I’d make sure we’d always stay together.
“Don’t waste time on those gremlins,” Héctor said, pulling me with him toward the corner we formerly occupied. “I brought you food. Let’s eat.”
My stomach instantly grumbled, and my mates laughed, happy to hear the mundane sound from me. I glowered at them before laughing with them.
We retreated to our space with Zak and Axel standing guard. Paxton took the roasted beast from Axel and handed me the waterskin.
“Drink your fill, Buttercup,” he said.
I took a swig and passed it over to Héctor. He drank and then gave it to Paxton, who also took a gulp and sighed in satisfaction. Then he stalked to Zak and Axel and they both had their share of the water.
Lucifer and Ares stared at our waterskin with envy and greed. It seemed that they were ready to lunge at us to take our food and drink.
“Don’t. Even. Think. About. It,” Zak warned, his hard, unyielding eyes watching our enemies. No lightning shot out, but he made up for it with his hand firmly on his sword.
The sky demigod gave the waterskin back to Paxton. “Have Rosebud drink more. She needs it. It’s important to keep her hydrated.”
Paxton returned to our corner and urged me to drink more water. I’d bet the demigods had never taken care of anyone else like this.
Paxton, Héctor, and I sat on the ground in a half-circle, sharing the roasted meat. I took a bite from the rear leg. The meat tasted surprisingly delicious, like a smoked rabbit. Angel whined at my shoulder, and I gave him the rest of the leg. The hellhound tore into the food eagerly.
Héctor narrowed his eyes at Angel. Then he rose and strode out of the cave. Though I knew the beasts would not harm him, my heart still constricted until he came back safely a few minutes later. He tossed a newly killed beast’s body near the cave’s mouth.
“Hound,” Héctor said. “You eat that and guard the entry.”
He didn’t want my hellhound to take a portion from me. Angel didn’t complain since he now had an entire carcass to rip into. He swaggered to the entrance, crouched, and started tearing his food. Now and then, he raised a head, bared his fangs, and snarled at the monsters outside the cave.
Having two heads was convenient.
“Sorry I was delayed and made you worried, Lamb,” Héctor said as he sat back across from me. “When I realized the beasts of the Void had no interest in me as I’m a mere mortal, I killed a few, including the small beast you’re enjoying. As your leading mate, it’s my duty to provide for you. It took me a while to get the fire going to roast this beast, and also to find the drinking water for you in a lagoon.”
I gazed at him with stars in my eyes while I tore another chunk of meat from a leg that Paxton offered me and chewed it cavewoman style. My mates wouldn’t demand I have table manners under the circumstances. They always accepted me no matter what I did. But then I didn’t bitch about their caveman style either.
When Héctor and Paxton each had a half-full stomach, they got up to replace Zak and Axel for guard duty, glaring at the hungry god and the devil in the other corner without compassion. To add insult to the injury, I flung a leg bone at Ares’s nose. He ducked and cursed.
I giggled.
“I love it when you’re naughty, Cookie.” Axel grinned at me.
“Carpe diem.” I smiled back. “Humans are right about ‘seize the moment.’”
Zak and Axel gazed at me with heat in their eyes. They hadn’t heard me laugh for a while.
A sudden violent wind swept into the cave, drawing our attention back to the wailing and howling of the beasts outside.
More monsters hopped onto the roof of the cavern despite Angel’s fierce growls of warning. My hellhound was smart enough not to venture out to chase the monsters, knowing he’d be outgunned. Some beasts stomped overhead, and some seemed to stab and scratch the roof with their horns.
Bits of dust fell from the cave ceiling. I stopped eating and looked up, my throat tightening.
“Fuss no more, Lamb,” Héctor said, glancing at me. “Your mates will take care of any inconvenience.”
“I know that,” I said. “I’m not fussing.”
“Get our mate to settle down for the night,” Héctor ordered Zak and Axel as if they were my servants. “My Lamb needs a good sleep.”
He’d declared himself as the leading mate. I was surprised no one had contested him for that title and privilege, but then my other mates had been busy and overwhelmed.
Héctor returned his hard, cold, hostile stare to our immortal enemies, his large hand firm and unyielding on his blade. Paxton stood at his side, and my faithful hellhound guarded the cave entrance vigilantly. Zak and Axel urged me to rest, and I curled up with them.