"Just helping a friend after a rough night. I'll call with a food order when I get him settled," Lachlan replied and the man only nodded.
"They do know you here," Apollo said. He rested his face against Lachlan's shoulder.
"Stay with me. We are almost there," Lachlan replied and held him closer to his side. Lachlan smelled so good, even after being in the catacombs.
Lachlan got Apollo into a room and settled him down on the closed lid of a toilet. "Are you okay to sit there for a moment?"
Apollo nodded, his head starting to ache. Gods, he was so tired. Lachlan ran a bath and ducked out of the bathroom. He came back with a bottle of water and a thick robe.
"Can you get in the bath, or do you want me to help?" he asked.
Apollo had a few mouthfuls of water, and it helped clear his head a little. "I will be fine, Lachlan. I don't need you washing my back for me."
"I'm still leaving the door open, and I want you to call for help if you need it," Lachlan growled.
Apollo nodded, and Lachlan left him alone. His body still felt awkward and heavy as he pulled his clothes off and climbed into the warm water. Apollo leaned back against the tub, put his hands over his face and sobbed.
"How can I help?" Lachlan asked softly.
"I…I want my big brother," Apollo sniffed.
When he was young, Apollo would always run to Valentine to help him kill the monsters under his bed. Now, he had real ones, and he wanted his brother more than anything to come and kill them all.
"I'll find him for you, Apollo. He should already be in Paris. I'll get him here as soon as I can."
"Lachie?" Apollo whispered, not turning around. "Thank you for coming for me."
"I got you. Now and always," Lachlan said, and that just made Apollo cry harder.
12
Lachlan ordered room service with the landline and used his other hand to text Valentine their location. The Greatdrakes were going to be pissed that he hadn't waited, but Lachlan wasn't sorry he had gone in alone.
He would never get the image of Apollo strapped to the table out of his head as long as he lived. His hands began to shake, and he clenched them tight to make them stop. He had gotten Apollo back. They had gotten lucky.
The Sanguis Vitae wouldn't take the attack on their headquarters well. They would come for Apollo again and wouldn't be subtle about it. They needed to be ready.
Apollo was crying in the bathtub, and Lachlan wanted nothing more than to climb in beside him and hold him close. He couldn't do that though. Apollo would never let him, and he wanted Val anyway.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked through the door, careful not to look in.
"No. Maybe when Val is here, and I've eaten. I'm sorry…"
"You've got nothing to be sorry for. They aren't ever going to touch you again. Hear me?" Lachlan said. He ground his teethso hard together that his molars ached. His beautiful golden boy was hurting, and he could do fucking nothing. There was a knock at the door. "That will be your food."
Lachlan opened the hotel door, and pain burst through his nose as a fist hit him hard and fast.
Valentine shook out his hand and pushed him aside. "That's for leaving without me, you fucking asshole. Where is he?"
"Bathroom," Lachlan grumbled, holding his nose. He supposed he deserved it.
Valentine went into the bathroom and crouched by the tub. "You okay, baby brother?"
"No." Apollo burst into tears again, and Valentine hugged his head to his chest.
"I brought you some clothes. Come out of there and get dressed. I don't want to talk to you with your junk out everywhere." Valentine patted his wet curls. "Can you get out of there, okay? Or do I need to get Lachie?"
"I'll be fine," Apollo sniffed.
