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I t took twice as long as Lachlan would have liked to get back to Ironwood Manor because his passenger demanded to go through a McDonald's drive-through for 'supplies.' Apollo still couldn't feel his legs, but apparently, his stomach was working just fine.

While they waited for his order, Lachlan woke a few of the hunters he had been training for Kenna and sent them out to retrieve the van.

He had never heard of Sanguis Vitae. That wasn't surprising.

Ever since the fae returned, all sorts of crazy clubs were on the rise.

Magic was out, and humans wanted a taste even if they lacked magical abilities.

What he had seen the mage do with his blood tonight was enough to know that he had been no fucking amateur.

As soon as Apollo had food in front of him, he finally stopped singing and quoting in order to stuff his mouth. If Lachlan hadn't been feeling ultra paranoid about someone trying to kidnap Apollo, he might have found the whole thing ridiculously cute.

The Ironwood manor was dark and quiet by the time they finally arrived. The sun wasn't going to be up for a while, but Lachlan knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep.

"Hang tight to that drink if you want to keep it," Lachlan warned and picked Apollo up in a bridal carry. "And no singing and waking the house up."

"I like it when you try to be bossy. It's so cute," Apollo said and bopped Lachlan on the nose. He giggled when Lachlan snapped his teeth at him. "This is my emotional support Coke and must come with me."

"Fine. Just don't drop it."

Lachlan carried him through one of the back doors that led into the kitchen and almost ran into Imogen. She was in a satin kimono, eating toast. She took one look at them and grinned.

"Well. This will be a surprise to absolutely no one," she said and chuckled filthy.

"It's not what it looks like. Someone just tried to kidnap him and injected him with something. I've sent the recruits for the car," Lachlan explained quickly.

Imogen's eyes went black, and her smirk slipped into a snarl. "Who dared touch one of us?"

Lachlan had seen Imogen angry enough not to be intimidated by the changes Arawan's magic had wrought in her, but he was always glad she was on their side.

"Some French blood mage. Said something about Sanguis Vitae. I don't know who they are, but I have to get Apollo upstairs and dosed with an antidote."

"Nooo, I like rainbow head," Apollo said forlornly. He rubbed his nose against Lachlan's neck. "Smell so good."

The darkness seeped away from Imogen's eyes. "Have fun with that. Here, you might need this." She ducked into a cleaning cupboard and pulled out a bucket. She looped the handle around Lachlan's wrist, which was tucked under Apollo's legs.

"We will find who did this, Lachie. I promise," she said, her eyes darkening again.

"Thanks, cousin."

"I love you guys so much," Apollo said, his eyes filling with tears.

"Come on, love bug," Lachlan sighed. "Let's get you into bed."

He adjusted Apollo's weight and carried him to the elevator.

He usually took the stairs, but Apollo wasn't light or small.

He was also starting to wriggle, which wasn't helping Lachlan think unsexy thoughts.

Apollo was starting to doze by the time Lachlan got him into his room, set him down on the bed, and put his drink on the bedside table.

"Ohh, dizzy," Apollo said and fell back onto the pillows.

Think unsexy thoughts , Lachlan told himself.

He hurried into the bathroom, found his antidote kit, and pulled out a vial that Apollo himself had made.

The label read 'Roofies Be Gone' with a smiley face.

According to Charlotte, it helped with any kind of dosing, and Apollo had started giving extra vials of it to the Ironwoods for their hunters to carry.

"Time for your medicine, Apollo," Lachlan said, coming closer with the vial.

Apollo pulled his face away. "Don't want any."

Lachlan pinned his arms above his head, and when Apollo opened his mouth to protest, he tipped the vial in. Apollo swallowed in surprise and coughed. Lachlan let him go and went to fill a cup with water.

"Drink this," he said, offering it to Apollo.

"Dirty trick," Apollo muttered but still had some water. He chased it with more of his icy Coke but then lay down with a groan.

Lachlan put the bucket on the floor next to the bed and started to take off Apollo's shoes for him.

"You are going to hate me so much in the morning, but I'm not going to let anyone take you," Lachlan said, removing one shoe. He was wearing rainbow-striped toe socks. "Gods, I wish you could not be adorable for five fucking seconds."

"Never hate you," Apollo murmured into the pillow.

"No?" Lachlan pulled off his other shoe and couldn't resist running a thumb over the arch of Apollo's foot.

"No," Apollo giggled, moving his foot out of his hand. "Can't have you, but can never hate you."

Couldn't have him? That made no sense. Lachlan had made it crystal clear at the hospital just how much he wanted him.

"Lachlan?"

"Yes, Apollo?"

"I..."Apollo's face went white, and he leaned over and threw up in the bucket. It was bound to happen.

With a sigh, Lachlan returned to the bathroom and wet a clean face towel. He put it on the back of Apollo's neck and held his golden curls back from his face.

"You're going to be okay," Lachlan said softly.

Apollo only threw up again. It was going to be a long night.

Lachlan waited until Apollo was sleeping before he grabbed his laptop and set up on a couch in the sitting area that adjoined his bedroom.

As the only Ironwood male cousin, he had always had a separate space from his female ones. It was how the peace was kept. Growing up, large sections of the manor house had been locked up because there hadn't been enough people to fill them.

Now, the place was a training grounds and a place for hunters to stay when they were in Ireland. His little set of private chambers was more important than ever.

He really wanted to sleep, but he didn't want to in case Apollo needed him again. He had thrown up on himself, and Lachlan had to strip him out of his ruined clothes and into some of his own before putting him back in bed.

Lachlan was starting to think the gods were testing him because in his mind, the first time he got to strip Apollo out of his clothes was a lot sexier.

He didn't know what had delighted him more—the sigil tattooed under his naval or his tight boxer briefs that were the same rainbow design as his socks.

He looked but he didn't touch, and he felt like he deserved a gold star for that.

Lachlan rubbed at his eyes, groaned in frustration, and got to work. First, he sent an email to Layla, asking her if she knew anything about the Sanguis Vitae and if she could look into them.

He didn't have her skills in researching, and Layla was keeping track of any new groups that were popping up.

A lot of them were occult societies and weren't much to worry about, but the ease with which the mage had used blood magic was still worrying.

The fact they were targeting Apollo was even more so.

He was an excellent alchemist, and the Greatdrakes were famous for their abilities, especially in magical circles. He would have to ask Cosimo about them too.

They couldn't overlook the fact that their extended family were also people of importance, and people still viewed Kian as a monster who attacked London.

Lachlan would love to see anyone try to kidnap Kian. He might know how to play nice with the government, but the Blood Prince still lingered under the surface. There wouldn't be enough left of his attackers to bury.

Lachlan ran a hand over his tired eyes again. He needed coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.