“How- Wait! Have you been spying on me, you old hag?”
“No more than usual. Besides, I had dropped in looking for Baba Love. How was I supposed to know you’d be trying on rainbow, sequined leotards?”
“They’re called Fab-a-tards and they’re going to revolutionize the yoga world, you evil spawn of Satan.”
“Keep telling yourself that asswipe,” Hildy said, as she shooed him away like an annoying pest. “Now, everyone with a pair of balls, get the hell out and let the women work their magic.”
“What the hell are Fab-a-tards?” Mac asked Cole with a smirk.
Sighing in frustration and pissed that once again, he was being forced to leave his mate to fend for herself, Cole glared at the alpha wolf and said, “Don’t make me light a fire under your ass.”
“You can try,” Mack replied in a deadly voice.
“Gentlemen, come with me. I have just the thing to take the edge off,” Fabio said with glee.
“We’re screwed,” Mac and Cole mumbled, as they followed Fabio and the rest of the men upstairs.
Once they had all gathered in the workout room, Fabio said, “As I was telling Colrath the other day, yoga is the perfect exercise to help one gain control of his emotions. Not to mention, the additional stamina in the bedroom has left Baba Love a happy, satisfied woman on more than one occasion. Not that I’m bragging.”
“What does yoga have to do with anything?” Stefano inquired.
“I’m glad you asked. Wait here and I’ll be right back.”
When Fabio headed toward the bedroom, Cole kissed his man card goodbye. Once the guys discovered that he had worn Fabio’s Fab-a-tards and actually enjoyed them, he would never hear the end of it. Fabio returned a few minutes later in the rainbow, sequined leotards Hildy had mentioned, which made Cole wanted crawl under the bed and hide for the rest of his life.
“I’m so excited to be sharing my new invention with my family. I’ve created a new line of leotards for men that’s going to revolutionize the yoga world. I call them Fab-a-tards and I’m proud to say that with the help of Cole, they’re now fire resistant.”
“I’m confused. How did Cole help?” Nicolai asked.
“He was the first one to try them on and help me realize that my first mockup would not work for dragons. Too flammable. I mean they just went up in flames when he breathed on them. We can’t have that because it would triple my insurance, literally.”
Stefano was in the corner laughing his ass off. Well, until Fabio informed him that he had a pair of Fab-a-tards for all of them to try on. Nicolai and Stefano were handed red Fab-a-tards with glittery, black panthers on the left leg. Mac, Alec, and Jasper were given black Fab-a-tards with a white wolf on the right leg that looked like it had been bedazzled. Fabio smiled with pride as he handed Cole the black pair he had worn earlier with the red dragon wrapped around the right leg. Dillen was given a beige pair of Fab-a-tards with a lion on the left leg. Cole wasn’t positive, but it looked as though the lion had a furry tail.
Fabio had even thought about Fat Bastard, Jango Fett, Boba Fett, Max and Jax. The animals seemed to be enjoying their new Fab-a-tards, as they spread their legs and vigorously began licking their nads. Cole tried not to cringe as the licking and slurping from the corner got louder by the minute.
Once everyone had begrudgingly changed into their Fab-a-tards, Fabio instructed them to take their place in front of their mats. They were quickly informed that today’s yoga class involved breathing, stretching the pelvis, and building stamina.
“Trust me. Your lady love will thank you,” he said with pride as the men groaned in agony.
“Is there a reason we’re humoring Fabio today?” Mac asked, hoping that someone would finally be the voice of reason.
“Hey, it’s not like we have anything better to do. Besides, how hard could it be? It’s yoga for Goddess’s sake,” Stefano said with a smirk.
Cole knew that yoga was harder than they thought. His ass and thighs were still burning from his earlier session with Fabio and he had cut it short. Instead of opening his mouth and completely handing over his man card, he kept it shut and took his position on the mat.
“All you need is your body, an open mind, and an open heart during this yoga session. Now, let’s get started,” Fabio said as he took his place on the mat.
