Page 77 of Blood on the Ice

Our girl looks like she’s going to throw herself out the window, so I take pity on her. “I think the Prince said this dick’s dad is alive at least. So that rounds us all out. At least now we have an idea how many assholes we’ll have to fend off.”

Kaspar clenches his fists, shaking his head. “You don’t need to worry about me. I returned because you have other worries.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Morgana tosses her raven hair over her shoulder, then blinks and looks down at herself. Her lack of clothing has finally sunk in. She frowns and stomps towards her closet. Yanking the door open, she steps inside and closes it before calling, “Just speak loud enough for me to hear, jackass.”

Liam chuckles, his eyes dancing with fondness at her jibe, and I feel a pang of jealousy hit me in the chest. The bear holds his fist out and they bump knuckles, a clear camaraderie formed now that they’ve experienced their mate together.

Fuck. I want that, and I’ve never wanted that before in my life.

“You have a gushing leak in your admissions department. The amount of information and libelous gossip she provided me with very little prompting suggests to me that you need to put the entire staff in your building in with a truth taster.”

Slade blanches, looking disturbed. “Are you sure that a good…”

“Yes.” The dragon didn’t even give him time to finish, and I assume he found more than one yapping girl from the admin pool.

Morgana pops her head out of the closet, frowning. “Where the fuck am I going to find a goddamn unicorn shifter? They’re as rare as dragons who aren’t giant assholes.”

We all look at one another and burst out laughing as Kaspar fumes and she ducks back into her space to finish dressing. I’ll admit, I don’t know where to find one outside of the Society, and I doubt anyone else does. They really are sought after and have to keep themselves hidden so people don’t kidnap them for personal gain.

“I know where one is,” Slade says softly. “But you will not like it.”

I blink in surprise, then realize it must have something to do with his gangster relatives at home. “Slade, you don’t have to…”

“If we need one, I do,” he says with a sigh. “My parents have one who is indentured to their… organization. You probably don’t want to know much more than that because the story is fucking awful. I wish I didn’t know it, but the dude really fucked up. So if we visit my family, we could request… a favor.”

Oh, hell no.

“No way,” Morgana says as she comes out of her closet dressed in comfy clothes. “First, Lucas isn’t supposed to leave the state. Second, I can’t just hop a plane to the coast—I’m tied down, too.” She points to where her wing would be and I cringe. That shit is barbaric. “Third, why in the hell would your criminal parents agree to it? I’m no one and I’m sure as fuck not ending up indentured to them like this poor unicorn.”

“All excellent points,” Liam says. “Not to mention, going into some gang’s territory is quite dangerous. Supe empires are tricky with visiting heads of state.”

“It wouldn’t matter if… uh…” Slade fumbles for a second and I finally get what he means.

This would cost him big time—even if the outcome was positive in the short term.

“You’re suggesting she mate with you, which will give Lucas and Liam free rein to join you. They know me, and Kaspar would be required to accompany his royal. We’d all be able to go in with no special permission and your parents would be hard pressed to deny their heir’s new mate.”

What they don’t know is that finding his mate will have consequences easily as dire as the dragon was reminding the Fae prince about. Slade will have to present her at one of the Appalachin meetings of the heads of the criminal and mafia empires, then show her off at parties. During breaks, he may need to assume family responsibilities. It would end his dream of being completely free of them for good.

“I don’t know, Slade. Finding out the truth from the staff will not clear Lucas, nor will it fix all my problems,” Morgana says slowly.

The sound of a throat clearing makes us all look, and Kaspar shrugs. “Actually, it might. If someone in Magnus’ old band set Lucas up to smear you or even be involved in the poisoning, the likelihood of those bobbleheads all gossiping together is high. You might even figure out what the endgame is besides getting you in trouble. This can’t all be about his crusty dick; that’s insane.”

He’s got us there.

cold hearted snake

Iknow that Slade and Kaspar are right about interrogating the staff at university, but I’m having trouble figuring out how I’m supposed to do something so permanent unless it feels right. Mating with Slade doesn’t feel wrong in theory, but until we’re intimate, I won’t know for sure. I’ve been attracted tohim from the second I saw him, but I’ve certainly been hot for people who were not my fated in the past.

His soft eyes meet mine and I see the flush creeping up his neck as he looks at me. I feel this gentle, sweet siren has been told he’s not enough his entire life. After my experience with Magnus, I knowexactlyhow that can damage a person. Reaching out, I take his hand, lacing his fingers with mine.

“I’m willing to test the theory if you are, Slade. But…” I swallow hard, my emotions welling up inside as I drop my gaze to our joined fingers. “…please don’t feel as though you have to do this now—or at all—to help Lucas and me. Clearing him is important, but not at the expense of anyone else’s happiness, especially if they had… other things in mind for their future.”

Ignatius snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. He wants to say something, but I guarantee it’s not about the thing I’ve sensed when the adorable grad student looks at his long time ‘roommate.’ The mage is definitely oblivious as hell tothatsituation and I will not be the one who spills the beans unless it becomes my purview as a mate. If that happens, it’s open season on serving him a steaming pile of truth about stringing someone I care about along.

Slade squeezes my hand, his beautiful aquamarine eyes sincere as he looks at me. “Don’t be nervous that you’re going to hurt me with rejection; it’s not possible.”

I didn’t know sirens were fucking mind readers, too.

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