"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.
With a sigh, Lachlan returned to the bathroom and wet a clean face towel. He put it on the back of Apollo's neck and held his golden curls back from his face.
"You're going to be okay," Lachlan said softly.
Apollo only threw up again. It was going to be a long night.
Lachlan waiteduntil Apollo was sleeping before he grabbed his laptop and set up on a couch in the sitting area that adjoined his bedroom.
As the only Ironwood male cousin, he had always had a separate space from his female ones. It was how the peace was kept. Growing up, large sections of the manor house had been locked up because there hadn't been enough people to fill them.
Now, the place was a training grounds and a place for hunters to stay when they were in Ireland. His little set of private chambers was more important than ever.
He really wanted to sleep, but he didn't want to in case Apollo needed him again. He had thrown up on himself, and Lachlan had to strip him out of his ruined clothes and into some of his own before putting him back in bed.
Lachlan was starting to think the gods were testing him because in his mind, the first time he got to strip Apollo out of his clothes was a lot sexier. He didn't know what had delighted him more—the sigil tattooed under his naval or his tight boxer briefs that were the same rainbow design as his socks. He looked but he didn't touch, and he felt like he deserved a gold star for that.
Lachlan rubbed at his eyes, groaned in frustration, and got to work. First, he sent an email to Layla, asking her if she knew anything about the Sanguis Vitae and if she could look into them.
He didn't have her skills in researching, and Layla was keeping track of any new groups that were popping up. A lot of them were occult societies and weren't much to worry about, but the ease with which the mage had used blood magic was still worrying. The fact they were targeting Apollo was even more so.
He was an excellent alchemist, and the Greatdrakes were famous for their abilities, especially in magical circles. He would have to ask Cosimo about them too.
They couldn't overlook the fact that their extended family were also people of importance, and people still viewed Kian as a monster who attacked London.
Lachlan wouldloveto see anyone try to kidnap Kian. He might know how to play nice with the government, but the Blood Prince still lingered under the surface. There wouldn't be enough left of his attackers to bury.
Lachlan ran a hand over his tired eyes again. He needed coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
4
Apollo woke with a mouth tasting like vomit and a blazing headache. What the fuck had happened last night? He remembered meeting a French guy and then everything went blurry. He cracked open a sore eye and found himself in an unfamiliar room.
Apollo didn't do sleepovers with hookups as a rule. Had he hooked up? Gods, he had no idea. His eyes focused on a movie poster ofHighlanderfrom its original release. There was one guy he knew who would be a big enough nerd to have that on his walls.
Oh, no.Apollo smelled the pillow he was lying on and got an instant erection.Oh, no. Oh, no.
Oh, yes, the dragon growled happily, and Apollo rubbed his hard dick against the bed, seeking some friction. He stopped in horror and quickly sat up. No. He would not rub himself all over a bed like a horny cat.
