Page 69 of Vengeful Mates
One of Cupid’s men handed their second baby to his partner, and she bounced them both and made faces at them. My heart turned even gooier watching them. A little jealous that I missed such moments with Mia. Her laughter, grabby hands, dribbling chin, the damn cute smiles.
Sparkles caught my attention as Autumn moved, and my gaze drifted to the emeralds draping from her ears. I tried focusing on them to avoid alerting my men to my sorrow and regret. Alaric would bundle me into his arms and take me straight home if I didn’t get hold of my sudden yearning.
Autumn noticed and stroked her earrings. “Hades spoils me. I swear he gives me a new pair every week.” Her reverent gaze drifted to her husband. “You have to stop that, hubs.”
Every week? I choke-coughed. If my men did that, they’d need to rob a bank or triple their production of Pharaoh.
Hades drew Autumn close to his body. “My god is the king of all the wealth beneath the surface world. I’ll gift my wife the world if I want to.” He growled in her ear. “You’re a goddess and should dress as one.”
I glanced at Zethan for his input. “Did you get rich like Hades?” It was more of a joke than anything to lighten the tension straining the air with Hades so close and cautious near his wife and child.
“Unfortunately, not a perk of my job,” Zethan leaned in to whisper. “The gods are greedy bastards.”
“Language in front of my wife and child,” Hades growled his second warning.
My grip on Zethan’s hand tightened, not wanting to ruin our good start.
Autumn expertly dodged Hades’ touchiness with, “Aaliyah, I want you to meet Locke, avatar of Cupid.” She waved the woman on the couch over.
The curvy woman in a silver dress tucked her twins into a double papoose and carried them over to the group.
Locke gently tapped the back of her twins. “Nice to meet you, Aaliyah.” She gave wide eyes at Autumn for being pushy. “Autumn told me all about you. Healing and fertility, huh? Ever get into any of the love stuff?”
At that, Alaric squeezed my ass, reminding us of all the gags we had at Slade’s Love god expense.
“Love? No.” I shook my head. “That’s not really my domain.”
“Huh?” Locke eyed me off with disappointment. I got the impression she was looking for a counterpart in another pantheon. Love talk, and all that. Not that she would get any of that with Slade.
“Love’s Slade’s game.” Alaric’s gaze floated to the president.
“Hmm.” Locke’s eyes glassed over as if she used her power to study him. Her fingers curled and twisted as if she stroked a silky length. “Ooof. That one’s got a lot of fire.” She pulled back her hand as if burned.
“Good assessment.” I laughed. “My man in a nutshell.”
Locke rubbed at her chest as if she had heartburn. “You said he’s a Love god?”
“His god, Set, used to be worshipped as a Love god.” Alaric grinned. “He’s got the boxers to prove it.”
“Oh, God, you do that to him, too?” Locke rubbed her forehead. “My men bought me love goddess t-shirts. Took me a while, but now I love them.”
Maybe there was hope for Slade to wear his Love god shirt I brought him for Christmas even though it was two sizes too small and rode up his belly.
Wispy green servants drifted into the dining hall carrying platters of all sorts of food. Meats, vegetables, breads, and fruits, fit for a damn king and queen. They looked dead by the look of them, and my mind did mental gymnastics trying to figure out the logistics of how the incorporeal carried trays.
“Dinner will be served shortly,” Hades announced to the group, giving them a gentle round-up to finish their conversations and join him at the table.
Damn. We hadn’t met Cupid’s mates or gotten much time to talk.
A sharp whiff of garlic prawns pitched my stomach, and I swallowed back my vomit. Desperate for a bathroom, I caught Autumn by the arm as she moved to her husband’s side. “Do you have a bathroom?”
“Down the hall and to the left,” she answered, a frown darkening her pale features. “Are you unwell?”
Yeah, not answering that in front of my two mates.
I grabbed my lurching stomach. “Excuse me.”
I hurried out of there with Alaric hot on my tail, protecting me. Endless halls stretched out as we searched for a bathroom. I had to figure out a way to shake him off.
