13
The Greatdrakes apartment was in a triangle-shaped building on the Rue Ronsard, with views of the park and the occasional glimpse of Sacré-Cœur Cathedral. It had been bought by Apollo's grandfather after the Second World War and had been used as a base for whenever the family needed a holiday or had work within the city.
It had only two rooms, one upstairs and one down, and Apollo had fun memories of when they were kids all piled in one room together during holidays. These days, the single beds and trundles had been replaced with a queen bed like the upstairs room, and the adjoining ensuite was remodeled. It needed to be after having four boys using it for years.
Apollo looked sideways at Lachlan. Seeing him in a space that only family had been in was weird. He looked so tired. Had he slept at all since Apollo had been taken?
Apollo had been running his mouth at Bellerose when he said Lachlan Ironwood would come for him. But then he had. His mate had come for him. Unclaimed or not.
The dragon inside Apollo keened softly. It liked the feeling of being wrapped in Lachlan's arms when they had hugged. Itwas safe and comfortable. For the first time in a long time, everything felt...right.
We can't keep him, Apollo tried to tell it. The yearning was seeping through every part of him now, and he didn't know how long he could put it off.
Keep him for now, the dragon insisted. Apollo considered and then dismissed the idea. He was sure it would hurt him more if he gave into it. Gods, he was so confused and exhausted. He needed to sleep first before he considered what to do about his feelings for Lachlan Ironwood.
"The wards look good still, but I'm going to add some layers in," Valentine said once they were inside. "I have the upstairs room, and you two can fight over the bed down here."
"Apollo can have it. He needs it more," Lachlan said before Apollo could open his mouth. "I'll fit on the couch."
"Apollo, can you check the pantry, see what supplies we have, and text me what we need? I want to set some magical alarms around the building outside, and I'll get some groceries while I'm out," Valentine replied. With a meaningful look, he slipped out the front door again.
If Apollo didn't know better, he would think Val was purposely giving him and Lachlan some alone time.
Lachlan put his duffle bag in the lounge room and sat on the couch. His blue eyes followed Apollo as he hurried into the kitchen and made a mental list of things they would need.
"I don't have my phone to text him," Apollo grumbled. "I don't suppose you recovered it?"
"It might still be in the car at home," Lachlan said, offering him his phone. "Here, text Val from mine."
Apollo took the phone and typed in the list. He fought the urge to look at who else had been texting Lachlan. It was none of his business, and he was too emotionally vulnerable at the moment to see who was sexting his mate.
Lachlan took the phone back and caught his hand. "What can I do to make you feel better, Apollo?"
"Go home so you don't get killed," Apollo answered automatically.
Lachlan frowned. "You do understand what I do for a job, right? Getting you out of there was easier than most of my hunts."
"I don't want you getting hurt," Apollo insisted, a helpless feeling creeping up his throat.
"Is this your way of saying you care?" Lachlan asked, a slow grin spreading across his face. It stopped the panic threatening Apollo and made him hot instead.
"No. This is saying I'm scared of what Ciara will do to me if these blood mages hurt a hair on your pretty head."
Lachlan lazily stretched his arms out over the back of the couch. "There's nothing you can say or do to convince me to leave you when you are surrounded by enemies, Apollonius. Do you understand?"
Apollo's dragon surged forward, hungry and wanting. He growled softly before he cut himself off and rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry."
"Don't be. I love it when your eyes change like that," Lachlan said with a smile. "It's your dragon, right?"
"Yeah, it is. It's protective and chooses the wrong moments to make itself known."
Lachlan tilted his head to one side. "Bas said he had to reconcile both sides of himself and stop fighting it. Why are you fighting yours, Apollo?"
Because it wants to keep you forever.
Apollo cleared his throat. "It doesn't understand human boundaries, so it rattles off nonsense. I've always had trouble focusing, but it makes it worse when it tries talking to me mid-conversation."
"Yeah? What's it saying now?" Lachlan asked.
