Ksenia, heavily pregnant and glowing despite her obvious exhaustion, waddles over to one of the overstuffed chairs near the fireplace and lowers herself down with a grateful sigh. My three brothers head directly toward me, purpose in their strides.
I stride confidently to meet them.
But apparently, I’m not fast enough.
Because from behind my back, Lauren scurries forward like she owns the place.
“I’m so excited to meet you!” she exclaims, voice bright with genuine enthusiasm. “I’ve heard so much about you. You must be Abaddon.” She holds out her arms. “I’m a hugger. Are you a hugger?”
Abaddon looks utterly dumbfounded at the reception—a comical expression on my lion-man brother’s typically fierce face. The movement does look vaguely like a nod, and Lauren must take it as such because she throws her arms around his middle and squeezes.
Hard.
Hannah pops up behind her husband, eyes sparkling. “Did I hear you’re a hugger?” she asks enthusiastically. “I’m Hannah!”
“Hi! I’m Lauren,” Lauren barely gets the words out before Hannah has consumed her in an embrace that lifts her slightly off the ground.
“Welcome to our home,” Hannah says warmly, pulling back to beam at her. “We’re so glad to have you.”
I’m already shaking my head. “No.”
Hannah introduces her to Kharon—who offers a gentle smile and a more reserved hug—and then Layden, who looks up from his device long enough to give an awkward half-wave.
“No,” I say more firmly. “Not welcome to our home. She has no business being here. Remus captured her. We need to return her to where she belongs immediately.”
But Lauren just waves a dismissive hand at me. “Isn’t he so dramatic? No one captured me.”
Abaddon’s head swings my way, golden eyes questioning.
“You said there’s video,” I defend myself. “He flew down in a human city and took a woman. How is that anything but capturing?”
“Oh.” Lauren says it so breezily I want to shake her. “I volunteered. No capturing. Girl Scout’s honor. I mean, I was never a Girl Scout, but I was always their best customer every year during cookie season.”
Abaddon’s eyes meet mine again, and I can read the question there:Is she serious?
Every word out of her mouth is obviously deflection. We need to talk man to man, away from the chaos.
“Come. Let’s speak privately.” I gesture him away from the women.
But Lauren puts a hand between us—actually physically blocks us. “Hey, no. What, are you two big men gonna go and decide the fate of the little woman without any input from me? That’s bullshit.” Her eyes flash. “If you’re gonna talk about me, do it in front of me. I deserve to be part of this conversation.”
“I like her,” Hannah declares immediately, crossing her arms. “I say we keep her.”
Abaddon rolls his eyes but also crosses his arms, staying put. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “She has a point. Why discuss her fate apart from her presence?”
I shoot a glare Lauren’s way. She wants to hear what I have to say? Fine. I won’t hold back.
“Remus is a loose cannon. He lied to all of us, waiting for the family to leave so he could pull this stunt.”
Abaddon grunts, and I know I’ve scored a point. His tail flicks once—irritated.
“Plus, he’s found some way to manipulate our connection. He made me sleep for three days straight while he...” I wave a hand, searching for the right word that won’t scandalize everyone, “...wooed her.”
Kharon’s eyebrows shoot up at that. They’ve all circled around us now, forming a tight cluster. Even Ksenia has leaned forward in her chair, one hand on her rounded belly, listening intently.
“What’s the longest you’ve slept before?” Kharon asks quietly.
“You know us. It’s usually hours at a time. Twelve at the extremes.” I drag a hand through my hair. “One time, during an arduous battle, I slept for twenty-two hours while he had one of his especially manic, bloodthirsty episodes. But that was five hundred years ago.”
