Page 114 of Gemini Queen
Who’d ever want to hurt Lucius?
And what it’s going to mean for Ronin who’s mated to him? Or for Zara who, I’m pretty sure, was really close to claiming Lucius as a mate herself?
I’m still struggling to process my own shock and holding a white-faced Ronin on his feet as he sways, even though I’m not feeling overly steady on my own two feet, when the man himself comes tearing up the stairs in response to the commotion.
Lucius.
It’s Lucius running toward us.
My entire body empties out and goes completely limp. I’m swamped by a sense of relief so strong it makes me lightheaded. Beside me, Zara gives a shuddering gasp, and I wrap a firm arm around her too.
It is truly Lucius in human form racing down the hall toward us, dressed in his houndstooth pants and tweed coat and respectable tie like he’s already teaching Common Magics class.
Which means it’snotLucius in wolf form lying dead and gutted at our feet.
“Lucius,”Ronin groans like he’s dying. Now I’ve got an arm around him and an arm around Zara, who’s simultaneously clinging to me and gripping Racetrack’s shoulder to give our housemate a brace.
That’s what I love about Zara, I mean, one of the many things about her I love. That she can simultaneously ask for comfort and lend her own strength to someone else who needs it.
“Lucius,” she breathes. “Oh my God,Lucius. Thank fuck.”
By now, we’re all in the hall enveloping Lucius, or he’s enveloping us. He’s wrapped up in Zara and Ronin and they’re wrapped up in him. And, somehow, I’m right in the middle of it with an arm wrapped around both my mates and my forehead bowed against Lucius’ shoulder. My head fills with his comforting wolfish scent. I breathe him in deep, because I need a little comfort myself.
Weirdly, he also smells like Vasili.
It’s like we’re all starting to smell like each other. Despite the reek of blood and violence that’s also emanating from the actual dead wolf on Zara’s doorstep.
Something’s definitely going on in thisdomusthat I don’t understand, except for knowing my fated mate’s right in the middle of it.
But I guess, at the most basic level, I do understand what’s happening.
Our queen is claiming her mates.
That wonderful prospect gives me the strength I need to deal with our hallway crisis.
“We’re going to be okay,” I reassure everyone, tightening my grip on Zara and Ronin and meeting Lucius’ unblinking whiskey-colored stare. “But clearly someone got in the house last night. And the first thing we need to do is make sure they’re not still here.”
“Oh… my fucking… God,” Racetrack says. I turn to find her staring at our big practically naked tangle with a white face and eyes round as frisbees. “Are you four, like,together?”
Well, no one’s exactly rushing to confirm it.
Or deny it.
We’re rescued from the awkward silence by Vasili (of all people) who’s suddenly looming behind Lucius. He takes in the scene with one narrow stare.
“I’ll check the house,” he says briefly, and he’s gone before I can offer to help.
Not that he’d typically need help, with his knives and his telekinesis and his general badassery. Or that he’s likely to accept help from me of all people, even if he does need it.
But we don’t know what we’re dealing with here.
All we know—all I know—is that someone’s just threatened and upset my mate. Someone close enough and smart enough to get in this house without any of us knowing. Someone who’s clearly just threatened Lucius too.
We all stare grimly at each other, thinking these horrible thoughts.
“Okay.” Racetrack pulls herself together and scrubs a hand through the blond bristle of her hair. “I’m gonna check the basement right the fuck now. Dez is down there in the shower.”
“Take Vasili with you,” Lucius instructs her right away, taking charge as usual. “I’ll be along myself in just a moment.”
