I put a hand to my stomach. Rhys had come fully into his power while I’d been gone. He was a Green Man now if he could tell Kelsey and I were both carrying children. He hadn’t even come close to us.
Lee’s eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open as he turned to the wolf. “Fen, you fucker. You said you would wait until she was eighteen. We had a deal.”
Fen was suddenly a broad-shouldered young man with dark hair that hit well below his shoulders and a body that…well, it had changed since he’d been a baby boy running around the Council house without any pants. He needed pants now. Extra-large pants. “We cuddle. That is all.”
“I’m talking about Mom,” Rhys corrected. “Mom and Kelsey.”
Lee made a vomiting sound. “But she’s old. Sorry, Mom. I thought maybe you and Papa would get over that. And Kelsey? Trent is going to be heartbroken. He’s been faithful all these years, and he’s had some good shots. There was a really hot mermaid on this one plane we went to, and she was all over him.”
“Lee, I didn’t cheat. I’ve been gone for four days,” Kelsey complained. “And I want to know where that mermaid is. I know I’m not supposed to have sushi in my condition, but I’ll make an exception.”
“I want to know what the hell you’re doing with my daughter that my son would think she could be pregnant.” Devinshea didn’t care that Fen had a large man part out in the open.
“Dev, maybe we should have this family session somewhere else.” Daniel was trying to be the reasonable one.
Fen’s eyes narrowed, his body going predatory. “What have I been doing with your daughter? I’ve been protecting her. I’ve been bleeding for her, watching over her. Never abandoning her. And she’s my mate. Get used to it, Your Grace. And if that vampire is still planning on coming for her, you should know I’ll pull his heart from his chest.”
Evan moved like she intended to get in between her father and the wicked, dangerous wolf who seemed to have laid claim to her.
“We will get used to nothing if we’re dead.” Rhys took over, cutting off that fight. “Eddie, can you handle us all?”
“We need to leave.” Dean had gone tense again. “She’s almost here, and she’s brought reinforcements.”
“I shall do whatever it takes to protect my king and queen and my mistress,” Eddie said with a light of determination in his eyes.
The doors flew open and Liv floated in, her feet not touching the floor. “You’re not going anywhere. I should have known you would bring the traitor. Little demon, step away from them and the king might be satisfied with merely killing you.”
“Come around me. Put a hand on me,” Eddie bade.
The room was starting to fill up, and yes, there were a whole lot of demons.
Fen had changed again, and he stood before the whole group. It was obvious to me that they had worked together before. They were a team, and Fen was the front line.
“Mom, I need you to touch Eddie.” Lee’s voice was steady even as we were being surrounded.
“I’ll get that ward back up,” Liv promised. “He won’t be able to teleport you out of here. Not all of you. Who are you going to leave behind, Danny? I’ll take the newbie. I’d like to see what makes him tick.”
“I’ll stay behind,” Daniel said. “Son, get your mother and Kelsey out of here.”
“And I win the martyr bet.” Rhys shook his head. “Eddie, do what you need to do. Fen, we’re going now.”
I felt a bubble go around us, and it was like the world’s volume had been turned down. I saw Liv shout something and then the whole crowd rushed our way.
But it was too late, and for the second time that day, I found myself in another place entirely.
Chapter Three
I stood in the middle of mountains, though they didn’t look like the ones I’d been to in the Rockies. These were gentler, more rounded, as though age had softened them. We were by a stream, flat emerald green land spreading as far as my eye could see.
It looked a bit like the northernmost parts of Faery.
We seemed to be at the base of a mountain, and I could smell the salt of the sea, hear the crashing of waves, though they seemed to come from below us.
I should have worn a coat because it was cold and there was a soft twilight, though I’d thought it was still day. When we’d come through the painting, I’d glanced at the clock in the office and it had read a bit after one p.m.
“Is everyone here?” Eddie had fallen to the soft earth. He looked up at us with weary eyes.
Rhys bent down and picked up the small demon, cradling him in strong arms. “We’re all here.”