Page 70 of How to Flirt with a Hellhound
“What, he was held captive in a basement?” Q snarked.
Aiden looked at him oddly, then said, “No, it was a bedroom with bars on the window.”
That seemed to shut Q right up, and he eventually nodded at Aiden.
Cassius’s angel mate stepped out of the back then, and he walked over to Aiden. He murmured something, and he led Aiden into the back. He went, stopping at the door.
“Thank you,” he said to us simply. Then he looked at Toby. “I’m glad he didn’t get you, and I’m glad he’s dead.”
Toby just nodded.
Once they were in the back, Q said, “Fuck, man, you find all the trouble.”
I shrugged, saying, “I find humans in need of good homes.”
“Jesus, we aren’t cats,” Q muttered, and then he went into the back as well.
I just blinked, looking at Toby. “I know they aren’t cats. Why does everyone keep comparing stray humans to cats? I think it’s disrespectful.”
Toby just laughed and kissed me lightly, and Cassius sighed happily from the counter.
“Oh, I do love a happy ending. I knew it would all work out. You two are so good together,” he murmured.
A happy ending… for now. Because Toby would die someday, but maybe Cassius could help with that.
“So…” I started, glancing at Toby, unsure how to continue. I didn’t want to bring up his mortality and make him worry.
“What? What’s worrying you?” Toby asked.
“You’re mortal,” I answered. “I could have lost you to the stalker. You could get hurt, or get sick, and I don’t think…” I trailed off, unable to continue.
Toby’s face fell, and he reached out to grab my hand.
Cassius, however, just snorted.
“Oh, you two, don’t go getting all maudlin on me,” Cassius answered, starting to wipe down the counter. “As if you could be separated,” he muttered under his breath.
We both looked over at him, surprised.
“Uh, we can’t?” Toby asked.
Cassius snorted. “Of course you can’t. He marked you.” Cassius gestured vaguely between us, but I really had no idea what he was talking about.
He obviously figured that out, because he rolled his eyes. Toby was looking at me all hopefully, and I was staring at Cassius, waiting for him to explain.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I answered.
“You think someone would have filled you in. You marked and mated him, Dexter. That means your life forces are tied together. Where one goes, the other goes. He couldn’t have died out in the woods, because I’m pretty sure you marked him before that. The beginnings of the bond were already forming last time I saw him,” Cassius explained.
Toby and I stared at each other for a moment of frozen time, and then we crashed together in a rush, relief flowing through us both.
“Supernatural beings and afterlifers. You’d really think you’d know a little more about your own capabilities,” he muttered. “Leave it to the oracle to always clean up after everyone else’s mess.”
When I finally pulled away from Toby, I looked over to see him grinning at us despite his snark.
“Thank you, Cassius,” I said.
He nodded at us both. “I’ll take care of Aiden. Off with you two. I’m sure you have some more marking to do.” He winked and went back to cleaning up, and although I was tempted to throw Toby over my shoulder in order to get him back to my house, somehow we managed a rather fast walk back to the car instead.
