I blinked. Hearing about portals from Davlov had not done this miracle of magic any justice. It was a spectacular sight.
Two males stepped from the portal. One was huge and so muscular that he looked like he could crush a car with his hand alone, and the other guy was stunning in the way only fae could be. He had the prettiest, bluest hair I’d ever seen.
I gaped, my footsteps halting.
“Shit, what are they doing here?” muttered Vito.
“Who are they?”
“The big one is Connor Rawson. He’s King of the Shifters. And the other one is the Prince Heir, the ruler of Faerie while the King is in exile here on Earth.”
“Shit, really?”
“Yeah. So stop gaping, and mind your manners, but don’t show any fear or they’ll never respect you.”
The big guy glared at me. I felt an otherworldly power touch my skin before he nodded a greeting. “I’m looking for the Count. It’s urgent.”
I swallowed hard, but straightened my spine. I wasn’t the same kid I’d been before I met Davlov. No matter how lethal and powerful, I would never cower from another person again.
I strode forward. “I’ll take you to him.” I looked them both in the eyes before I respectfully moved my gaze away.
Power emanated from the two as they walked behind me down the corridor towards the Count’s office. I could feel the mate bond tug me forward, and it was a chore not to hurry. I knocked, but didn’t stop. I doubted these two kings would appreciate standing outside Bal’s office waiting for him to answer the door.
Davlov’s scent hit me as I walked in, my eyes immediately finding his. He met my gaze but didn’t smile, his attention immediately going to the two powerful immortals at my back.
“Connor? B’nar? What’s wrong?” the Count asked, his colourless eyes searching their faces.
“I need your help. We have a problem.” Connor pulled a phone from his jeans. Clicking the screen, he placed it on the table.
“This is just for you, Shifter King. You allied with the wrong vampires. Break your alliance with Balthazar Rossi and the Originals who follow the vampire King and his son, or we will continue killing your kind until there are none left. I realise my brethren have failed to wipe out your Canadian pack—for now, but while they regroup, just sit back and enjoy the show.”
Blood drained from my head. I wanted to throw up at the sound of that familiar voice. Staggering backwards, I leaned against the wall. It was that or fall. Davlov’s gaze snapped to me, I could feel the weight of it even if I couldn’t look at him.
I panted, my heavy breaths drowned out by the grunts and noise on the phone. It sounded like they were beating someone…
“Elliot?” Dav’s voice was heavy with concern.
I took a deep breath and lifted my head. “I-I’m okay…I just…” but I couldn’t get enough air in.
“Dav? Elliot? Is everything okay?” The Count’s gaze shifted to me.
Two more powerful gazes swung my way. Sweat trickled down my spine, and my breaths came faster—until Dav took my face in his calloused hands. That touch was everything. It grounded me.
“Breathe with me, baby. In…out…in…that’s it…out…good.” His chest rose and fell slowly and deeply and I mirrored his movements, gripping onto his large biceps with my shaking fingers. No one spoke until I’d calmed, and was breathing steadily again. The Count’s eyes remained on me, but he didn’t ask what had triggered my panic. He and Dav exchanged a look. Neither of them needed to. That voice was in my psyche as a trigger for every bit of pain and subjugation I’d suffered from being a little boy. I stayed propped against the wall with Dav’s hands on my shoulders, and the Count moved his attention back to Connor, his face utterly cold.
“I’ll come with you. Hunting them down by scent will be easy for me. But that fucker is mine.”
“Thank you.” Connor sounded relieved. “You can have him. I just want my brothers back alive. That pack were the ones who broke out of prison with me. I owe them.”
“I understand,” said Bal.
“B’nar will portal you there. I’ll join you as quickly as I can with more reinforcements, but that fucker’s threatened my home. I need to make sure there isn’t an immediate threat to my mate and our baby.”
The Count nodded. “Dav?”
Dav gave his boss a reassuring smile. “I’ve got it. I’ll look after everything.”
Bal nodded and glanced at the door, a line appearing on the bridge of his nose.
