"Wow, your ass is so perky. I'm going to need a handful of coins to see if they bounce," he said and gave it an experimental squeeze.
Lachlan tried not to jump with every pinch. In any other situation, he would have loved Apollo groping him. It wouldn't be right to think anything of it when he was so drunk.
With a sigh, Lachlan carried the unrequited love of his life to where he had parked his own car and tried really hard to ignore the dick rubbing against his shoulder with every step he took.
3
It took twice as long as Lachlan would have liked to get back to Ironwood Manor because his passenger demanded to go through a McDonald's drive-through for 'supplies.' Apollo still couldn't feel his legs, but apparently, his stomach was working just fine.
While they waited for his order, Lachlan woke a few of the hunters he had been training for Kenna and sent them out to retrieve the van.
He had never heard of Sanguis Vitae. That wasn't surprising. Ever since the fae returned, all sorts of crazy clubs were on the rise. Magic was out, and humans wanted a taste even if they lacked magical abilities. What he had seen the mage do with his blood tonight was enough to know that he had been no fucking amateur.
As soon as Apollo had food in front of him, he finally stopped singing and quoting in order to stuff his mouth. If Lachlan hadn't been feeling ultra paranoid about someone trying to kidnap Apollo, he might have found the whole thing ridiculously cute.
The Ironwood manor was dark and quiet by the time they finally arrived. The sun wasn't going to be up for a while, but Lachlan knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep.
"Hang tight to that drink if you want to keep it," Lachlan warned and picked Apollo up in a bridal carry. "And no singing and waking the house up."
"I like it when you try to be bossy. It's so cute," Apollo said and bopped Lachlan on the nose. He giggled when Lachlan snapped his teeth at him. "This is my emotional support Coke and must come with me."
"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.
