Home > Ancient Enforcer (Ancients Rising #3)

Ancient Enforcer (Ancients Rising #3)
Author: Katie Reus

 

Prologue

 

 

Two months before The Fall

 

 

Mikael stared out the window of the home the Alpha of New Orleans had just brought him to. After waking from a millennia-long sleep, he and his brothers had just been passing through so they’d checked in with the Alpha. Originally they hadn’t planned to stay long, but they all liked the territory.

He and his brothers had already been “vetted,” as King put it, but the Alpha still required that they have what was the equivalent of a babysitter. A human female, of all people. It made no sense. If King had said a dragon female would be keeping an eye on him, he would have understood—dragon females were the fiercest of warriors.

But this human was apparently going to be their new boss at a construction site as well. King had offered him a job there and had hinted that if this worked out, he would like Mikael and his brothers to be on the pack’s security detail.

Mikael wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He wasn’t sure about anything since waking from a long Hibernation. He and his brothers were still adjusting to this new world where humans were in charge of things—and the world appeared quite dysfunctional. Things were very different than when he’d gone to sleep millennia ago. Supernaturals weren’t out to all humans, only to a small group.

Most humans had long since forgotten about his kind’s existence. The city of New Orleans was different, however—many people knew of supernaturals and accepted them. There was a deep magic here that sang to his dragon half. It was the same with his brothers so they had decided to stay.

To test the waters.

So here they were, waiting to meet this “babysitter” or guardian as King had called her. He’d assured Mikael and his brothers that they would like her—he said everyone did.

King stepped into the living room suddenly with a litheness that was usually reserved for feline shifters, and motioned that the three of them should follow.

Mikael and his brothers did, making the short trek out to the back patio that had a bunch of overhead lights strung up in a crisscross pattern, potted plants, and big umbrellas shielding a good portion of the patio from the bright sunlight.

But all he could focus on was a pretty human standing in between two human males, her stance protective even though the males were bigger and taller than her. It was clear there was a familial relationship, given the shade of their skin and the shapes of their eyes and mouths.

He flicked a brief glance at the two males, but his gaze strayed right back to her. Her chocolate-brown hair was wild and curly. It was pulled back into a ponytail, and under the sunlight, wild streaks of red shot through some of the strands. Her skin was sun-kissed and glowing and… He realized King was staring at him.

He blinked and cleared his throat.

“Mikael, this is Avery. She’s been gracious enough to allow you and your brothers to live here,” King said.

“We appreciate it very much,” he said, stepping forward and closing the distance between them. He held his hand out in the way he had seen humans do, but only because he wanted to touch her, to feel how soft her skin was.

Her cheeks flushed a delicious shade of pink against her bronze skin. Her hands were soft but had little calluses that he liked. He probably held her hand a little bit too long, because one of his brothers cleared his throat.

Not wanting to come off like a weirdo, he turned to her brothers and shook both their hands as well. “These are my two brothers, Casimir—you can call him Cas—and Ivyn. We promise to be good roommates for as long as you will have us.” How about forever? his dragon half purred.

He ordered his other half to be quiet.

Her smile never wavered as she looked at all of them and he understood why King had said he would like her. She was like sunshine incarnate. There was a glow that rolled off her. Hell, even her scent was intoxicating—like sunshine and sweet, fresh peaches.

“King explained that you three have just woken up and are still adjusting to the world, right?”

His brothers murmured affirmations behind him even as he nodded. He still hadn’t stepped away from her, hadn’t put any distance between them. That was not happening any time soon. He liked being close to her too much. This whole sensation was strange. He had not spent much time with humans, but this one… He inhaled again.

“Well, I’ve worked with various supernaturals over the years. There are a ton of bears in construction,” she said on a laugh. “So anything you need, I’m sure we can help out. The only thing I ask is that if you’re going to bring someone back to the house, give us advance warning. I don’t want to walk in to find strangers here. Also, no wild parties, please.”

“We will bring no one back here,” he said immediately. “And have no parties.”

She seemed startled by his vehemence, but her smile remained in place as she nodded. “Okay, then. That’s perfect. So I should also warn you that even though we’ll be living together, I won’t be cooking for you guys just because I’m a woman.”

“We would never expect that,” Ivyn said from behind him. “In fact, I love cooking, so if you have any requests, just let me know. I’ve been experimenting with a lot of recipes lately.”

Mikael watched as her eyes widened slightly and pure joy rolled off her. He was going to have to punch his brother in the face for that later. He was suddenly overcome by the most insane need to be the only one to make her smile and laugh.

He vaguely remembered talking to King after that, saying goodbye and promising to basically be on his best behavior, but all he could really do was soak in the warmth and presence of Avery.

Avery… He let her name roll around in his head. Perfection.

He would never leave New Orleans now, not as long as she was here. That was something he knew on an intrinsic level. It should have scared him, being tethered to some place—to someone.

It did not.

“What the hell was that?” Ivyn asked him hours later once it was just the three of them upstairs in Mikael’s new bedroom. They didn’t have much so it hadn’t taken long to get them settled.

He’d chosen the bedroom closest to Avery’s.

“What are you talking about?” He shut the closet door and turned to face his brothers, who were staring at him expectantly.

“The way you went all moonfaced over our new babysitter,” Cas said, quoting him when he’d grumbled about having a babysitter.

Moonfaced? Where did his brother come up with this? It must be a human phrase he had learned. “Her name is Avery,” he growled, his dragon flaring to the forefront. “She’s being kind enough to let us live here. You will be respectful.”

Ivyn elbowed Cas. “Told you. He’s totally smitten.”

Cas laughed lightly and fist-bumped Ivyn—something they had recently picked up. “You were correct. I concede.”

He blinked, realizing they had been messing with him. “You guys are assholes.”

“That may be true,” Ivyn said. “But we weren’t the ones practically drooling all over our new roommate.”

“You two better keep your distance from her. I would hate to have to gut you and feed you your entrails.” The words came out as a growl, which only made his brothers laugh uproariously. Yep. Assholes.

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