Torin
The instant we’re off the plane and through the gates, a man who introduces himself as Special Agent Morris from the West Brooke Magical Interference Unit whisks us into a car.
“How do you know this man is legit?” I ask Riley. “What if he’s a serial killer like that other man who tried to get us in a car with him?”
“He’s literally an officer,” Riley says. “He’s with this state’s Magical Interference Unit.”
“Doesn’t mean he’s not a serial killer,” I mutter.
“I brought a serial killer back from the dead one time,” Mickey announces. “Boy, was that a mistake. Ha…” His grimace tells me that whatever happened wasn’t good, but now I’m curious about what happened. Our driver, who appears to be doing his best to ignore me questioning whether or not he’s a serial killer, seems just as curious and slightly worried.
“What happened to him?” Riley asks.
“I had to kill him,” Joy says from where Mickey is sitting on her lap and Tommy is smashed between them and the door. She’s cuddling him for some reason. There’s not enough roomfor any of them, but he could have easily unsummoned them and then resummoned them once we got there. Instead, he decided to just throw his body on top of Joy’s. “The killer snatched up our mailman, dragged him into the basement, and was going to start hacking at him. I plowed him to the ground and brawled with him in an attempt to save the mailman’s life. The mailman was screaming and trying to help, but he was tied up and couldn’t get to his feet. He knocked down the table the killer was going to use to dice him up, causing the killer’s weapon of choice to go flying off. I grabbed the knife, and just as he was planning to send me off to my second death, I hacked his head clean off… Mickey slept through it.”
Mickey looks a bit ashamed as he gazes out the window and pretends none of us exists. “I apologized like fifty times.”
“You… you guys said you’re special agents, right?” Morris asks.
“Special Agent Torin, God of War and Love, at your service,” I announce.
“We couldn’t fit his whole name on his badge, so we just went with Torin,” Riley inputs.
“I… see…” Morris is clearly concerned. He’s probably wondering if Lt. Lindsey hates him, and if that’s why she sent the strangest group to help.
The car stops in front of a fancy building where a woman and a man are waiting for us. They look all business, and I decide that Lt. Lindsey would very much like them. “They could join the Stick-Up-Their-Ass club with Lt. Lindsey,” I tell Riley in Shaarunen.
Riley grins at that before replying in Shaarunen. “They do all seem rather fussy.”
“I would appreciate it if you guys taught me your cool language so I could talk about people in front of them too,” Mickey says… in front of them.
“We weren’t talking about anyone,” Riley protests as I see a tinge of red color his cheeks. “Ignore him, his specialty is stirring up things. I am Special Agent Riley Strand. This is Special Agent Torin…”
“God of War and Love and Generous Lover of Riley,” I clarify, in case anyone sets their sights on what is mine. I’m more than prepared to fight them to the death.
The color on Riley’s cheeks has amplified to a whole new level. It’s quite impressive.
“Please… ignore him too. Actually, let’s just leave both of them out here so we can talk,” Riley says, looking all businesslike… which is turning me on.
The woman slowly nods. “Aren’t you the guy from that viral video? Yeah, you were naked and the god was riding on your back.”
Riley turns around and reaches for the car door so he can get back inside and likely fly back home, but Mickey stops him before he can. Riley glares at him while everyone has a big hearty laugh… me included. He is just so delightful.
“Sorry, I had to,” she says. “I’m Special Agent Kim and this is Special Agent Cooper. We both work here at West Brooke.”
And just like that, we’re whisked inside and into a room where an older teen sits. His eyes are wide and he’s taking in everything while looking like he’d prefer to flee. Riley would happily flee with him if given the choice. He’s young,maybeseventeen or eighteen at the most, with dark hair and vibrant purple eyes that make me question if he’s not entirely human.
“Good evening, I’m Special Agent Riley Strand, but just call me Riley. This is Torin?—”
“God of War and Love and Lover of Riley?—”
“Why has your title changed?” Riley asks, sounding a little exasperated. I think he’s just embarrassed and wishes he could also claim such a title. I would gladly share my title with him.
But… do gods marry? I don’t know any who have, but I’m sure they do. I could marry him and then he’d become Riley, Husband of Torin, God of War and Love?—
“I don’t know what’s going on in your head right now, but it needs to stop,” Riley demands… which is rather sexy. I like it when he tells me to do things.
“You’re a god?” the young man asks, looking absolutely horrified. I mean… I know some people have been nervous when they’ve met me, but this is a whole different expression.
