Page 94 of Ignited Spirits
“So, you spent the day gathering support from mages and shifters. Do I have that right?” Hades asks incredulously. “What in the fuck do you think Earth creatures are going to do against my absurdly, stupidly, excessively powerful mother?”
We spent the morning visitingLa Esperanzaand Elemental. After securing support from both the jaguars and the mages, we headed back toInfernuswithout my brothers. Rhys thinks he might be able to scrounge up some more support, so he’s taking the afternoon to make some calls. Aiden is staying behind because he didn’t want Rhys left alone, which is fair.
I’m hoping Lua doesn’t care enough about my brothers to go after them. I’m just going to have to trust Rhys and Aiden to take care of themselves.
The rest of us are now hanging out in a cozy living room with my parents, grandparents, and Hades’s mate group.
Apparently, the hundreds of people I convinced to support us in the fight aren’t enough for Hades, though.
I blow out a frustrated breath. “Yes, Hades, darling, you heard correctly. Considering I’m from Earth, I don’t know who the fuck you expected me to recruit to our side. Because I’mcertainly not finding an army ofcuraeor hydras just chilling in the middle of the Chilean mountains.”
Hades’s eyes bleed red for long enough to have a trickle of fear slither through me and causes my heart rate to kick up. His eyes eventually go back to their normal color, and he deflates. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Everything with Mommy Dearest is really fucking with my head.”
“That’s understandable, and no hard feelings.” I bite my lip uncertainly before I tell him, “You and your mate group don’t have to be part of this fight. I know you want to keep your family safe, so I understand if you don’t want to fight with us.”
He gives me a droll look. “Earthling, fishing for compliments isn’t an attractive look on you. Your pain in the ass self should know by now that you’re part of my family. I don’t want anything to happen to you, my brother, your family, or even your annoying mates. I protect my family at all costs, so I won’t be sitting out of this fight.”
I roll my eyes at him saying I’m fishing for compliments, but his words warm my secretly sappy little heart. “Thanks. I’d totally fight a crazy, super powerful, probably undefeatable goddess lady for you too.”
“Watching you two try to have a heart-to-heart is honestly painful,” Levi comments, unable to keep the laughter out of his voice.
Archer snorts at that, and Luca, Cain, and Bishop all grin.
Hades and I both turn to glare at Levi for being a jerk. “I’m not feeling too charitable toward my little brother right now. Are you sure you want to keep him as a mate?”
I tilt my head as I pretend to think it over. “Hmm, it’s a hard choice.” I tap my chin like I’m considering it. “I might be able to be persuaded to keep him.”
While I try to keep a straight face, I can’t help but grin at Levi as I tease him. He smiles back at me, his eyes full of so much love it makes my heart ache.
“Speaking of mates, you probably need some time before tomorrow to be with your mates,” Hades tells me. “We’ll get going.”
My forehead wrinkles in confusion. If we want to have some time alone, we can go to Levi’s quarters. “You don’t need to go. I’m not kicking you out of your own wing.”
“As much as I want to watch you fuc—” he starts to say before Seph slaps her hand over his mouth.
My eyes go wide at that. I didn’t realize alone time was code for sex fest, but I so don’t need him talking about me banging my very sexable mates in front of my parents and grandparents.
She glares at him. “Hades, dear, love of my life, light of my heart, think for a fucking moment before you speak. Perhaps talking about Isabel’s and her mates’ private activities in front of people related to her is not the best choice, yes? Maybe just keep it vague.”
My mouth drops open at Seph swearing. I haven’t heard her say a single cuss word in the entire time I’ve known her, which, admittedly, isn’t that long. But she just seems like the super proper type who never says bad words, ever.
Hades mumbles something behind her hand.
“What was that?” she asks as she releases her hold on him.
“I said you have to remove your hand before I can speak,meum corculum,” Hades tells her in his extra-gentle voice he reserves only for his mate. After leaning down to give her a soft kiss, he pins me with an exasperated look. “Fine. I don’t want to be here for any activities you get up to with your mates. Is that better?”
Seph groans and my face flames. I stare at the ground because I can’t bring myself to look at my parents or grandparents when we’re just casually discussing my sex life.
“I tried,” Seph tells me, exasperated. “On that note, I remembered that we all have a family lunch planned. Without Izzy. So, let’s go! I’ll lead the way.”
Seph expertly guides everyone other than me and my mates out of the room. She tosses a wink over her shoulder at me before shutting the door behind her.
“Someone put me out of my misery,” I groan as I lean back against the cream sectional and throw a hand over my eyes.
Someone chuckles before plopping down beside me and wrapping an arm around me. “It’s really okay, sunshine. I’m completely positive that your parents already knew that we were fucking you at literally every opportunity. That’s what mates do. They’re not surprised that you may want to sleep with us before the battle tomorrow.”
I sigh and reluctantly let my arm fall away. “Stop being so reasonable, sunny boy. Just let me wallow in the awkwardness for a moment.”
