Page 14

T he Greatdrakes apartment was in a triangle-shaped building on the Rue Ronsard, with views of the park and the occasional glimpse of Sacré-C?ur Cathedral.

It had been bought by Apollo's grandfather after the Second World War and had been used as a base for whenever the family needed a holiday or had work within the city.

It had only two rooms, one upstairs and one down, and Apollo had fun memories of when they were kids all piled in one room together during holidays.

These days, the single beds and trundles had been replaced with a queen bed like the upstairs room, and the adjoining ensuite was remodeled.

It needed to be after having four boys using it for years.

Apollo looked sideways at Lachlan. Seeing him in a space that only family had been in was weird. He looked so tired. Had he slept at all since Apollo had been taken?

Apollo had been running his mouth at Bellerose when he said Lachlan Ironwood would come for him. But then he had. His mate had come for him. Unclaimed or not.

The dragon inside Apollo keened softly. It liked the feeling of being wrapped in Lachlan's arms when they had hugged. It was safe and comfortable. For the first time in a long time, everything felt...right.

We can't keep him , Apollo tried to tell it. The yearning was seeping through every part of him now, and he didn't know how long he could put it off.

Keep him for now , the dragon insisted. Apollo considered and then dismissed the idea. He was sure it would hurt him more if he gave into it. Gods, he was so confused and exhausted. He needed to sleep first before he considered what to do about his feelings for Lachlan Ironwood.

"The wards look good still, but I'm going to add some layers in," Valentine said once they were inside. "I have the upstairs room, and you two can fight over the bed down here."

"Apollo can have it. He needs it more," Lachlan said before Apollo could open his mouth. "I'll fit on the couch."

"Apollo, can you check the pantry, see what supplies we have, and text me what we need? I want to set some magical alarms around the building outside, and I'll get some groceries while I'm out," Valentine replied. With a meaningful look, he slipped out the front door again.

If Apollo didn't know better, he would think Val was purposely giving him and Lachlan some alone time.

Lachlan put his duffle bag in the lounge room and sat on the couch. His blue eyes followed Apollo as he hurried into the kitchen and made a mental list of things they would need.

"I don't have my phone to text him," Apollo grumbled. "I don't suppose you recovered it?"

"It might still be in the car at home," Lachlan said, offering him his phone. "Here, text Val from mine."

Apollo took the phone and typed in the list. He fought the urge to look at who else had been texting Lachlan. It was none of his business, and he was too emotionally vulnerable at the moment to see who was sexting his mate.

Lachlan took the phone back and caught his hand. "What can I do to make you feel better, Apollo?"

"Go home so you don't get killed," Apollo answered automatically.

Lachlan frowned. "You do understand what I do for a job, right? Getting you out of there was easier than most of my hunts."

"I don't want you getting hurt," Apollo insisted, a helpless feeling creeping up his throat.

"Is this your way of saying you care?" Lachlan asked, a slow grin spreading across his face. It stopped the panic threatening Apollo and made him hot instead.

"No. This is saying I'm scared of what Ciara will do to me if these blood mages hurt a hair on your pretty head."

Lachlan lazily stretched his arms out over the back of the couch. "There's nothing you can say or do to convince me to leave you when you are surrounded by enemies, Apollonius. Do you understand?"

Apollo's dragon surged forward, hungry and wanting. He growled softly before he cut himself off and rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I love it when your eyes change like that," Lachlan said with a smile. "It's your dragon, right?"

"Yeah, it is. It's protective and chooses the wrong moments to make itself known."

Lachlan tilted his head to one side. "Bas said he had to reconcile both sides of himself and stop fighting it. Why are you fighting yours, Apollo?"

Because it wants to keep you forever.

Apollo cleared his throat. "It doesn't understand human boundaries, so it rattles off nonsense. I've always had trouble focusing, but it makes it worse when it tries talking to me mid-conversation."

