Chapter 7: Athos

Chapter Seven

Athos

T he Monster’s Den has an atmosphere that’s all its own. It doesn’t bother me that my mate is overseeing the sex club, but she should have more support from the owners. They’re all wrapped up in their own lives.

Charity is capable. She’s also overworked and exhausted. She slides through several of the workers waiting around for their next clients, pasting on a plastic smile for long enough to make it past them.

I appear at her side, garnering looks from several of the women I’ve been steadily avoiding the last few weeks.

I’m not sure if the attention is due to the rarity of my species, or perhaps my form is pleasing to gaze at, but I have no interest in anyone but my mate.

One of the women I don’t recognize by name starts in our direction, and I toss my arm around Charity’s shoulder.

“Save me, please.” I keep my tone low, but she still jolts. Possibly because she wasn’t anticipating my arrival.

Charity turns in my hold and glares so effectively, the female demon frowns, spinning to return to the cluster of other waiting employees.

“Thank you,” I whisper, leading her down the corridor toward her office. “How has your night been?”

“Long,” she admits, opening the door and walking into the office that used to be Aline’s. After that, Charity shared it with Nadia for a short while after we came to Haven from North Falls. Only, Nadia gave birth, and she’s barely been back to The Den since.

Charity steps out of my hold, scurries over to the couch on the far wall, and tugs the blanket off the back. She toes out of her flats and curls up on the sofa.

“I’m stuck here for two more hours until Saber shows up,” she says, getting the blanket situated. “But I’m exhausted. Let’s collectively say a prayer no one else needs anything until he clocks in.”

I frown, taking in the dark circles under her glassy eyes. She missed out on several hours of sleep last night, but she seems more run down than I would expect.

Typically, a cheerful, upbeat energy surrounds her. Even the first time I laid eyes upon her, I took note of how friendly she was.

My stomach wobbles with a strange discomfort as I ponder whether her half-fae heritage is enough to protect her from human illnesses and disease.

Siphoning across the room, I focus on my full form. It takes a bit of effort, but my lower half appears.

I don’t hesitate to take a seat on the edge of the couch.

“Are you under the weather?” Brushing the backs of my fingers over her cheek, I try to covertly check her for symptoms of a fever.

“I just need a good night’s sleep.” She offers a smile.

It’s forced, and I don’t like it.

“You don’t feel feverish,” I say distractedly. “I can locate a doctor. I’m sure Haven has one.”

“Athos, I’m not sick.” She snuggles deeper under the blanket.

Again, with the fake smile.

I’ve changed my mind. I actually hate it—dislike isn’t strong enough of a word.

My hand moves to her forehead, and I frown as I evaluate her temperature once more.

“When is your quickening?” My nostrils flare with her delicate cherry blossom scent.

Fae females have a period of hyperfertility known as the quickening. It comes two or three times a year and, from what I’ve heard, they build nests for the experience. They secrete pheromones in the weeks leading up to it to attract compatible partners, and once the quickening begins, they release different pheromones meant to encourage bonding.

The fae will fill her nest with soft fabrics and pillows and the mates she’s chosen. It’s a very intimate experience for all involved, as it often leads to conception.

“What?” Charity asks. “Oh no, I’ve never had that. I guess I didn’t inherit enough of my mother’s genes to reproduce like a fae.”

Everything in me believes she’s wrong, but I have no concrete evidence, so I keep my mouth shut.

“Humans certainly seem to enjoy the way they copulate,” I say to lighten the mood. “Why don’t you rest? I’ll keep a listen out for any emergencies and wake you if it’s something I can’t fix on my own.”

She sighs. “That’s very kind, but I think I’ll just rest my eyes for a few minutes. If it was a few hours earlier, I’d start a pot of coffee.”

My face twists into a grimace. That’s one human beverage I’ll never understand. Instead of speaking, I slide my fingers into Charity’s light brown hair and attempt to soothe her to sleep.

“What’s wrong?” Bane growls, appearing in the doorway to Charity’s bedroom.

“Shh,” I scold, placing the sleeping beauty down on top of her comforter. “I believe she may be coming down with some type of illness.”

“Fuck, the human realm really is a cesspool.” Bane grunts, shoving his way into the bedroom as I toss Charity’s shoes on the floor near the wall. “It’s that fucking place. They’re working her to the goddamn bone. She hasn’t had a day off in nine days.”

That is a considerable amount of days to go without a break.

“I spoke to Saber when he came in,” I tell him. “He recommended having Nadia or Meena check her over, just to be safe.” Meena is Nadia’s grandmother, and she’s a healer. Well, in addition to her gifts of prophecy. “Did you collect Veryn from Mrs. Segar?”

“He slept through the trip.” Bane gives a curt nod. “He also managed to fly this afternoon, like really fucking fly, not just coast.” He smiles, shaking his head. I’d guess he’s remembering something from their time together. “I’ll stay with her if you want to siphon over and grab one of the witches.”

That would be smart.

Bane is the opposite of diplomatic. Not that I’m in much better shape at the moment.

“I’d also really like it if someone here would accept my jar, that way I would no longer be forced to check in with Wraith every twenty-four hours,” I grumble, bending to give Charity a quick kiss on the forehead.

My alarm rises at feeling how warm she’s grown since I last checked.

Fuck.

That can’t be good.

I appear in Nadia’s home.

Wraith is technically the keeper of my jar. He hasn’t made a single wish, which is good for him. There’s that whole “they never go how the wisher intended” thing, and also, he can still pass me off to someone else. If he doesn’t, the magic will tie me to him until he completes his third wish.

