“A friend from the outer planes,” I said. “I dropped your book off and picked him up. You know the universe likes a good balance.”
Myrddin stared at Dean for a moment as though trying to memorize his face and then he turned back to me. “So do I. Don’t forget that I’ll make sure you pay for every time you defy me. This could have gone easy for you. You’re the one who made it hard, and everyone will pay for your crimes.” He leaned over and even though I knew he was an illusion, I didn’t like being so close to him. “You think you’re the only one who can create a bit of chaos? I’ve told everyone who’s ever looked for you to come to Iceland. Looks like at least one of them is already here. ’Til we meet again.”
And then he was gone, disappearing like the illusion he’d been.
Lee pushed through the door. “Mom? What’s going on? Dean said he could see some old dude but I couldn’t.”
Technically Myrddin’s like a couple of thousand years old, but Dean couldn’t know that. So Dean thought a forty-year-old hottie was ancient? Youth. It made me feel old. Still, I let it go. “Myrddin’s made his appearance and he’s screwed up my whole day because now I won’t get to see Ingrid and Halle. We need to get back to base as soon as possible.”
We couldn’t stay out in the open. Despite the fact that Myrddin hadn’t physically been here, he could still do damage from halfway around the world.
“That was Myrddin.” Dean stared at the place where Myrddin’s illusion had been. “I’ve dreamed of him.”
“Like you dream about Lee?” I kind of thought those had been…pleasant dreams. Dean had talked a lot about the dreams he’d had about Lee and a woman he’d never met. I hadn’t heard anything about Myrddin.
Dean’s cheeks flushed. “No. Not exactly.”
“I’d like to hear more about these dreams,” Lee said and then he frowned. “Shit. Mom, I need you to make a run for the bookstore.”
I glanced out the window and caught sight of what had my baby boy so upset. His papa was walking down the street. Well, the douchebag version was. Dev’s hair was shorter and he’d left this morning wearing a suit, not the leather pants and long tunic this asshole was.
Declan Quinn.
He was looking up and down the street, and I knew exactly who he was searching for. He wanted his nephew. Well, the one he thought was important. And because it was that kind of day, Rhys chose that moment to round the corner. Rhys and Shy were talking and hadn’t caught sight of Rhys’s uncle, who’d likely come to kidnap him and take him back to Faery and force him to have sex with a whole bunch of gorgeous women he did not want to have sex with.
I was done with evil men for the day, and definitely done with ones who threatened my babies.
“Mom, I’ll distract him,” Lee offered. “Grab Rhys and run for the store.”
It was time for me to show my boys that Momma was home and she could take care of business. It was sweet that they wanted to protect me, but I’d learned a long time ago how to protect myself.
“What are you going to do, Z?” Neil asked around a mouthful of cookie he wasn’t about to leave behind.
“I’m going to explain the situation to my brother-in-law.” I walked to the door and out onto the street, the boys following behind me.
Declan stopped, his eyes widening, and there was no way to mistake his shock. “Zoey? Zoey, is it truly you? I didn’t believe it when they told me you’d returned. I had to come see for myself. Is Devinshea here? Where’s my brother?”
He held his arms open like I was going to walk in for a hug, and hey, maybe we could totally forget about the time he refused to give one son shelter and all those times when he actively tried to kidnap the other.
“Mom, get back.” Rhys had stepped in front of Shy.
I ignored him, smiling at Declan.
“Oh, Zoey, I can’t tell you how happy I am…”
I walked straight up to that asshole and planted a knee in his groin, trying to shove his dick back up into his body. He groaned and fell to the ground because I was still good with a knee.
“Mom!” Rhys shouted. “What are you doing?”
I leaned over my brother-in-law even as he cupped himself and cried a little. “I am back, brother. Remember that. I’m back and I know everything you’ve done while I’ve been gone. You are not welcome here. Go back to Faery and stay away from my sons.”
I stepped over his body and started for the bookstore.
It was time for a change of plans.