Gentle laughter sounded from the witch. “It’s been that way since they were young. Jessa is their girl, and … well, there is more love in their little pack than in any other I’ve ever seen.” Her tone was hard to get a read on, but there were hints of envy. I couldn’t blame her.
It was true, our pack was one big pile of love. Love, claws and cursing. We were all soulmates in a manner, destined to be friends and pack from birth. But, to be fair, some of the reason they continued to fling me over their shoulders was control. I didn’t like to do what they said and this way they used their one advantage – massive bulk – to force me to follow their plans. I knew it, they knew it … and we were okay with it. For now.
“If I could interject with some insights.” Tyson’s voice jarred me from my thoughts.
Someone snorted, it sounded like Grace, all light and feminine. But still irritated. Which was her usual Tyson reaction. He plowed on anyway as we walked.
“Jessa’s small ... we like to bring her up to us. We’re pack, we’re equals. Not because of power ... but because of everything else. We actually need her in our lives ... she keeps us grounded.”
“She completes your pack,” Grace said, with the slightest quiver in her tone.
“Yes.”
Well, crap on a cracker. Who would have thought there was so much tenderness in the quads’ souls. The sharp intake of breath from Grace indicated she was in just as much awed surprise.
I bestowed a gentle smile on my wizard best friend, and he responded by reaching out and grazing my cheek with his thumb. Despite our worries, for a moment everything was right in the world.
Even though I’d been joking about the nap thing, I did find my eyes fluttering closed at the rhythmic walking. Sure, one would think the current situation wouldn’t lead to a comfort level to sleep, but one thing I knew was that there was no safer place in the world than with my quads. Not a single place.
Chapter 3
It felt as if I’d closed my eyes for like eight seconds before I was jarred awake. We were no longer moving. I stifled a yawn as I looked around. We appeared to be at the start of this sanctuary and I was glad that I hadn’t missed our journey through the different zones. Despite the fact it had been subzero temperatures on the outside of this cave, a desert lay right in front of us. I could feel wafts of heat rising from the red sands. There were definitely fey elemental manipulations and magic spells all over this place. The scent of … something preternatural lingered in the air. Magic was rarely subtle; it was hard to hide.
I tapped Maximus on the shoulder. “Let me down.”
For once he didn’t ignore my request. I was dropped gently to the rock floor. “Did I miss anything?” I asked Mischa, who was by my side.
She shook her head, before reaching up and ripping the wool hat from her silky hair. “Nope, it was pretty quiet on the walk down the mountain, and now we are just waiting to cross the zones.”
Waiting for what? I peered around the broad shoulders blocking my line of sight. Jacob might not be as big as his brothers, but he was still huge. And he was in the road. Finally, as I scooted to the side I was able to see Cloaky. He was no longer alone. The fey was in a serious looking conversation with four other males, all wearing blue cloaks. Great, it was a freaking cult or something.
I sidled closer to Braxton. He looked relaxed, but his attention was firmly locked on that group. He never glanced my way, but still knew I was there, reaching around to tuck me under his arm. “Can you hear anything?” I managed to mumble.
“They’re discussing you and your mark.”
I pulled back enough to see his expression. Stormy eyes, chiseled features, furrowed brows … okay, my first assessment was very wrong, not relaxed at all. He was pissed. And throwing off heat like a goddamned fire.
I started to wiggle out from under his arm. The warmth was smothering me.
“I’m wearing too many clothes,” I said as I continued to maneuver myself so I could get the thick jacket off.
“Hells yes you are.” Jacob the jackass was back. I’d missed him.
“Screw you,” I growled.
Tyson joined his fey brother, standing shoulder to shoulder. “Well, you do love sex, remember.” Tyson’s eyes twinkled, which was about the only thing to save him from having his testicles permanently lodged up into his throat.
Our joking was interrupted by the convergence of cloaked figures. For the first time the hoods of their cloaks were down, so I could really see their faces. The five of them were all different, but I was surprised to see one similarity: each had a head of pure silver hair, sort of like old people gray but more shimmery. This especially stood out because their faces were young.
Could you only join this cult if you were prematurely gray?
Original dude from the tunnel still seemed to be the spokes-gray. “My name is Gerard, I am the second in charge of this sanctuar … sanctuary.” I noticed he lapsed into what sounded like Romanian at times, but there was no indication if this was his native language or not.