"Yeah? What's it saying now?" Lachlan asked.

"It's saying that it wants to kick your stubborn ass for not going home where I know you will be safe," Apollo lied because he really didn't want to think about what the Sanguis Vitae would do to him if they ever captured him.

"I'm usually a top, but if you ask nice, your dragon is welcome to do whatever it likes to my ass," Lachlan said, his grin growing wider.

Apollo sighed. "I really walked into that one, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did." Lachlan laughed, and the sound made Apollo grin. "It's made you smile, and that's what I was aiming for. The offer still stands, though." Lachlan winked, and heat bloomed in Apollo's stomach. He realized he was staring when Lachlan's expression shifted to concern.

"Seriously, though, Apollo. Can I do anything to help you feel better right now? I can make you some food when Val comes back or..."

"I would really like another hug without it being weird," Apollo said, moving closer to the couch.

Lachlan tapped the side of the couch next to him. "Then come here, golden boy."

Apollo silenced the voice in his head that told him all the ways cuddling on the couch would be a bad idea and sat down beside him. Lachlan's arm dropped around his shoulders and drew him close. Apollo melted into him and curled into his side. His face found the perfect groove to rest in.

"Thank you," Apollo whispered. The tight tension in him eased. He was affectionate, and Valentine wasn't the hugging brother—that was Bas. Apollo needed the touch to make him feel grounded and to stop him from spiralling. He had only ever had a few, but Lachlan gave the best hugs.

Mate , his dragon purred.

Don't remind me. He didn't need his dragon rubbing it in how right it felt to be tucked up against Lachlan.

A warm blanket of safety was wrapping around him, and the terror that had gripped his mind was finally easing.

He tried not to think about how there would never be a way to keep Lachlan permanently.

Maybe it would be okay just to have him for this moment in time?

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from taking you, Apollo," Lachlan said, resting his cheek on top of Apollo's head.

"I know we have unresolved shit between us, but please don't send me away.

I need to feel like I can fix this, or I'm never going to stop having nightmares about them taking you away from me. "

A hard lump rose in Apollo's throat, and he forced himself to swallow. He was all cried out and wouldn't embarrass himself by doing it again.

"It's not your fault. You tried to tell me I was in danger, but I didn't listen.

If anyone is to blame, it's me." Apollo's fingers curled into the soft cotton of Lachlan's shirt.

"When we crashed, I thought... I thought they had killed you.

You were knocked out and bleeding, and all I could think of was that I couldn't handle losing you like I lost my mother.

I was trapped, and I watched her die. I thought I was going to lose my fucking mind when you wouldn't wake up. "

Lachlan's arm tightened around him. "I'm sorry you had to see her that way, baby.

And that I put you in that mental place again.

I lost my parents violently, and it was horrific, but Ciara…

she hid me away, so I didn't have to witness it.

I had someone to protect me from that, and you didn't. I hate that you were made to relive it. "

Apollo pressed further into him. They had both been frightened kids when they had such a great loss. He couldn't let it happen again.

"The Sanguis Vitae won't stop coming for our family. We need to wipe these fuckers out," Apollo's dragon growled.

Lachlan rubbed his hand over Apollo's arm soothingly. "Agreed."

Valentine came back shortly after, carrying brown paper grocery bags. He didn't seem surprised that they were cuddled up. Valentine knew what Apollo needed, but he wasn't the cuddling type. He also knew that Lachlan was Apollo's mate, and nothing would comfort him more than his mate's arms.

Valentine saw much and said little, but he would always look after his brother, and that was why it was him that Apollo had wanted most. Cosimo would hesitate to take the lives of the alchemists.

He was honorable that way. Valentine wouldn't blink.

He would understand that they needed to get their hands dirty if they were going to save their family and the other dragons that were roaming the world.

Valentine pulled out a bottle of wine and poured out three glasses. "Have you two thought of a plan yet? Or do you need more time to snuggle?"