Page 25 of The Vampire and the Tattooist (The Vampire and Series Book 4)

Seth, Gabe, and Mathis arrived back at the coven house at the same time as Cairo and Troy.

“Forgiven Gio yet?” Cairo asked Seth as they walked up the front steps.

“Yeah,” Seth replied. “I couldn’t stay mad at him.”

Mathis opened the door and they all walked in, heading for the kitchen.

“Welcome back,” David said, as they entered the kitchen.

Gavin jumped up and hugged Gabe and Mathis and signed.

“We’re both fine. The explosion just blew us off our feet and gave us a little bump on the head,” Gabe assured him.

Gavin nodded and smiled, pointing to the table.

“Yes to food. I’m starving,” Gabe said.

Gio saw Seth enter and jumped up, moving to stand in front of him. “I’m sorry, my Seth?—”

He didn’t get any further as Seth pulled Gio into his arms and kissed the stuffing out of him. He pulled back. “Thank you for wanting to protect me. But no more shoving me out of a fight.”

“I promise, my Seth.”

“Aww, you two are so cute,” Troy said, laughing their way.

Cairo grabbed Troy and dragged him to the other end of the table.

“You love living dangerously, kitty,” David said.

“What can I say? It keeps me on my toes.”

“We kept food back for you,” Thomaz said, bringing fresh, hot dishes to the table.

Gavin sighed happily. His brothers and their mates are home and safe. He had been worried for a while there. He leaned into Hunter”s side, and Hunter put his arm around him.

“Hunter, I meant to ask what your favourite food is so we can cook it for you,” Annie enquired.

“Roast pork with all the trimmings is my absolute favourite, but I’ll happily eat anything unless it’s cake with vegetables in it,” Hunter replied.

“Oh, a nice big roast dinner. Thomaz, we’ll have to do that one Sunday,” Annie said happily. “Louise, I was thinking of going over to Kevin’s pack tomorrow. I thought we could maybe reassure the children they’re now safe and play with puppies.”

“That sounds like a good idea. I’ll come with you,” Louise said, smiling Annie’s way.

“I’ll message Kevin to let him know to expect you,” David said.

“And ask him if he wants us to bring anything,” Louise said.

“Will do.”

Everyone chatted while the latecomers ate their dinner, but once they were finished and everything cleared away, David asked what happened.

“You mean apart from the love of my life throwing me out of a fight and into Kevin?” Seth asked with a laugh.

Gio picked his hand up and kissed the back.

“Yep, apart from that,” David replied.

Seth told them what they found out and everything else that happened. He shook his head. “They kept the children in small crates. Who even does that?”

“Sick people whom we will stop,” David said.

“Some of the wolves and I took on a lion. I’m pleased to say we won,” Troy told them.

“I thought a lion would always win against a jaguar,” Hunter remarked.

“In the jungle maybe, but we’re shifters and I had the wolves helping. It was still hard, but we all survived. Well, not the lion, but the rest of us did.”

“Someone opened a portal and kept sending guards and other nefarious people through, which Kevin and the others stopped. It took work to close the portal,” Gabe told them. “Whoever was on the other end was a strong magic user. But I closed it in the end.”

“And caused it to explode,” Gio added.

Gabe shook his head. “I don’t think that was me. I think it happened when I negated the other magic.”

“It felt like demon magic,” Thiago said.

“That would explain the power in that magic. Any idea who it belonged to?” Gabe asked him.

Thiago shook his head. “No, but I can go and find out.”

Raz took his hand. ”Can you do it safely?

Thiago nodded. ”I can. How about you come with me when I go back and you can see the underworld, where I live, and what I do?”

Raz gave a huge smile. ”Yes, please and thank you.”

Gavin looked at Thiago and started signing.

”You will, Gavin.” He looked at Raz. ”Your brother was concerned he wouldn”t be able to contact you in the underworld. All electrical devices will work down there.”

”You have Wi-Fi in hell?” Dave asked shocked

”No, we have Wi-Fi in the underworld. Hell is acompletely different place that none of you will ever be seeing,” Thiago said.

”So hell and the underworld are two different places?” Willard asked as if trying to figure it out.

Thiago nodded. ”They are. The underworld is just like this world but down there and is where demons live. Hell is basically a large torture chamber with a lot of different levels, depending on the crimes committed.”

”Wow, that”s amazing,” Dave said. ”I hope one day I can see where you live. I imagine it would be, well, I”m going to say amazing again, but how about fascinating?”

”I will see what I can do. We can bring mates down, but it’s frowned on to bring anyone else down without permission.”

“Who do you need to get permission from?” Raz asked.

“I can put a request in to Lucifer.”

“Wait,” Hunter said. “The Lucifer, the fallen angel, the devil?”

