24. Boulders and Dirty Suits

FITZROY

The catacombs were cold, dark, damp, and the epitome of somewhere I preferred not to be. It was likely my shifter side, but I enjoyed the sun. I wanted to be able to see the sky and know every possible escape route. These maze-like catacombs were not fulfilling that.

After we gently removed the corpse of the old guy Clover thought hung that tiny picture, we got to work. I guess he came here to die after his Calla disappeared. Maybe he thought it’d bring him closer to them or something.

I lift another boulder and stack it against the one cave entrance, then survey the room as some of Mip’s friends or relatives—it’s all rather confusing—start rolling more rocks and stones into place. Each of them possesses one of Clover’s many crocheted dolls that she keeps in Suisy. I spent a good fifteen minutes just tossing them down here for the creatures to use. One of them stumbles and falls in front of a small boulder, only to be flattened by it. A moment later, it pops up and keeps going like nothing happened. Tough little guys.

We have managed to block off just about every exit and entrance to this section of the catacombs. Once we get this last one filled, the only way out will be straight up into the house through the round wooden door.

Clover is currently sitting cross-legged in the center of the room, going over the plan yet again with Kushim.

I haven’t decided how I feel about having a demon as part of the mate bond. He is powerful, which means he can help me protect Clover. But that manic look he had at the bar was concerning. I don’t think I’d ever truly win in a fight against him. Which makes me want to try again, but I suppose he makes Clover happy. So having him around won’t be the worst thing.

Hopefully, half of what Mip said when he was translating for Aldrich was made up. I’m not one to kink shame, but jerking off onto another man’s clothes is weird shit, and besides that, if he looks anything like the doll she is currently making for him… Mismatched arm sizes, overly long torso, no hair at all, and about 4ft tall. For some reason in my mind, I always believed Fae to be gorgeous, but that thing she’s making… gorgeous it is not.

Kushim casually flicks a finger at the side wall, and it crumbles into large boulders.

I glance at the male and grunt as I lift another boulder. I toss it over to the last of the exits, then approach Clover.

“It’s fine, Kushy-tushy. I don’t want to ruin the cushion.”

Kushim grunts. “I sincerely doubt you sitting on your own cushions will ruin them,” he grumbles as he pulls off his suit jacket. He folds it into a square and holds it out to her. “Here.”

“Awww, I don’t want you to get your nice suit dirty.”

“It’s fine, sweetness.”

She takes it and places it beneath her.

“I have a feeling after this fight I will be scrapping this suit, anyway,” he says as he rolls up his sleeves.

“Or you can sit on my lap while you work.” I give her a cheeky grin.

She gives me that cute little giggle of hers before tilting her head back down. “Shit! I lost count.” After a moment, she shrugs and continues to crochet. I take her giggle as a yes and lift her, placing her in my lap and shooting Kushim an eat-shit grin.

When I realized she had both a demon and a Fae as her other mates, I was worried I’d be left behind when it came to the power level. But while Kushim is indeed powerful, Clover treats all of us equally. She truly is the perfect mate. She cares not about our power, wealth, or appearances based on the doll she is creating.

I kiss her bare shoulder gently. The cute off-the-shoulder dress she wears hugs her waist. It holds her breasts perfectly, and more than once have I had to fight back the urge to cup them. Normally, after finding our mate, Unicorns spend weeks of sex and sleeping under the stars bundled up together. So it is comforting to have her in my arms where she belongs.

“Shouldn’t you finish moving the boulders?”

I shrug and kiss her shoulder once more before glancing up at Kushim, resting my head where I just kissed. “Can’t right now, sorry,” I say, clearly not sorry at all. “I am sure someone as powerful as you can move a few boulders around, though, no?”

“I expected this from the Fae but not you, horsey boy,” Kushim says, pointing at me even as he walks over and grips a boulder with one hand. His fingers dig into the rocky surface like its butter, then he casually chucks them into place. The fucking show off. I contentedly go back to kissing Clover’s neck, unperturbed by the sour demon.

“Do you think he is okay? Mip hasn’t come back yet,” Clover whispers to me, her eyes still focused on her task.

“You said he survived centuries with that thing. I am sure he is just fine. Hell, he is probably taunting and chucking insults at it as we speak. Calling it a lily-waler pigswine or whatever old-timey words you said he was always using,” I say, and she giggles, her breasts bouncing with the movement. I bite my lip, using every ounce of restraint I have to not motorboat the fuck out of those perfect specimens.

“You’re right. He would totes do that,” she says, wiggling around and getting comfortable again.

We sit contentedly like that for a while until Kushim finally comes over and sits beside us. “I think we are about ready to go. The last doorway is sealed.”

As if the universe heard him, Clover gasps, dropping her doll. “Aldy!”

Whatever he says must be bad. Our poor Clover pales.

“Clover?” I ask as Kushim says, “What is it?”

Clover nods, still stitching away. “I am not done yet!” She quickly grasps the doll and tries to speed crochet.

The room suddenly goes foggy, and a chill races down my spine. Clover hasn’t opened a portal yet, though.

With a sharp yank, she closes off the doll’s head, giving it a strange football shape as she does so. It wriggles in her lap before leaping to its feet.

A male voice that sounds like chimes tinkling in a gentle breeze rings from the doll. “Hurry! It’s coming!”