Chapter 4
Bo glanced around the dragon-owned bar and grill as he and his mate stepped inside. They’d left their sweet little girl at home in capable hands—though he was already antsy to get back to her. She was only six months old and slept half the day anyway, but still. If their house hadn’t been warded with too many spells to count, he wouldn’t have left her at all. But it was Christmastime and he and Nyx needed to be here with friends. Luckily his mate had the gift of transporting anywhere in the world—as long as she’d been there or had a clear picture of it, they could get there. So now they were in Montana and later tonight they’d be back home on the Gulf Coast.
A few years ago, he wouldn’t have believed he was not only hanging out with dragons, but actually friends with some. Hell, it was hard to believe he had real friends at all, let alone a mate and half-brothers. For so long it had been him and his half-sister and a few that he considered friends, but nothing with the bone deep loyalty, and yes, love, he had for his new family. As a half-demon, he’d always kept himself apart. Now things were different. He was different. Because of Nyx.
“What’s wrong?” Nyx asked, wrapping her arm around his waist and looking up at him with such love and adoration that it still stunned him. He had no idea why the fates had put this sweet, adorable demigod, who couldn’t dance to save her life, in his path, but he would forever be grateful.
“Nothing. Just looking around for familiar faces.”
“Oh, there’s Arya,” Nyx said, smiling at the ancient dragon who looked surprisingly grim.
The tall, blonde warrior sat at a high-top table with two other female companions. The power that rolled off the two unknown females as he approached was staggering, but he kept his expression neutral.
“Arya, good to see you,” he said, even as Nyx went in for a hug. He wasn’t big on hugs or affection in general—except with Nyx and his siblings.
Arya half-smiled but it looked forced as she stood and pulled them both into a hug. She kissed the top of his head and patted his cheek once in a way that reminded him of his long-deceased human mother. “It’s good to see you too.”
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” the tall female on the left, who was most definitely a dragon, asked tartly. She had long, inky black hair and silvery-gray eyes—exactly like Dragos and his sons.
Arya rolled her eyes even as she said, “Mira and Prima, my two sisters-in-law, this is Bo and Nyx.”
“What are you two?” the one named Prima asked.
Bo lifted an eyebrow. “It’s rude to ask that.”
The two females laughed hysterically as if he’d said something ridiculously funny. He glanced at his mate who simply lifted her shoulders.
“You’ll have to excuse these two bitches. They’re old and care little for manners,” Arya explained.
Next to him Nyx snorted and covered her mouth as she coughed.
Arya tilted her head slightly, looking at Nyx curiously.
“Sorry, it’s just that I’ve seen you walk up to strangers at shifter parties and sniff them—and steal their food,” Nyx said.
Now that pulled a real smile from Arya. “True enough.”
“I apologize if I’ve offended you.” Mira held out a hand, though she didn’t sound sorry at all. “I’m going to go with half-demon, half…human,” she said to Bo. Then she looked at Nyx and eyed her carefully. She tapped her mouth once then her eyes widened in slight surprise. “I know your mother. I don’t know your other half though.”
“Fae,” Nyx said even though she didn’t have to. “You know my mother?”
The woman’s expression shuttered slightly and she simply nodded.
“So, you don’t like her either?” Bo asked. He hated Nyx’s mother, the goddess of Chaos, and it was no secret.
The female turned toward him and nodded, a smile on her face. “I do not.”
“Then drinks are on me,” he said, grinning as Nyx pinched his side. As he waved a server over, he spoke to Arya. “Where’s Dragos?”
“You just missed him. He’s headed back to see Drake and Victoria.” Her tone was mild, revealing nothing.
“I texted Victoria before we left,” Nyx said, shrugging out of her jacket as she settled onto the seat. Nyx and Victoria were tight—Victoria had been one of Nyx’s bridesmaids. “But she hasn’t texted me back.”
“As of two hours ago, she’s on full bed rest now and not able to see anyone.” Bo hadn’t thought it possible, but there was a wealth of worry in the female dragon’s voice.
And if a female like her was worried about something, it must be serious. And Bo adored Victoria—everyone did. “Is there anything we can do?” he asked.
Arya gave him another forced-looking half-smile and shook her head. “No, but thank you for asking. She simply needs rest and space.”
“Space from us,” Mira said, her expression sullen.
“We have truly screwed up,” Prima added.
For some reason that pouty expression on the female, who he guessed had to be ancient, looked…ridiculous. One of his brothers was a half-dragon and was mated to a dragon, but sometimes Bo forgot exactly how emotional dragons could be. And when they got emotional, things tended to start burning.
“I think we need ‘party Bo,’” Nyx murmured, giving him a mischievous look he knew so well.
“Yeah?”
She glanced over at the three females who looked…deflated. “Definitely.”
Using magic that was as much a part of him as breathing, he ran his hands over his dark hair, turning it a shocking blue. Then he said, “We’re going to do shots. Unless you have preferences, I’ll pick?”
The three females looked at each other, then shrugged, though Mira eyed his hair curiously. “Nothing too sweet,” she finally said, leaning back in her chair.
“I’ve got just the thing.” He kissed Nyx on the mouth, hard, then slid off his seat. It had been a long time since he’d played bartender but tonight clearly called for it.
As he walked away he heard his sweet mate telling the other women that they’d love whatever he chose—and all he could think about was that as soon as they checked on Victoria, they were going to head home and he was going to take a shot out of her belly button.
Then kiss every inch of his demigod.