Page 95 of Laid Bare

When he realizes I know he isn’t a threat, he lets me go with an apologetic look on his light blue face. I want to ask him what he’s doing here, but he quickly lifts a finger to his lips, reminding me that we need to be quiet.

Right. There are bad people in the house.

Thaddeus grabs my hand, entwining our fingers, and points down the hallway in silent question.

I nod and take off, pulling him behind me until we reach the bedroom, where Luka and Axel are starting to sit up on the bed. They look up at the sound of my panicked breath and scramble to my side a heartbeat later.

“Are you okay,cor meum?” I shake my head, wisps of my white hair falling in my face.

“Thaddeus? What the hell are you doing here?” Luka grumbles, pulling me into his arms.

“Listen, there’s no time to explain, but there are unknown visitors in the house. A lot of them. Way more than there should be for three in the morning.”

“What?” Luka’s arms tense. “Get Bailey the hell out of here and back to the academy while we deal with this.”

“But–” I don’t want to go without them.

“But nothing, goddess. Your safety is priority.” He kisses my forehead before passing me off to Thaddeus. “I love you.”

“No. I’m not–”

“Yes, you are,cor meum. I love you, but now isn’t the time to be stubborn.” He turns to Thaddeus. “Keep her safe, fae. Now go.”

Thaddeus gives my mates a determined nod, but then he falters, his brows coming down in confusion. “My portal isn’t opening. Bailey?”

The portal rune on my butt cheek heats and continues to burn, only no portal opens for me either.

I shake my head, true fear licking down my spine now that my magic isn’t responding how it's supposed to.

“Luka, take her.” Thaddeus shoves me at my demi-god, and he grabs my hand, but we don’t disappear. We stay rooted to the spot, like sitting ducks during hunting season.

“Motherfucker,” Luka growls. “Whoever is doing this has the help of a god.”

Oh, gods. We’re screwed.

Aero, responding to my distress, nudges me in the belly, reminding me he’s here too. Horror floods me a second later as I recall my birth dad’s words.

“Shit,” I curse, gripping Aero’s face and forcing him to accept my will. My soul shudders at the strain, but I don’t care. Not right now. I need to protect him first if I have any chance of protecting my mates.

My Pegasus disappears from between my hands, and then he’s zipping around in his tiny form, finding his hiding place.

Thaddeus doesn’t question what I just did, but I can tell he’s going to be asking about it later. Fine by me, as long as we’re alive later.

“Where are the twins?” Axel asks, sharing an indecipherable look with Luka.

“I don’t know. They weren’t here when I woke up. Do you…think they were caught by whoever is here?”

“I can’t answer that,cor meum, but you need to prepare yourself. You and Thaddeus just fixed the wards earlier, and there are only so many of us that can open them and invite outsiders in.”

I immediately get what Axel is implying, but I don’t believe it.

“No. No way.” I slice my hands through the air. “They wouldn’t. They’re contracted to protect me by the council, and they’re my mates.” I shake my head, not wanting to believe it. “No. It’s just not possible.”

“Regard–”

My scream pierces the air as the window implodes. Glass projectiles fly toward my face, but a shield pops up around the four of us before they can make contact. A body falls through the destroyed window next, landing on their feet, but then it crashes to the floor. Blood pools from beneath the gash across his neck, staining my beautiful floor.

“Axel, take her out the window and get her as far from the house as possible.” He scoops me up to do just that and blurs toward the window. Pain hits a second later as we hit what feels like a wall, forcing Axel to curl around me and shield my head before it bounces off the floor.

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