by Minerva Howe
Devon was down there too, bouncing and walking Arielle. “I think she has an upset stomach.”
“Poor sweet.” Eagan held out his arms, and Devon let him take her. “Are you uncomfortable, baby girl?” He lifted her, breathing steam on her belly, which would help if she was cramping.
She grabbed his hair and burped like a trucker; the sound accompanied by a tiny burst of flame.
“Oh, good girl. Thanks, Eagan.”
He handed Arielle back over, finding Ollie smiling at him a little sadly, and he wouldn’t have it. He pulled Ollie to him, kissing his temple. “What do we have for me to feed my mate, Devon?”
“There’s mac and cheese, fried chicken. There’s an apple pie?”
“Oh, I’ll take a piece of apple pie.”
Devon chuckled. “You and your sweet tooth.”
Ollie shrugged. “You have a cheese obsession. I have my pie.”
Eagan kissed Ollie again, then turned to get pie cut and warmed. “Is there ice cream?”
“There is. What flavor do you want?”
Ollie cackled at Devon. “What are my options?”
“Vanilla, butter pecan, and rocky road.”
“Hmmm. Rocky road.”
Both he and Devon blinked at Ollie, who flushed.
“What? I know it’s a weird combo, but somehow it sounds super yummy.”
Arielle burped again as if agreeing.
“See? She gets me.” He smooched Arielle’s forehead.
“She does,” Devon agreed. “Oh, she’s relaxing. Thank goodness.”
“Devon?” Brand wandered into the kitchen. “Ah, there you are.” He kissed Devon, then hugged Ollie. “Hello, Oliver. Feeling a little better? You were a bit cold.”
“I am. Thank you for letting me come here. I need to be with Eagan.”
Oh, those words made him feel ten feet tall.
“Of course you did. And he was frantic without you.” Brand just stated it like the fact it was. “Is that pie?”
“Caroline made it. No goat cheese, I swear,” Devon said.
“I wonder if goat cheese ice cream would be good,” Ollie mused, a spoon of rocky road in his hand.
“You are strange, Oliver,” Brand intoned, and Devon began to giggle.
“This is the best ice cream,” Ollie said. “Gimme the pie.”
“Flying takes it out of you, huh?” Devon said. “I know even when Brand carried me, almost dying and shit was like, hungry making.”
“You were knocked up. I was stuck in my apartment with hummus sandwiches.”
“Hummus sandwiches?” Devon gagged, so Arielle did as well.
“Ollie. You should have called far sooner.”
“Or ordered takeout,” Brand said.
Ollie rolled his eyes. “How could I trust Door Dash. Hi, I have your Chinese food, can I suck your blood?”
Devon giggled. “Tacos and a little blood-a-mole?”
Ollie nodded, licking his spoon. “Have some linguine with clams and type B negative.”
“Hold the garlic toast?” Brand muttered.
“More like plasma-stuffed French toast with blood sausage and maple syrup?” Oliver was rolling with laughter.
“None of you are even remotely amusing,” Eagan said loftily, hiding his smile. He popped pie into the microwave in pairs. They would all have some. Food was love among them, and he thought Ollie needed all of that he could give.
Arielle burped again, and Eagan totally took that as agreement. All the way.
They sat to eat their pie, Ollie on his lap at his insistence. They all had vanilla ice cream but for his mate, who had brought the carton of rocky road with him. Stressed out, poor love.
They noshed together, passing the baby around, since she was obviously not sleepy, all of them talking and laughing, enjoying each other.
Ollie looked better every second, the dark circles fading. None of them were meant to be alone, for all that they claimed to be solitary creatures. That was just a holdover from the days when dragons lived in caves.
A heavy thump sounded outside the kitchen window, the glass rattling. Brand stood up, smoke pouring from his nose.
Eagan also leaped to his feet, but then a huge, multicolor eye peered in at them.
“Tyson!” Devon laughed. “God, don’t scare us like that.”
Oliver waved. “Come in and have pie. Eagan rescued me.”
