Magnus grinned. “I have a stunningly beautiful, intelligent mate.”
Slade preened. “Yes, you do.”
He glanced over at his brother. “Morgan? What do you think?”
The look on his twin’s face said it all. Morgan approved of Slade’s plan. Morgan turned to his lover and kissed her softly. “Skye, stay here with Slade while we go talk to Travis and Val.”
“I will.” Skye put her arm around Slade. “We’ll get the bedroom ready for Sylvia’s arrival.”
Magnus groaned as Slade nodded approvingly. “Sounds good to me.” The shifter’s grin was almost feral. “I want our family to be complete.” And the way he eyed Magnus told him he’d better make it so.
Gods, Magnus wanted that too. Having both his lovers safe under his roof was a lifelong dream he’d never hoped to achieve. “Then let’s get started. We don’t want Sylvia coming home to a messy house.”
Slade pulled him down for a soul-searing kiss. “Be careful, big guy.” Slade patted his own ass. “Or you won’t be getting any of this for a while.”
Magnus moaned. “Gods, you’re killing me, sweetheart.” They’d done nothing more than kiss, Slade’s injuries preventing anything more. Magnus was going to die of blue balls, god or no.
Slade grinned again. “Soon. I’m almost healed, and then I’m yours.”
“You’ve been mine since the moment I heard your voice.” And Magnus was slowly losing his heart to the shifter. Slade was everything Magnus had ever wanted in a male partner. His only wish was that he’d freed Slade earlier. They would still have centuries together, but Odin had stolen the past from them, time when they could have been a family.
Oh, he knew now why Slade hadn’t told them what he was. He’d been protecting them, secretly, quietly, much like Logan had protected Kir. He was more like his father than he gave himself credit for.
Slade nodded. “And you’ve been mine.” Slade gently shoved him toward the door. “Now go make sure our other mate can come home.”
“Yes, sir.”
Slade laughed. “I like that. I’ll be herd stallion, you can be one of my mares.”
Morgan, the dick, began choking on his laughter.
“Ass. Hole.” Magnus grabbed hold of Morgan and dragged him toward the door. “Stop corrupting my mate.”
“Me?” Morgan was still laughing as they left the condo. “You have no one to blame but yourself for that one, brother.”
Magnus bit back his grin. No one else, indeed.
And that was just the way Magnus liked it.
Slade watched the twins walk out of the condo, smiling at how easy they were with one another. He longed for that sort of connection with his own siblings, but Fenris barely looked at him, Jörmungandr was nowhere to be found, and Hel remained in her own realm, tied there by choice now rather than caged by Odin’s power. Slade had been told his father visited Helheim to ask Hel to come back with him, but she’d chosen to stay until Hodr could be released as well. Apparently the two had been lovers for centuries and had recently married with his father’s blessing.
And that was another thing he was envious of. His sister and brother had been freed and found their loves, living their lives with them. Slade was still working on getting his together.
“That bad?”
“Not really.” He turned to Skye with a grimace. “I’m just envious.” His throat was starting to hurt now, so he finished making the tea Morgan and Magnus had started. “I want what they have.” He settled down on the sofa, still unable to believe that all of this was his. He almost pulled out the key Kir had given him, the one with the peanut M&M on it, just to remind himself this was real.
He adored Magnus’s condo. The clean lines of the tan sectional sofa were offset by the focus wall of polished wood. Orange curtains and pillows were the only pops of color. Even the end tables were boxy, gleaming wood that matched the wood wall the sofa was against. The glass tile around the fireplace reminded Slade of polished tiger’s eye gems.
The fireplace jutted out slightly into the room. The drywall had been painted in the same orange tone as the curtains and pillows, while the mantelpiece and surround matched the wood tones of the accent wall. The rest of the walls were pale beige. The wooden floors were a lighter color than the focal wall and the end tables, contrasting them and picking up the orange tones scattered throughout the room. It was sleek and modern, yet warm at the same time. Slade loved everything about it, from the bright, cheery colors to the modern, comfortable furniture. Magnus’s home was just like him, vibrant and colorful.
