“Yeah, sure,” Pip pouted.
They continued through the maze of rooms until they came into a big room where a giant horse and a big creature with an eagle’s head and wings stood guard. There were multiple bodies on the ground, and a few body parts that Pip didn’t care to investigate too closely.
Pip gulped.
“Eduard, we have a complication,” Sawyer said.
“What kind of complication?”
Another voice. This time from a guy about Pip’s age who stepped out from behind one of the support columns. He looked a little worse for the wear, but he was hot, too. Kind of boy next door cute like Sawyer. Pip wouldn’t mind—
The blond swordsman kissed the new cutie.
Pip huffed. Seriously. The levels of unfair were reaching epic proportions.
“Sawyer, is that… is that what I think it is?” the young guy gasped out. He’d finally caught sight of Tony who was still stuck to Sawyer like glue.
“Pretty sure. Which means we really need to get the hell out of here, fast. I just have no idea how we’re going to transport the tiger.”
Tony bumped his head against Sawyer’s hand.
“Don’t worry, big guy. I’m not leaving you behind. I just have to figure out how exactly to get you home.”
Magic began to build, and Pip looked around. They all did.
“Sawyer, in the middle.”
And within seconds, Pip was shoved beside Sawyer while the others surrounded them. But Pip saw something they didn’t. Tony’s eyes had begun to glow. “Um, excuse me?”
“It’s okay, Pip,” Sawyer said. “We’re going to get out of here. My guardians will protect us.”
“Yeah, but—”
Sawyer wrapped his arm around Pip’s shoulder, but his attention was on their surroundings. It was really sweet of him to try to comfort Pip like that. Maybe he shouldn’t be so jealous of Sawyer and his many mates after all. He was obviously one of the good guys.
Magic continued to build, and then there was a giant pop. Pip screeched a little and clung tightly to Sawyer. He couldn’t help it. He startled easily.
“What the—”
One of the guys— Pip had already lost track of most of their names— seemed really startled as well, so Pip opened his eyes. They weren’t in the same place they’d been before. They were standing in a backyard surrounded by about a thousand guys with swords.
“Oh shit,” Pip said. He tried to scoot a little closer to Tony, hoping his friend would continue to protect him.
“We’re home?” Sawyer said.
“We’re home,” the other young cute one said before he began to laugh.
This was their home? Pip had no idea who Sawyer was, but clearly he had a lot of bodyguards. And mates. Don’t forget that Sawyer also seemed to be a giant mate-hog. So unfair.
“How the hell did that happen?” Blond Sword Guy seemed as confused as the others.
“Did you see a portal? It felt like a portal,” Sawyer asked.
Pip looked down, and Tony’s eyes weren’t glowing anymore. He poked the tiger in the side, getting an annoyed growl in reply. “Do you mean to tell me that you could have gotten us out of there the entire time? What the hell, Tony?”
Silence was his only answer. Every set of eyes had turned to him.
Pip could feel the blush building on his cheeks. “Um, hi.”
