Page 53 of Sinful Mates

Zethan stacked two chairs and transported them to Mia’s room.

Shaking, I managed to find the linen closet and stuffed sheets and a spare pillow into my arm. The only spare white bedding. Damn Slade loved his blood-red sheets. His favorite color, by the look of it.

He and Castor waited by the door, the last giving my shoulder a squeeze on the way past.

I interrupted Alaric explaining the safe fortress while Mia sat on the bed, clasping her hands. He climbed to his feet, kissed me on the cheek and removed the sheets and pillow from my grasp. Claws scratched down my raw throat, inflaming it. Curious what he planned, I settled beside my daughter before watching him stuff the pillow on one seat. Bedding unfurled and rippled as he flicked it over the top of the two chairs positioned back to back.

Alaric crawled underneath it and peeked out. “This is your fortress, little bird.”

Mia hesitantly climbed off her bed to study it. “What’s a for-tress?”

“It’s a special place that protects you against gods and monsters.” He tugged at the sheet to demonstrate. “The walls are made from special god and monster repellant material that burns and hurts them if they touch it.”

Mia gasped and hid her hands behind her back.

My heart grew wings and took flight at this adorable gesture. Of all my mates, Alaric was the perfect one to teach Mia to deal with her fears. I knelt down besides the entrance with him.

All of my mates had special traits that would support her through life.

Emboldened by my presence, my daughter crouched beside me, and she wiped at her snotty nose.

Shit. I didn’t have a tissue on me.

“Pass me your school bag.” Alaric waved at Mia, and she obliged him. He removed one of her school writing books, ripped out a page, and plucked out a pen from inside his cut.

Mia craned her neck to peek at what he did. “What are you writing?”

“These are magical hieroglyphs.” He turned the paper around to display ancient Egyptian pictures. “It says gods and monsters can’t get past.” Alaric’s gaze shot to Slade. “Get me a paper clip or safety pin.”

Slade vanished from the doorway, leaving Castor with his arms crossed, impressed with how Alaric held Mia captivated.

Mia’s eyes widened and I covered my mouth at how cute and innocent she was. “What's a high-row-glyph?”

“It’s a letter from a magical alphabet.” Alaric nodded at the doorway. “Castor will teach you to say them and write them.”

“Cooolll!” Mia beamed at Castor as he came to sit with us.

Absolute bullshit but she believed it, and if it worked, great. Just like Alaric’s and my demons were real to us. Made up in our heads to torment us. Parts of our brains warring with each other. The subconscious mind wanting to protect us from painful trauma. The conscious mind wanting us to heal, the demons an element of that forcing us to confront our trauma. Bringing those two sides of us together was the challenge.

Alaric moved out of the fortress’ doorway to make room for Mia. “Any time you feel unsafe, if the monsters and gods scare you, just hide in here.”

If only it had been that easy for him to get rid of his demons. My broken mate drowned out their voices with alcohol. Temporary measures to quiet them, but never got rid of them. Therapy and facing his fears dulled their hold on him. Now they only surfaced during times of intense emotional stress or triggers. With the psychologist’s help, he got a better handle on them, using techniques to calm himself in an acute anxiety attack.

Touched by the adorable scene playing out between them, I clutched one hand to my heart, and captured one of Alaric’s. From one broken heart to another. Isis and I didn’t just do the healing, these men healed me. In turn, they healed Mia, and I fucking loved them harder than I ever did before.

Alaric wasn’t just a protection god physically, his role extended to protecting the minds of others affected by trauma and pain. The trafficked women he pushed past his limits to tend to. Coming to my side when Danny’s demon arose. Pain made people stronger and resilient, and he didn’t dare deprive them of that.

Slade lifted the other edge of the sheet. “Pretty cool fortress. Can I hide in here too?”

“There’s not much room.” Mia tugged his head and torso in, all that fit with Alaric and her crowding the cramped space. “But you can hide with me.”

Slade? Hide? I held back my giggle. The man didn’t fear anything. But he’d make anything threatening my little girl fear for their life, god or not.

Slade shifted the safety pin to Alaric, and he pinned the paper to the outside of the sheet.

“What do you say, Mia?” I reminded her.

Mia curled up on Alaric’s lap, looping her small arms around his neck. “Thank you, Alaric. This is the best.”

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