All it needed was the little touches Slade and Sylvia could add to make it theirs as well.
Skye sighed. “Me too, but you don’t always find it.”
“No, I suppose not.” Skye had once been Skuld, the Norn of the Future, but she’d chosen to change the future rather than merely read it. For that, she’d been punished, her powers and memories stripped from her until Morgan found her and restored at least part of what she’d been. But a new Skuld sat where she once had, calling Urdr and Verdandi sisters. Unlike the rest of the Aesir and Vanir who’d chosen mortal names but retained their own, she’d lost the right to call herself Skuld. Skylar was now her true name, and always would be.
“So.” Skye sat, her gaze seeing far more than Slade was comfortable with. “What did you really want to talk about?”
“Am I that obvious?” Slade sipped his tea gratefully. It soothed his throat, making speaking easier. Magnus might choose to believe that his voice was husky and cracked because he wasn’t used to speaking as a human, but Slade knew the truth. Odin’s constant abuse and Slade’s centuries of screams had irreparably broken something inside him. Slade would probably never lose the reminder of what had been done to him. Not even supernatural healing could take away all of his pain.
“Yes. Now spill.” Skye leaned her head on her hand, her expression eager.
“I had a couple of things on my mind, and I’m not sure where to start.”
“That’s easy. Start with the hard one.”
He almost laughed. Easy. Slade wasn’t certain he knew what easy was. He tilted his head, wondering how best to phrase what he wanted to say without sounding needy. “I want my brother to stop treating me like I’m broken.”
She seemed surprised. “Really?”
He scowled. “I’m not broken, Skye. I might be bent—”
She immediately held up her hands as if to stop him. “I leave that to your mates to discover, thanks.”
He rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean. I’m weak right now, I get that. I can barely stand for more than five minutes without needing to lean on something. My flesh is still knitting back together.”
She slowly sat up straight. “How bad was the beating, Slade?”
He stared at her, knowing she’d be able to read his pain in his gaze. She might no longer be Skuld, but she still had power. “Jeff and I will have matching scars.”
“Oh.” She shivered, power flashing in her gaze. “Oh, Grimm needs to hurt.”
Slade nodded. Hopefully he’d be the one to do the hurting, or at least the one to bring the popcorn and video camera. They could have family movie night.
“Have you spoken to Fenris about this?” she asked, her gaze thoughtful. “If he knew you wanted to be closer I can’t imagine he’d say no.”
“The only thing I can think of is he’s worried about hurting me. I’m injured prey, he’s the werewolf. Maybe that’s what’s wrong.”
Skye frowned. “I doubt that’s it, but I know a way we can find out for sure.” She pulled out her cell phone and tapped something out, holding the phone away so Slade couldn’t see.
Part of him knew Skye wouldn’t do anything to hurt him, but… “What did you just do?”
She grinned as the doorbell rang. “Called in an expert.”
Slade s
tood and carefully made his way to the front door. He opened it and groaned. “Aw, fuck.”
Jeff Saeter gasped in outrage. “Sir! I am a married man.”
“Hi, Jeff!” Skye waved as the red-haired mate of Slade’s brother gently pushed past him.
Jeff was a shorter version of Magnus and Morgan, less broad in the shoulder but with the same twinkling gaze and vibrant personality. He’d been the first one to hug Slade hard, ignoring the outburst from the rest of the family. He’d somehow known that Slade needed to be held tight. “Hey, sweetie.” Jeff bent over and kissed the Norn on the cheek. “Where’s my brother?”
“Which one?”
“Either.” Jeff flopped onto the sofa, snarling when his hair landed under his butt. “Stupid wolf.”
Slade glanced at Skye. He’d already heard the grumbles about how Fenris, who worshiped Jeff’s red curls, had willed them to grow. Jeff was now unable to cut his hair short. It would simply grow back overnight. The women of the family were teaching him how to deal with the unruly mane, and while Jeff grumbled Slade could see the pleasure he tried to hide. The fact that Fenris loved him so deeply kept the grumbles to just that, nothing but good-natured bellyaching.
