Chapter 9
Nine
XERXES
As much as I’d love to be a part of that, I know Kat needs to talk about us—all of us—with the other women.
She doesn’t have any friends here that aren’t demons old enough to remember cavemen.
Her relationship with our caliphate is changing, especially with Jasper’s dumbass reveal.
Having Rogue and the gargoyle lady hang out with her and bitch about guys and life is a great idea.
They’re older and have a fuckton more experience than our girl; it’s a perfect place for Kat to ask questions she does not want to ask us.
“I think it’s a fab plan,” I say as I hand Kat her phone. “You should do that, and we can split into groups with the others to sneak around the campus.”
Jasper’s eyes narrow with fury, but lucky for me, Salem sees where I’m going. The panda shakes a spatula at our caliphate, his eyes menacing. “Me too. I’ll keep cooking so they have snacks and shit. The rest of you figure out how to make it happen.”
Oriel looks at both of us, then shrugs. “Okay. Smaller groups will be easier to hide if we’re hunting.”
Come on… back us up, dudes.
The blond sports guy rubs the back of his neck, giving Rogue a boyish grin. “As long as we can leave Javi here with your magical friend, I’m game. Our girl could use some downtime, too, I think.”
Now I’m waiting for my brothers and the Gemini twins because I know the prince is going to argue no matter what. If everyone else jumps on board, he’ll have to get over himself. Looking at the twins, I tilt my head. “Afraid she’ll ruin your rep?”
The older one snorts, shaking his head. “Fuck, no. I’m just not sure how the shit we’re bringing that crew here. D? You got any ideas?”
“We can portal,” his twin mutters. “Not supposed to use it between realms without permission, but…”
“I can, too,” Zavida says with a bright smile of relief. “Maybe if we split them up between us? I don’t think anyone will be watching. There're tons of people coming in and out of Discordia for the Games, it seems.”
Rogue beams at her mates, her expression full of gratefulness. “See? We can get them, and Morgana’s men can help you guys snoop. It’s settled.”
Jasper snarls as he looks at our guests. “I don’t think you get to decide that. You’re visitors here.”
Anton sighs as he looks at Slash. “Please tell him how strategic we can be if we’re searching with a much larger group of people with varied gifts. I think emotions are clouding his common sense.”
Ouch. Annie never gets that sharp with Jasper, even when I sense he wants to.
The big guy crosses his arms over his chest as he looks around.
Once he’s satisfied, he nods. “I believe Anton is correct. Our ability to cover more ground with extra powers may reveal secrets we could not on our own. More importantly, I would like the little demon to have time to process her feelings with friends.”
“Bitchin’. Then we need to text your friends—”
“Already on it,” Rogue says as she winks at me. Her fingers are flying over the screen like lightning, and Kat looks relieved.
I bet she was worried they wouldn’t come on her invitation; our girl is still struggling with believing people want her around.
Kat looks at me curiously. “Why are you so happy about this?”
I shrug, giving her a crooked grin. “Everything the big guy said. We can outfit all those dudes in some of our spare sweats so they look like they belong here. You can chat with your friends and get some perspective. Plus, we live here, KK. It’s easy for us to miss things because we’re used to seeing them. Fresh eyes, and all.”
She nods as Dottie comes over to flop on her lap without going back to tiny-size. “That’s true. I just didn’t think you guys would… I mean…”
Oriel looks up at her, leaning his head against her knee. “We’re not dumb, Shadow. You need friends who aren’t in the caliphate, especially ones who get what your life is like. We can talk to each other… probably… but you can’t just spend all your time in that hut or the doc’s office.”
“But… Dank is… and Arces is…” she sputters as she gives him a dirty look. “Oh, fine. You’re right. They’re not equipped to talk about everything, I suppose.”
“I’d say not,” Salem calls from the kitchen. “Though I’d pay good money to see that crusty old bird try to explain—”
“That’s enough, Salem,” Slash growls as KK turns red as the crunkleberries she loves. “Don’t be crude.”
Rogue snorts, turning back to Kat. “Oh, dear. Now I get why they’re behind this. Oh, we’re going to have so much fun!”
“Come on, Barbie…” Angelo mutters with a chuckle. “Rogue, promise not to corrupt this poor kid too much. You and that gargoyle are… let’s say, expert level in some areas. I think these fuckers will be mad if they return to find their newest member in shock.”
Ah, you don’t give us enough credit, Gemini; that’s exactly what we want.
“Maybe don’t make her catatonic, but a little corruption is fine,” Oriel jokes. Kat gives him another dirty look, and I laugh. Those two are doing really well, and I’m a tiny bit jealous.
“Stop it, Oriel,” Kat grumbles under her breath. “Otherwise, I’m going to tell everyone about your hoards.”
I blink, looking at my brothers in surprise. “Have you been to one of them? Like, inside?”
“Duh. He took me on a picnic there. It was pretty fucking cool.”
“Oh, you bastard,” Salem fumes as he turns to look at the crow. “All those gifts and the hoard? I’m going to beat your ass.”
Kat frowns and puts Dottie down before she gets up. Putting her hands on her hips, she stares at the panda. “You will not. Be nice, or I’ll be very upset. I don’t like in-fighting, Salem. It’s… It bothers me.”
