“Stand down!” I shouted. “It's Athena's owl; Aleksanteri!”
The owl—who had just noticed the danger he was in—swung about, shrieking in fright, and landed on the back of my chair. He brought his wings in tight to his body and tried to hide behind me. This was impossible since the chair I occupied had a high back, and I was a short woman. But the lions eased down and settled; their faces shifting to purely human again.
A sigh of relief whistled through the owl's beak; though it was hard to hear over Lesya's laughter. My daughter was bouncing on Kirill's lap, beyond excited by all the action.
“Birdy!” Lesya shouted as she tried to climb up her father to reach the owl.
“Lesya,” Kirill said in a calm tone, “be still. The owl is a friend of Mommy's.”
Lesya looked back and forth from her father and the bird, then settled her confused stare on me. She blinked her huge, ocean blue eyes at me, and I shook my head. That cute cub routine wasn't working on me anymore. I had moved past the give her anything she wants because she's so damn cute portion of my parenting and moved onto the I know your tricks, little lioness.
“Sorry, Alex,” I said to the owl as I ignored my adorable daughter, “but we weren't expecting you. Give us some warning next time.”
“My lady sent me,” Alex said defensively. “I didn't expect to have to outmaneuver hungry lions.”
“They had breakfast; they aren't hungry. It's simply the fact that you're avian and they're felines.” I shrugged. “Why did Athena send you to me anyway?”
“I am to deliver this invitation to you, Godhunter.” Alex fluffed his feathers proudly and lifted his leg; there was a rolled up paper attached to it.
“An invitation?” I asked with a lifted brow. “Not a summons?”
“No trial this time,” the owl sounded amused. “And may I say that you handled the traitor beautifully. Is it true that you beat Eros with his own arm?”
“It is,” I verified. “I had made myself a promise, and I try to keep my promises.”
“As you should. Promises are important; especially those to oneself.” He nodded in approval. “If you cannot be true to yourself, then you cannot be true at all.”
“Very wise,” I noted in surprise.
“Owl,” Alex said in a duh tone. He spread his wings and shook them; as if to emphasize what he was.
Lesya giggled again.
“She's lovely,” Alex said dryly.
“Thank you,” I pretended not to notice Alex's sarcasm as I untied the rolled parchment from his leg. “And thank you for this as well.”
“I'm to instruct you to send your reply via texting message,” Alex intoned.
“Athena wants me to text her?” I smirked.
“My mistress has included her cellular phone number on the invitation.” The owl nodded his head toward the paper.
I unrolled the parchment and read it. Then I sighed dramatically and looked at Kirill and Azrael. My other husbands were out of the territory—handling their affairs—so it was only the two of them on Vervain duty. My lion and my angel lifted their brows in unison.
“I feel like Harry Potter.” I handed the parchment to Azrael. “I just got my acceptance letter from Hogwarts.”
“What drivel are you spouting?” Alex cocked his head at me in the disturbing way of owls. “What have pots and hogs go to do with it?”
“You are the drivel,” I shot back. “A messenger owl with an invitation. It's very pop culture.”
“Now, something has popped?” Alex was even more confused.
“Never mind.” I waved off any further questions. “Please tell Athena that I will text her as soon as I've made my decision.”
“As you wish, Godhunter.” Aleksanteri, the Owl of Olympus, spread his wings and launched into the air without further ado.
I started humming the Harry Potter theme music, and my lions laughed their furry asses off. That was one thing I could count on them for; they always got my movie references.
“They want her to be an Olympian,” Azrael said to Kirill with amusement. “Athena has formally asked our wife to take Aphrodite's place on the Council.”
“Vhat vill you do?” Kirill asked me as he absently bounced Lesya.
Lesya grabbed Kirill's long braid and slapped it on his chest like reins. Kirill calmly ignored her.
“Hades if I know.” I sighed. “For now, let's finish this meeting. Then I can decide whether or not I have time to do the same sort of thing for the Greeks.”
Chapter Two
The next morning, I was still undecided over the Olympian thing. Being one of the top gods in the Greek Pantheon would definitely have its perks, but I simply didn't have the time for it. You think motherhood is hard? Try being a mother to three supernatural children, in two different realms, while simultaneously trying to keep seven men sexually satisfied and emotionally happy, a pride of werelions sane, a kingdom of fire fairies secure, and all of humanity safe from manipulative gods.
An insistent meowing reminded me of one more responsibility; Nick.
“Hey, baby.” I bent down to give my gray tabby some love. “You hungry?”
As I went to the kitchenette in the massive suite I shared with my husbands, another crying—that of my daughter—came through the baby monitor and woke the gorgeous, werewolf prince who was sleeping in my bed. Trevor grumbled awake and rolled out from beneath the covers; rubbing at his honey-colored eyes as he stood.
“I got her,” Trevor proclaimed sleepily as he headed