Tyson shrank down, his bright amethyst and silver body becoming human as he hurried into the kitchen. “Hoo, it’s cold out there. I would hug you, Ollie, but I need clothes. Be right back. Save me pie.”
“There’s another in the fridge.” Devon rose to pull it out.
Arielle watched Tyson go, then giggled, reaching for Eagan.
“He’ll be right back, beauty. I promise.” He swung her into the air, making a little cloud of steam for her to fly through, careful not to hit Ollie, who was leaning over the table, munching away. “Is that your Uncle Ty? Do you love him so?”
“She kept crying every time we passed his room,” Devon griped. “She’s obsessed.”
“He loves her. Still, I’m the first one to hold her.” And he knew it.
“True.” Brand chuckled. “Um, more ice cream, Ollie?”
Eagan stared at Ollie, who was licking the open container. Which was empty.
“No. No, I’m good. That was perfect.” Ollie curled into Eagan’s arms after he handed Arielle back to Brand, sighing. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He nibbled his own pie, holding Ollie close with his other arm, nuzzling him every so often.
“Sorry I’m late,” Tyson rumbled as he came back in, his red and white llama pajamas so wondrous. “I had a feeling I needed to get back.”
Arielle reached for Ty, her little feet kicking furiously, and he scooped her up. “I have you, little one. I missed you. You’ve gotten so big.”
Her answer was an earth-shattering burp.
“Oh ho! Did you have an upset tum?” Tyson bounced her, and she burped on every one. It was like a bullfrog in rut.
“I’m not sure what her problem is. Maybe that her godfather was in danger.” Devon smiled at Oliver. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” Ollie burped himself, then clapped a hand over his mouth. “Rocky road.”
They all laughed, Tyson settling in with Arielle and his pie. “So, fill me in.”
“Devon crispy-fried a vampire that tried to get in,” Brand started.
“Did he?” Tyson cheered since his hands were full. “Way to go.”
“Thank you. Then they started hunting Oliver. Eagan was put out.”
“Quite,” Ollie said, snuggling into him.
“They hurt you?” Tyson’s eyes narrowed, settling on Oliver. “I’ll go kill them.”
“They didn’t get in, but I was scared and stuck in the shop. E came for me. I-I have to tell you, I haven’t been very brave, but I’m staying with Eagan. Not because of the vampires, but because I love him.”
Eagan felt a bit like his heart would explode. The pride he felt threatened to swell in him until his dragon popped out.
“About damn time,” Ty said, and Arielle slapped her hand on the table just like he normally would.
They all stared, and then the laughter started, loud and tinged with wildness.
“Welcome back, Ollie. We’ll just all stay here and be debauched and eat ice cream.”
“Thank you.”
Eagan nuzzled Oliver’s hair. He wanted to lie around with Ollie and read.
“We’ll stay together through the winter, yes?” Devon smiled at them. “We can celebrate the holidays and relax, as we’re meant to.”
“That sounds so good,” Ollie murmured. “I missed you all so much.”
“No more stupid pride.”
“Says the biggest stubborn ass of all of us,” Eagan told Tyson.
“I know, then, don’t I? I understand pride.” Tyson winked at Oliver.
Ollie giggled, sounding so m
uch more relaxed, almost giddy.
Eagan understood. He was on top of the world now, with Ollie safe and here and declaring his love.
Arielle kicked and snorted, banging her hands on the table, demanding the attention of her family.
“Hey, little one.” Devon reached over to gently grabbed her hands. “What do we do when we want attention.”
“Smash and grab,” Tyson said.
Arielle cooed and made grabby hands, little feet kicking wildly.
“Not helping,” Devon sang.
Brand snorted. “What in your association with him makes you think he wants to help?”
Ollie chortled. “Tyson is terribly helpful. As long as what you’re doing is subversive.”
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with subversion,” Tyson pronounced. “At all.”
“Not a bit,” Brand agreed, then hastily revised the statement. “Unless it’s our daughter. Then everyone needs to behave.”
