by Joyee Flynn
“So what did you do before you met Foma?” I asked after we showered, dressed, and were about to get breakfast.
“You promise not to laugh?” he mumbled, shy or embarrassed for the first time since I’d met him.
“I promise and I’ll do you one better,” I purred as I grabbed his ass. “You tell me and I’ll give you another fang blow job after breakfast.” He moaned and practically chased me out of my rooms. Just to be randy after I claimed them because they had blow jobs that had been promised to them that they’d wanted to collect on… I had bit Mareo’s dick when he’d been close. He fucking loved it. I mean, went wild and fucked me silly right after he was done coming.
Then Foma had wanted to see what all the fuss was about and we’d had about the same result. Apparently my mates really got hot by my getting sustenance from their bodies and they loved the kink factor.
“You already have found our weakness,” he growled in my ear as he caught up to me at the top of the stairs. Foma was right there with us, biting back a smile. “Be careful when you play with fire, Virgil. It’s not nice to tease your mates or hold your power over our heads.”
“I love your fire and passion,” I told him honestly. “You can burn me up with it any day you want, my mate. And it’s not teasing when I always come through with my promises.”
“He’s right, Mareo. You have to tell him.”
He huffed and gruffed for a few minutes, mumbling under his breath as he pushed open the kitchen door.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that,” I chuckled.
“What’s a cordwainer?” Caven asked, glancing between Mareo and Gabriel. “It sounds dirty. Is that like a cockwaggler?”
“Caven!” Mother gasped in shock.
“Sorry, Elena,” he said, not looking sorry in the slightest.
“I really have to get used to your impressive hearing abilities,” Mareo sighed as he grabbed a plate off the island counter and started loading up with food. “A shoe maker. I used to make shoes. A cordwainer made the fancy shoes and boots. My brother was good at it and became a cobbler. So I made them and he fixed them if need be later. We used to be very close.”
“Have you talked to him since the fae crossed over?” I asked, curious since I’d not heard mention of any family of his yet. I knew Foma was an orphan and Mareo’s parents were gone, but neither said that they had siblings.
“No, I’ve not heard of or from Elan and we didn’t part on the best of terms last time I saw him,” Mareo mumbled. “He thought I was stupid to leave and wouldn’t even see me the first time I came back to the plane. After that I stopped trying.”
“Mareo, Elan is in this coven,” I said gently. “He wasn’t here with the Queen the other day but I know him. He was on Caven’s security for a while.”
“Is he well?” my mate asked quietly, his eyes swimming with emotion. I glanced at Caven, not sure how to answer that. I’d only met the man briefly.
“Elan lived over on this plane for a while,” Caven hedged. “He used to procure items for the Queen and his people when the plane started shrinking. I knew he went back for a while and someone else was helping Brio but maybe he changed his mind and thought he should give this world a chance like you did. You should talk to him.”
“He said he never wanted to see me again. But thank you for telling me he is well.”
“I told you I’d never forgive you,” I said carefully, trying to make a point but not rub salt in old wounds. “Things change and people grow up. What can it hurt to say hi to him?”
“Please, Mareo?” Foma begged. That surprised me and I blinked at him in shock. “I hated that our decision to leave to find our mate because I so desperately wanted the family I never had caused the rift between you and Elan. You were so close. Please give him a chance to apologize or at least mend the fence. You miss him. Don’t even try to deny that.”
“Okay, yes, I’d like to see him,” Mareo sighed after a moment. He leaned in and kissed Foma. “It was never your fault, my love. I wanted to search for our mate as well. Never doubt that.” Then he turned to me and gave me one as well. “And thank you for helping me see past my hurt feelings, my love. It is hard to move on when your heart aches from the past.”
“I’m learning that and how to—” I started to say and then gasped. I blinked at him.
“Caught what I said there, did you?” He was smiling like the cat that ate the canary. “I thought I’d test it out and see how you felt about it. I didn’t want to freak you out with saying it too soon.”
“So romantic. I’m telling you. He should give romance lessons,” Caven whispered across the table.
“I agree,” I told Caven without even looking at him. I only had eyes for Mareo right then. “I love you too. I love you both.” I glanced past him and met Foma’s gaze. “I love you just as much.”
“And I love you, Virgil,” he said before practically tackling us together. Mareo peppered our faces with kisses, being the complete goofball when he remembered we weren’t alone as we were professing our love for each other. When we sat back up I saw Mother, Marian, a few of my brothers’ mates, and even Father with tears in their eyes.
“You’re happy,” Mother whispered before jumping out of her chair and racing around the table. I thought she was coming to me but she practically dove into Mareo’s arms and hugged him tightly. “Thank you. Thank you for making my son so happy.” Then she did the same to Foma and I blinked in shock.
“I still get hugs like that,” Caven informed me. “She loves to see you guys happy and it’s our fault for being your mates apparently.” He gave me a wink and went back to his breakfast. Okay then.
“I love you,” Mother whispered as she kissed my cheek before hugging me as well. “I’m so happy for you. Whatever you need, Virgil. We’re here for you. I’d like to see this house you had built if you want?”
