Page 42 of The Death God
“Hi, Himeros. I’m Minerva.”
Himeros tilted his head to look at her, fear was evident in his eyes, but mostly Gregory noticed how tired he looked. Fuck, this was giving him flashbacks from when they’d gotten the others out.
“We believe you’re like us, or not the same, but similar. You come from a facility where you were around people with other psychic abilities?”
Himeros looked around the group, his heart drumming so fast Gregory was afraid he’d pass out soon.
“Yes.” It came out as a broken whisper.
“Right. Is there a tracker on you?”
Incomprehension overtook his face, and Minerva sighed.
“Does the warden know where you are?”
“The superintendent?” Fear so strong Gregory could smell it from a distance filled the air. Alaric grunted and rubbed his neck, most likely picking up a lot more scent than Gregory did.
“Yeah, the superintendent. Does he know where you are?”
“She has someone to pick me up when the job is done.”
Minerva looked at Gregory, then Rufus. “I guess someone has to search him.”
“I’ll do it.” Alaric took a step forward.
“There might be a chip embedded somewhere.” Thanatos almost looked ill as he said it.
“Most likely.” Alaric looked at him with a kind of appreciation that made Gregory want to snarl. Thanatos was his.
Chapter 15
Thanatos looked away as Alaric began to untie Himeros. Stepping closer to Gregory again, he welcomed the way Gregory curled his arm around him as if he’d never let any warden near him.
“How small can trackers be?” He spoke against Gregory’s chest. “Perhaps it’s better to strip him and dress him in something else?” And he was the one closest in size.
“Yeah, it might be for the best.” It was Alaric speaking. Shifters must have super hearing.
Reluctantly, he stepped away from Gregory’s warmth. “Let’s take him to my room. He can have some of my clothes, and you can search him while he dresses.” He took a step toward the castle only to be yanked back. The sensation triggered something in him, being yanked and shoved, and without thinking he struggled. Hit and kicked whatever he could reach.
“Fuck! Babe, I’m sorry.” Strong arms wrapped around him, making it impossible to move his arms. “Thano, come on. Deep breaths, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” The words were spoken against his ear, and he pulled air into his lungs, scenting Gregory, not antiseptic, not the copper of blood, not some cloying cologne of someone having bought him for an hour.
“We don’t want him in the house if he has a tracker.” Gregory kept talking in a low voice, but Thanatos didn’t pay attention. He was busy fighting the tremors wanting to take over his body.
“We’re not stripping him naked in the driveway while everyone is watching.” Minerva’s voice was sharp. “If he’s been through anything like we have, he’s been stripped enough times to last him a lifetime. I’m not gonna allow it to happen again.”
“We need to check him.” Thanatos wasn’t sure who was talking, but he was guessing on Alaric.
“Then you do as Thanatos said. You, Thanatos, and Himeros go to Thanatos’ room, dig out some clothes, and check him while he changes.”
“Not in the castle.” There was no mistaking Rufus’ snarl.
“It won’t matter if they track him to the doors of the castle or into the castle. They’ll know he’s been here either way.”
Thanatos turned in Gregory’s hold to be able to see who was talking. Amell.
“Strip him, get the tracker off him or out of him, then we get it away from here. We leave it somewhere we can supervise. When they come to take him back, we attack.”
“Or follow.” Thanatos hadn’t meant to speak, but attacking wouldn’t tell them where the others were. “We won’t find the others unless we follow.”