Soothing music started playing through the stereo and the men did their best to try and relax. When Fabio explained that they would begin in a cross-legged position called the Sukhasana, or the easy pose, the pose of ease, each man in the room looked at him like he had grown three heads. Yet, they followed his lead and was surprised at how well their family jewels was able to breathe in the Fab-a-tards.
“What the hell is a Suck-a-hana?” Jasper asked.
“Not Suck-a-hana,” Alec insisted. “Sukhasana.”
“Unless it’s that sweet, redhead who bartends at Joe’s, I don’t want anyone sucking on anything,” Jasper replied in a deadpanned voice that caused everyone in the room to burst into laughter.
“What seems to be the problem, gentleman?” Fabio asked in an exasperated voice.
“Nothing. Jasper was just having a problem with the Sukhasana move, but he has it now. No worries. Please continue,” Alec said, struggling to get his laughter under control.
“Gentleman, it’s important to take a second here to check in with your breathing by looping the shoulders a couple of times forward, up, and back. Again, inhale looping forward, exhale grounding down and back. The objective is to find a little organic movement, and then check in with the neck by moving one ear over one shoulder,” Fabio said in a soothing voice.
“How the hell am I supposed to move my ear over my shoulder?” Mac asked through gritted teeth.
“Hell, don’t ask me. I’m still on the sucking move,” Jasper replied in a frustrated voice.
The men looked up long enough to watch Fabio move his neck from side to side. “Why in the hell didn’t he just say bend your neck from side to side?” Nicolai asked.
“Now that we’ve moved one ear over our shoulder, let’s go forward into the chest, shaking the head, yes and no,” Fabio continued, oblivious to the confusion spreading throughout the room.
The men continued to shake their heads up and down and side-to-side in the yes, no manner Fabio had instructed. Mac was shocked to realize that he was slowly, but surely beginning to relax. Who knew that the simple act of breathing could be so relaxing? It sure beats the hell out of running ten miles to release the day’s stress. The Fab-a-tards weren’t bad either, if he were truly being honest. His nads felt free and un-constricted. Moreover, he liked the way the material moved with him.
Lost in thought, he almost missed it when Fabio instructed them to come back to the center, bring their head over their heart and their heart over their pelvis.
“What?” Alex ask aloud, obviously confused by the new command.
“Take a second to close your eyes or at least soften your gaze so that you can go inward a little bit as you find your alignment. Thus head over heart, heart over pelvis. Lift your sternum and then your chest as you ground down through the elbows on the exhale,” Fabio finally said.
“I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about,” Dillen said, as he collapsed on his mat in a heap of sweat. “How the hell do women do this every day?”
“You got me, but you have to admit that their flexibility comes in handy during sexy times,” Alec countered.
“True that,” the rest of the men chimed in.
“Come on guys, we’ve got this. Fabio has to be at least a hundred years old. There’s no way in hell he’s in better shape than we are,” Jasper said.
Cole decided that it would be better for all parties involved if he just kept his mouth shut. While there was a part of him that wanted to warn his friends that Fabio was flexible and had more stamina than all of them put together, he valued his man card too much to let it slip through his hands. They would eventually figure it out. In
fact, if the sweat dripping from their foreheads was any indication, they had about ten more minutes of yoga left in them before they bowed down to the master and quit.
Ignoring the grunting and slurping in the room, Fabio said, “Let’s bring a little integrity into the moment. For me, it means body awareness, mind awareness, noticing where my thoughts are, and coming back to that body awareness. Think about what integrity means to you and channel it through your breathing and body.”
“The only thing I want to channel right now is a cold beer,” Stefano said.
“Amen to that brother,” Nicolai replied, as he huffed and puffed with the rest of the men who were nodding in agreement.
Still oblivious to the conversations going on around him, Fabio said, “See if you can begin to deepen your breath. Try a nice, long inhale and a nice, long juicy exhale out. After a few more inhales and exhales, Fabio instructed them to bring their hands together in an Anjali Mudra. This will help you lift your sternum and your heart up to your chest.
“Did he say murder because I have a suspect in mind?” Mac whispered in between exhales.