That gets Jasper’s attention, and the prince scoffs, “Yet here you are, causing it every time you open your mouth.”
We need to get the other guests here so we can leave… stat.
It takes another hour to get a hold of the group on the surface and organize the somewhat risky portal jumping.
Angelo (that’s the older one, I figured out) goes first, then Zavida, and finally, Damon follows suit.
We had to negotiate who was going to State U and in what order, which was as silly as it was time-consuming.
While they dealt with that, Oriel and I helped Salem in the kitchen while Rogue and her hockey player entertained the crowd.
What I learned was that the laid-back lion helps take the edge off the hard elder twin, Rogue, and her missing stepbrother, while the younger demon and the phoenix are good at balancing the group.
I’m not one hundred percent certain about the bird since he’s in baby form, but the way they talk about him gave me clues.
Their family has found their groove—or was headed towards it—before the enormous battle with some unknown, super-powerful being from one of the less traveled realms.
None of us were thrilled to hear about the visitors at the Apalachin that we missed, especially Jasper.
“If they have that many heavy-hitters, this Games resurrection is about more than taking out the current monarchy,” the prince says with a sigh of frustration. “Darkstar is definitely in with their father, but knowing that association brings him into a more powerful group of rebels is troubling.”
Rogue snorts as she looks at Jasper. “Ya think? Those assholes were all ridiculously excited for whatever plan they’re working on and actively recruiting.
The fall of your daddy’s court is a stepping stone; it’s not the end game.
I mean, it might be for your small-time villain dude, but for the rest? It’s like part of phase one.”
“What’s the rest of it?” Kat asks with a frown. “I get taking over Hell, and I get taking over your city. But… what are all these people hoping to gain?”
A shimmer in the middle of the room distracts us, and when it clears, Angelo is standing there with Morgana and their professor. The tall, dark-haired woman looks delighted when she sees Rogue and Kat, but the stodgy mage seems unimpressed.
“This is Discordia? It doesn’t feel like such a big deal.”
Slash eyes him with an evil smirk. “Insult our world again while standing in our room. Please give me a reason, spell-slinger.”
Kat rushes over to the first two arrivals before the professor retorts. “Hey. Um, welcome. And… maybe don’t piss off Slash? He eats people he doesn’t like—literally.”
I love how easily she accepts that, and by the expression on my brothers’ faces, they do, too.
Morgana arches a brow, chuckling softly. “Iggy is a work in progress. Surely you have at least one, too?”
“She does,” Rogue says with a grin. “As do I, though mine is missing.”
“Princess…” Angelo says as he abandons his travelers to go to her. “You don’t have to pretend it’s fine.”
Another portal shimmers into being, and this time, Zav shows up with another blond, sporty guy and the beautiful siren. They look around, clearly unused to portals, and Morgana turns to them.
“There you are,” she says in a voice that tells me a lot about her relationship with them both. The siren flushes happily, and the polar bear gives her an adoring smile.
Oh, those two are definitely submissive.
“Since I’m not sure everyone exchanged names last time…” the tall gargoyle looks at everyone in the room reprovingly. “I am Morgana LeCiel, and these are my mates, Lucas and Slade. That’s Iggy, and the ones coming are Prince Liam and his guard, Kaspar.”
“Li’s your mate, too,” Lucas adds, and I hold back a laugh. He’s involved with that one as well; he didn’t want the royal left out.
Kat clears her throat, leaning down to pick up Dottie. The kinkajou shrinks immediately, perching on her shoulder for support. “Um, I’m… Kat. People also call me Kit, and that’s a long story, but…”
I rescue her with a wink. “I’m Xerxes, and my kitchen friends are Salem and Oriel. The lovely gent with rainbow hair is my mate, Anton, and the big guy is Slash. Our grumpy prince is glaring at everyone, while his mate is the Kitsuné who brought you here.”
“And I’m—”
The last flash of light precedes the last portal, and the younger twin comes out with the Fae prince and the angry-looking dragon.
Just what we need—another one of those.
“As I was saying, I’m Rogue. Those portaling twins are Angelo and Damon Gemini. Archie is holding my other mate, who is being reborn from a phoenix bomb or whatever, and my last guy, Rebel, has been kidnapped. Now we’re all good, right?”
The new dragon looks around, his gaze narrowing on the crowd. “I renew my protest of this incredibly stupid idea.”
Jasper grins for the first time all night. “On that, we agree.”
“Everyone, please,” the Fae prince says in a firm voice. “Yes, this is unusual. Normally, such alliances would not be possible. Politics, inter-realm beefs, and many other things should keep us as far from one another as can be. But… this is not a time for us to let that stop us.”
“Very diplomatic, Prince,” Jasper says with a smug expression. “And I agree, but for the timing. This feels premature, and it is obvious that everyone has… issues of their own to overcome. That’s why I objected.”
“Well, too bad, so sad, little rich heir,” Morgana says as she turns a dark gaze on him. “We’re here, and this is happening. All of you with dicks need to make yourselves scarce as promised.”
His brows flare up, and suddenly, every guy in the room starts talking at once. I sigh, shaking my head in annoyance.
This is why I enjoy being exactly who I am without all those fucking labels—they cause nothing but trouble.