Page 64 of Rock Bottom
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Julian
Kirsten teleported onto the deck with two robes, and she held them up to block the camera views while Silver and I dried and then slid into the robes.
“What do we know?” I asked her.
“Raven shifter who managed to get onto the property without alerting our security, which shouldn’t be possible.”
We all walked downstairs together. The raven shifter, still naked and now cuffed, sat in a chair in the middle of the dungeon. This is the part of the underground we keep any prisoners brought to Homewood, and also the rattlesnake shifter, a slave Marco purchased from the new Senatus. He’s a tasty delicacy, and we charge an exorbitant amount for someone to have a few hours with him for a fuck-and-feed, so he’s more than earned back his initial cost, but he’s a pain in the ass to house.
Marco had expanded the underground compound when he moved in, digging beneath the yard and connecting it to the original blueprint with a single entryway and layers of locked doors that arealwaysguarded. Also, a tunnel leading to the farmhouse, another piece of logistics and security.
“Everyone out except Josef,” Marco said when we all trooped in. Everyone left except Cora, but she emerged a few minutes later.
And then twelve minutes later, Marco and Josef came out.
“Someone offered to heal his human stepson of a recently diagnosed brain tumor,” Josef said. “Doctors were going to remove half the boy’s brain, followed by months of chemotherapy — with no guarantee which memories or parts of his personality would survive.”
Marco sighed. “He knew he’d be required to do something risky, something he might not survive, should they successfully heal the boy he considers a son. He’s been in the boy’s life since he was a year and a half old, and he’s nine now.”
“I can’t fault him for that deal,” Nathan said.
“Nor can I,” Kirsten said. “I’ve done some bad shit to keep Lauren safe.”
“Agreed,” Marco said. “I can’t allow him to leave without permanent scars, but he’ll live to raise his son.”
He glanced at Silver and looked to me. “They wanted Silver. The raven was supposed to take her with him if he could, and kill her if he couldn’t. Big paycheck if he could.”
“Well,” Nathan said, his jaw muscles flexing, “if they can get people involved who can heal a brain tumor, I can get damned well Jupiter involved. I’m through fucking around with this.”
Chapter 21
Four months later
Silver
I have a love/hate relationship with the various red carpet award shows.
On the one hand, it’s every musician’s dream — the lights, the flash of cameras, the hush before your name is called, the roar when you win. Mythic Beast has gone beyond mere nomination and actually won several awards. It’s surreal and beyond amazing.
On the other hand, you have to plan what you’ll wear long in advance. Hair, shoes, jewelry, all locked in before you know what mood you’ll be in. Tonight, I’d committed to a gown. Custom-made. Stunning. Feminine as hell.
And I wasn’t feeling it.
Ilovedressing up when I’m in girl-mode — strutting my stuff, owning every second of it. But tonight, I felt like armor would’ve been more appropriate than satin.
Or at the very least, a tux.
But the designer had poured her soul into this dress. I paid her well, but it wasn’t just about money. This was a collaboration — her art wrapped around mine — and I wasn’t going to leave it in the closet because I woke up feeling male.
I had a tux waiting for me backstage, to change into after we performed, but I’d be in the gown for the red carpet walk and the pictures.
We were supposedly safe now. I have no idea what happened, exactly, but I’ve been assured all of Mythic Beast is now safer than we’ve ever been.
I was wearing the stupid coin on a waist chain under the dress. It matched nothing, clashed with everything, and made my skin crawl, but Kirsten warned if I left it at home and it jumped to me, it would most likely land on my chest.
No guarantee it wouldn’t do that anyway, but we were starting with it under the dress, around my waist.
