was hilarious.” Lamont was nodding along. “Coda said yes, because that’s what he does, but he had no idea how many people had shared the posts the cyclops put up. It apparently took ages for all references to those original posts to be removed. So, I think he views this as a bit of an experiment to see how it might work now with deliberately trying to plant information on the social platforms, learning how fast the news get shared and where.”

“So, we’re going to be going out every day for at least a week,” Enda said. A lump of lead started developing in his stomach. “Can we please just remember…?”

“I know, I know,” Damon said. “You’re not used to being out and about, and please believe me. We might sound like we’re making light of this, but while we’re out, nobody is going to get near you except to take those damn selfies, and even then, all of us will be right there with you.”

“It will be all right,” Giorgio said. “Just imagine us as a very visible and very large barrier between you and people who might hound you too much.”

“Hound, huh?” Lamont slapped the table, laughing loudly. “The only person hounding our new packmate is you.”

Giorgio huffed. “Enda, if people ask you questions, just don’t answer them, all right. Nod, smile, make out you don’t understand.”

“I won’t understand.” None of this sounded easy to Enda at all. “I only speak Japanese and English, and maybe three phrases in French and Arabic. We’re in a totally different country.”

“You might be able to understand all languages now you’re mated,” Damon said. “But if you don’t, that’s fine, too. Just do what Giorgio said – smile, nod, or say you don’t speak English.”

“That’s not right.” Lamont couldn’t stop laughing. “It’s don’t speak Italian. But yes, we will hear everything said to you and around you, and if you do need to answer anything, well…you two have a mind link, don’t you?”

Giorgio nodded.

“Well, there you go. It’s all fine. That’s how we’ll all communicate with you. Lamont and I both have a mind link with Giorgio – a pack link, not an intimate one, so, don’t fret about that, little bird. The link you have with Giorgio is different, but between those links we can all talk to each other. If any of us hear something you should respond to, then you’ll hear it through the bond you have with your mate.”

“Hopefully, that won’t even be needed,” Giorgio said. “Face it, we don’t know if this experiment of Coda’s will even work. All you need to do is stick with us, and absolutely under no circumstances do you go off anywhere on your own. Provided we’re with you, I promise you’re going to be safe.”

“Hear, hear,” Damon said, holding up his coffee mug. “We were made to protect, and that’s what we’re here to do. I doubt very much that Giorgio’s going to leave your side anyway. So, let’s get you dressed up in your best duds, have you looking all waif-like with just a hint of sexiness so that you’ll be stunning in the photos - all for Coda’s benefit - and see how fast we can make you a sensation on social media. I’d better get changed, too.”

I’m really not sure this was going to help me at all, Enda thought, as he wondered how quickly he could plead a headache and maybe upset a few of these plans that had apparently been decided for him. He really wasn’t keen.

It was only the promise of a life where he and Giorgio could live in peace and relative quiet that was what made Enda decide to do it at all. While his father lurked, doing whatever he was doing, he and Giorgio would never be truly safe, and that wasn’t a good foundation to build a future on. It was just as well that Enda was already committed to that hypothetical future because the temptation to go back to bed and bury his head under the covers was really strong.