Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
A s soon as Alex closed their bedroom door, he pulled Tudor into his arms. Tudor was shaking. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you, my darling. The way you dealt with today, you were amazing.”
Tudor sniffed. “It was so heartbreaking none of the guards dragons or gargoyles should have died today I never thought I’d have to tell families their loved ones had died how am I going to cope through the funerals what if I cry?”
Alex dropped a kiss on his head and Tudor stopped talking. “So, what if you do cry, sweetheart? No one will think anything negative if you do. You, Tudor, are an amazing, gentle person, and you feel things deeply. No one will think any less of you for that.”
Tudor looked up, tears falling down his cheeks. Alex used his thumbs to wipe the tears away.
“Will you help me Alex will you make me forget just for tonight?”
“Whatever you need, my darling,” Alex said, dipping his head and kissing Tudor, before stripping them both out of their clothes. Alex carried Tudor to bed and proceeded to drive him crazy before he made love to him.
Baylan and Blake appeared in their bedroom.
“What a day,” Blake said with a sigh as he stepped closer to Baylan.
Baylan wrapped his arms around Blake. “Today was the worst. I think we’re all shocked over what happened. How about I run us a bath and we can soak in there together, you wrapped in my arms?”
Blake nodded, his arms slipping around Baylan’s neck “That sounds lovely. And once we’ve finished, I’m dragging you to our bed and making love to you until you forget your own name.”
Baylan grinned. “Just remember I can do the same to you.”
“And I’m looking forward to it,” Blake said, kissing Baylan.
“So how do we do this?” Demi asked, looking at Ares and Dask. The three of them are seated in the lounge part of Dask’s bedroom.
“Zeus said it was all in the wording. As gods, we can’t just protect everyone, but as mates, we can,” Ares explained.
“But I’m not a mate,” Dask pointed out.
“But you’re a packmate,” Demi replied.
“Exactly,” Ares told them. “I thought the three of us could use our links to mates and pack mates and protect everyone until Hades has the necklaces ready. One of us can do the dragons, another the gargoyles, and one our pack mates. If we’re careful with the wording, it’s not classed as interfering.”
“I’ll do the pack,” Dask volunteered.
“I’ll do the dragons,” Demi said.
“In that case, I shall do the gargoyles.”
“Okay, here goes. As a mate of the dragon shifter Brook Halder, I protect all dragons on the pack lands from dream walkers and any dragons currently infected by dream walkers are now free and clear.” As he said this, he pushed his magic out and felt it settle. “Done.”
“As a pack mate of the Fortuna pack, I protect all my pack mates from dream walkers and any pack mates currently infected by dream walkers are now free and clear,” Dask said, pushing his magic out. “Done.”
“As brother-in-law of the Gargoyle King, I protect all gargoyles on the pack lands from dream walkers and any gargoyles currently infected by dream walkers are now free and clear.” Ares took his turn pushing his magic out. “Done.” He clapped his hands once and smiled. “That should hold. Thank you.”
“Least we now know how to get around the non-interference rule,” Demi noted.
“Exactly,” said Dask.
Ares looked at both Demi and Dask. “Demi, I know you’re happy here and have a growing family. Dask, how are you doing being here, surrounded by so many people?”
Dask smiled. “Not too bad, actually. Oz and I seem to work well together, and the children are working hard. If I feel overwhelmed, I can just take myself somewhere quiet for a while. But honestly, every day is easier.”
“Do you want to come and see Eggleston?” Demi offered.
Dask burst out laughing. “Eggleston?”
Demi nodded. “We needed to call the baby something, so Tobin named the baby.”
“Sure, I’ll come and see. Ares?”
Ares shook his head. “I’ve just seen Eggleston. I’m off to see my wolf.”
“See you tomorrow,” both Dask and Demi said at the same time.
Ares laughed and vanished.
“Eggleston?” Dask repeated as they walked towards Demi’s bedroom.
“Well, it was better than Eggbert.”
Barnabus was ecstatic, the dream walker had worked! Admittedly, not perfectly, as the kings were still alive, so he had sent the shaman and dream walker off to cause more chaos – this time with orders to kill the kings.
He grinned to himself. There was nothing the gods could do without breaking the non-interference rule.
An hour later he was pacing. He had to go and see how the shaman and dream walker were getting on. He found them just standing up. “That was quick, how did it go?”
“It didn’t, they’ve somehow blocked me from entering anyone,” the dream walker confessed warily.
Anger flowed through Barnabus and he clenched his hands. “How?” he demanded.
“Strong magic. There’s nothing more I can do.”
“Then you’re useless to me.” Flinging his magic at the dream walker, he killed her. Barnabus then turned narrow, angry eyes on the shaman, who flinched. “Find me another way to kill the kings. Your life is now hanging by a thread,” he raged before storming off.
One way or another he would find a way to kill the kings. And he would have his war.