“Not a problem,” Harlan assured him as the SUV pulled away from the curb in front of the library. “We’ll go there now.”
Saemund sat in the rear third row of seats, and Raum was next to Ezra. Raum took Ezra’s nearest hand and held it, and Ezra flushed with pleasure at the gesture, staring at Raum, who met his gaze with something Ezra fancied might be affection or fondness. He wasn’t sure, but Raum was showing him how he felt with physical gestures, and he really appreciated it. Took the ambiguity of emotions out of the equation—Ezra needed blatantness. Subtlety was not his forte.
They reached the hospital in a few minutes, and Ezra and Raum exited the SUV, Lilith remaining in Chase’s lap, and they headed inside Sacred Threshold. The recovery wing was empty, their steps echoing off the tall ceilings and wide halls.
Ezra reached the seating area near his room, the one with the relief of Hecate over the fireplace, and he paused for a brief moment, certain he saw movement in the stone.
Eyes watching him.
He stared back, but the carved eyes of the goddess were truly stone, unmoving. Probably just stress having him see things. He felt nothing in the ambient magic fields, either. Not that he was sure he would be able to sense it if a goddess was moving through the world.
“Ezra?” Raum stopped a few feet away, looking back at him.
“Sorry, had a weird moment there,” Ezra hurried to catch up. “It’s nothing.”
They reached his borrowed room and Ezra went right for his curse-breaking gear. He stripped out of his clothing, kicking off his boots, naked but for his boxer briefs. He dug out his leather pants and corset, checking the straps and the spellwork on his garments before pulling them on, securing the buckles and buttons, the strings on the corset in the back already threaded through the hooks and eyelets. All he had to do was reach behind himself and tighten the silk cords, but big, warm hands beat him to it.
He blinked over his shoulder at Raum, who was tugging the cords and tightening the corset with fierce intent, brows furrowed. Raum saw him looking and gave him a wicked grin. “I’m really digging the outfit.”
The leather pants clung to him like a second skin, the belts wrapped around his hips defined his lean waist, and the corset—well, it did what any decent corset would do, accentuating everything.
Ezra blushed. “Thanks.”
Raum tugged a bit more and reached the bottom row of hooks, his fingers tying off the excess cord. “How do you want this tied off?”
“Wrap the excess around the last hooks then tie a double knotted bow. It’ll hold.”
Raum followed directions and then those big hands gripped his hips, Raum stepping up behind him, body pressed along Ezra’s back and ass. A soft kiss landed behind his ear on his neck, and Ezra shivered in heightened awareness.
“Later,” he said, knowing it was a promise, quiet and intense. “After.”
Another kiss, and Ezra sighed happily. Raum spoke in his ear. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Raum stepped away, and Ezra tried not to mourn the loss of his body heat. He turned and flushed hot at the appreciation in Raum’s expression. He was never one to fish for compliments, but a part of him felt vulnerable and needy. Raum must have seen as much in his aura, all without Ezra saying a word, because Raum smiled and said, “You look amazing and incredibly competent. Let’s go wake a goddess.”
Ezra grinned.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
EZRA
Dressed in his gear, Ezra and Raum returned to the SUV, getting inquisitive glances from Harlan and Chase, but neither said anything about his attire. They got back into their seats, buckled in, and Lilith jumped into his lap the second he was ready.
Shemerpedat him, nosing and sniffing at his corset, likely wondering why he didn’t bring her gear with him. They weren’t going to be scrambling through an abandoned mansion or ruins, so she didn’t need her gear—he would be leaving her with the sergeants, hopefully at a safe distance.
Though there might not be a safe distance.
And as long as they didn’t blow themselves up trying to stop the skull.
He really needed to stop thinking of worst-case scenarios.
The drive to the MERS base was quick, traffic minimal, and they were waved into the base past security with alacrity. The SUV stopped in front of the hangar holding the reliquary, and they piled out. Ezra carried Lilith and went to Major Grendel, who was standing by the doors of the hangar, hands on her hips, a fierce expression on her face.
“Do I need to evacuate the base?” Grendel asked as soon as he was close enough.
“I have no idea,” Ezra said honestly. “It’s a strong maybe? This could go badly.”
Ezra turned to the others—Raum, Saemund, Harlan, and Chase. “This might end up with us dying in an explosion or a massive blizzard. It’s okay to change your mind and leave.”