Thiago snorted. “Lucifer and the Devil are two different entities. The Devil is the evil one. Lucifer is ruler of the underworld. He’s still an angel, just a down below angel and not an above angel.”

“I think my mind is literally blown right now,” Dave said. “I want to come down even more now.”

“Me, too,” Hunter said. “Being with all of you and a part of this world is certainly eye opening.”

Thiago smiled. “I’ll put a request in as soon as I get back.”

“I’m afraid I need to get back to my coven. I need to catch up with the others and look into Jake Conway,” Gabe said.

“I can grab my laptop and come back with you,” Mathis offered.

Gabe nodded. “I’d like that, unless you’re needed here.”

“Go with Gabe, Mathis. Gavin said he would help Ivan with some research,” David told him.

“I’ll just run upstairs and grab some clean clothes. Be back in a bit,” Mathis said, standing up and walking out of the kitchen.

He had just passed the front door when the bell rang. “I’ll get it,” he called out and pulled the door open and looked at the man standing there, holding a bag.

“You’re Hunter”s friend,” Mathis said.

“Taha. He asked me to drop off some clothes and I’ve brought his car back.”

Mathis nodded. “Come on in. Hunter’s in the kitchen. Just down there on the left.”

“Thanks,” Taha said, walking in and heading towards the kitchen while Mathis closed the door and went upstairs.

Taha walked into the kitchen and saw Hunter sitting at the table, Gavin was leaning into his side, both of them looking happy.

Annie saw him first. “Hello. Taha, isn’t it?”

Hunter looked up and saw his friend.

“It is.” He held up a bag. “I’ve got your stuff, Hunter. I’ve also brought your car back.”

Hunter stood up and walked over, giving him a bro hug. “Thanks, Ta. How are you getting home?”

“Luke’s waiting outside in his car. I also thought I should remind you that you have Mrs. Sargent coming in tomorrow.”

Hunter nodded. “I’ve not forgotten. I’ll be at the studio tomorrow.”

“Hunter, you still have the witch after you,” David said.

Hunter nodded. “I know, but I need to work tomorrow. I know how to punch, and Taha is an expert in martial arts.”

“Taha really is good,” Troy agreed.

Gavin clicked his fingers, and when Hunter looked at him, he started signing.

“I’ll be safe, I promise. And I won’t go anywhere alone,” Hunter assured him.

Gavin silently huffed.

“I like him,” Taha said, grinning at Gavin. “We call that the Hunter huff.”

Gavin gave a silent laugh.

“Ignore Taha. He talks nonsense,” Hunter said with a laugh.

Taha handed over the bag and Hunter’s keys. “Right, I’m off. I’ll see you tomorrow. Do you want me to come and pick you up?”

Hunter was about to say no when he looked at Gavin. “Yeah, that might be best.”

“Pick you up at nine. Bye, everyone,” Taha said.

“I’ll see you out,” Hunter said, following Taha out into the hall. He dumped his bag by the stairs and walked to the front door.

“You look really happy, Hunt,” Taha said, grinning at him. “I can’t wait to get to know Gavin.”

“Me, either. Thanks for helping out.”

“That’s what friends are for. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“You will,” Hunter replied, opening the front door. He saw Luke sitting in his car and waved.

“See you tomorrow,” Taha said, giving him another bro hug before descending the front steps.

With a final wave, Hunter shut the door and walked back to the kitchen. There was silence as he entered. Hunter sighed. “I’ll be careful; I promise. If it was any other client, I’d change the appointment, but I can’t change Danni’s,” he said, sitting down.

“Why not?” Gio asked him.

“Danni is a cancer survivor. Her tattoo tomorrow is to cover up her surgery and treatment scars. She has been through so much and needs this to help her mental health.”

“I can send someone with you tomorrow,” David said, not trying to talk Hunter out of going to work.

Hunter looked at Gavin. “Would you feel better if I had a vampire with me?”

Gavin nodded and signed.

“I know, sweetheart. If it will put your mind at rest. You realise, though, that if when we mated you had passed on some of your abilities to me, I wouldn’t need anyone watching over me.”

Gavin silently laughed.

“Hunter, I feel your pain,” Dave commiserated.

“You poor humans, you,” Seth said with a laugh.

Mathis chose that moment to come back into the kitchen, carrying a bag and backpack.

“Right, we’re off. Call if you need us,” Gabe said, standing up and walking to Mathis’ side. “Portal or car?”

“Portal; it’s quicker,” Mathis replied. He smiled at his brothers. “See you later.”

Gavin jumped up and hugged them both before signing.

“We’ll be safe,” Gabe assured him, and with that, he opened a portal, and with a final bye, they both walked through, the portal closing behind them.