“I guess we’ll see soon enough,” Ulric said.

“I wonder if he were to harness that magic,” Edgar said, scratching his head. “Could he use it to kill her?”

“Glass half-full, aren’t ye, boy?” Niamh said.

Ulric and Nathanial exchanged a look.

“He could’ve killed her ten times over by now,” Niamh said into the silence, not concerned. She was correct. “He could kill her with or without that magic. She’s given him ten opportunities since breakfast, and he’s a man that would know how to make it permanent. But he won’t, because he’s loyal to her, and that’s that. More magic will just make him better at his job.”

“He doesn’t know about the magic, does he?” Kace asked. “Not that I am trying to get into the alpha’s business.”

“He wanted to go blindly into the gargoyle mating ritual.” Mr. Tom turned a page, going back a page to read something he’d missed, then realized he’d missed all of it and just closed the book. “He wanted to experience it as it came. It sure made things awkward after he saved the day and then carried her through the halls in that…state.”

“He’s been in that state loads of times,” Niamh drawled. “He’s well aware that if he turns around too fast, with the size of that willy standing on end, he’s liable to take out a building.”

“Saving her was part of the ritual?” Kace’s brows pinched together.

“I’ve always heard that when female gargoyles are locking in a mate, they wait for the male to prove his ability,” Ulric explained. “What better way than to bust into an enemy stronghold and save her, huh? She was right on the cusp—if he’d known more about the dance, he would’ve known that would set her off.”

“Not like it would’ve changed anything.” Kace walked closer and plopped into a cushy sage chair.

“Oh. Here you go.” Edgar bustled forward, his doily outstretched. “Here, this will help.” He took away the malformed doily currently graffitiing the arm of the chair and exchanged it for the newly finished monstrosity, three sizes bigger than a normal one. “This one is better.”

“Than what?” Ulric asked in bewilderment, watching.

Kace somehow ignored the disastrously crocheted item. “She handled things the right way. She stepped back so Broken Sue could confront his demons—”

“Are we all calling him Broken Sue now?” Edgar asked. “I worried that he might take offense and rip my arms off if I called him that without any of the enemy around.”

“It’s a good name.” Niamh nodded. “He wouldn’t rip off your arms because you offended him, though. That would be his reaction to the way ye always lope around like a gobshite.”

“Yes. I can see that,” he replied, retreating to his corner.

“Speaking of Brochan, how’s he doing?” Mr. Tom asked. “Does he need something to eat?”

“He’s got whiskey. He’ll be grand.” Niamh leaned forward and tossed the magazine onto the nearest coffee table. “Hard not to believe fate played a role in sending him here, eh? After wandering around the country, he found himself in the one place where he could confront the person that tore down his life.”

“Maybe the basajaun was right about those stars,” Ulric murmured.

“Whatever the reason, he’s a damn good addition to the pack.” Kace leaned back. “He’s fierce, experienced, and smart. He’s got great control.”

“Worried you’ll lose yer job?” Niamh gave him a wicked grin.

“I’m not worried about anything,” Kace answered seriously. He spread his arm over the back of his chair, and Mr. Tom wondered if that was because it was the only place not littered with Edgar’s failed attempts at craftwork. “Whatever is best for the pack.”

Goosebumps spread across Mr. Tom’s skin again as another pulse rolled through the suite, this one more powerful than the last. Ulric and Nathanial both shifted, as if to move to standing, then pushed out a simultaneous breath and leaned back.

“It probably makes it worse that we’re under a mountain,” Jasper said from the back.

“Amen.” Ulric ran his fingers through his hair. “Tomorrow is the battle, though. She should be able to let off some steam. Maybe it’ll also shift some of her focus off the mating dance.”

“The only problem is, Cyra torched everyone we were supposed to fight tomorrow,” Edgar said. “We can’t even drive sticks through them and prop them up to give the illusion they’re alive.”

The room paused and looked at Edgar. There was that endearing creepiness he did so well.

“Well.” Mr. Tom rose as a shock of hunger pierced him through the link. The miss was coming up for air and needed some sustenance. Time for an early dinner. “Either we will face the winner of today’s battle, or we will face an angry Elliot Graves. Either way, we’ll do battle, and we’ll be one step closer to our goal. Our time in this mountain is almost done.”

Twenty-Three

I emerged from the room in my muumuu and leaned against the wall before breathing a sigh.

