4. Eli

4

ELI

I thought Max would collect old computer parts or maybe welding hammers. Hell, if he had stuck to nutritional information, that would have been great.

But Max is special. I think I've always known that. In a lot of ways, meeting him was like meeting Terrance. I could tell I was talking with someone who was going to do something meaningful with their life.

Max parks behind an old building. I've heard of this place. It's the oldest jewelry shop in Anchorage. We get out of the car and Max unlocks the shop from the back, leading me to a blazing fire and a big, shiny anvil.

Waiting on four folding chairs are Cyrano, Axe, and Todd. Max doesn't even seem to register that they're there. He goes directly to a corner where a pair of big gloves and a helmet are hanging from a peg.

"Put on the costume so the magic can't recognize you," Max says.

Cyrano doesn't even try to hide his amusement as I don the inflatable T-Rex costume Max unearthed from one of the boxes he had yet to unpack after moving into my apartment. Apparently, Dominic bought it for a costume party. Polar bear shifters and their costume parties.

"Are you sure this is going to protect me from the magic?" I ask.

"Yep. When I wore that to a party, no one could recognize me."

The costume zips up the front and has a clear panel at the dinosaur's neck so I can see. Once I'm completely zipped up, I try walking further into the jewelry shop, hoping Max won't make me inflate it.

"You don't look like a T-Rex yet," he says. "You have to turn the inflators on."

Why would I expect anything less? There are two inflators that are worn at the waist. I flip them on and the T-Rex's head slowly takes shape above me, while the tail extends out behind me.

Cyrano pats a seat next to him. "Come and join us, Little Foot."

"Little Foot is one of the Long Necks, not a T-Rex. You mean Sharp Tooth," Axe says.

"Sorry. My dinosaur pop culture references are off."

I try to sit next to Cy, but the tail gets in the way. I have to squash it down while I try to sit, and a loud squeeeeee! escapes from the top of my suit.

Cy and Axe laugh. Todd tries valiantly not to smile, but isn't successful.

"We've all had nesting mates," Todd assures me. "It will be over soon, and you'll remember this fondly." Apparently, no one told him what I do for a living. I'm not about to bring it up now while I have to talk through a T-Rex's neck.

Max's hands grow into huge black paws with sharp claws, and his arms sprout white fur. He pulls on his gloves and puts on his helmet with a dexterity that I'd expect from human fingers.

I've never seen this side of Max. It's the side the Guild tried to stamp out. We all wait in silence as he sets my phone on the floor next to the anvil with the recorder on.

"How is he doing this? I mean, what's the process of creating a new spell?" I ask.

Todd is the one who answers. "Some of us can just do it. Despite the efforts of the Academy, it isn't something you can teach. That's why there are such strict laws against experimentation. It normally ends in disaster."

That isn't comforting.

"I've been trying to figure out this spell for over a decade, Eli. Max has made more strides in the last week than I have with a lifetime of effort. He's going to be okay," Todd assures me.

Max picks up a chain hanging from the anvil with a pair of pincers. He carefully places it in the fire of the forge. It crackles and sparks, jumping up and writhing in the air like a snake.

I remind myself of all the omegas this could help. If Max were aware of what he was doing, I know he'd be game. But messing with that necklace is very dangerous.

"Where did you find one?" I ask.

"My father had a bunch hidden in a compartment underneath his bed. We didn't know how to get rid of them. We couldn't bury them or dump them in the ocean. Warlocks can locate magical objects," Axe says.

Once the metal is glowing, Max takes the chain out of the fire, and that's when he starts singing. His voice is haunting and gorgeous. It echoes through the shop in an unearthly way that seems to vibrate through the air.

"It's a binding spell in reverse," Todd explains quietly. "Only he's added strange variations. We don't know how he can sense where the variations need to be. I think the Prexeliatrin has relaxed his analytical brain, and he can feel the magic more intensely."

"Is that safe?" I ask for what probably feels like the millionth time to them.

Todd simply shakes his head. "But I can hear the magic thrumming through him from here. He needs to do this. If he doesn't, it will eat at him. I'll do my best to keep him focused."

At first, I don't know what that means. Max seems completely focused as he sings and bangs the metal with a huge hammer. Every time that hammer connects, the sparks are explosive.

Then Max's voice slows, his hammer crashing down at the wrong time. Todd joins his song. The quality of his voice is different than Max's. It doesn't have that ghost-like ambiance to it. Cy and Axe join in until Max's voice slides in next to theirs. Every minute or two, Todd redirects Max. My mate may be lost in his magic, but his friends are there to catch him from falling.