Still, Slade wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to tease his brother-in-law. “What’s he an expert on, crème rinse?”
Jeff eyed him with a cheeky grin. “I always wanted to ask you something.”
“What?” Slade had a bad feeling about this.
“Are you really hung like a horse?”
Dead silence filled the room as Skye and Slade stared at Jeff.
Finally, Slade allowed a slow smile to cross his face as he leaned back against the door. “Jealous?”
Jeff cleared his throat and crossed his legs, his cheeks turning red. “Nope.”
Slade moved away from the door, aware he was going to fall down soon if he didn’t sit down. The skin might be intact now, but the nerve endings beneath were still off-kilter. It made every movement painful and sometimes disorienting. “So. Skye tells me you’re the authority on all things Fenris.” He sat next to Jeff, trying to look casual.
“That would be me.” And Jeff looked very pleased by that fact. “What can I do you for?”
Slade chuckled. “Honey, you couldn’t afford me.”
Jeff looked shocked, then laughed. “As long as Magnus can, then I’m happy.”
“He can.” Slade couldn’t help the soft smile any more than the blush.
Jeff took hold of his hand. “In case I haven’t made it clear, I’m happy for both of you.”
“Thanks.” Slade took a deep breath. “But that’s not why Skye texted you.”
“Oh.” Jeff squeezed his hand. “This has to do with Fen, doesn’t it?”
Slade decided to bite the bullet. “Why is he avoiding me? Is it because I’m hurt and he’s afraid he’ll eat me?”
Jeff’s eyes went wide. “What? No!” Jeff sighed, running his hand through his thick curls. His hair was so long Slade could touch the tips without lifting his hand off the sofa. “Fen is giving you time.”
“Time? What for?” Slade was confused.
“To heal, and bond with your mate.” Jeff took Slade’s hands in his. “He’s all torn up inside, thinking that he barely knew you. Hell, he told me he ignored you because he thought you were…”
“A mistake.” Slade allowed that old pain to flow over him. The unwanted child, given away before he’d barely taken his first wobbly steps. It had taken him centuries to figure out it wasn’t his fault, that he’d done nothing wrong. Hell, it had taken another century after that to realize that Logan hadn’t done anything wrong either. Grimm had demanded Sleipnir and, thinking Sleipnir would have a good life with Odin, he’d been handed over. But not without a qualm or two, and certainly not without wishing that Sleipnir could have more than Logan could provide.
Jeff nodded reluctantly. “In a way, yes. You were an animal, intelligent for one, but still nothing more than a beast. And for him, I think you represented what he could have been if things had turned out differently.”
But that wasn’t Slade’s fault. It had never been.
“I know.” Jeff responded as if he’d said those words out loud. “And I’m working on him, I promise. He’s taking this almost as hard as Logan did.”
“But Papa speaks to me. Fenris doesn’t.”
“And if you don’t breach that gap you’re worried you might never grow closer?”
Slade nodded.
“Then come to breakfast tomorrow morning.” Skye piped in, startling Slade. He’d been so focused on Jeff he’d almost forgotten she was there. “Make sure you sit next to him and talk to him. If necessary Jeff and I will help.”
Jeff nodded. “Confronting him head-on might be the best way to deal with him if you were healed, but this might work as well.” He shrugged. “It’s worth a shot, anyway, until I can pull his head out from between his ass cheeks.”
Slade cocked an eyebrow. “I thought his head was between your ass cheeks.”
Jeff smiled. “And I’m very happy to have it there.” He waggled his brows. “When I’m not thinking about Vincente, that is.”
Slade tilted his head. “Who’s Vincente?”
Skye groaned.
Jeff rubbed his hands together and cackled evilly. “Oh, you precious baby. Just you wait and see.”
Suddenly, Slade was very, very afraid.
Chapter Three
“Oh dear.”
