“For now,” Constantine replies. “You are right in that we all need to be together now for what comes next.”
Vito nods and stands up and they head to the library in silence where the rest of their group is gathered.
“So,” Devon says, clapping his hands together. “What’s the deal?”
“We go to the Faerie Ring on Earth and I step through and send Drake back to bring you into the Fae Kingdoms,” Vito says.
Devon frowns at him. “I don’t like that plan,” he says. “How do we know you will send Drake for us?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Vito asks in confusion.
“He has trust issues,” Constantine says. “Let’s just do this.”
“Let’s,” Xane drawls and everyone turns to look at him in surprise as he just appeared out of nowhere.
“Why are you here?” Devon asks candidly.
“I told Xerxei that she could count on me, and she can. She asked me to go with you,” he replies.
“But you are a Demon,” Devon says, confused. “Aren’t you supposed to be on the Dragon side?”
“Aren’t you?” Xane responds and Devon, for once in his whole life, is actually speechless.
If Constantine weren’t so anxious for his wife to return home, he would have reveled in the lack of sardonic response.
“Fair enough,” Devon finally mutters and then Xane Astraports off by himself and Devon follows.
Constantine lets out a huff that he has been left to play taxi to the remaining three men in Aefre’s life. He grabs Lincoln and Vito by the collars and Cade grabs on quickly before he Teleports them out to Earth and the Faerie Ring.
“I will have Drake here as soon as I can,” Vito says as he steps into the Faerie Ring and disappears.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Constantine watches Devon walk over and step ceremoniously into the Faerie Ring.
As expected, he doesn’t go anywhere.
“What were you expecting would happen?” Xane asks him after a moment. The Demon is beyond tense and that has Constantine worried.
“I don’t fucking know,” Devon says. “But us just standing around here waiting is ridiculous.”
“Agreed,” mutters Cade. He looks as anxious as Constantine feels and he wonders as to the cause.
Fortunately, Drake chooses that moment to appear with Sebastian close behind him. Despite everything, Constantine can’t help but feel a spark shoot through him at the sight of his charge. He won’t ever tell Aefre about this, but he misses her as his Vampire charge more than he ever thought he would, and he knows that right now he is transferring a lot of those feelings onto Sebastian in her absence.
Sebastian smiles shyly at him and he returns it, before Sebastian holds his hand out for him to take. Constantine wonders if he is trying to keep him sweet into not telling Aefre of his awful secret? He very much plans on telling his wife that it was Sebastian who betrayed her, but there are things he can get out of Sebastian first.
“Wait,” Drake says, holding up a hand. “There are rules.”
They all turn to look at him and when he has their undivided attention he continues. “You three,” he says and points to Constantine, Vito, and Cade, “will not, and I mean not, feed from any of my people. Got it?”
They all nod dutifully, but Cade asks, “Then how are we supposed to feed?”
This isn’t really an issue for Constantine because he will not feed from anyone other than his wife anyway, no matter how long it takes her to return to him. He pushes away the guilt of his recent betrayal in this area and focuses on Sebastian instead. Maybe just one bite? She wouldn’t begrudge him that with his own charge, would she?
“However he does,” Drake states, pointing at Sebastian.
Sebastian grins and says, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.”
Cade relaxes slightly, but he still has a tense air about him, and it is worrying for Constantine that he now has to watch out for both Cade and Xane. He knows that Cade is sired to Remiel now, and he just hopes that he hasn’t betrayed Aefre again and that she has walked into a trap.