was breathing hard from the doorway. Before he could blink he was wrapped in Gabriel’s arms.
“I’m fine, what is it? What’s wrong?” Ashby demanded, his face pressed against Gabriel’s chest.
“I received another letter today.” Ashby could feel Gabriel’s heart pounding against his cheek, beating
erratically. He could also feel the deep terror coming through his mate bond with Gabriel.
“What did this one say?” Ashby asked, pulling back slightly to look up at Gabriel. Gabriel shuddered.
The fox will die, Gabriel recounted.
“This letter was delivered on vellum, I thought it was a function invitation.” Gabriel tightened his hold
on Ashby.
“They’re stepping up their game,” Roman said from the doorway, holding the letter.
“They’ll try to kill Ashby in an attempt to kill you, my prince,” Montana added. Most of the day coven
members had gathered in the bar.
“They will not take our little prince away from us!” Rhys yelled, slamming his hands down on the bar.
The coven members echoed his decree.
“Prince Gabriel, he will be with one of us constantly, I dare them to try and get to him,” Baptista said,
his eyes shining bright. Ashby looked around confused.
“They care for you, too, my angel. I told you, they would give their lives for you. Not just to keep me
safe, but I knew they would come to care for you as well. You’re just too sweet not to love,” Gabriel said
and Ashby could feel his heartbeats slow down to a more normal pace.
“I love them too. They are like family,” Ashby said, quietly underestimating vampire hearing.
“Oh my God, we love you, too!” Daniel exclaimed and ran up behind Ashby to latch himself on in a
hug.
“You are so damn cute!” David said squeezing his body into the hug. Gabriel looked down at the armful
of men he now held and sighed as they all squirmed around trying to get hugs and Ashby giggled.
“Gentlemen, if you’re finished?” he said, raising a dark eyebrow with his mouth twitching slightly. All
three looked up at him with identical innocent expressions. He couldn’t help it—he smiled. David’s and
Daniel’s eyes widened and he could hear the coven’s whispers of surprise.
“I am trusting all of you to watch over him in my absence.” He looked up and saw that most of the
coven members were nodding, misty eyed. In less than a week his mate had managed to steal the hearts of
his coven members.
“I have a meeting with the regional coven leaders upstairs. If you need me for anything don’t hesitate to
interrupt,” Gabriel said as David and Daniel stood back, leaving just Ashby in his arms. Daniel snorted.
“That’s because you know that asshole Dorian is one of the leaders coming today.”
“You should not speak disrespectfully of a coven leader, Daniel. But…you’re right. He is an asshole,”
Gabriel agreed.
“I’ll be fine, see? Everyone here will keep me safe,” Ashby said, pointing to the coven members.
“OK my love, but we will need lots of snuggle time to get me out of my bad mood after the meeting is
over,” Gabriel whispered in Ashby’s ear. Ashby blushed.
“Deal!” Reluctantly Gabriel let go and walked across the room toward the door.
“Come on Roman, it is your job to keep me from killing these sycophants,” Gabriel said, striding out
the door. Roman rolled his eyes.
“Lucky me,” he said in his deadpan manner and followed his prince up the stairs.
Ashby looked at David and Daniel.
“So. Want to order pizza?” he asked, smiling.
Chapter 11
Ashby was on his second slice of pizza when he felt it. At first it felt like a tugging, a slight pull. But
then the pull became twists in his soul and he started to feel bruised. He was rubbing his chest when David
spoke.
“Ashby? What’s wrong? Oh God were you poisoned again!” David demanded, staring aghast at the half
eaten pizza in front of them.
“What’s wrong?” Baptista asked, stepping forward from the doorway to put a hand on Ashby’s
forehead.
“I feel strange, but not like before. It’s like someone is pulling on my insides,” Ashby explained.
“Oh right, because that sounds so much better,” Daniel quipped.
“It’s not a sharp pain, more like a terrible sense of wrongness. I don’t know how to explain it.” Ashby
frowned. Above them a dreadful roar reverberated throughout the entire club. Ashby looked at the twins
and Baptista.
“I thought the VIP rooms were soundproof?” Daniel asked, sounding scared.
“They are,” Baptista confirmed. Ashby rubbed his chest.