I think this is going to be okay.

The song grows in volume, and Max's lovely voice begins to break. It's almost like the bridge of a song or the climax of a good story.

Everyone holds their breath. I think this is the part where he faltered last time. They still aren't sure he can do it or if it's even possible. Max is attempting to reverse the magic of a fidelity necklace, but he hasn't quite figured it out yet. He's doing it for our baby because they're a Gentoo.

My phone rings. The ringtone for Heller is "Diamonds Are An Omega's Best Friend." I made the change in jest after we saw his nest.

Max doesn't stop singing. If anything, his voice gets stronger.

I remind myself that if Heller is too far gone, he wouldn't call me. For all I know, he could be calling because he wants a cream-filled donut. It's hard to say with him.

Max's song goes off kilter for a second, and Todd is quick to save him, but it's clear that Todd doesn't know this part of the song. His voice isn't as sure.

Their voices are all competing with my damn ringtone. I stand up and creep toward my phone as subtly as a man in a T-Rex suit possibly can. I almost get to the phone when Max voice veers off Todd's, and instead lilts lower to imitate the "Diamonds! Ohhhh, Diamonds!"

Then his attention snaps back, and he continues along the bridge with a confidence that makes Todd lean forward in his seat.

All at once, the glow from the metal dims. I know nothing about magic metal, but even I can see that the chain is nothing but a chain now. Axe grabs Cy around the shoulders and brings him into a powerful bear hug. Todd stands and punches the air with a loud cheer like we're at a football game.

My sweet, brilliant Max lifts up his helmet and looks at me from across the room. I can tell he's trying to lock eyes with me, but he can't see them through the transparent neck panel. I unzip the chest of the suit and poke out my head.

"We have to get the song to the nest," he says.

He's still nesting. In the wake of watching him overcome a profound magical feat, I had forgotten.

There's a penguin shifter who's nesting too, and I need to call him back. I stand up and hobble toward him as quickly as a man in a T-Rex suit can manage.

"Can I please pick up my phone. Heller was calling?—"

His ringtone blares through the phone speakers again.

I'm wearing T-Rex hands and Max is wearing his gloves. Todd walks over and stoops down to pick up the phone, tapping the answer icon.

"Can you put it on speakerphone?" I ask.

Todd nods and taps the phone again.

"Eliiiiiii," Heller's voice says.

"Hi, Heller, are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm great. But the police officer is saying that you have to come. He doesn't appreciate the smell of my slick. Can you believe that? As I was telling him, people have paid a lot of money to smell my slick. He is clearly not appreciative of a good thing when he smells it."

If Heller is already slicking, things are developing quickly.

"Can I talk to the police officer?" I ask.

"Fine. It's for you, King George."

In the background a disgruntled man says, "My name is not King George. Just because you tried to put a gold necklace on my head, does not mean you can call me whatever you want." There's a pause, and then the same man speaks directly into the phone. "When are you coming? He's strung the stolen jewelry together to create some kind of makeshift clothing. The pearl necklace he's fashioned into a thong better belong to him because I don't think it will ever be the same after this."

I hear Heller sigh loudly. "Oh, King George. I was going to give you my thong as a memento of our time together, but now I think you don't deserve it."

"It sounds like you need to get over there," Todd whispers.

Cy and Axe nod in agreement.

Max is already putting away his welding clothing. I wonder how he'll react when I tell him that we can't stop at home to deposit the song into his nest. How will I explain that to him in his current state?

"I don't want your thong," the police officer insists. "I'm sure it smells to high heaven of your slick."

"If you don't want it, maybe I should just take it off then. Maybe I should take it all off. Do a bit of a striptease for you."

"No. I've seen plenty, thank you very much. Now go off to your room and find a robe."

Max grabs my T-Rex hand. "We need to go to him and deposit the song with the other precious things."

That sounded a lot like Max is simply going to add part of his nest to Heller's nest. If that's true, it would make my life a lot easier.

"You mean next to Heller's bed," I say, just to clarify.

"Yes." Max seems exasperated, as if this were obvious.

If Max is going to add to Heller's nest, that means they'll both be in the thick of their nesting fog at the same time.

I could really use an extra hand or dick in this situation.

Max drags me to the parking lot while I wonder how "King George" would react if I asked him for a little help.