Max came awake to a strange mechanical humming noise. Like a vaporizer or something. It blended in with the faint sound of zydeco and laughter. Cars passing by on the street outside.
Of a crowded bar and metal music from next door…
“Don’t move!”
Blinking open his eyes, he found Sera sitting on the floor by his side, stroking his snout. But the most shocking part was the fact that his dragon’s head was cradled in her lap.
And her breasts were pressed against his cheek.
Um, yeah…
He had no desire whatsoever to move from this position. Especially since she held his head at an angle that allowed him to see straight down her shirt, and the fact that she didn’t have on a bra. Something that made his mouth water and his heart race.
In spite of the pain, he went rock hard. Thankfully, he was lying on his stomach so that the only one who knew about this uncomfortable situation was him. And the floor beneath him, which probably wasn’t any happier about it than he was.
“Am I dead?”
She frowned at him. “Why do you ask that?”
“This doesn’t feel real. My room… You.” Dead or dreaming seemed the two most logic conclusions, and if it was a dream, he’d like to think he’d already be naked with her.
“It’s real. As is the accidental stabbing I gave you when we were caught.”
Damn, that hadn’t been a dream. No wonder his side hurt so much. At least now he knew his memory was whole.
“You sure it was an accident?”
“Ah, now who’s being mean?”
“Still you.”
She snorted at him. “Yeah well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
If he wasn’t in so much pain, he might have joined her laughter, but he still wasn’t convinced she hadn’t done it intentionally.
Is he awake?
Max started at the sound of Illarion’s voice in his head. Before he could move, his brother came forward to stand in his field of vision. Alongside Falcyn, who knelt beside Sera.
Yeah, he was back to fearing death again, especially with Falcyn here to check in on him. Hell must have frozen over and a few other catastrophes for that to happen.
Falcyn picked up his ear and coldly let it flop back over his eyes. “You took a nasty wound and spill. If not for your swan, you’d have never survived.”
Sera visibly cringed. “If not for me, he wouldn’t have been injured.”
“Well…” Falcyn wrinkled his nose. “Win some. Lose some. Besides, we’ve all wanted to stab him at times. You’re just lucky you got to do it first.”
Max laughed, then groaned. Leave it to his brother, the asshole. Ignoring Falcyn, he looked back at Sera. “So what happened, anyway? How did we get out of there?”
“They answered your Bane-Cry. It just took them a little while to break through the shields that were holding them out and preventing them from helping.”
“And your sisters?”
She lifted her chin as a cold ruthlessness darkened her eyes. “My sisters died beside my mother when I was a girl. The Amazon tribe I was tied to is still serving the gallu, for who knows what purposes. That’s their choice.”
“We routed the gallu out of Olympus,” Falcyn said, sitting back on his haunches. “But it was a bad day for Zeus and crew. They’re not happy with the damage that was wrought.”
Sin least of all, since his wife insisted that Artemis stay with them until things settle down. And Apollo is captured again since he is now working with the gallu against his father and the rest of his former pantheon.
Max sucked his breath in sharply at that. Sin and Artemis had a bad history together. No doubt Sin was extremely unhappy to have his mother-in-law camping out in his casino since he could barely tolerate Artemis’s presence. Even though he had plenty of room, he wouldn’t welcome her there.
Falcyn brought his attention back to him. “I have Hadyn’s Tablet. We decided it would be safer to break it apart from what you carry. And keep them in separate locations.”
“Thank you.”
Falcyn inclined his head to him. “Still doesn’t mean I like you, though.”
“Hate you, too, brother.”
There was a timid knock on the door before it was pushed open to show Edena and Hadyn entering. They came in with food and drink that they set down on the floor, beside their mother.
“We’ll give you space,” Falcyn said before he led Illarion and Blaise from the room.
Alone with his mate and children, Max wasn’t sure what to say. It was extremely surreal to have them here in his solitary loft. Or rather their loft. As a family, they’d be sharing it from now on. Yeah, that really did a number on his head.
Edena sat down next to her mother. “How do you feel?”
“Good.”
She smiled. “Glad to hear it.” Even so, there was a hesitancy that blemished her smile and feigned cheerful words.
Max manifested a blanket, then turned himself human. “Better?”