Atlas sipped from his mug. “Not yet. Maybe soon though.”
“Back to the human realm. We have Logan, the lion shifter, and his mate, Dean, who is a powerful mage. I’ve called and left a message with Dean to see if he can help you.”
“Okay.”
“Dean has a feline shifter as a familiar named Noah.”
“A witch with a familiar. Got it.”
“Mage. There is a difference between mages, witches, and warlocks,” Bel explained patiently.”
“Of course there is.” Atlas even rolled his eyes.
“Next was Gavin, a thunderbird shifter, and his human mate, Stryker. And Leo is Gavin’s brother who is not currently mated. We also have Aaron, an oracle, and Bastian, a margay shifter, and his human mate, Hudson. Lucifer just informed me this morning that Aaron found his mate in Hudson’s brother, Carter, but the two have not completed their claiming.”
Atlas blew out a breath.
“And that is the pack that will help us. The boys that live in our realm will be happy to speak with you. And they do love their research.”
“That’s it?” Atlas questioned.
“I think that just leaves Lucifer and his two mates, Cary and Gage. Cary is human and Gage is a feline shifter.”
“And they’re coming here?” Atlas questioned.
“Just say our name and we appear!”
Atlas leaped from his chair.
Bel cursed. Time was up.
Chapter Four
Atlas
Jumping out of his chair, Atlas braced himself for an attack. Adrenaline coursed through him as he gripped the arm of the couch tight. To his right was the wall he’d entered through earlier. Maybe twenty to thirty steps away.
Bel cursed and rose before moving to Atlas’s side, placing a hand on his lower back. “It’s okay. We’re safe.”
A cute young man around his age with red hair and pretty green eyes grinned at him while holding a large black cat in his arms. An attractive demon who Atlas assumed was Lucifer stood beside the redhead with a hand on his shoulder. Bel had told him that Lucifer was coming. Atlas just thought he’d knock on the door or ring the bell. Not transport into the middle of their breakfast.
Atlas really did like magic but he could see some downsides as well.
“Hi!” The redhead bounced on his toes. “I’m Cary.”
“Hello.” Atlas pressed against Bel’s side. He wasn’t scared of the two people and cat in front of him but this was the first time he’d seen anyone other than him in Bel’s space.
“Welcome to hell!” Cary said brightly. “This is my amazing mate, Lucifer, and the furry one is Gage. Bel was worried about hurting your head or eyes or something since Gage is a shifter so we thought we’d try this way. Why do shifters hurt your head? Luci wouldn’t tell me.” He glared over his shoulder at the towering demon before turning back to smile at Atlas.
“Oh. Uh.” Atlas thought he talked a lot when he got excited, but he had nothing on Cary. And this kid was mated to the king of hell? Interesting.
“How are the flickers?” Bel asked while bending down to speak in his ear.
Atlas had to suppress a shudder. This was the closest that Bel had been to him. Atlas liked it. And Bel smelled good. Like cinnamon and honey and something smoky. Wait, Bel had asked him something. He glanced back at the cat but it looked like a cat to him. “No flickers,” he admitted. Interesting. How many other animals had he passed and did not know they were a shifter?
“Good.” Bel rubbed his lower back. “This might work.”
“Work?” Atlas asked as Lucifer spoke.