“Soon, yes. I want to show it to my mates first.” I was stunned that she was suddenly okay with all of this. I was a little uncomfortable with that.
“Don’t overthink it,” Caven suggested when Mother sat back down. “You wanted support and now you’re getting it. Don’t read problems where there aren’t any.”
“Seriously, are you really only nineteen?” Foma blurted out.
“I get that a lot,” Caven snickered. “I promise I still play video games and eat all kinds of shit food when no one’s looking.”
“And he cusses no matter what the parents in the room say,” Mother drawled.
“How come you, Father, and Caven aren’t already back at the High Council estate deliberating?” I asked, realizing it was eight in the morning and they’d been gone by that time for days already.
“Because we reached a decision last night about three in the morning,” Father answered and then yawned. “We want to send in a team to scout out your locations. It’s a starting point at least but while transport is easy with the Queen opening a portal we just don’t want to have the team dropped off at the door. We need someone who knows the areas to guide the team.”
“Rylan and I can sniff out the areas as we move in from miles away but yeah, landing right on top of the building could end really badly,” Caven agreed. I glanced at Gabriel with worry.
“He’s Alpha,” my brother said, answering the unasked question. “I knew when I claimed him that he was going to be a fighter and in the thick of it all. He’s careful, listens, and isn’t rash. Do I like it? No. I want him in our suite locked up in bubble wrap, but this is life.”
“Does anyone have that map with them?” Mareo asked, glancing at Foma. Father nodded and got to his feet before walking over to where he and Mother must have left their folders and notes when they got home. He pulled it out and handed it to my mate, glancing over his shoulder as Foma did. “We know the providences outside Paris like the backs of our hands.”
“We’ve been to Northern Portugal and Spain many times,” Foma added. “Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, England, sure, we know all of these. We
could guide in a team no problem. We know how to blend in the regions and even have contacts in case shit hits the fan.”
“Okay, then you both are leading the team,” Father said with a nod. “We’re not including the other vampire warriors other than the ones we know and have trusted with this already. We don’t know who the traitor is.”
“Rylan said he’s coming up with a plan for that besides the Queen or I reading everyone’s minds because the warriors are trained to block those types of powers when they focus,” Caven added. “Okay so where are we starting?”
“My vote would be Paris. There’s several possible locations outside there and while a few will probably be nothing, it would make sense that his main evil lair is close to where he lives. I mean, that’s where the Western European High Council is based out of after all.”
“That’s a six-hour time difference and we wanted to start the recon after full dark their time. So let’s say eight just to be on the safe side that most everyone will be home from work already,” Victor said quickly. “So we need to be prepped and ready to go by two. Who is all coming?”
“Me, Gabriel, Rylan, Onah, Ferris, Foma, Mareo, and Virgil now,” Caven answered.
“Yeah, I’m not letting two of my little brothers and their mates go alone,” Victor said with a snicker. “So how does this work to get us back once we find out what we need?” Father and Mother spent the next few minutes, with the help of my mates, explaining the activating stone Queen Magdalena would give us. Basically it was like Dorothy and Kansas. We rubbed it and thought of her and the doorway to her would open.
Wicked cool.
“We’re going,” Damian said when we finished breakfast. “Cyrus needs this and I’m the best sniper this family has.”
“Yes,” Gabriel and I agreed as Victor shook his head.
“No,” Victor said gently. “Damian, you might have to shoot your fucking in-laws. Could you really do that? And, Cyrus, we might come up against your family, man. Don’t put yourself in that spot. We got this. Trust us, brother.”
“I need to see with my own eyes this time,” Cyrus argued. Everyone of course starting yelling as if that would solve anything. Yeah, because by now we should know it didn’t. I put my fingers in my mouth and whistled loud enough to hurt everyone’s ears.
“It’s not your call, Victor,” I reminded him. “As Councilman, Father named Mareo and Foma leads of the team because they know the area. It’s their call.” I shot them a sympathetic look and they gave me a curious one back. They knew there was a reason for it but still weren’t mad at me for putting them in the middle.
Nice.
“Fill us in then,” Mareo said, ignoring the sounds of Victor practically grinding his teeth to the gums. He and Foma listened to both sides of the argument, taking in others’ perspectives as well. When they were done he nodded towards the terrace as he met my gaze. “We’re going to discuss it for a moment.”
“If you get to decide as team leads, your mate doesn’t get a vote then too,” Victor bitched.
“No but I’ve not heard his perspective yet and I’ve listened to yours,” Mareo shot right back. “You have a tough decision and you don’t consult your mate for his counsel and to bounce ideas off of?”
Victor glanced to Malachi and sighed. “All the time. Yeah, you’re right. I just don’t like the situation.”
“None of us like this, Vic,” Damian said gently. “But if one of us went dark side there is not a force on this earth that would stop you from being the one to end it, to save us so we can be with our souls again. Just let them discuss it. Virgil’s logical and Mareo and Foma have an outsider’s perspective, being new to the family. They’ll make the right call.”
I appreciated the vote of confidence more than Damian would ever know. Plus, he included my mates in the idea of our family already.
“Why did you get us involved in this?” Mareo asked evenly once we were outside but I could see he was shaking with anger. “We just mate and now you’re pitting us against half your family.”
