King Cave (Forever Evermore, #2)(137)

Beautifully, the Com turned and placed her hands on the door. I moved swiftly, disarming her. Not only did she have a gun at the back of her waistband, but she also had one strapped to her leg. I grunted in approval, even if she wasn’t using silver bullets, thinking her only attack would come from Coms when everyone knew the Beasts were out there. “Are you going to behave, Mac?”

Instantly, she nodded.

“Aloud, Mac.” I smacked the back of her head. “Are you going to behave?”

Instant. “Yes.”

Only partial truth.

I heard the owner sigh even as I quickly debated my option…then I hit her over the head with the butt end of her own gun. I caught her falling form one-armed, my gun instantly altering to the owner. “She was a loose end I don’t have time for.”

His jaw was clenched. “She’s loyal, so please don’t kill her.”

“I wasn’t planning on it.” Laying her on the floor, I listened to her heartbeat and felt her head. She had a bit of a goose egg already starting, but she was fine. I sighed, straightening, and rested back against the door, not holstering my weapon because there were other lingering Com scents in the house. “You have a son?” It was a simply asked question, no command in my tone.

He rolled his shoulders, crossing his arms while assessing me. “You don’t look like Lily Ruckler.” His head cocked at my duffle. “And you’ve got a live lion in that bag.”

My shoulders slumped. I was done playing this game. I took my fake glasses off and pulled the hoodie I was wearing down. I pointed at my brown hair. “It’s spelled.” I unzipped my bag and pulled Bonnie out from where she had been hiding the majority of the time in the cab. “This is Bonnie. My Vizoac.” Hooking her under one arm so I still had my shooting hand free, I explained at his wide gaze as he scented the air. “She’s also spelled to look different.”

I jostled her. “Speak, Bonnie.” She growled, sounding very much like a lion even though it came out of a poodle’s mouth. I jostled her again. “Good girl.” I cracked my neck. “Now, do you have a son?”

He blinked. “Twins. A son and a daughter.”

“Perfect,” I grumbled. That meant possibly two brats to cart along on our trip. “Let’s see them.”

He nodded, gesturing up the stairs, his eyes traveling over my face. “I’m so sorry for—”

“Look, I’m exhausted.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to hear apologies. All I want to do is my job, and then get us all the f*ck out of this Com-infested city.” I eyed him as we walked down a thin hallway. “What the hell are you thinking, living here with kids?”

He had stiffened when I had said ‘get us all out’, and now he straightened even more. “I made it through the last war living in a damn sewer. I won’t live like that again.” King Cave isn’t a sewer, but it isn’t this place, and he sure as hell will be living there. “I have Coms that I trust bring food and supplies in and out.”

“There’s stubborn,” I stated. “Then there’s stupid stubborn. Do you know which category I would place you in?”

He chuckled, relaxing a little. “I can imagine.” He opened a door at the end of the hallway. “They’re both in here, taking naps.”

Before entering, I sniffed the air and listened. All I heard were two tiny heartbeats, steady breathing, and the ticking of a clock. But I scented… “The room’s spelled.” My gaze slammed to his.

Cautiously, he nodded. “If you mean them no harm, you can pass.”

My nostrils flared, and I nodded, smelling only truth on him. I carefully stepped through the doorway, not getting killed with the spell, which was probably how it was concocted. The lion Shifter followed me in, and I realized I hadn’t asked his name, so I did in a whisper.

“Lynn Johnson.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr Johnson. I only wish it was during better times.”

He nodded, and then gestured to the left where a tiny female slept on her stomach, her hair orange. “That’s Brenna.” A hand to the right where a not-so-tiny male — compared to the female — slept on his back, his hair a wild, curly black. “And that’s Brann.”

“They’re twins?” I asked in disbelief, studying their size difference. When Lynn nodded, I grunted, staring at the boy. “He’s gonna be big.”

Lynn smiled proudly. “He’s already a little rascal.”

Wonderful. My future may include training a ‘rascal’. “Let’s see if he’s the Prodigy.”

I set Bonnie on the floor with a swift order to be quiet and still, fishing for the die in my pocket. I didn’t miss how Lynn held his breath, watching me closely. I wasn’t sure if he wanted this for his son or not by his expression.

Oh, well, because if it was Brann, it was destined.

I fisted the die, and pulled it out, beginning to slowly open my fingers.

My phone rang, blaring in my other pocket. “Sorry.” I fumbled for it as the kids twitched in their sleep. I grabbed it and quickly hit a button, putting it up to my ear and whispering, “Hello?”

“Are you alright? You didn’t call and it has been over a half-hour,” Ezra rumbled.

On speakerphone.