Chapter Eight
“Ooh, I think I’m going to like our Ewen.” The man in pajamas hopped off the chair arm, grinning. “He knows how to speak up if he needs something, which is probably why he got a hellhound for a mate. We all know they need help in the dating department.”
Our Ewen? That was...weirdly possessive for someone he’d never met.
Although given the casual way the guy was standing in what Ewen assumed was Lord Hades’s throne room - or waiting room, or whatever gods called their reception areas - Ewen figured the man speaking had to be the consort Lamont had mentioned - the shifter mate.
No one else would dare wear a fun-sized T-shirt in the Underworld.
“I got the call while we were at the hotel.” Lamont’s face had gone red, which was adorable and also slightly concerning, given they were standing in front of an actual god. “I promised Ewen I wouldn’t leave him, so I didn’t. I brought him with me.”
Lamont’s arms tightened fractionally, as if he expected someone to try prying Ewen away. Ewen grabbed the blanket edges and tucked them more securely around himself. If Lamont wasn’t keen to put him down, that was fine. But Ewen wasn’t keen on being naked in front of strangers either.
“The issue,” Lord Hades said, his voice carrying the kind of authority that made Ewen’s fox want to roll over and show its belly, “is that you told Coda your journalist was your mate.”
“I did.” Lamont’s chin lifted slightly. “Because he is.”
“Coda works for my brother Zeus.” Lord Hades’s expression could’ve frozen the Styx. “Not for me. Using Zeus’s satellite network for personal matters creates...complications.”
“I didn’t have a choice.” Lamont’s voice stayed steady, but Ewen felt the tension thrumming through his mate’s body. “I’d searched for ten days. His phone was off, his apartment empty, and The New York Times had scrubbed him from their systems. I was out of options.”
“You could have asked me for assistance.”
“You were dealing with Giorgio’s situation, and your new twins, and the court days, and…I didn’t want to bother you with…”
“With the fact that your mate was missing and likely being tortured?” The consort, Ali - Ewen remembered the name now - crossed his arms. “Lamont, honey, that’s literally what Lord Hades does. He fixes things.”
“I fixed it myself.” Lamont’s jaw set in a way that Ewen was starting to recognize as stubborn. “I found Ewen. I rescued him. And yes, I told Coda he was my mate even though I didn’t know for certain he was at the time, but I was right, wasn’t I?”
Lord Hades’s eyebrows rose. “That’s not the point.”
“I feel that it is, sir.” Lamont shifted Ewen’s weight slightly, and Ewen wrapped his arms around his mate’s neck to make it easier.
“If I hadn’t told Coda it was an emergency, if I hadn’t invoked the favor he definitely owed me after that crap-fest in Tuscany, if I hadn’t used every resource available to find him, Ewen would be dead.
I’m sure it would’ve only been a matter of time before they killed him, and that’s assuming the mating sickness didn’t kill him first.”
“They were definitely planning to kill me,” Ewen confirmed, because that seemed relevant. “I overheard them discussing disposal methods. Very creatively, actually. Lots of concrete and sand involved.”
Ali winced. “Ouch.”
“The issue,” Lord Hades said, his tone sharpening, “is that Zeus is now aware one of my hellhounds used his resources without permission. There will likely be...consequences.”
Lamont’s arms tightened around Ewen. “What kind of consequences?”
“For you? Punishment of some kind, most likely. Zeus is being cagey about specifics, which means he’s planning something irritating.
We can only hope his mate, Paulie, talks him out of it.
” Lord Hades rubbed his temple. “For me? Probably an extremely tedious memo where he lectures me about proper channels and bureaucratic procedures.”
“That’s not right.” The words came out before Ewen could stop them.
Every eye in the room turned to him, and his fox curled up in terror, but Ewen pushed forward anyway.
“I’m sorry, sir, but that’s not right. Lamont literally saved my life.
If he hadn’t come when he did, I’d be dead.
How is that supposed to be okay? I’m his mate.
I’m fairly sure the Fates didn’t intend for me to die before we had a chance to say more than a dozen words to each other.
Don’t their wishes count for something?”
Lord Hades studied him with dark, ancient eyes that seemed to see straight through the blanket and into Ewen’s soul - being a god, he probably could see everything right through to Ewen’s rather embarrassing love of lizards. He resisted the urge to squirm.
“It would have been fine, one way or another,” Ali said gently. “If you’re meant to be Lamont’s mate, you’re already immortal. You wouldn’t have died.”
I wouldn’t? That would’ve been a useful thing to know when he was tied up. But Lord Hades was shaking his head.
“No.” Lord Hades’s voice was gentle, but it still cut through the room. “Ali, love, I’m sorry, but that’s not correct.”
The consort blinked. “What? But what about Enda? That’s Giorgio’s mate,” he added to Ewen. “He was always going to be immortal, even if Giorgio hadn’t found him when he did, and he was a shifter.”
“Only technically. Enda’s a phoenix – they are immortal.
But humans who are fated mates to immortals receive immortality the moment the mate bond snaps into place.
” Lord Hades gestured at Ewen. “Because Ewen is a shifter, he would live longer than humans by several hundred years, yes. But a shifter doesn’t become truly immortal until after their mate wears the collar. ”
The room went very quiet.
“Oh,” Ali said softly. “Oh, shit.”
“Exactly.” Ewen’s grip on the blanket tightened. “So, like I said, if Lamont hadn’t found me, I’d be dead. Very, very dead, sir. And how is punishing him for saving his mate’s life supposed to be fair?”
Lamont’s chest rose and fell against Ewen’s side. “Ewen, you don’t have to…”
“Yes, I do.” Ewen looked directly at Lord Hades, heart hammering.
