Page 31

I t was amazing how much your anxiety could lower when a big Viking man hugged you. Lachlan was experiencing the Tor Bear Hug, and he had never been so grateful that his sister had mated the wolf shifter.

"It's okay, little brother. I'm here, and we will sort this mess out," Tor said, swinging Lachlan a little from side to side.

Ciara tsked. "Put him down. You'll crush his little brain if you keep that up." Tor dropped him, and Ciara instantly punched Lachlan in the arm.

"Ouch! What the fuck, sis?" he complained.

" That is for making Cosimo upset. And that ," she said, punching his other arm. "Is for making me worry about you."

Killian smiled at him over the top of her head. "Now I don't know if I should hug you or punch you."

"Hugs. All the hugs," Lachlan said, and Killian wrapped an arm around him.

Bron snuggled in on the other side. "You had us all worried, little cousin. How's everything with Apollo?"

"Good?" Lachlan said, a hot blush creeping over his ears. Killian laughed, and Bron grinned. He whispered, "Don't say anything. I'm trying not to overwhelm him."

"Where the fuck are my hugs? I was the one who was kidnapped after all," Apollo declared and pushed his way in between Lachlan and Killian.

He put his hand on Lachlan's chest and pushed him out of the hug, so Killian could get both arms around him.

"Much better. Squeeze me, big, sexy fae. I've been in distress."

"And what a fine damsel you make," Killian said, cupping his golden head to his chest with a big hand.

Lachlan's eye twitched. Killian only grinned wider and made soothing sounds.

"There now, little dragon. Everything is going to be all right.

We will sort out these alchemists, and no one will dream of hurting our golden boy again. "

Lachlan wondered just how long Killian would take to heal if he stabbed him with something.

"Easy, bro. They are family," Ciara said softly, and Lachlan quickly looked away.

Gods. Only Apollo could make him so stupid.

"Where do you want all this stuff, Apollo?" Ciara asked to break up the hugging.

"In my room. I can mix stuff in the bathroom. Lachie, carry that thing for me. It looks heavy," Apollo said, pointing to a large suitcase and batting his eyelashes.

Yeah, he was completely stupid over Apollo. Lachlan leaned down to pick it up anyway. Apollo poked him in the bicep and giggled before grabbing the other bag. Lachlan smiled bashfully and then noticed his sister watching.

"I almost feel embarrassed for you," she said as she took her own bag from the luggage trolley. "I'm going to put this in my suite, and then you and I are going for a walk about the nearby streets. I need to stretch my legs."

"Give me five," Lachlan said, carrying the heavy bag through the lounge to the bedroom.

Valentine was yet to emerge from his rooms for the morning, but it was still early. Killian went over to his door and banged on it.

"Get your ass up, Val. You dragged me to this city. You can at least tell me what magic you're planning in there," he said through the door.

Lachlan left them to it and got Apollo's gear into the room.

"Put it over there and be gentle. I don't know what they have packed in that one," Apollo said, pointing to the luggage rack beside the bathroom.

Lachlan lifted it and placed it gently in its spot. "Do you need me for anything else?"

"Loaded question. So many answers," Apollo replied, a cheeky little grin on his face.

It was good to see him so perky after yesterday. He had collapsed into Lachlan's arms the previous night and had slept until morning without moving. It had been worrying seeing him so quiet.

"You're in a good mood," Lachlan noted.

"I've got all my things and don't feel useless. Of course I'm in a good mood."

"You've never been useless. Fuck, I watched you pick up a live smoke bomb yesterday and toss it back out of a window. I've never been so horny and terrified at the same time," Lachlan admitted.

Apollo waggled his eyebrows at him. "Did something for your sexy bits, did it?"

"Everything about you does something for my sexy bits. It's ridiculous," Lachlan replied with a sigh.

Apollo grabbed him unexpectedly and pulled him into a hug. He ran his hands through his hair and down his back.

"Ahh..." Lachlan said uncertainly as Apollo rubbed himself up against him.

Apollo's eyes were glowing. "I don't want other male scents on you," he grumbled.

Lachlan's face broke into a grin, glad he wasn't the only jealous one. "They are both mated males."

"Like I care." Apollo's hands slid down to grab his ass. "Mine. All mine." Lachlan just shook his head and kissed him on the lips.

"Ewwww, kissing," Ciara said from the doorway. "My eyes!"

Lachlan flipped her off until the kiss was done before pulling away. "I'll be back soon. Don't blow anything up while I'm gone."

