Chapter 11

Orion hated taking first watch and missing out on some alone time with Adeline, but at the same time, it was probably for the best given Ambrose had been leery about his suggestion when it came to sharing. Not something they'd ever done before but Orion had a feeling about Adeline. A feeling she was that special person they'd both been waiting for. Could he convince Ambrose and her of it, though? It helped that he knew Ambrose found himself attracted to her. There'd been no hiding the proof.

Upon arriving at their rental, Orion had showered quickly before seeking out Ambrose to say, "You kissed her."

His friend had looked chagrinned as he admitted, "I did."

"You knew I was interested in her," Orion stated, not with any anger, more just a reminder.

"I know, and yet I find myself also attracted." A quiet admission.

"I wish I could tell you good luck and stand by; however, I'm pretty sure she's the one." Not a thing Orion expected to ever say.

Ambrose sighed. "I've got the same feeling as you. I don't think I can walk away."

"Why should either of us give up? With all we've been through, could you think of anything better than us both sharing the love of the same woman?"

This led to Ambrose making a face. "I've told you before I'm not interested in your dick."

Orion chuckled. "No offense, but neither am I. What I'm talking about isn't an orgy but rather an understanding that we can both care for and be with her. No jealousy. No games. Just two best friends taking turns with the one woman in the world that is perfect for us." Orion had never been more certain of that fact. And he should know.

He'd been with hundreds of women. Never had one enthralled him like Adeline. He couldn't even pinpoint what it was exactly. The excellent sandwich helped. As did her looks. But seeing her bravely ready to confront that wererat and then, with the kraken, boldly using her taser instead of running and screaming… He'd wanted nothing more in that moment than to drag her into his arms and kiss her. And protect her. And hug her. If he didn't think she'd kick him in the balls, he'd have joined her in that shower. He didn't know how Ambrose managed to leave that room knowing she was in there naked.

At his words, Ambrose had dipped his head for a moment before saying, "In the past, I've worried that one day a relationship might tear us apart or change our dynamic."

"Same." Ambrose was more than a friend. Orion would have given his life to save Ambrose, and he knew his partner would do the same.

"I don't know if Adeline will go for it, though," Ambrose murmured, glancing at the master bedroom door. "Threesomes are still considered somewhat taboo."

"I think it will depend on how we present it. We let her know it's not about having an orgy but about two men caring for her. The orgy can come later," Orion added with a wink.

"We'll see about that," Ambrose's dry reply.

"It might never happen. To start, if she's willing, I'm thinking we handle it like those dudes on TV shows with a ton of wives. They have scheduled nights with each woman."

"A schedule? Doesn't sound romantic." Ambrose grimaced.

Orion laughed. "I'm not saying we need to get that extreme, but we take turns. Like tonight, for example. One of us should stand watch while the other gets some sleep with her. Maybe get the ball rolling… if you know what I mean."

Ambrose blushed. "She's gone through a trauma, and she barely knows me. I hardly think she'll be in the mood."

"She kissed you."

"Actually, I kissed her."

"But she liked it. So, do it again. I'm not saying have wild sex, but cuddling and a little petting… Put her at ease."

"You do realize if I do that first, she might not let you touch her after. She seems to be the type to be loyal."

"Which is why you'll need to pave the way, explain how we both feel, see how she responds."

"And if she says no?"

Orion grinned. "You really think she'll be able to resist us both?"

After that discussion, Ambrose took alone time with Adeline first and Orion kept watch, his keen hearing not missing her sounds of pleasure. Some might have been jealous. He got hard. In his heart, he knew this was the way. The way to remain partnered with Ambrose. The way to a future where love was possible. Maybe even kids someday.

First, though, they had to figure out the mystery around Adeline.

As he paced between the front window of the place and the back, watching for movement or anything suspicious, he placed a call to a friend at the Ottawa CA, routing his cellular data through an app to hide his location. Could never be too cautious.

