Page 18 of Gemini Hunted
Abruptly, the distant hiss of the shower cuts short. Clearly, Ronin’s keen telepathic antennae are picking up the amperage our queen and our alpha are generating.
As well as the electric current of Vasili’s wrathful resolve.
“What about you, Lucius?” Zara’s considering gaze shifts to find me, idling casually near the bookcase of battered paperbacks near the door. Theo Mercury’s shipboard library gives me a plausible pretense to obstruct the exit.
Faced with my silence, her soft mouth tightens. “Whose side areyouon?”
We are on your side, my mate,my wolf growls in my ear.We are your wolf king, the sire of your pups, and we will slaughter—
“It isn’t so much about being on a side,” I begin carefully, speaking over my wolf’s bloodthirsty promises, gut spiraling in a sinking sense of dread at the prospect of yet another wrenching quarrel. “My dear, we’re all on the same side together. I’m simply saying that plunging back into the sea, withonly Ronin for backup, in the midst of a tropical cyclone—even if the sea dragon and the shark and Vasili’s homicidal parent werenotin play—would be… ill advised.”
“And unnecessary.” Vasili lowers his martini glass to examine his black-painted nails. Despite the urgency of this moment, his cruel mouth curls in a sly smile that’s wicked with anticipation. “Quite.Unnecessary.”
Zara plants her hands on her hips and scowls. “What, are you thinking Cleo already has the Horn? We can’t make that assumption. We can’t just… give up! Whenever I do that whole clairvoyance thing, it’s all muddy, it’s a power I still don’t really know how to wield. But I do know that Horn’s still at sea—”
“Oh, indeed it is.” Grim with purpose, Vasili turns toward the dark window, grips the sill to anchor himself against the vessel’s pitch and yaw, and murmurs, “This seems to be your curtain call, darling.”
I’m frowning at his slender back when a thin yell rises outside. Christ, that’s Neo’s voice, pitched high in astonishment, coupled with Ash’s low curse.
My wolf bristles under my skin. As I pivot toward the hatch, I’m already shedding my ascot and preparing to drop to all fours.
But I’m still human (if barely) when the outer door flies open.
The hatch fills with a swarthy shirtless body, powerful shoulders and broad pecs rippling and packed with muscle in an impressive male physique. A tattooed sleeve of indigo scales sheathes one brawny arm from shoulder to wrist. Under the six-pack flex of abdominal muscle, a sort of sleek black armor (like fish scales) clings to narrow hips and bulging quads. Bare feet with webbed toes grip the carpet to complete the effect.
“Yo,” this apparition says casually in a baritone rumble, shaking back a dripping mane of midnight blue hair to revealhis pointed ears. “Pretty gnarly weather you got this side of the portal, baby queen. Doesn’t hold a candle to the demon realm, natch.”
Every synapse in my body fires with agitation and aggression.
Saints defend us, it’s the demon.
Zephyr’s mortal enemy.
Half Unseelie.
Half incubus.
All trouble.
“Mordred?”Zara recovers from our collective shock far more swiftly than I. She closes her open mouth and crosses her arms across her chest. “Dude. We talked about this in Avalon. You arenotwelcome here. Seriously. You need to vamoose, like, now. Before Zephyr gets back.”
“My good ole second cousin once removed,” the new arrival drawls. Above his sleek blue goatee, two mischievous dimples appear in his cheeks. “Kissing cousin too. Bet Cousin Z never told youthat, did he?”
Casually this creature prowls into the salon, abs flexing and hips shifting like a walking sex show. Given his incubus magic, he exudes a potent sexual spell that thickens the indoor air like incense.
Neo and Ash crowd into the doorway behind him. Neo is wide-eyed and staring, green eyes enormous behind his glasses under a windblown mop of magenta curls.
Ash bristles with watchful menace beside him—craggy face hard under his spiky pewter hair, massive shoulders bunching, legs spread for balance on the rocking deck.
Vasili lounges gracefully against the window, martini glass in hand. Making no move whatsoever to oppose our infernal intruder.
All too clearly, the demon’s surprise appearance comes as no surprise to Vasili.
Sudden comprehension zooms all my dark suspicions into knife-sharp focus. Of course, Vasili’s not surprised. He knew Mordred was near. He’s probably known all day. A moment ago, Vasili practically summoned the vile creature.
Zara’s assessing gaze flickers briefly to Vasili and narrows.
Judging by the indignation and outrage crackling through our bond, she’s drawing the same unpalatable conclusion as I.
