I shrug. “I’m sorry, Baby Girl, but those two were the least tolerable people I’ve met in a long fucking time. I had to imagine ripping their heads off just to get through that shit. No wonder we don’t mingle with their kind much.”
“I think the idle rich thing made it worse,” she replies, her eyes sparkling. “They were pretty terrible, and I grew up with alotof awful people. However…”
“However, what?” I ask as I gesture for the bartender to come over again.
“They might be useful. It’s pretty weird that Fae sites are being blocked off to humans at the last minute with flimsy excuseswhen we’re having a Fae-related revolution, mmm?” Dolly grins as she hands her glass to the guy, and I push mine to him as well.
Nodding, I wait for the guy to leave before I respond. “It seems very coincidental. I wonder what the things they’re seeing in Poland or Romania have to do with it? I’m not familiar with the Underground Museum, unfortunately, but we know someone who will be.”
“Yes, we do.”
Now we have to wait for those two grumpy assholes to pry themselves away from that old man so we can ask what they think of our intel.
Dumb Blonde
Delores
Fitzand I hung out until the others slowly returned to the group. Both sets of guys had a pained expression on their faces, but it appeared we might all have been successful. The call for dinner came not long after, so we filed into the dinner car together. Felix playfully announced that our meal was off-limits for gossip; he didn’t need to say anything else to keep everyone’s mouths shut about our secret mission. The food was fancy as hell, but delicious, and even Chessie looked pleased.
By the time we finished, the sun had set outside, and we headed back to our small but luxurious rooms to discuss the fruits of our earlier labor.
“Get comfy, then meet us in ours,” I say to the cats as they open their door. “We’ll discuss this nonsense once we’re together. Oh, and someone order drinks? That will probably make it easier.”
Felix eyes me for a moment, but then nods. “Okay, Princess. But you have to make sure you will not distract anyone. Got it?”
That won’t be easy given the shit we packed for nighttime, but alright.
Aubrey chuckles as he opens the door to our room, waiting for Rennie and me to enter before he joins us. “The Raj doesn’t get that it won’t matter what you’re wearing, mm?”
“It will because you had me pack tiny stuff, you big ninny,” I hiss back playfully. “It’s not lingerie, but it doesn’t cover a lot, either.”
Rennie peels his shirt off, heading for the suitcases with a shrug. “I believe that was a wise idea, Flames. There’s no reason for her to be covered like a nun in our rooms, and she won’t be going anywhere in those skimpy PJs.”
“Men,” I mutter with a shake of my head. “Always an excuse to ogle, even when they need to be aware of what the fuck is going on.”
“We are who we are, nibblet.” Aubrey winks as he goes to change as well. “No sense pretending we’re not animals through and through.”
I tilt my head, smiling a little as they make quick work of their outfits. Watching them is just as fun for me as it is for them in reverse. Plus, I love that Aubrey is making peace with his dragon more often than he fights it now. It’s made his temper and control better, and as a side benefit, he’s much less grumpy than he was when I arrived at Apex. That’s part of who he is, but the edge of isolation and anger is gone. I can’t take credit for all of that, but it warms my heart to know that he’s happy.
I’m happy and that’s all because of their acceptance and support.
“You’re thinking awfully hard for us being naked,” Rennie jokes. “Is there something you wish to add to our frames?”
Blinking, I blush hard as I fumble for words. “No! I mean, you’re both hot as fuck, but… um. Truthfully, I was kinda lost in my head, but also…I noticed those tattoo thingies have changed on the people I finished the bond with? Is that normal?”
Aubrey bends to find his pants, and I have to stop myself from licking my lips. His ass is fucking stellar, and I don’t even have many to compare it to. I just know. “Since I have not been with dragons since I was too young for the mating talks, I am uncertain. Did the tigers say so?”
“I was old enough to have some of the talk when they exiled me, but… I do not know about cross-species or multiple matings.” Rennie frowns as he tugs his silk PJ pants on and then heads over to gather his hair in a scrunchie. “Gargoyle marks were more visible in our stony forms rather than our human.”
“Fuck knows, I haven’t met predatory bunnies, so that’s out the window.” My grumbles make them laugh, but I’m serious. With their new theory about Fae blood, it’s not my only concern. “I hate to ask something touchy…”
“Just do it.” Aubrey pulls on sweats, standing up as he looks at me seriously. “Honesty is the best thing, remember?”
I blow out a long breath and nod. “Rennie, what do you know about Fae mating? You know… because of reasons.”
The gargoyle turns to face me, his smile sad. “Not much, unfortunately. We were… not at that point yet. The hurdle of speaking to our parents was the first step to commitment, and that went poorly, as you know. Our discussions about logistics had not happened yet, when she was supposedly killed.”
“Just fucking great,” I mutter as I stomp to my suitcase. “Who the hell are we going to ask? Z knew about biological matingbasics, but she won’t know this shit. The Councils have hidden or destroyed most of the Fae's documentation to support their stupid exile. How will we know if things are even done correctly? Maybe the tatts have stayed hidden in public because I did the animal thing right, but not the Fae thing right. If I’m actually part of their species, of course.”