“This is a great stretch for beginners,” Fabio continued in a soothing voice. “Remember that the legs aren’t just limp, they’re nice and active with the top of the thighs drawing down.”
“The only thighs, I care about being on top of or getting in between belong to a feisty redhead with a wicked sense of humor and a knack for gambling,” Stefano said.
“I heard that, panther boy. Mention my daughter’s thighs again and you’ll be down on all fours sooner than you think,” Fabio growled. “Dammit, now you’ve screwed with my relaxation time.”
“Sorry, sir. Forgive me for my insensitivity,” Stefano begged profusely.
“Oh, you’ll be sorry alright. Let’s amp up this workout, boys,” Fabio said with an evil gleam in his eye.
“Remind me to kill you later, if I survive this workout,” Nicolai said through gritted teeth.
One minute they were breathing deeply in and out, and the next, they were diving forward on all fours. Palms on the floor and asses in the air, it was a humiliating position, yet the Fab-a-tards never felt more comfortable. For the next twenty minutes, everyone in the room was breathing heavily as Fabio encouraged them to find their center. When he told them to tuck their tail, draw up their navel and close their eyes on the exhale, the only thing the men really wanted to do was tuck their tails in and run.
“Your dogs might be barking at this point, so it’s important to stay connected to your breath. Now, we’re going to take a moment and extend the right leg and breathe into the calf.”
“If I breathe into my calf as he suggests, I’m going to end up licking my balls,” Jasper groused.
“Hey, it seems to be working for the cats and dogs,” Cole laughed.
“Not funny, dragon’s breath,” Jasper countered.
“Come on, you know you want to lick them. Don’t be shy. We won’t judge,” Cole continued in a teasing voice.
“Gentlemen, the point of this stretch is to slowly build the strength in your arms and utilize the energy rolling through your body. In the yoga world, we call it Hasta Bandha.”
“Funny. I was thinking of hasta luego,” Nicolai said, trying to catch his breath.
“Remind me why we’re doing this again,” Stefano asked.
“Because the women wouldn’t let us play with them,” Mac replied.
“Speak for yourself,” Alec countered.
“He’s not filming this, is he?” Jasper suddenly asked.
“I don’t think so,” Mac answered.
“Good, because once this is over, I plan on living in the world of denial for a long, long time,” Jasper said. “Although, I might ask to keep the Fab-a-tards. To tell you the truth, they’re oddly freeing.”
“I have to agree with you there. I’m glad I’m not the only one impressed with the Fab-a-tards. I hate to admit it, but Fabio might be on to something,” Nicolai said.
“I think he’s been talking to Mikhail,” Stefano said.
“What role did your father play in the creation of the Fab-a-tards?” Cole asked, a little confused.
“I wasn’t talking about my father. When we first met Fabio, he told us about his fascination with Mikhail Baryshnikov and his ability to make the tights he wore look sexy to women without sporting panty or jock strap lines. He was especially impressed that Mikhail’s no-no’s never drooped, which you have to admit is impressive,” Stefano stated matter of fact.
“Women do seem to love men wearing tights, especially when they leap up in the air like Mikhail.” Nicolai contended.
“I’m having a hard enough time being on all fours, let alone leaping in the damn air like Mikhail Baryshnikov,” Jasper whined. “It’s not fair, I tell you. Women expect too much from men these days. Don’t I get credit for putting on the damn Fab-a-tards?”
“Afraid not dude. It’s all about stamina and stepping up your game,” Alec said, laughing when his friend shot him the bird. “Don’t hate the playa, hate the game?” he said, lifting his ass higher in the air as Fabio instructed.
“What the hell? We look absolutely ridiculous,” Mac said, as he too lifted his ass higher in the air. The burn in his thighs and calves were unbelievable, which made him pant even harder.
When Fabio instructed them to drop down into their first downward dog that’s where Mac drew the line. Instead of arguing with the older man, he simply passed out on his mat, struggling to gain control of his erratic breathing.
