She rubbed her temples and looked at me wild-eyed.
“Are they always like this?” Mom asked in dismay.
“When all of them are together and around me.” I shrugged and popped a strip of crispy bacon in my mouth. “You’ll get used to it.”
When they weren’t around me, they were barely verbal. They usually just issued commands and exacted punishments when necessary, or traded fists and crossed blades with one another.
Yet at Mom’s words, all my mates quieted down. I think they suddenly remembered what Paxton had warned them about driving me away with their dominant personalities.
A thought sparked in my mind.
“If Héctor beds you, will you truly make him immortal?” I asked. “Can you really do that, Mom?”
“Don’t even think about it, Lamb,” Héctor hissed. “I won’t have anyone but you.”
Lilith rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I’m powerful, but I’m not that powerful.”
“You lied?” I glowered.
If Héctor had chosen to fuck her, he would have gotten nothing in return.
“Yeah, it came out easily,” Mom said shamelessly and bit into a strawberry dipped in white chocolate with whiskey drizzle.
“I can’t even look at you right now,” I said, frustrated with her. “We’re leaving as soon as we have dessert!”
“My dearest,” Lilith said in a soothing voice. “There’s still hope for your mortal. I wouldn’t have taunted him without a sound reason, and I’m not going to let my daughter’s heart break over his final demise. You need to go see your father. The King of Light, Fire, and Power will know how to restore Héctor’s immortality.”
I sighed. I hadn’t yet decided if I wanted to pay a visit to Daddy in prison, but now I didn’t have a choice. I’d sworn to find a way to restore Héctor’s immortality, and if going to the Titan prison was the cost, I’d gladly pay it.
“Mom, nowthisis serious and super important,” I said.
Lilith looked at me expectantly, her long lashes fluttering.
“I said what I’m going to say is serious, Mom!”
“I’m all ears,” she said, looking giddy.
“You know about the Living Flame, right?” I asked. “It’s in me.”
“Of course, dearest,” she said. “It’ll be a sight to see when it’s ignited.”
“I wouldn’t worry about how it looks right now,” I said, my face flushing pink. “Right now, I need to mate.”
All my mates snapped their attention to me, no longer bickering among themselves. Pure male desire burned in their eyes.
“I mean,” I rushed to say, “Paxton and I must finish the mating ritual to get the fire going, but we haven’t had a chance or a suitable place to… you know.”
Paxton shot to his feet, ready to answer my mating call with eagerness and desperation that could melt my panties. He couldn’t wait much longer. It took every ounce of his control to rein himself in, and it was slipping.
If I gave him a nod, he’d pull down my pants and mount me right here, no longer caring that Mom was among us. It was that bad.
I wasn’t faring much better, but I would never do it in front of Mom. I’d crossed a lot of lines, but I wouldn’t cross that one.
So I tried damn hard not to hold Paxton’s heated gaze in case I lost my shit, too.
“So?” Mom said lightheartedly.
“So?” I glared at Mom, then let out a resigned, exasperated sigh. I had to lay this out for her. My cheeks flushed as I shot the words out all in one breath. “I need to activate the Living Flame in me by finishing the mating ritual with Paxton. The sooner the better, so I can use the Flame to defend my mates and myself since dangers lurk in every corner of the Void. I need you to provide a private room for us right now.”