Slade cleaned and packed up the barbeque with Zethan by his side for once, aluminum tray in his grasp, collecting the meat Slade forked into it. Tightness in my chest eased at them breaking down the barrier between them. Proud warmth bubbled and popped under my ribcage at them taking the first step to resurrecting their dead and buried friendship.
I squeezed Alaric tighter, grateful for the good sign. “Maybe Set, the Love god, is working his magick.”
Alaric’s chuckle warmed me from head to toe and started the damn fireworks early under my ribcage. “That name will never get old.”
“No, it’s here to stay.” I leaned my head on his shoulder.
Alaric crossed his right arm over his chest to caress my hair.
“Hurry up, sugar!” Slade shouted at me from across the garden.
“Fireworks?” Alaric murmured.
“Yep.” My mate didn’t like loud, explosive noises when they reminded him of enemy fire and his time in the desert when he was taken captive and tortured.
I reluctantly let him go and went over to the edge of the pool. “Mia, come on out. The fireworks are about to start.”
Mia shoved water at Rusty’s son.
“Okay, out now, kids!” Alaric ordered in his military captain voice, and they all stopped and blinked at him. “The fireworks are about to start, and we need to stand on the porch to see them the best.”
He clapped his hands to get them moving, and twelve children paddled over to the steps and climbed out.
I threw a towel over Mia’s shoulders and patted her dry. “Looks like fun.”
“Yeah, Shane was chasing me.” I caught the blush rising on her cheeks as my daughter crept into her flip-flops.
Cute. My daughter’s first crush. Better tell Slade later, so he could warn the kid away from Mia. No boys until she was fifty.
“Come on, honey.” I took Mia to her waiting fathers, huddled together.
Slade threw his massive arm over her shoulder, hunching beside her. He showed her his watch as it was on the countdown. “Ten, nine, eight…”
Everyone chimed in until the first firework exploded. Dazzling displays of red crackled into green, bursting with gold, purple, and silver, lighting up the Bathurst sky.
“Wow!” Mia clasped her palms together. “That’s so pretty.”
Slade’s content rumble rippled through the bond, as did my other mates, making me burn brighter and hotter than any firework.
I sent a prayer with my New Year’s resolutions up to Isis. Dark thoughts crept in, contaminating them. New year, new enemy, new war. What would this cost us?
CHAPTER4
Zethan
I didn’t likethis plan at all. It left our harem open to attack, kidnapping, or death. An order was an order though, and I had to obey without question or risk my station again. Maybe with my new plan, some of my decision-making power might be restored. Big maybe.
“Later, baby.” I kissed my woman’s cheek as she stretched over the bike to say her goodbyes before meeting up with us later at the hotel.
Every instinct in me screamed not to leave her and Mia here, even if Castor remained posted outside. One man against an army was of no use if Colton Raine sent his goons in. Armed bikers almost killed them both on their way back from the magick shop back in Bathurst, and I didn’t want to leave him to battle without backup a second time.
Occasions like this demanded I trust in Set and Slade’s strategy and expertise in war.
Still, I slipped Aaliyah a weapon. “Keep this on you, baby.”
“Zethan, no.” She shoved it back at me.
My woman vowed not to kill, but my clever little mate found loopholes to take care of our enemies. Destroy those that preyed on the weak and caused them harm. I remembered what she did to Danny, and I rubbed at my chest as if her cow horns pierced my flesh. God help anyone who came at her or Mia armed with a gun.