His fox was screaming at him to shut up, to not challenge a god, but screw it.
He’d already been kidnapped, tortured, and nearly killed.
What was a little divine wrath on top of that?
“Lamont spent ten days trying to reach me and then searching for me. He tracked me across two continents. He called in favors and used every resource he had because he couldn’t stop thinking about me, even before he knew I was his mate.
That’s not something that should be punished. ”
“He broke the rules,” Lord Hades said.
“The rules are stupid if they would’ve let me die.”
Ali made a choked sound that might have been a laugh.
Lord Hades’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes. “You’re very bold for someone standing in the Underworld wearing nothing but a blanket.”
“I’m very motivated, and there is a robe under this blanket.
” Ewen’s voice didn’t shake. Much. “Lamont is my mate. I’m not going to stand here - well, be held here - and let him be punished for doing the right thing.
Look at it this way. If you take him away from me, I’ll still die – and I imagine any form of punishment would mean him being locked away somewhere.
So your Lord Zeus would not only be interfering in a mating, but he’d be condemning me – an innocent – to death through mating sickness.
I didn’t ask to be abducted, and I defy anyone to say that was my fault. ”
Silence stretched between them. Ewen could hear his own heartbeat, feel Lamont’s arms solid and steady around him, and smell the smoke from the lights on the black walls.
Finally, Lord Hades sighed. “Ali, your influence is spreading. I fear all the mates are going to learn to be argumentative before long.”
“Good. There’s nothing wrong with protecting a mate, you know that.” Ali moved to stand beside his mate, reaching up to pat Lord Hades’s arm. “Besides, someone needs to keep you honest.”
“I’m always honest.”
“Honest, with a hint of the dramatics every now and then. You know there’s a difference.
We could’ve had this chat in your office or the sitting room, and it would’ve been a lot more comfortable.
” Ali turned his attention back to Lamont and Ewen, his expression warming.
“He’s not actually going to punish you. He just likes making speeches about rules and consequences. ”
“Zeus is the one who likes those speeches,” Lord Hades grumbled.
Then his voice gentled, well, as much as an ancient god’s voice could gentle, Ewen imagined.
“Lamont, you did well. You found your mate and brought him home. That’s what matters in the end.
I’ll let Zeus know this was a definitely isolated situation that won’t happen again. ”
Lamont’s shoulders dropped slightly. “Thank you, my Lord.”
“However.” Lord Hades held up one finger. “The next time you need assistance with a mate-related emergency, you come to me first. Not to Zeus’s network administrator. Understood?”
“Understood, sir.”
“Good.” Lord Hades stepped forward, and Ewen fought the urge to bury his face in Lamont’s shoulder. The god’s hand landed on Lamont’s shoulder, and Ewen could sense how much that meant to Lamont’s hound. “Congratulations on your mating. Both of you.”
“Thank you, my Lord,” Lamont said.
“Thanks,” Ewen managed. Then, because apparently near-death experiences had destroyed his sense of self-preservation, he added, “Sorry about the blanket thing. And for yelling at you. That was probably...not great.”
Ali laughed. “Oh, I really do like him. You should bring him to Sunday dinner once you’re settled in, Lamont. The other mates will love him.”
“Sunday dinner?” Ewen looked at Lamont.
“The consort likes to host dinners for mated hellhounds,” Lamont explained, his face still slightly pink. “It’s...I’ve heard it can be a lot of fun, actually.”
“Of course, it’s fun,” Ali confirmed. “What’s not to love about good food, great company, and lots of embarrassing stories about hellhounds doing stupid things before and after they’ve found their mates. You’ll fit right in.”
Lord Hades cleared his throat. “Speaking of which - Lamont, take your mate back to Egypt. You both need rest, food, and then I suggest you go through the collar box ritual to cement your claim on each other before you do anything else.”
Ewen’s face heated. “Cement our…oh.”
“Yes, oh.” Lord Hades’s lips twitched in what might have been amusement.
“The mating bond isn’t fully stable until you’ve.
.. completed it. And given that Ewen nearly died from mating sickness, I’d suggest making that a priority.
His little fox will benefit from the reassurance that comes from the claim. ”
“Right.” Lamont shifted his grip on Ewen, pulling him closer. “We’ll...do that. Sir.”
“See that you do.” Lord Hades waved one hand dismissively. “Now go. And Lamont? Next time you visit, perhaps give your mate time to dress first.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
Lamont’s power gathered, familiar now, and Ewen closed his eyes as the Underworld dissolved around them. When he opened them again, they were back in the Cairo hotel room, warm lamplight replacing the eternal twilight of the Underworld.
Lamont still hadn’t put him down.
“That was mortifying,” Ewen said.
“That was you being incredibly brave and defending me to a god.” Lamont’s voice was rough. “Thank you.”
Now Ewen’s cheeks were getting heated. “You saved my life. It seemed like the least I could do.” Ewen paused. “Also, immortality? Really?”
“Really.” Lamont finally lowered Ewen to the bed, letting him go, although he didn’t step away. “After you put the collar on me. Which we should probably discuss first.”
Ewen scratched his ear. “You have a box, which I assume you click your fingers and it will appear. I, because we are mates, will open it. We’ll ooh and aah over the pretty collar, and then you’ll shift… am I right so far?”
Lamont nodded and Ewen could see the excitement in his eyes.
“So, I meet your lovely hound, put the collar on him, and the first half of our claiming will be done. I can’t see what else we’ve got to talk about, do you?”
“Well, when you put it like that.” Lamont clicked his fingers, and a large velvet box appeared on the bed next to where Ewen was sitting. As Ewen reached for it, it started to glow. Yes!