so this can go global within a day. We’ll probably have a couple of news crews here by tomorrow. I’ll let Seth know he will have to do a few interviews… maybe we can get Oprah on board – she’s very sympathetic to the plight of prey shifters. Then there’s the late-night talk shows like…”
“Will you shut up!” Jaron’s face was pale and any arrogance was completely gone. “President Brach is on his way. He just zinged me with his magic – I didn’t know he’d been monitoring me. Fuck, the seers, they must’ve told him I’d screwed things up. I’m going to lose my job over this…”
“You two,” Joe pointed at Kee and Dian. “Time for you to go, I think. It’s not going to help if Brach knows what you look like. Get out, get home. We’ll let you know when the town is fae… full-fae free.”
“Nice save thinking about Seth, Joe,” Ra smirked. “Although I don’t want to be in your shoes when Annabelle hears what you just said.”
Joe groaned. “Go on, get out of here. Let’s deal with the fae, and let our pixie and gargoyle get some rest.”
“Hold me?” Kee looked up at his huge mate. “Being around anger is so tiring and it’s chilly outside.”
Kee scrambled as Dian picked him up in his arms, folding his wings around him so Kee was completely surrounded. Lulled by his mate’s solid heartbeat and thick scent, Kee was asleep before they got home.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It was mid-morning, Kee had been asleep for hours. But Dian had a restless night, and as soon as it was light, he got up. Hours later he was still sitting in the kitchen, drinking copious cups of coffee, the events of the night before, and the previous two weeks running through his mind on an endless loop.
Kee had been scared because someone had been following him – that explained his underlying agitation and why he’d shrieked at Dian in the shower that time. But why didn’t he tell me about it? That was the ten-thousand-dollar question.
Initially, Dian had been angry, but he was old enough to recognize his anger stemmed from feeling really hurt. Kee should’ve trusted him and told him the first time he thought someone was following him.
It took two cups of coffee before Dian worked out why Kee hadn’t said anything.
A couple of slices of toast later, and Dian accepted that he was a possessive and protective bastard, or at least his gargoyle was. If Kee had mentioned anything about Jaron following him…
Dian also worked out that as Kee hadn’t actually seen Jaron, then maybe he felt like he couldn’t say anything because who would believe he was being followed by an invisible being? Understanding it wasn’t because Kee didn’t trust him as to why he didn’t say anything, helped ease Dian’s pain and anger. Dian knew, Kee showed him how much he was trusted a dozen different times a day – I can get over this without making a big deal about it.
His phone dinged, and then started ringing. Dian picked it up, still waiting to hear from someone about what happened to the fae, but there wasn’t anything on his screen. Kee’s phone? Getting up, Dian hurried through to the table by the front door where he’d left Kee’s keys and phone the night before. The ringing ended just as he got there.
Picking up the phone, Dian hesitated. Going into his mate’s phone was him breaching Kee’s trust, and that wasn’t something he was comfortable with. But Dian remembered how upset Kee had been when he’d overheard him in his stone form, and how yet again, Kee hadn’t talked to him about it. Dian was still dithering about whether or not to unlock the phone, when it rang again. “Mom and Dad” popped up on the screen. The in-laws. Surely, it’s not going to hurt if I answer this, even if it’s just to say that Kee is sleeping. Dian answered the call.
“Keenak? Kee?” It was a woman’s voice. “Oh, my gods, I’m so glad I got hold of you, I’ve been calling since first light. Look, I know, you don’t have to say anything, just hear me out, okay. Yes, I might’ve got a bit dramatic, not wanting you to die and all that, when you told us you were mated. But you know we’ve always loved you and only want the best for you.”
Dian went to answer, but he’d barely got his mouth open when the