"I'm not making promises I can't keep," Apollo said, turning to Ciara. "And you will make sure he is safe at all times."

"Yes, sir." Ciara saluted him with a mocking smile. "Come on, bro. We need to walk."

"Don't you bitches talk about me either," Apollo said, crossing his arms.

"I'm not making promises I can't keep," Lachlan echoed cheekily and quickly joined Ciara.

Outside, the midday streets of Paris were enjoying a break in the rain.

People turned their faces to the sun as they moved about their day, calm and peaceful.

Sometimes, Lachlan wondered what it would be like to be anyone else—to be normal, to not have people look to you and your family to help deal with supernatural threats.

The feeling would always pass eventually.

He was an Ironwood. The family history had its darkness and demons, but they had always stood between the helpless and the monsters that preyed on them.

That meant something. His name, his blood, his calling, and one day, his death—it would all mean that he had tried his best to protect those who weren't able to defend themselves.

Apollo hated that he had thrown himself in front of him the day before, but Lachlan couldn't help but be that person. It was just who he was.

"You are looking moody all of a sudden. Missing Apollo already?" Ciara teased as she pulled her long black hair up into a ponytail.

"He's upset that I protected him yesterday because the alchemists won't care about killing me. I'm just a human and not a super special dragon or anything," Lachlan replied because if he could talk to anyone about this, it was his sister.

Ciara dodged a puddle on the footpath. "You might not be a shifter, but you're special to Apollo, so maybe take that into consideration."

Lachlan snorted. "Yeah, I'm special to him now . Don't get me wrong. I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can while I have his attention."

"Oh, little brother has them big feelings happening," Ciara sighed. She looped her arm around his. "Tell your big sister all about it while there're no snooping supernaturals around."

"I love him, Ciara."

Ciara almost tripped. "Lachie..."

"I know. I know. I shouldn't because he has some perfect mate out there for him, but until they show up, I'm not going to let him go," Lachlan said stubbornly. It was a knife to his guts every time he thought about it. "I can't help how I feel."

"And he knows?"

Lachlan nodded. "Yeah, he knows. I've told him, and he's...told me."

"That he loves you? Then what the hell are you pouting for?" Ciara demanded.

"I'm not pouting. I'm pensive. You haven't seen how crazy these alchemists are.

They want him and aren't going to stop with a stern warning.

We have to go nuclear on them. It's not just Apollo in danger.

It's our whole family and supernatural creatures everywhere.

We are kind of responsible for them. No one else is up to the task.

" Lachlan laughed just thinking about it.

"Who would have thought the Ironwoods would become protectors of the supernatural. "

Ciara laughed with him. "I know. I can understand why Kenna is still struggling to stop smoking some days. Could you imagine this was our future when we were kids?"

"You a wolf and mated to one, and me in love with a dragon?

Never in a million years. Bron mated to the Night Prince.

How is this our life?" Lachlan said. He steered Ciara into a cafe where they got some takeaway coffee.

They would have to start looping back toward the hotel soon, but they had time.

"I'm not seeing anyone suspicious or supernatural anywhere," Ciara commented, blowing on her coffee to cool it. Her eyes were scanning the streets, always alert.

"Your wolf senses aren't picking up anything extra?" Lachlan asked.

Ciara screwed up her nose. "Only that Apollo has scent-marked the hell out of you. It's kind of cute that he's so possessive. Maybe you should have kidnapped him months ago."

"Ha! That's what I said. I can't stop him from coming with us to take down this facility tomorrow night. It's stressing me out."

Ciara sighed. "Bro, he's a dragon . He might not have shifted yet, but he is still one. I'm more worried about what he's cooking up right now than anything these blood alchemists can throw at us. That's not even mentioning what's going through Valentine's head."

"And Killian's. Okay, I see your point. We just need to get this done so I can get Apollo back home into his lab and out of harm's way."

"He doesn't need to be coddled, Lachie. He's a Greatdrakes and knows how to fight and protect himself.

His dragon side will make him stronger than both of us put together," Ciara replied, drinking more of her coffee.

"You have to trust him to do his part like he's trusting you not to get hurt.

We have to save anyone and anything they have locked up in cages.

That's what you should be focusing on. Killian will be able to handle most of them, but we need to be calm and ready to help stressed-out, hurt, and traumatized creatures.

And that's after we kill all these Sanguis Vitae fuckers. "

"You're right. All my big feelings bullshit has to wait until this job is done." Lachlan looked at his coffee. "Fuck, I really should have made this a double."