Torem(Zeus’s Pack 4)(34)

“Kamiko, come here.” Torem held his hand out.

Sidney kept his eyes on the large man crouched in a protective stance in front of Kamiko. He didn’t smell like any creature he had ever come across before. Sidney had met everyone in the house. He knew who Kamiko was, but the man in front of him was a stranger.

“Yeah, about him.” Zeus ran his hand over his bald head. “Men, this is Takeo.”



* * * *



Dino’s head was spinning. He wasn’t sure how normal all of this was to the shifters, but to find out demons existed, really existed, was a bit much to absorb right now. He had adjusted to wolves being in the world, his brain worked out that there were vampires, and he even accepted that Sidney was a jaguar. But fucking demons?

Too much was coming at him too fast. He needed time to sort all of this out. Within a week his world went from humans only to all kinds of paranormal bullshit. Dino feared his brain was going to overload with all of this information and he would be left a vegetable.

He needed a damn drink and he needed to be around his men right now. “I’m heading home.”

“Wait, Dino.” Torem and Sidney were hot on his heels. “It’s not like we knew. This is a shock to us as well,” Sidney pleaded.

Dino spun around. “Shock, you want a fucking shock? Try being in my shoes. You grew up in this world. I didn’t. My brain is fucking hurting right now.”

“Are you leaving us, or do you just need time?” Torem asked solemnly.

“I don’t know. I need time, I guess. I’ll be at home.” Dino spun back around and jogged down the steps.

He made it home after getting a ride from one of the shifters and walked through his front door. Dino stood on the threshold, feeling weary. Why did his home feel so alien to him?

He dropped his keys on the kitchen counter and leaned against the fridge, his forehead rocking back and forth on the freezer. His hands gripped the top of the appliance as he exhaled. “Fucking demons.”

“You okay, boss?” Mickey asked as he walked into the kitchen.

“No.” Dino didn’t want to talk about it and had a feeling he couldn’t even if he wanted to. He walked over to the table and sat down, wondering if he could cope with all of this.

“Catch.”

Dino looked up too late. The beer bottle hit his chest and then hit the floor, shattering.

“I meant right now, not tomorrow.” Mickey grabbed a towel and the trash can, bending down to clean the mess up. The smell of hops stung Dino’s nose.

“I can get that.” He grabbed the broom and dustpan and helped Mickey clean up the broken glass. You accepted everything else, what’s one more thing?

Dino emptied the dustpan and stored it back in the small closet. “Where’s Quinn?”

“He’s been barricaded in his room all day with some little twink. I only saw him come out once. Must be some good ass.” Mickey grinned.

Although it irritated the shit out of him for Mickey to talk that way about Tristan, especially after seeing his scars, he wasn’t going to correct the guy. Mickey was straight and wouldn’t be a part of the shifter world, so there was no sense in telling him about it.

Dino left Mickey to put the trash can away and clean the towel out as he made his way to Quinn’s bedroom door. He knocked, hoping he wasn’t disturbing them.

“Yeah?” Quinn asked when he cracked the door open. “Oh, hey, Dino.” He opened it wide and allowed Dino entrance. Tristan was fast asleep on the bed, curled up in a blanket.

“How is he?”

Quinn sighed and walked over to the bed, Dino shut the door. “He’s been sleeping a lot, and I can’t get him to stop calling me sir. He’s like this scared little deer that won’t look you in your eyes or make his own decisions. I asked if he wanted soup, and he told me he would eat whatever I gave him. It’s frustrating as hell. He waits for me to tell him what to do. Fuck, I even had to tell him to use the bathroom when he stood there squirming around.”

Dino wanted to question why Quinn cared so much. Although the man was a nice guy, this was above and beyond, but he kept it to himself. “Give him time. It looks like he’s been through the wringer. Did he say where he was from?”

“No, I asked him, but he starts shaking anytime I bring up anything about him.”

Dino felt for the guy. Even though Tristan wasn’t his mate, he wanted to protect him.

Mate? Could Quinn be Tristan’s? Is that why he was being so protective of the man? Dino needed to get Mickey out of here, house him with Jake and Steven.

There was too much beyond worldly things going on, and Mickey didn’t need to witness it. Everything around Dino was becoming more and more complicated. “I’m heading to my room. Take tomorrow off, and call me if you or Tristan needs anything.”