Page 40 of Whiskey, Thieves, and Bastards
Yeah, Cas was my bro. He had my back about being totally irrational about her. Benji just shrugged.
“The diner has amazing pie and one of the servers is the owner’s daughter. She’s a Jamina, so she always gives me the best recommendations and then I talk the diner up on social media. We should probably check in with our local followers, anyway.”
We should do that, too. No one had contacted us that they were in danger, which was a good sign. The Coalition knew there were human sympathizers, but they also knew going against them would turn other humans against them. Everyone also knew you couldn’t tell the difference and they couldn’t really afford to make that kind of mistake again in this day and age.Especially not with Hannibal outed and looking like an idiot at the moment.
We all portalled to the diner. Benji breezed in and walked straight over to a pretty young server. He hugged her and they did air kisses.
“Hey, Daisy. Love what you’ve done with your hair. I can’t decide if I like the pink better than the purple. We’re here for your grandmother’s delicious recipes and to talk about the project.”
“Sure thing. I’m actually having a problem, but I didn’t know if it was an emergency or not.”
“With everything going on, consider everything related to supernaturals and the Coalition an emergency.”
“Are you really a god, Mister?”
“Yup. And this is my half-brother Hephaestus and my uncle, Hades.”
“Oh, wow. I’m a big fan of this Hades and Persephone web comic. Please tell me the two of you are desperately in love like that.”
Ah, fuck. This kid had no idea what she’d just done. Hades would literally give her a whole dissertation about how those web comics got their bond correct and then vomit from the mouth about all the things they got wrong. Don’t get me wrong. It was adorable how obsessed they were with each other even now, but rein it in, man.
“Yes, and we think the comics and memes are hilarious, but they got a few things wrong. First of all?—”
“Buddy,” I said, clapping Hades on the back. “She’s got a situation that might be an emergency. Can we find out what that is before you wax poetic about Persephone again?”
“Oh, fine.”
“What’s up, Daisy?”
“You know the foster kid my sister took in? Aidan?”
“I remember.”
I had no idea who they were talking about, so I hoped someone filled me in. Daisy looked at Hephaestus, Hades, and me and sighed.
“So, Aidan has been nonverbal since she took him in two years ago. She loves that boy and was planning on adopting him. He’s brilliant, kind, and an amazing musician. She sent him to school and apparently, there was a substitute teacher who was bullying him for not speaking. She doesn’t know much about his past or why he doesn’t speak, but he finally spoke to tell the sub to shut up. She hasn’t been able to talk since.”
Ah. Kid was a siren. I could guess why he wasn’t talking, and it was tragic. All it took was one asshole to call the Coalition on him. Cas told Daisy what he was.
“Where is he now?”
“Hiding at my place. They don’t put kids in those places, do they? I know you said they did it to you, Aidan is only eight.”
Yeah, they did. We had to get that kid somewhere safe. I was just so pissed.
“They put kids in those places,” Cas said. “I have a siren staying on my property that I’m pretty sure can help Aidan. I’m pretty sure he stopped talking because he doesn’t know how to rein in his lure. She can teach him how to be a siren. If your sister still loves him and he loves her, it would be safe for her to adopt him after Jezebel gets done training him.”
“I already texted her,” Benji said. “She’s down to help.”
“Aidan couldn’t ask for better temporary guardians than Jezebel and her crew while all this is going on,” Pax said.
“We can go get him now. Who’s coming with me?” I asked.
“She knows you and Benji from social media.”
“Go,” Hephaestus said. “Hades and I will be here to look out for your mate and we can portal everyone away if anything happens.”
I trusted the men I was leaving behind to protect my mate and the other men to protect my co-mates. Benji and I portalled to the address Daisy gave us. We noticed an unmarked van parked outside that was a little suspicious, but could have been anything. Daisy said her sister was staying at her apartment and we didn’t want to scare the kid, so we knocked.
