"Fine. Just don't drop it."
Lachlan carried him through one of the back doors that led into the kitchen and almost ran into Imogen. She was in a satin kimono, eating toast. She took one look at them and grinned.
"Well. This will be a surprise to absolutely no one," she said and chuckled filthy.
"It's not what it looks like. Someone just tried to kidnap him and injected him with something. I've sent the recruits for the car," Lachlan explained quickly.
Imogen's eyes went black, and her smirk slipped into a snarl. "Who dared touch one of us?"
Lachlan had seen Imogen angry enough not to be intimidated by the changes Arawan's magic had wrought in her, but he was always glad she was on their side.
"Some French blood mage. Said something about Sanguis Vitae. I don't know who they are, but I have to get Apollo upstairs and dosed with an antidote."
"Nooo, I like rainbow head," Apollo said forlornly. He rubbed his nose against Lachlan's neck. "Smell so good."
The darkness seeped away from Imogen's eyes. "Have fun with that. Here, you might need this." She ducked into a cleaning cupboard and pulled out a bucket. She looped the handle around Lachlan's wrist, which was tucked under Apollo's legs.
"We will find who did this, Lachie. I promise," she said, her eyes darkening again.
"Thanks, cousin."
"I love you guys so much," Apollo said, his eyes filling with tears.
"Come on, love bug," Lachlan sighed. "Let's get you into bed."
He adjusted Apollo's weight and carried him to the elevator. He usually took the stairs, but Apollo wasn't light or small. He was also starting to wriggle, which wasn't helping Lachlan think unsexy thoughts. Apollo was starting to doze by the time Lachlan got him into his room, set him down on the bed, and put his drink on the bedside table.
"Ohh, dizzy," Apollo said and fell back onto the pillows.
Think unsexy thoughts, Lachlan told himself. He hurried into the bathroom, found his antidote kit, and pulled out a vial that Apollo himself had made. The label read 'Roofies Be Gone' with a smiley face. According to Charlotte, it helped with any kind of dosing, and Apollo had started giving extra vials of it to the Ironwoods for their hunters to carry.
"Time for your medicine, Apollo," Lachlan said, coming closer with the vial.
Apollo pulled his face away. "Don't want any."
Lachlan pinned his arms above his head, and when Apollo opened his mouth to protest, he tipped the vial in. Apollo swallowed in surprise and coughed. Lachlan let him go and went to fill a cup with water.
"Drink this," he said, offering it to Apollo.
"Dirty trick," Apollo muttered but still had some water. He chased it with more of his icy Coke but then lay down with a groan.
Lachlan put the bucket on the floor next to the bed and started to take off Apollo's shoes for him.
"You are going to hate me so much in the morning, but I'm not going to let anyone take you," Lachlan said, removing one shoe. He was wearing rainbow-striped toe socks. "Gods, I wish you could not be adorable for five fucking seconds."
"Never hate you," Apollo murmured into the pillow.
"No?" Lachlan pulled off his other shoe and couldn't resist running a thumb over the arch of Apollo's foot.
"No," Apollo giggled, moving his foot out of his hand. "Can't have you, but can never hate you."
Couldn't have him? That made no sense. Lachlan had made it crystal clear at the hospital just how much he wanted him.
"Lachlan?"
"Yes, Apollo?"
"I..."Apollo's face went white, and he leaned over and threw up in the bucket. It was bound to happen.
