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“Eh, voila!” Zee announced, then screwed up his face. “Why the fuck does mine look a demented duck?”

“It requires some practice, that is all. Your . . . attempt is an . . . ambitious first try.” Of course, Victor’s swan was paper perfection.

“You’re just sayin’ that because you’re in a good mood from fuckin’ Adam earlier.”

Victor’s lips ticked and his gaze skipped to me. “I’ll not deny it.”

Zee picked up his paper swan and flicked it into the air. It spun, then flopped into the pool and sank like a rock. “You gonna tell me, then?” he asked with a smirk, sharp demon teeth catching starlight.

“Tell you what?” Victor asked. He did look good in the evening light, reclined in the chair, all smooth sophistication and masculine elegance. Red hues from the dying sunlight touched his pale face, igniting a spark of heat in his cool eyes.

“You’re sitting there glowing with post-sex smugness, an’ you ain’t gonna tell me what superpower you got from fuckin’ Adam without me?”

I’d forgotten about our power-up situation. Back in Minnesota, Zee had gotten a massive boost when he and I had been intimate. Something about my dragon abilities enhanced Zee’s natural incubus skills, turning him into a sex god—much to his delight—but only when we were alone. We’d wondered if Victor would get the same. But Victor wasn’t an incubus, and none of this was an exact science.

“I admit to feeling refreshed, but I cannot say either way whether I’ve gained any additional abilities.”

Zee narrowed his eyes. “I knew it. You got extra boring powers.”

I chuckled and even Victor made a strange, deep rumbling sound that was almost like laughter.

“Maybe fantastic Adam sex makes you less grumpy?” Zee grinned.

“It certainly did that.”

“You know that thing Adam does, when he’s getting all fired up—” Zee leaned closer to Victor. “Starts to mumble, then gets all growly, right?”

“I do indeed.” Victor smiled.

Oh, okay, we were doing this. Heat touched my face. “Guys, I’m sitting right here.”

“Then scoot off.” Zee fluttered his fingers with a smile. “Me an’ Sexy Fangs gonna compare notes.”

“I’m going to get a refill.” I grabbed my empty whiskey glass and returned to the living room, chuckling while they discussed the noises I made during sex.

The clock on the wall read nine p.m. Toby would have to be back soon. Hopefully. He’d let us use his phone, and then Leomaris would know all about me, my brother, and the danger he posed. I should have told the SSD agent long before now, but I’d been afraid Leomaris, like the others, would try to stop Syros . . . and fail. Nobody else should die because of my mistakes.

Zee had Victor openly laughing, and I stopped at the kitchen counter and watched them through the glass doors. We might have been in a sticky situation, but there was nobody else I’d want to be on the run with.

Something small, cool, and hard pressed against the base of my skull. “Easy now,” Toby whispered. “I hear dragons can heal almost anything, but a gunshot to the back of the head is gonna ruin your night.”

I slowly raised my hands, my gaze fixed on Zee and Victor. If they looked this way, they’d see Toby.

“Not a wo⁠—”

“You don’t want to do this,” I spoke over him. “You see those two out there? They don’t look like much, but they will tear you in half for this, without stopping to ask questions.”

“That’s why I brought backup.”

I saw them then, shadows moving along the walls. Victor and Zee were distracted by each other. They’d see the movement too late.

I opened my mouth to yell a warning. Toby swung the gun, smacking the back of my head. Pain bolted down my neck. “Gah.” I stumbled against the kitchen counter, more irritated than hurt.

Glass shattered. I heard it explode, saw its shards tinkle against the floor. Victor had moved. But I didn’t get to see the result. I spun, grabbed Toby by the neck. His gun fired. A punch to my gut. Didn’t matter. I pinned him to the wall. “You should not have done that.” My voice was no longer that of the nice human, Adam, but something darker, deeper, and far more deadly.

“STOP!” The command hit like a physical blow. Its intent washed over me, but Toby, in my grip, turned stone-still. Only his eyes moved, blinking furiously. The rest of him was frozen in place.

I set him down on wobbly, uneven legs, and rested his rigid body against the kitchen countertop. His eyes darted about in panic.