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Falling against Myst, Fiero laughed until his sides hurt. Oh, gods,
he couldn t wait to see Echo s face and witness the ass chewing Hex
was going to get.
Myst stopped laughing suddenly. Have you seen Echo?
The tone of Myst s voice cooled Fiero s amusement as well, and
his eyebrows drew together in concern. No. Why, what happened?
Behind Closed Doors 61
Syx thinks Echo s mom could be Aphrodite.
Fiero jerked back and gaped. You re shitting me?
Myst shrugged. It s just a theory at this point, but Echo didn t
take it very well. I m not sure if it s the idea that he could be a
demigod, or if it s the fact that he has a mother and she abandoned
him. Either way, he stormed out of the office, said he d be around,
and I haven t seen him since.
Have you looked?
Myst shook his head. No. I came straight up to talk to Hex. I
figured I d give Echo a chance to work through some things.
So why are you worried now? He s not stupid, babe. He knows
better than to go outside alone.
That s just it. When Vapre reminded him, he just said he d be
around. I was kind of having a mini-meltdown at the time, so I didn t
really think much about it. What if he was upset enough to leave the
house?
He s not stupid, Fiero repeated with more conviction than he
felt. No, Echo wasn t stupid, but he was often rash and impulsive.
How many times had his temper gotten him into trouble already?
Fiero thought of all the places Echo could be before closing his
eyes and groaning. I think I know where he is.
The pond, Myst supplied.
Fiero opened his eyes and grinned. Right on the money. Why
would you ever think you re not smart?
Myst wrinkled his nose and looked away. I m not that smart. I
just know him.
Taking Myst s chin in his hand, Fiero turned the warrior s head
back to look into his eyes. Being able to solve those fucking riddles
that make my head hurt, or knowing how to take care of your men
which one do you think is more important?
Stretching up, Myst pressed his lips to Fiero s. Good point. I told
you I m working on it. Thank you.
Fiero captured the man s plump lips again. No, baby, thank you.
62 Gabrielle Evans
Let s go get Echo before he gets himself in trouble. I ll freeze his
stubborn ass and carry him back on a gurney if have to.
Stepping away and giving Myst a light tug to get him moving,
Fiero laughed as he followed his lover to the stairs. Yeah, they were
going to be just fine.
* * * *
Pacing back and forth along the banks of the small pond, Echo
waved his hands around wildly as he muttered under his breath. He
couldn t see Eyce, but he knew the man was standing just inside the
trees watching him.
After all the things they d been through, he knew it wasn t safe for
him to be alone. He appreciated the demon giving him his space,
however limited it was.
He refused to believe that Aphrodite was his mother. It didn t
make a damn bit of sense. More than likely, the lab had paid his
mother to birth him and turn him over. That would make him feel a
hell of a lot better. At least then he wouldn t be hurt and confused
about a mother that had left him to that hell because she didn t love
him enough to keep him. If she d been paid, it would have just been a
job. People walked away from jobs all the time.
Someone stepped through the trees, and Echo spun around with a
snarl on his lips. So much for Eyce giving him his space. To his
surprise, it wasn t the demon that walked toward him, but Gage. The
werewolf sauntered over to where he stood on the banks and plopped
down in the grass without a word.
He leaned back and pulled a cucumber and a small knife from the
pocket of his cargo pants. Opening the blade, he began peeling and
slicing the cucumber, tossing pieces of it into the pond. Long, scaly
fingers snatched the treat from the top of the water, pulling it below
the surface.
Behind Closed Doors 63
With a deep sigh, Echo plopped down on the grass and held his
hand out to Gage. The man pulled another cucumber from his other
pocket how damn big were those pockets anyway? He passed it to
Echo, along with another pocketknife.
They sat there for a long time until all four of the cucumbers Gage
had brought with him had been sliced, tossed, and consumed by the
kappas. Neither of them said a word the entire time.
Do you think it s true?
Gage leaned back on his elbows and stretched his feet out in front
of him. I don t know. I d tell you if I did, but I honestly don t know.
When did Ares start working at the lab?
I never saw him until a few months before you disappeared.
Echo thought back to his time inside the facility. That seems
about right. I saw him once in the hall, but I hid inside one of the
storage closets before he could see me. I didn t know why I was so
afraid of him at the time, but everything in me just said to hide.
Those instincts have kept you alive so far, Gage said casually.
I d keep listening to them.
Uh, Gage&
Gage waved his hand and snorted. You know what I mean. I
don t think that has anything to do with instinct. If Athena said it was
supposed to happen, I don t reckon anyone could have stopped it.
I like your accent. Why do you hide it?
I m workin on learning to be myself. You re not the only one
who has stayed alive by hiding.
Echo bobbed his head. He supposed that was true enough, and he
figured he had no right to pry. Can I ask you something?
Doesn t mean I ll answer, but sure.
How come you re not freaking out about all this gods and
goddesses stuff? And you were even okay with Hex and the others. I
mean, I would think that even to a paranormal, demons would be a
hard pill to swallow.
64 Gabrielle Evans
Who do you think created us? Gage closed his eyes and tipped
his head back on his shoulders. We were all birthed by the gods in
one way or another.
Echo snorted. But you freaked out about Sony and Mac having
powers. Why is that?
Gage opened his eyes and smiled. I didn t really spaz out or
anything, but I figured they had to be something beyond human. It
drove me nuts when I couldn t figure out what it was. Yeah, I thought
you guys were a bunch of freaks at first, but that s just because I
never knew humans could do things like that.
Why are you here? Echo blurted. He bit his lip and looked down
at his hands. Well, that sounded rude as hell.
I figured you could use a friend that wouldn t hover over you or
expect you to talk.
Thank you. I don t know if I m supposed to be angry, or hurt, or
what. Right now, I think I m just confused and hoping that Syx is
wrong.
How often have you known that man to be wrong?
Echo sighed and shook his head. Never when it really counted.
Well, then I guess you need to work out how you feel about that.
I don t know a lot about the world, Echo, but I do know one thing.
You ve got seven damn fine men that love you more than anything on
this earth. If that s not enough, I don t guess I know what else you
need.
With a small smile, Echo nodded. I think you re right.
Well, it s nice to hear someone say so. Sony and Mac don t ever
think I m right.
They laughed together for a few seconds, and Echo finally looked
out over the clearing to the tree line. How many are here?
Eyce, Fiero, and Myst were here. I sent them back. They didn t
like it, but they eventually agreed.
Behind Closed Doors 65
No, Echo imagined they hadn t liked that at all. The thought made
him smile even wider. I guess I should go talk to them before they
wear holes in their heads worrying about me.
That s probably a good idea, though I think Fiero and Myst just
want to see you lay into Hex.
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