Bertha answered with a cheery, "If it isn't my favorite himbo."

"A himbo who failed to seduce you," he teased.

"Not my fault you won't trade that dick in for a sweet pussy."

"Alas, I am quite attached to it."

His reply had Bertha laughing. "What's up? What are you meddling in now?" They'd been acquainted for years and she knew who he worked for. He'd once helped her out of a bind with an ex-lover, a witch who'd been setting curses after they broke up and needed a stern reminder that Hekate didn't approve of her magic being used in such a fashion.

"What makes you think I'm not just calling to chat with my favorite CA agent?" he teased.

"Because when you want to chat, you show up at my office and drag me to the nearest bar to do shots."

True. "Will have to do that next time I'm in town. But you're right. I did call with an ulterior motive. I witnessed something strange today and wondered if you'd heard about it."

"You'll have to be more explicit."

"Bunch of unmarked black vans with military-dressed dudes converged on a restaurant and arrested a guy."

"And? Sounds like a human operation."

"Those same vans and people also confiscated a wererat taken into CA custody in the Montreal office and then wiped all mention of it."

He heard a chair squeak, and Bertha's voice lowered as she replied, "What the hell did you get involved in?"

"I don't know."

"Is this a goddess mission?"

"Yes, but it came with no information. Do you know anything?"

He could barely hear her whispered, "Those vans and the people in them in combat gear have been spotted all around Montreal, but no one seems to know who they work for. While I didn't know about the restaurant incident, I did hear about the rat. A girl I used to hook up with gave me a shout as they were invading the office. She hung up, and when I called her later, she didn't remember a thing."

"You say they've been all over the city?"

"Yeah. People have been recording and posting them on social media with all kinds of conspiracy theories. Those videos have been coming down as fast as they go up, meaning someone with deep pockets is trying to keep it quiet."

"Government?" he queried.

"Very possible. Most likely one of their secret divisions."

"Since when are they allowed to meddle in cryptid affairs?"

"They're not," Bertha's flat reply. "But given they had the authority to go in and take the wererat, seems to me they've got some kind of agreement in place."

"Any idea what they're looking for?" He didn't mention what he knew of the wererat's less-than-alive status.

"Nope. And I didn't poke, seeing as they're messing with people's memories."

On a whim, he asked, "Can you find out information on a sandwich shop owner for me?"

"Going to file a complaint because they didn't give you enough meat?"

He snickered. "I've got all the extra meat I need. More seriously, there's something off about the owner of this place. I think they're probably cryptid but very secretive. Maybe using the shop as a front for something."

"What's the name?"

He gave her the information but before hanging up said, "I don't have to tell you to keep this quiet."

"Of course I'll be quiet. Anything to stay off the ‘to be mind-wiped' list. Dude, if some weird shit is going down that involves cryptids, then I should know about it." Bertha being in charge of human and cryptid relations for Canada.

"Be careful."

"Now that's no fun," drawled Bertha.

Orion hung up and pondered the mysterious folks in combat gear. They'd been allowed to walk into a CA office without issue, meaning they must be working with or had higher authority. Were they cryptid? He'd not been able to tell given the armor they wore.

As he paced from front window to back, he noticed one of Adeline's cats watching him. "I'm thinking we're probably safe here for a few hours. If I pop out, can you keep watch and wake them if something comes?"

The cat's eyes glowed green for a second, and it nodded.

Fair enough. While it might not be the best idea to leave, he found himself too curious to sit still. He exited the house and flipped to his canine self in the deepest shadow he could find before trotting off.

The rental truly did sit midway between Adeline's apartment and work. He headed for her place first, curious if the soldiers remained on site. He arrived to find the block quiet. Eerily so. He remained across the street observing, not sure what raised his hackles. It took several minutes before he noticed motion in the window of her place. A pair of night vision goggles peeked out.

Where there was one, there would be—

Zap .

