Page 110 of Slaying With Sylphs

“No!” Lou shouts, lifting a hand. “I’ve got to go clean up Main Street! I made a hellsuva mess, you guys.”

“Absolutely not,” Dirk says with a snort. “Morgan can fix it in moments with her magic. It’s probably already done.”

Lou shakes her head. “I’m not leaving a mess for someone else to clean up. I want to see for myself that it’s all fine before we go home.”

My grin is so big, it hurts my cheeks. This woman, moons. She is everything to me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

DIRK

One minute we’re standing on Main, and Morgan’s reassuring us she’s taken care of the buildings, and the next I’m swooping my mates into my arms. I dissolve us into pure air and whisk them up to the wards. I dance along the sleek surface, finding the fastest path back home. This day has taken us on a wild ride, and I need them alone.

I need to talk with them. What Connall said earlier about working with them instead of planning everything myself has been bothering me. Lou just savedeveryone, but this whole thing with her power could’ve been easier if I’d been forthright with my suspicion.

There’s something else I haven’t told them, something I kept from them so they didn’t have to worry until I knew exactly what was happening. But I need to tell them now, because he’s right—they deserve truth, partnership. I’m no longer the male pushing them across a chessboard to ensure we end up together. We’re together now. I can’t think about things the same way.

My secret consumes me as I swirl us through the back door and into the living room. I drop my mates gently on the sofa. They cling to each other, laughing as Louanna buries her face in Connall’s neck. They chuckle and snuggle as I watch.

I love their love.

I loveourlove.

And I’m still learning how to love them the way they deserve.

“I need to talk to you both,” I say as they settle down.

Connall shifts upright, pulling Lou into his lap. She nestles between his thighs, resting a hand on both of his knees with a wicked grin at me.

“Go on, mate,” he encourages, bringing his lips to Louanna’s neck. His eyes flash emerald as his wolf pushes forward to be with us. When he nuzzles her and nips, my body flushes with heat. I pant as I watch his mouth trail a path over her skin, kissing every freckle, worshiping every inch. By the time he gets to her shoulder, sliding her tee down for better access, I’m desperate.

“It’s serious!” I blurt out.

Connall stops on a dime and returns Louanna’s shirt to its original position. Her smile falls. As they stare at me, uncharacteristic nerves stab my belly. I don’t get nervous. I’m a hunter. This is…terrible.

“There’s something I’ve been dealing with regarding work that I didn’t want to burden you both with because I don’t know what the outcome will be. But Connall suggested that, when something’s wrong, I need to talk to you both. So, this is me talking, because I want to be a good mate, and…” My voice trails off. I look back at them. I didn’t even realize I’d looked away when I started speaking. “I love you and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Connall’s eyes are soft at the corners, a smile tugging his lips upward. Lou looks dead serious as she rises from his lap. She reaches for me with both hands and pulls me onto the sofa next to them. We fall into a pile with her on top of me and Connall by our side. Their presence soothes me.

I pull in a steadying breath, my upper half resting in the pillows. Lou’s lying on my chest, staring up at me.

Forcing air to fill my lungs, I focus on them. “I’m probably going tae be sacked soon for my part in helping Richard and Lola reunite. Evenia’s not mentioned what I did, hasn’t even revoked my portal access. But I suspect she’s waiting fer a time when she can embarrass me publicly. I don’t know what’ll happen after that. I’m a hunter, but if I cannae go back to work, I’m not sure what I’ll do. And I don’t know if I even want tae go back, because it requires so much travel…” My words trail off again. I glance at my mates. “What do you think?”

Lou sits upright and trails her fingertips over my chest to my jewel. When she strokes it, all my lightning zings toward her and sends pleasure searing outward from my chest.

“I think Evenia can go fuck herself, per usual, and if she fires you, it’ll be her loss. You don’t need that job because you have us. But if youwantthat job, or any other job, I’m in full support of you.”

“Och, Louanna.” I rub her forearm as she strokes me.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Connall says quietly. “Lou’s right. Evenia can go to hells for all I care, although I don’t want her to publicly embarrass you.”

“Might not be that.” I give them both a wry look. “I could simply get a summons to appear at Belcastle Prison.”

“What?” Lou gasps, her fingers curling into my skin. “She’d imprison you?”

“It’s possible,” I say. “Unlikely, but nothing surprises me about my boss at this point. I broke quite a few laws, if yeh remember.”

Blue flames curl up Lou’s forearms, snaking up into her hair as it begins to float around her head. Blue shines from her eyes.

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