Zelda, Zara, Zoe and Sarah watched the men in fascination as they struggled with each yoga pose. Zelda had created a soundproof barrier between them and the door to the exercise room to prevent the men from hearing their giggles. They looked utterly ridiculous in the Fab-a-tards, but the enjoyment of watching their tight asses high in the air doing a downward dog was simply hilarious. She couldn’t get could humor like this on Say Yes to the Dress.
“Damn, I knew I should have grabbed that bag of popcorn to go with my wings,” Zelda finally said. “This is better than reality television.”
“How do you think dad convinced them to wear his Fab-a-tards?” Zoe asked.
“Have you met our dad? He could sell refrigerators to Eskimos. He probably convinced them that it would help increase their stamina in the bedroom. Something every man dreams of, but rarely achieves,” Zara insisted.
“You have to admit, the cats and dogs look so cute in theirs. Well, excluding the licking of the nads. How can they just ignore all of the slurping going on in the room?”
“Beats the hell out of me. Quick, go grab your camera. I want photographic proof of them doing yoga in Daddy-O’s Fab-a-tards. I guarantee you they’ll come in handy later when Mac and I get into a disagreement,” Zelda said with a smirk. “Ladies, always have an ace up your sleeve.”
“Good idea! I’ll be right back,” Zara said as she raced downstairs to grab her camera.
“Grab the popcorn too,” Zelda yelled in a mock whisper.
Sarah wasn’t sure what to think. If someone had told her a week ago that she would have met a stubborn, possessive, sexy dragon who would protect her from her evil father and sport a pair of women’s leotards, she would have laughed in their face. Now, it seemed rather normal and she had only known these people for a couple of days.
Although they had yet to come up with a solid plan to take down her father, she knew without a doubt that they would always have her back. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel alone. She promised herself right then and there that if she survived this battle, she would work on her relationship with her half-sister. If nothing else, Cole and the rest of the gang helped her realize the importance of family.
She watched in amusement as Fabio took the men through their cool down before they promptly passed out on their mats. Zara was steadily taking pictures while Zelda popped a boneless chicken wing in her mouth and Zoe laughed until she cried. It was the most relaxed she had felt in years. Whe
n she locked eyes on Cole and his nostril’s flared, she knew they had been caught in the act. The lust smoldering in his eyes sent heat waves through her body. She wanted him with a vengeance. When he licked his lips, she could have orgasmed on the spot. He was everything she had dreamed of in a man and more.
CHAPTER 10
Sarah woke up in a cold sweat. Shivering, she thought about what her father had said in her dream. He had Sophie and if she didn’t come to him and relinquish her mother’s powers, he would kill her. After hearing everything he had done to obtain Dark Magic from unsuspecting witches, she had no doubt that he was telling the truth. It was time to end this mess once and for all, preferably without anyone else getting hurt. If she had to sacrifice her life in order for others to be safe, then so be it. Her conscious couldn’t handle anyone else being hurt because of her, especially her baby sister. Slipping from the bed, she quietly dressed and left Cole a message.
Cole,
Words can never express how grateful I am that you found me. Your kindness has meant the world to me. I’ve been alone for so long. It was nice to finally not have to carry this burden on my own. But I can’t in all good consciousness allow anyone to get hurt because of me.
I know that we just met, but I love you with all my heart and will miss you something fierce. I hope you’ll think of me often and eventually understand why I had to do this. Sophie is a sweet kid and doesn’t deserve to die at the hands of our psychotic father. It’s time to put an end to this mess and only I can do that.
Your love, kindness and generosity will live with me for the rest of my life. I hope and pray that the Goddess brings you the happiness you so truly deserve. I had hoped that we might find that happiness together, but alas the Fates have other plans for me. Be safe my love and remember me always, as I will you.
Forever yours,
Sarah
Cole was torn between wanting to punch something and scream as he read Sarah’s letter for the second time. How could she just leave him? He had promised to help her and whether she liked it or not, he was going to keep his word. Her father was a sick son-of-a-bitch who needed to be put down once and for all and he was just the man to do it.
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