My ear settles against Nadia’s bedroom door as I listen for sounds they’re still awake. They have two newborn daughters, so there’s every chance they’re already in bed, or they could be up for a late-night feeding.

I suppose it’s lucky I don’t have to worry about interrupting another of their fuckfests. I’m fairly confident witches have a similar healing pattern to humans.

“You’ve checked in,” Wraith grumbles, ripping the door open. “Feel free to disappear to do whatever it is you do for twenty-three hours and fifty-nine minutes a day.”

Luckily, my magic rights me before I can tumble headfirst into their bedroom.

“My mate is ill,” I say softly. “Saber recommended I fetch Nadia or Meena.”

“Wait, what’s wrong with Charity?” Nadia calls out from the darkened room.

“She’s feverish,” Wraith replies, glancing over his shoulder.

A shiver runs down my spine, the same way it always does when he or Knight reads my mind.

“I don’t think she’s been sick once in the four or five years I’ve known her,” Nadia says, sounding alarmed.

“Cover your tits if you’re turning on the light,” Ridge, her alpha wolf, says.

“It’s only the one, and Violet is mostly blocking it from view.” Nadia laughs, and the light flicks on.

I frown. “I thought she drank blood.”

“Violet drinks both,” Nadia informs me. “I would come with you, but Nan is better with illnesses. Reproductive health is more my specialty. I’ll call her, so she knows to expect you.”

I bow low to show my gratitude. “Where do I find Meena?”

“She lives with Thornton just down the street,” Nadia says.

Wraith grabs my arm. “I’ll take you.”

Meena shoos all of us away from Charity as she does a quick evaluation.

I’m unsure why Wraith is still here, and it terrifies me to imagine he’s around to be sure she doesn’t die.

I’ve heard the story of how he shoved Nadia’s soul back into her body when she nearly died as an adolescent.

This had better not come to that.

“Stop being dramatic,” Wraith says.

“Like you wouldn’t freak out if Nadia was sick.” I scoff, eyeing him with annoyance.

“I’m scoping out locations to place your jar, not supervising her soul,” the reaper says, rolling his void-like eyes. “She’s healthy. I’m not even sensing an illness.”

“Then, why the fuck is she groggy and feverish?” Bane snarls, spinning in a circle with his hands linked behind his head.

“Who does the matebond belong to?” Meena asks.

“I swear to the Gods, if I have to say it one more time,” Bane growls. “She’s my mate!” His eyes glow yellowy-green, signaling his dragon is close to the surface.

“It’s partially formed.” Meena’s hands glow with her magic. “And I’m not disputing your connection with her, so calm yourself, dragon.”

“Eldritch bit her in the dream Malice arranged,” I say with wide eyes. “She didn’t have evidence of a claiming bite once she woke.”

“I’m going to kill that fucking wyvern,” Bane snarls.

“My Lord, you are a stubborn one.” Meena sighs. “That would help nothing.”

Wraith grabs Bane by the front of his shirt as the dragon tries to stomp toward the door. “Listen to what she’s saying.”

“It may be partially formed.” Meena turns to face the rest of us, raising her eyebrows. “But it exists.”

“Meaning, if you try to kill Eldritch, it will cause Charity physical pain,” I say to ensure the facts are making it through his exceptionally hard head.

“It’s probably time you three come to terms with the fact you’re stuck with each other.” Wraith pats Bane’s chest and disappears as the feral dragon takes a swipe at him with his claws. “I had a similar period of acceptance when it came to Echo and Ridge.” The reaper reappears across the room and stares at Meena. “What’s to be done?” He nods to Charity. “Will she get better on her own?”

“I’m honestly not sure,” Meena says, shrugging. “Perhaps bonding one of her other mates would help temper the symptoms? Truthfully, this isn’t something I’ve seen before. I’m afraid we’re all in uncharted territory.”

My eyes land on Bane. “That doesn’t mean you bite her while she’s incoherent.”

“No, I would not recommend doing that,” Meena says. “The last thing you want to do is risk a rejected bond.”

“She allowed the fucking wyvern to claim her, but you assume she’ll reject my bite?” Bane asks dubiously.

“You do have kind of a big personality.” I prepare to siphon if he makes a move for me. He continues to glare, like he can melt the skin from my bones, so I refocus on Meena. “Do you think this could be the beginning of her quickening?”

The old witch shoves her hair behind her ear, bending low to scent Charity. From what I understand, witches have senses of smell on par with humans.

“Perhaps.” Meena pulls the sheet back from Charity. Her hands glow as she slowly moves over Charity’s sleeping form. “You know what? I think you might be right. We always assumed she didn’t have enough fae blood to activate that piece of her genetics.” She shakes out her hands, pulling the sheet and blanket back up. “But she has three mates. That tells me there’s more to her than meets the eye. The half-formed matebond may have jump-started the fae side of her reproduction.”

“In the meantime, what are we meant to do?” I study Charity as she begins to groan and writhe around the mattress.

“Well,” Meena says, smiling slyly. “The first step I would focus on would be finding someone to keep Veryn for a few days. The quickening is very similar to what female shifters experience during a heat.”

Wraith’s entire face twists in horror. “I would like to return home now.”

“I suppose we could ask Mrs. Segar or Aline to keep him, if that’s what this really is.” Bane scratches his jaw.

“If you can’t find someone, call me in the morning.” Meena smiles softly. “I’ll see if I can snag Ember from Emerson for a day or two. They play well together.”

“Thank you.” I bow my head.

“If things take a turn for the worse or different symptoms pop up, you know where to find me.” Meena wipes her hands off on her dress. “I’m ready when you are.”

Wraith siphons to Meena, and they both disappear in the blink of an eye.