“I feel good,” I said to the room at large.

“You look good.” Austin stopped beside me, taking a moment to slide his hand across my back and hook it around my hip. He pulled me nearer and kissed my temple before heading to the kitchen.

I smiled and breathed another sigh of utter relaxation.

Which was odd, because I had gotten virtually no sleep last night (having reveled in Austin), and the Chambers thing had gone down less than twenty-four hours ago. We’d gotten a note from Elliot himself this time, changing our opponent for today’s battle from Chambers to the winner of yesterday, since “a freak cave firestorm seems to have taken out Chambers and his crew—beware those strange phenomena.”

Obviously that meant Elliot was just letting us off the hook. Which was disconcerting in itself—what was his motive? What else did he have planned for me?

And then there was the fact that Kingsley might be in trouble, and we’d obviously join him, heading to his aid.

But man, none of it was sticking in my mind. It was like everything that didn’t directly relate to Austin and mating was not important.

This bubble would pop very soon, I knew. But for this one last moment, I intended to savor it.

“How’s everyone?” I asked, smiling at Ulric as he walked by. He nodded, his eyes bloodshot and sporting dark bags. “Good?”

Jasper paced at the back of the room. He paused for a second, shivered, and continued pacing.

“Morning. Sleep well?” Kace stood to our left with a cup of coffee. He had on gray sweats and nothing else, but then again, I suspected he’d be losing the sweats before the battle.

“Not at all.” My smile burned brighter, and I took a cup of water from Mr. Tom. Smiling down at the contents, I said, “I hardly slept at all and it was wonderful. Mr. Tom, why do I have a glass of water in my hand and not a cup of coffee?”

“Battle is only an hour away. I thought you should hydrate.”

“Huh.” I drank the water and handed the cup back.

“I don’t trust this good mood,” Niamh said from the couch, squinting at me. “Is it the sex or the mating or what?”

“Yes, miss, listen to the Paddy,” Mr. Tom said, heading back to the kitchen area. “It’s wise to be cautious of happiness. You don’t want it to sneak up on you and take you unawares.”

“I don’t, that’s fer sure,” Niamh said. “And I especially don’t want some grinning fool sneaking up on me and doing God knows what.”

“Like telling a joke?” Ulric asked, running his hands down his face. “Or laughing? Making you less grumpy, perhaps?”

“Making you likable?” Mr. Tom asked.

“All of the above, yes,” Niamh said. “Never trust someone high on life. They aren’t in touch with reality.”

Ulric spat out a laugh.

Austin came back from the kitchen, stopping beside Broken Sue. The former alpha sat at the counter, his arms folded, staring at nothing. Austin bent and murmured something to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. Broken Sue blinked and leaned back, his eyes haunted. But he nodded, and when Austin walked away, he straightened up just a little bit more.

My heart swelled. Warm fuzzies tickled me. Purplish-pink magic shed from my skin before drifting into the air.

Austin glanced up, and his gaze stuck to me, his body going tight and fluid all at the same time. He started toward me with a killer’s grace.

Arousal wound through me. The craving for him intensified—sated a moment ago, it now felt like we’d been apart for a solid year.

“Ah crap, no.” Niamh stood up in a hurry. “If I want to be happy and relaxed, I’ll drink a cider and take the piss out of Mr. Tom, thank ye very much,” she said, rolling her shoulders.

“Fantastic,” Mr. Tom said dryly.

“Jessie’s affecting everyone’s mood now, not just the gargoyles,” Ulric said, heaving a sigh. “This is a nice one.”

“Speak for yerself. I don’t need some purple-shedding past Jane to force her feelings on me,” Niamh said.

“Watch what you say about my mate,” Austin growled, his power pulsing in the room, most everyone snapping to attention, including Niamh (before she scowled and swore). A shiver arrested me.

“Do not play with fire right now, Niamh,” Kace said out of the side of his mouth.

I laughed, of all things. I was as Froot Loops as Edgar, high on this feeling. Sore and languid and coiled and desperate.

As soon as Austin was within reach, I grabbed him and forced him back into the room, no embarrassment at this (pretty extreme) display of hunger. I slammed the door and ripped down his sweats before grabbing his neck. His kiss was aggressive and bruising and sexy as hell. He pushed up my muumuu and hiked my leg onto his hip, bent, and thrust upward, stealing my breath.