The magical spell struck, and had he been an ordinary shifter or dog, he would have fallen, but Hekate had blessed Orion, and so he absorbed the magic and whirled to see two helmeted guys readying to throw another spell bomb.

He lunged, taking the first down as his buddy splatted Orion with another hex. He crunched the helmet of the guy he'd toppled, which wouldn't kill but did result in some screaming. He'd scream, too, if a tin can got crushed around his head.

When he heard a gun leave its holster, he spun with a growl and advanced on the fellow who took aim. He dodged as the guy fired, fast enough to get away with only a furrow along his flank before he barreled into the marksman.

They hit the ground hard, the helmet bouncing off the ground, leaving the guy limp. Orion grabbed the visor with his teeth and tore it off, revealing a human face and an unmistakable human scent. A fucking human? What were they doing fucking with cryptids?

The first guy began to shout, "B team needs backup," indicating more troops in the area. Time to leave, but before Orion ran off, he snagged the guy's utility belt and tugged hard enough the buckle snapped. It jiggled and bounced as he raced, the shouts behind him fading as he put distance between them. Being a smart hound, he didn't run in the direction of the rental but away from it, ensuring he lost his pursuers before he took a roundabout route that passed the sandwich shop.

A glance in showed elves at work, a good number of them. Expensive for a store that didn't generate much revenue. Also odd that they could enter, given the cryptid-repelling spell. Perhaps they had a hex to counter or a secret entrance.

He made it back to the house and shifted, striding in naked with his prize to find Ambrose standing there with an arched brow.

"And where were you?" his friend asked.

"Checking on Adeline's place. Those men in black were still watching it. Two of them jumped me."

"Did you kill them?" Ambrose queried, trying to find out if they'd have to do some damage control.

"They were alive when I left. I got this." Orion held up the belt.

"Let's see what we've got." Ambrose snatched it and headed for the kitchen counter while Orion threw on his pants. He less than casually asked, "How did it go?"

Ambrose got a tight secretive smile. "Fine."

"Sounded like more than fine," he grumbled.

"Oh, that. She needed some stress relief."

"And?"

"I broached the idea of her dating both of us. She seemed receptive."

"Really?" Relief flooded him.

"Yes, but take it slow. It's one thing to talk about it, another to actually do it."

"I'm aware. I'll be patient." He couldn't help grinning.

Ambrose bent over the tool belt and examined it. "Military issue." He pointed to the manufacturing label inside it. "All of it is." He pointed to the various pouches.

Orion neared and gave it a sniff. "I smell magic."

Opening the pockets revealed more of the sleep bombs, plus some he didn't recognize, but his partner did. "Flashbang hexes."

"What's this?" Orion pulled out a remote control with only a few buttons. A red one, yellow, and blue.

"No idea, but don't push any. Hand it over." Ambrose flipped it over and slid off the back to remove the batteries. "Just in case."

"Fuck, you think they could track it?" Orion could have slapped himself.

Ambrose shook his head. "It's not emitting a signal, so it should be fine." The rest of the pockets didn't reveal much. A knife, zip ties, a pack of gum, and a crumpled receipt.

"It's for a corner store," Orion remarked. "Guy bought gum, a coffee, and smokes."

"What's the address?" Ambrose punched it into his phone and then zoomed in. "It's by an industrial area."

"Could that be where they're hiding out when they're not taking wererats and random weird dudes into custody?"

"Maybe. I'll see if I can pull up any aerial footage," Ambrose stated as Orion yawned.

His friend glanced at him. "Go get some sleep."

"Okay, I'll be in the spare room if you need me."

"Sleep in the master."

"You think she'd be okay with that?" Orion hesitated, a strange thing for him. However, he couldn't get this thing with Adeline wrong.

"Guess we'll find out."

Hence why he slid into a bed with a warm and snuggly body. Not that he mauled her. Orion lay beside Adeline watching her sleep. Hoping she wouldn't push him away.

Dreaming of what could be…