“We always know when trouble comes to the island.” Aethan glanced at the calm sea. “Besides, Blaéz has the gift of foresight. He’ll tell you even if you don’t want to hear it.”
“And mind-reading, too.” Týr smirked, leaning his forearms on the guardrail. “But then you die.”
Nate arched an eyebrow. Seriously? Were they fucking with the new guy?
Blaéz merely shrugged, but his eyes glinted with mirth. “Told Ely darkness awaited and to beware. And here you are.”
At his teasing tone, Nate wryly inclined his head. Damn males and their shitty humor.
“Oh, one more thing,” Týr said and leaped off the top deck to land on the lower one.
Dagan remained with the angel, arms folded over his chest. He was a vampire, Ely had told him, Nate had dealt with otherworldly beings who thrived on plasma and the greedy, blood-sucking demons, but never a vampire. This male appeared a little on the reserved side and always watching like a cobra, and likely as deadly, too. Hell, all these mofos undoubtedly were.
“Since her brother isn’t here,” Týr said, expression morphing to lethal, “I’ll do the honors. Hurt her…”
“Hear, hear!” the others threw in, eyeballing him like he was minutes away from being dissected limb by limb.
“Guys, stop!” Ely groaned.
Let me handle this,Nate telepathed her.
Exasperated copper eyes met his. She huffed and nodded.
He calmly met the warriors’ stares, a cold breeze picking up as it started snowing again. “I never expected Ely. Not at all. And then there she was. A revelation for me in every possible way,” he said, feeling her love like a huge warm hug enclosing him. He reached out an arm and drew her close. “Finding your other half is the most singular experience in anyone’s life. She makes everything right in mine—better. If we were ever under attack…”I’ll lay down my life for you, he telepathed her, and to the others, aloud, “I’ll use her as a shield and protect this place and myself.”
Dead silence dropped.
He could feel Ely’s confusion, then his telepathic words registered, and she bit her lip, trying to hide her grin.
Their eyes narrowed, but Aethan snorted, getting the jibe. “Welcome to theposse—thegang? No idea what you young’uns are calling a band of protectors these days.”
Young’uns?Really? Then reality struck. These males were thousands and thousands of years old compared to his not-yet full three decades of life. Shit.
“Someone has to protect the old men here,” Nate deadpanned. Before they picked their jaws off the wooden pier, he nailed Blaéz with a dead-serious stare. “I don’t want to know anything—wait, scratch that, as long as Ely is safe, then the rest I don’t give a fuck about. Anyone comes after her, I will decimate them.”
“Knew I’d like you.” Blaéz chuckled, the falling snow dusting his hair and shoulders. “You coming up to the castle?”
“Yeah…” Nate nodded. “Echo insisted.”
Aethan shook his head. “She’s been like an energizer bunny on full throttle wanting everything perfect for the first lunch with her brother.”
“It’s also Christmas Eve, remember?” Ely said then. “And we have presents to exchange.” She arched her eyebrows at them. “You guys didn’t forget, did you?”
“I’m good,” Nik said.
The others nodded.
Nate’s attention settled on the angel on the upper deck, his arms folded, watching them, wings in full display, his halo bright like a homing beam. “Who’s the poser?”
“A pain in the ass,” Aethan muttered. “Echo’s tutor. He’s got another think coming if he assumes my mate’s gonna spend Christmas Eve studying about her—your—ancestor.”
Right. The Watcher’s leader, Zarias. Nate still couldn’t wrap his head around that. He’d not only inherited whatever the angel’s abilities were but his wings, too. Guess he’d learn more about his ancestor soon enough.
“And not important to us,” Týr added, eyeballing the angel evilly, who seemed not to hear them.
“Yo, Lore?” Nik called out, stepping onto the pier and sliding his hands into his jeans pockets. He looked up, all casual and shit. “Remember what I told you back in Romania coupla months ago? And who my sire is? He said it’s done. Happy Christmas!” He smirked.
The angel stiffened. “I’m in service to God and do not celebrate human traditions,” he said coolly and vanished with a flutter of flaming wings.
