“Yes,” Braxen said. “When Merrick and I were watching you, we noticed that someone was trailing us. Then they stopped following us and started following you.”
“So, we set up cameras,” Merrick said.
“Wait. What?!” My head swung toward Merrick. “Cameras where?”
“Outside your home. Nothing too invasive,” Merrick said. “Calm down, Pocahontas.”
“I think that's offensive, Merrick,” Braxen said.
“Why? Pocahontas was awesome. They made movies about her.”
“I was shocked about the cameras too,” Rune said. “But I'm glad they did it.”
“You didn't know?” I asked.
“No, they did all their surveillance behind my back.”
“He was too busy pining for you,” Merrick said.
“I had lost my chance at the only woman I ever felt anything for!” Rune snarled.
Merrick snarled back. As in a real snarl, not words said viciously as Rune had done.
“Enough!” I snapped.
The men went still.
Interesting.
“I understand now,” I said. “I'm willing to see where this goes.”
The men started to smile.
I held up a hand and went on, “But I can't leave Hermes. So, if you can't deal with him, we're back in the same boat we started in. Only now, the boat's crowded.”
“He leaves you to fuck other women,” Merrick said. “Why do you have to stay with him?”
“Because he wants me to,” I said.
“That's stupid,” Braxen said.
“It's loyal,” Rune snapped at him.
“No, he's right,” I said. “It's stupid. I should leave him. But I still remember the man who teased me into love, then lifted me out of the mortal life I was born into, and made me a type of demigoddess. Hermes gave me eternity. He became my lover and companion for centuries before he left me. And even then, he couldn't stay away. He keeps coming back, and I keep welcoming him. Because I remember. I remember the love, but also the horrors I escaped because of him. He showed me the world at a time when humans couldn't even conceive of traveling such distances. He protected me from war, racism, and all the atrocities born of them. He made me wealthy, taught me things that no other human knows, and has always looked after me. I don't love him as a man anymore. But I do love him as a friend.”
The hounds were not happy, but, one after another, they nodded.
“We will deal with Hermes,” Rune said.
Braxen added, “But first, we have to deal with Michael.”
Chapter Nineteen
Summer in Seattle meant warm weather and long days. The lingering sunlight fooled me into thinking it was earlier than it was. By the time we finished our conversation, I was exhausted. A glance at the clock on the mantle told me why. It was well after midnight.
“I didn't get to eat my ice cream,” I murmured.
“What was that, Lo?” Rune asked.
