Then Baldur, or Kir as he now preferred to be called, had taken over, telling him about how Jeff had stood by them, human though he was. He was the weakest among them, but he stood at their sides, insisting he be included in the fight for their lives and the lives of their children. Kir let it be known he had every intention of sharing blood with Jeff as soon as the man returned.

When he was done Jordan had just shaken her head at him. “You know, he wouldn’t be this pissed if he didn’t care what you think about him.”

She’d walked away, not knowing that with those words she’d been the one to fire the fatal shot. Or perhaps she had. She was a smart one, his father’s wife.

Now he sat alone on the big white sofa, his only company the one person he thought he’d never want to be alone with again, and waited for forgiveness that might not come.

“He likes you.”

Fen turned toward Tyr—no, Travis—and did his best to keep his expression neutral. “How do you know?”

“I’ve known him since he was sixteen years old. He and his sister have always been a handful.” Travis shook his head, lost in memories. “I once thought that Jeff followed where Jamie led.”

“And now?”

Travis smiled, his eyes misting over. “He’s pure alpha.” Travis leaned forward, his hand dangling between his knees. “He followed because he wanted to protect her and he knew only a force of nature could stop her.”

“Because she’s alpha too.”

Travis nodded. “Do yourself a favor. Don’t cut him out of the loop. Don’t order him around. If you want him as badly as I know you do, make him want you. But most of all, never, and I mean never, get between Jeffrey Grimm and his siblings or he’ll root out your balls with a dull spoon and feed them to an alligator.”

The intensity of Travis’s stare almost unnerved him, but Fen had stared Odin himself down and laughed in his face. “They are his family.”

Travis nodded. “Yeah. We are. And now we’re yours, too, if you’ll let us be.”

Fen laughed, the sound bitter. “I thought you were once before too.” He closed his eyes, still trying to reconcile the man he’d hated for centuries with the urbane, twenty-first-century Travis who ate pancakes and loved the crazy redheaded twin of his mate. “I’ll try.”

It was the best he could do at the moment.

“Thank you.” When Fen opened his eyes he was startled to see tears in Travis’s. “I know you don’t believe me, but I loved you like a son. It’s why I volunteered to save you, even though I knew you’d probably try to kill me the moment you were free.”

Fen couldn’t look at him anymore. He had thought about killing Travis more than once since he’d been freed. Only Jeff’s presence, his trust in Travis and his twin, had stayed Fen’s hand.

“Like I told your fathers, justice has been a long time coming for you and your siblings, but I’m going to do my best to fix that. If you’ll let me.”

He stared at Travis’s stump and suddenly realized why Grimm had been able to defeat Travis. If his sword hand had still been there Grimm would at least have been damaged. “I’d say we’re almost even.”

“Almost?”

The cautious hope in Travis’s voice was something Fen had to respond to if he was ever to heal the breech the way his mate wished. He sat up and stared into Travis’s eyes. “Save my siblings and any bad blood between us will be erased.”

“Done.”

The ring of magic in the god’s voice sealed the deal, as the God of Justice glowed so brightly Fen could no longer see him.

“Damn it. Logan threw out my mistletoe again. Shit.”

Fen blinked and turned to find Kir, hands on his hips, his bottom lip between his teeth. “Trav? Think you can hook me up?”

“Planning on committing seppuku?” Travis darted a look at Fen, the look full of cautious affection. “Um. That means ritual suicide.”

Fen smiled. “Thank you.” Fen tilted his head and, for his mate’s sake, decided to take the first step in forgiving Travis. “Could you tell me something?”

“What?”

“What’s an alligator?”

Kir laughed. For a split second Fen had forgotten his other father was there.

“I plan on…hmm.” His eyes narrowed in speculation just before a happy smile crossed his face. “You know, I bet Fen would be fascinated by the Internet, don’t you? Great place to learn about America and history and alligators and stuff like that.” Kir waved his hand absently. “Why don’t you show him how to work the computer?”

Jordan sauntered into the room and winked at Travis. “Just don’t show him Vincente.”

This was beginning to annoy him. Who was Vincente, and what did the man have to do with Fenris’s mate?

“This is such a nice surprise!” Jeanne Grimm tugged Jeff and Jamie into her home, her expression filled with that pure sunshine she constantly seemed to emit. She was what Jordan would look like in her fifties if Jordan had the same kind of sunny personality. The only thing Jordan had inherited from her father, Adam Grey, was her dark eyes. Jeanne’s were the same hazel as Jeff’s.

If Jeff didn’t know better he’d swear his mother was a goddess too.

“Your father told me you two had gone on vacation and that Travis sent you to Europe. When did you get back?” She dragged them into the kitchen and pointed at the small table. “Sit.”

Jeff sat next to his sister and the pair exchanged a look. Their mother didn’t know Jamie had been in the hospital? “Uh, not long ago.”

“How was the trip? And why the hell didn’t you call me? What, they don’t have phones in the Caribbean?” Jeanne pulled three glasses out of the cabinet and opened the fridge.

Oh no. No way was he lying to his mother. That would get him sent straight to hell. But he could deflect her attention. “Jamie got engaged.”

Their mother gasped and before they knew it Jamie was enveloped in a patented Jeanne bear hug. “Oh, my baby. Travis proposed?”

“Can’t. Breathe.”

Jeanne pushed Jamie back. “Ring.” She wiggled her fingers. Jamie held out her hand and showed her mother the two-carat heart-shaped solitaire on her finger. The smile Jeanne wore wasn’t marred at all by the tears that sprang into her eyes. “Oh, sweetie. He gave you his heart.” She enveloped Jamie once more.

“Does your father know? And why didn’t Travis come with you today?”

They exchanged a look and Jamie shrugged. “He’s working.”

Jeanne tsk’d. “Well. You tell him to come over here to help with the wedding plans or I’ll send your father to fetch him.”

Jeff tried to keep the horror of that thought from his face. “Yes’m.”

Jeanne frowned at Jamie. “This calls for a celebration!” Jamie was plunked once more into her seat. “It’s a little early for champagne.” Jeanne opened the fridge, pulling something out. “I’m all out of OJ, damn it. Anyone want apple juice?”

Both of her children bolted from the table and knocked the open bottle clean out of her hands.

Grimm couldn’t believe his eyes. What was she doing there? There was no way, no way fate would be that cruel.

Then again, considering who he was staring at, the point was obviously moot.

“You think she’s there to consult with them about the prophecy?” Rina’s gaze roamed the park, ever vigilant. She’d taken it upon herself to be his bodyguard, and he’d never had one better. She was a true warrior queen, and Grimm couldn’t be happier with her.

“Yes.” He watched Skuld, the Norn of the Future, enter the Rittenhouse Square condo building Loki and Baldur were holed up in. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“Should we take her out?”

“Too late. She’s already inside. If she tells them what they want to know, everything could go to hell.”

“Then we find a way to stop the prophecy from ever happening.”

He turned to stare into her pale, cold eyes, eyes so much like her stupid son’s that for a moment he saw red. “How?”