“I seem to remember you having the same thoughts after I died,” said Dean.
“I deny everything,” asserted Silas.
Dean chuckled and kissed the top of his mate’s head. Despite the trauma of earlier in the day, Dean felt strangely at peace. More at peace than he could ever remember feeling. Nothing like near death to put everything into perspective, he mused.
A flickering movement on the lake caught his attention. Shadows raced across the surface, straight towards them. Dean stiffened, but before he could do anything, four shadowkin were standing before him, knee deep in the water.
Dean could feel the tension radiating from Silas’s body. Reflexively, Dean tightened his arms around his mate. Not that he thought he could protect him if the shadowkin meant harm. But he would still try his best.
Dean watched their visitors uneasily, but they didn’t move. At all. More motionless than vampires. Dean swallowed.
“Did you find him?” he tried, proud when his voice didn’t shake.
One of the shadowkin nodded. Slow and creepy as hell, but definitely a nod. A flood of happiness, excitement and relief flowed down the mate bond from Silas. Dean grinned.
“Can you take us to him?” Dean asked.
Another creepy nod. Silas got to his feet and Dean swiftly followed.
“Where is he? How far?” asked Dean and then cursed, the shadowkin didn’t seem able to talk, they couldn’t answer that. “Can we walk? Or do we need a car or a plane?”
He wasn’t sure of the shadowkins’ grasp of distance, or how far and fast embodied mortal beings could travel, but he needed to start somewhere. Then he realized he was still being stupid with his questions. He needed to ask one at a time and give the shadowkin time to shake their heads or nod.
He was just about to open his mouth and rephrase his questions when one of the strange creatures stretched out his hands in front of him and mimed using a steering wheel. It should have been funny, but it was just unnerving.
“Great. Thank you,” said Dean uneasily. “Um… I’ll guess we will go get a car.”
Silas had already pulled his phone out of his pocket and was typing furiously on it. Dean stared at him.
“There is a road about a mile away, Baltazar is going to meet us there with a car,” answered Silas without looking up.
“You know where we are?” asked Dean in surprise. He didn’t have a clue, but he would have been able to unerringly get them back to the Council Chamber. His wolf would have remembered and been able to retrace their steps. But he had no other bearings.
Silas looked up then and grinned. “Nope, but Google Maps does.”
Dean chuckled and lowered his head for a kiss. Silas scowled and stepped back.
“I meant what I said about brushing your teeth, troll blood is gross.”
“You’re a necromancer, you’re the least squeamish person I know!” protested Dean.
“Doesn’t mean I want gross stuff in my mouth.”
Dean raised an eyebrow, and Silas rolled his eyes at his implied innuendo, making Dean laugh.
“Your cock and cum aren’t gross,” said Silas.
“My cock also hasn’t been anywhere near any troll blood,” suggested Dean hopefully. If Silas wouldn’t kiss him…
Silas shook his head and started walking away. “I’m not sucking you off in front of shadowkin,” he called over his shoulder.
Dean hurried after him. “You’re a terrible mate,” he teased.
“I’ll make it up to you later.”
Dean’s cock seemed to hear and understand Silas’s words. It twitched excitedly. Dean groaned and adjusted himself. Silas’s amusement bubbled down the bond and it made Dean smile. Life was good.
A mere few hours later and life didn’t feel so good at all. Dean stared down at the large gray building. Square, windowless, surrounded by high wire fences topped with barbed wire.
