Atlantis Unmasked by Alyssa Day Read Free Book Online Page A

on the imminent birth, and may the waters of your world serve to nourish your family now and for always.”
    Lucas’s eyes widened at Brennan’s formal speak, but he inclined his head. “Thank you. As you may or may not know, the pack-father protects the children as if they were his own—would die for them. The first must be Pack, but there is precedent for naming a second. I’ve chosen you, Alexios. Maybe that was a mistake.”
    Alexios ran a hand through his hair, wincing when he hit the part of his scalp still tender from the shifter’s attack. “It wasn’t a mistake. We’ve been friends for a very long time, and I am honored beyond the telling of it that you would ask me to serve as second pack-father. I accept, if you still want me.” He offered his hand, and with only a moment’s hesitation, Lucas grasped it in his own. A shared understanding passed between them, and Alexios knew that he, too, would protect Lucas’s children with his life.
    â€œLovely. Really touching. Maybe we can eat chocolate and watch a chick flick next,” Christophe said. “Or maybe we can figure out how in the nine hells they knew we were here? Whatever else that was, it wasn’t random. Not only were they here for us but they seemed to be targeting Alexios personally.”
    â€œI also had noticed they were focusing on Alexios,” but I am not a particular fan of romantic comedy films,” Brennan said. “Lucas, did you mention this meeting to anyone else?”
    Lucas was already shaking his head. “No. Like I said, I wanted to talk to you about what was going on. Vampires enthralling shifters. Pack acting contrary to our own best interests. Something big is going on—something different. The vamps have found a way to permanently enthrall shifters, Alexios. I don’t need to tell you what that means for the survival of Pack—not to mention the survival of the humans.”
    â€œWere these members of your pack?” Alexios demanded.
    â€œNo. Definitely not. You know we can tell Pack from scent. No way were those from mine. To the best of my knowledge, they weren’t from anywhere around here.”
    â€œTo the best of your knowledge doesn’t seem to be worth much, no offense,” Christophe sneered. Faint silvery-green power still pulsed at the edges of his fingertips. “It’s getting harder and harder to tell who’s on our side these days.”
    Lucas growled deep in his throat, more wolf than man. “You keep saying ‘no offense,’ and yet you are most certainly offending me. It occurs to me to ask why you felt the need to kill all four of the remaining attackers. We needed one alive to question. Maybe it’s an Atlantean who’s the traitor,” he said, his gaze drilling into Christophe. “ No offense. ”
    Alexios stepped between them. “All right, already. Let’s compare the lengths of our dicks later. Right now we need to figure out who is behind this attack, and why.”
    â€œI would suggest the Primator, Vonos,” Brennan said calmly. Of course, Brennan had been calm for longer than anyone really knew, since something about a Roman senator’s daughter had gone bad and Poseidon had cursed him never again to feel emotion, forever destroying Brennan’s life.
    Or maybe not. Maybe having no emotions was a better way to live.
    Something in his gut twisted at the thought, but he put it, and any thoughts of Grace, back in a box to be dealt with later. Much later.
    â€œCould be Vonos,” Christophe admitted. “But it doesn’t smell like him. He’s more about power and efficiency than the usual bad-guy evil bwah-ha-ha crap. He and Mussolini were probably buddies.”
    Ever since vampires, shifters, and other supernatural creatures had openly declared themselves to exist around a decade ago, they’d been rapidly gaining ground in terms of legal rights. The