Sylvia looked up from her book to see Syd biting her lip. “What?”
“I just got an email from Frederica. She wants to meet us today.”
Sylvia put down her book, her heart pounding with fear. “Do you think she knows?”
“How? You only met with them this morning.” But Syd looked just as worried as Sylvia felt.
“I have no idea.” Sylvia bit her lip, her mind racing over the possibilities. Frederica didn’t have the same ability to keep tabs on the Aesir and Vanir that Grimm had. The ravens only answered to him, and now that he was no longer a part of Frederica’s life she couldn’t ask him to look for her. So unless she had someone following them, there was no way she could know that they were trying to join Kir. “No. I think we’re okay.”
“Then maybe it has something to do with why she’s been consulting so much with Henry and Luther.” Syd turned back to her computer, clicking away at whatever it was Syd did. Sylvia had long ago stopped asking what her friend did to earn human money. The lengthy explanation had made her head hurt.
“So you think Logan and Kir are right and she’s up to something.”
Syd shrugged. “She tried to get her hands on Mjolnir, and I don’t think it was because she wanted a memento.”
“Hmm.” Sylvia turned that over in her mind. “She wants Logan dead in the worst way, and Kir back at her side.”
Syd nodded, her attention mostly on her screen. “It’s possible Luther or Henry thought they could wield it since they also share Thor’s blood.”
“But the prophecy states Mjolnir will be held by Magni and Modi. And with the two of them following Kir…” It just didn’t make sense.
“Then whatever she had planned for Mjolnir fell through when the brothers found it.” Syd turned in her chair, finally invested in the conversation. “That means she’s going to implement Plan B.”
“Because she always has a Plan B.” Sylvia stared at Syd in horror.
Syd nodded. “And Plan B involves the ex-wives of Loki and Thor.”
Sylvia closed her eyes. “They aren’t going to believe this wasn’t the plan all along.”
Syd sighed. “It’s possible I’m wrong. She might just be planning a trip to Tahiti and wants us to water her plants.”
Sylvia rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure, because mistletoe requires such personal attention.”
Syd chuckled. “Okay, maybe not. There’s no use worrying over what she wants until we find out.”
“I think we should go pick up the surveillance equipment tonight. This might be our best chance to get it into place.” Sylvia stood and grabbed her purse.
“Sounds good.” Syd followed, grabbing her own purse and following Sylvia out the door. “I have the list of what we need on my tablet. It shouldn’t be difficult, especially since I know where Travis shops for his stuff.”
Sylvia was the one with a car, so she drove. Syd had a bad habit of getting lost in thought even behind the wheel, so she generally took taxis or the bus everywhere. It was one of the many reasons Sylvia had chosen to live with Syd, because the woman had a hard time with the necessities of life. Put her in front of her computer and she was a genius.
Put her in front of the wheel, and Mayhem became jealous of the amount of damage she could do in so little time.
“Where to?” Sylvia pulled out of the apartment complex’s parking lot and onto the street.
Syd quietly gave directions, and before long they were in front of a little shopping area full of electronics stores. Syd got out first and headed directly for a shop called Kerkelly Security. She opened the door, holding it for Sylvia.
An older human with salt-and-pepper hair and kind brown eyes smiled at them. “Can I help you ladies?”
Sylvia stepped up to the counter and smiled back. “We’re looking for help.”
The man’s smile dimmed. “What’s the problem?”
Syd glanced at Sylvia before pointing toward the case. “We need some surveillance equipment. We think our ex-mother-in-law is stealing from us, but the police won’t believe us without proof, so we want to bug our house and see if we can catch her in the act.”
The man nodded as if he’d heard a similar story before. “So you need things like a nanny-cam?”
“Exactly.” Syd smiled at the man, and the two began talking megapixels and download times and blah blah blah until Sylvia’s eyes crossed. All the electronic crap bored her spitless. Give her a remote control and she could figure out how to work the television, but that was about it.
Not Broken: True Destiny, Book 5 Page 3