“That wasn’t what I meant to do,” I answered honestly. “I did it for the reasons Damian said. You guys are new to this and you have a different perspective. Victor says no because he loves Damian and respects Cyrus. I say yes because I know Cyrus’s code of honor and his love for my brother and that will trump his lingering feelings for his family that are now demons.
“We all could have gone on fighting for hours but the best answer was my mates before my family said things in anger that couldn’t be taken back. I promise you that my family won’t hold your answer against you after today is over. Even if it goes ass up whatever way you decide, they won’t blame you. If they held a grudge I wouldn’t have put you in this position.”
He nodded as I explained, eyeing me over. Then he glanced at Foma and they shared a look. “Fine, but we each want a fang blow job before we go for the stress this has caused us.”
“Deal and done,” I chuckled, thinking I got off easy on that one. “Which way are you leaning?”
“Damian is a valuable asset,” Mareo answered as Foma nodded. “All your brothers agree he is the best shot and we might need that. Cyrus could be an asset or a liability on numerous counts. Not just could he freeze up if we come into contact with the demons that were his relatives, but someone might recognize him. If they see him they might give us information.”
“Or they see him and they sound the alarms because they realize it’s him and not his brothers,” Foma added.
“That’s something I didn’t think about,” I hedged. “We are planning on staying out of sight though.”
“Right but we’re coming in from a distance and—” Mareo started to say.
“Carrying weapons,” I argued. “It’s not like we’re walking down the main street here. If we get hooked up, having Cyrus could save our asses because they’ll think it’s his brother. I say we make sure he’s disguised unless we need to play that card.”
Foma nodded. “That should work. Yes, then I agree he should come as long as he realizes he is not to engage. He can’t go flying off the handle. He stays at the back and covers our rear if shit goes down.”
“I think he’d accept that. If he freaks, we’re opening a portal anyways and we throw him in it while the cavalry comes.” I shrugged since it was the best I had.
“Agreed then.” Mareo nodded and we headed back inside. Everyone was watching us and I could tell they were dying to know what we’d said, probably having reached deep into their self-restraint not to have pressed their ears against the glass while we were talking.
“I didn’t tell,” Caven announced proudly.
“Never thought you would,” Mareo replied with a wave. “An Alpha is a position of honor and to have it at such a young age, you must have a very moral code.”
“He does,” Gabriel agreed.
“We have conditions,” Mareo said to Cyrus and Damian. “We want Cyrus to be disguised as much as possible, ball cap, glasses, something. If we’re spotted he might be a huge flag and we wouldn’t know which way for if we’re truly going to be around where his family is. They would recognize him if the resemblance is as Virgil says.”
“It is. I didn’t think of that,” Cyrus agreed. “Except I’m the only warrior of the family so I’m like a larger size of them. I can’t pass for one of them if they know my brother or father well. If they’ve only seen them from a distance then yes.”
“Well, that still doesn’t change that we want your face hidden then,” Foma said, taking in the new information. “And if we see your family you don’t engage. We go in, you pull up the rear. Something goes wrong or you can’t handle this, we hit the stone and throw you back through the portal while the cavalry comes as my mate put it.”
“I agree to your terms. Thank you.” Cyrus extended his hand to my mates and they each shook it in turn. Damian did the same and then hugged me before Cyrus did. “Thank you, brother. This means a lot to me.”
“You love my
brother too much to let anyone hurt him or ever risk him,” I said firmly. “Even the demons that used to be your family. I don’t doubt if the time came you would pull the trigger. Do I want this for you? No, but you know your own mind and what’s best for you and Damian better than I do. So I trust you. That’s all I told them. Your record as a warrior speaks for itself and Damian’s the best shot around so we could use him.”
“You’re right,” Victor agreed quietly. “I’m sorry. I still don’t like it but Virgil’s right. I hate the idea that this is what you might have to do, Cyrus. You’re my brother now too and I would save this heartache. I don’t want you or Damian anywhere near this.”
“We don’t want you near it either, Vic,” Damian said firmly. “It’s just not reality. We’re all ass deep in this shit and who do you trust to have your back more than us?”
“No one,” he admitted. “Good, so we leave in three hours. Gear up and someone let King Rylan know. Where are we portaling from?”
“The Queen is bringing everyone and their gear here first,” Father explained. “Riley has medical equipment here in case anyone gets hurt. The warrior compound would make more sense, but since we don’t know who the traitor is…” He trailed off and spread his arms as if to say, fuck that idea.
“Okay, so those of us not going, we’ve got a lot to get set up before it’s time,” Stefan said loudly, taking charge as the second-oldest brother. “Riley, who do you want to boss around?”
“I’ll take Patrick and Malachi,” Riley chuckled. “The rest you can boss around for weapons or whatever else you’re going to start getting organized.” Stefan nodded and then started working with Father and Mother on getting all the extra weapons and supplies we could here right away. Even if we couldn’t get to the massive gun hold at the warrior compound, most of the founding families or families with warriors had a selection at their house.
Hell, I’d seen the one Isaac had and it would make just about any man hard.