Arielle blew a raspberry, smoke escaping her baby nose.
“That’s my girl. Revolt.” Tyson nibbled at her neck, and she squealed, probably from the cold, since he’d been eating ice cream.
She patted at his cheeks, jabbering at him, eyes bright and focused.
“Of course, sweet. You dads will love having a night to themselves. You can sleep in my room.”
“Are you sure, Tyson?” Devon asked.
Eagan thought that was the sweetest thing for Ty to offer, but then, he and Arielle loved a sleepover.
“I am. I shall expect the same when I produce five more children by laying eggs.” Tyson snorted, white dust coming from his nose as he chortled.
“Oh, you’re a lovely man.” Devon applauded. “Volunteering to take that on.”
“She loves to watch movies and sing and read books,” Tyson said. “And I’m teaching her all about rocks.”
“You’re a good uncle.” That came from Ollie, and Tyson flushed, looking so pleased.
Gods, Eagan loved his family so. So long he and Brand and Tyson had been islands. This was better.
Now they were together, and there was laughter.
“In that case, my loves, I think Devon and I will go back to bed.” Brand was never one to let moss grow.
“If she gets fussy with her tummy again, Tyson, just holler,” Devon said with a worried glance at Arielle.
“I know what she needs now,” Ty said. “Burp rebounding.”
“She’ll be fine. Her Ty has her. Now, mate.”
Oliver giggled at Brand’s roar.
Devon held out his arms, and Brand whisked him off, his speed leaving nothing but a blur.
“Well, then.” Tyson kissed Arielle’s head. “Shall we go watch stuff on TV?”
She cooed, patting his chest, and they were off.
“Alone at last,” Eagan said, squeezing Ollie gently.
“You do forgive me, right? I heard you—I know how much you want children, but…no one will love you like I do. No one, even a dragon.”
“Heard me when?” He frowned. Had he driven his lover away with careless words?
“You were talking to the others.” Oliver took his hands. “I know you were hoping that I’d—I was disappointed too. I had a little wish that I’d be your mate, but…well, I’m not. Not like that.”
“You’re the only mate I want.” He knew things Ollie hadn’t twigged to yet. Knew how wet Ollie got for him, which a totally human male would never do. But it might be that Ollie’s dragon never fully presented, and he could live with that. “There’s nothing to forgive. I do want you to trust me enough to ask, from now on, though. I know I told Brand and Tyson it didn’t matter. You didn’t listen long enough…”
“It does matter, a little. Hell, it matters to me.”
“Oh, love.” He kissed Ollie’s cheek. “Maybe we’re meant to take on orphans. Like Devon was. Prophecies are tricky things.”
“They are, and I love you. I swear, I will make you happy and stick with you. I’ve been so sad without you.”
“No more of that, then.” He rose, lifting Ollie with him. “Dishes in the sink?” He let Ollie grab them, then swung by the sink. “We’ll grab one of those bestsellers on the way upstairs and I’ll read to you.”
“Yeah? That sounds magical. I’ve missed your voice.” Ollie’s smile was brilliant. Utterly.
“I’ve missed the feel of you lying with me.” He carried Ollie to the hall, allowing him to choose a book from the random piles Devon and Brand created. Then he did his own race upstairs, making Ollie laugh out loud.
He’d missed that, because he heard that laughter more than in his ears. It rang out in his soul.
They settled into the cloud of pillows and comforters on the bed, only the little reading lamp on. Ollie snuggled into him with a sigh, and he opened the book.
Yes. They were all back where they belonged.
Together.
7
Ollie hummed, tapping away at his DM window with Halle, working at getting a bunch of books listed on the online catalog. The Christmas rush was almost over, but it had been an amazing year since they expanded, and he wanted to get a few more really special volumes out there.
Devon came in, Arielle in his arms. “What’s up, Ollie?”
“Adding books to our catalog. How’s things? Did you win that auction?”
“I did!” Devon danced Arielle around. “We got the Cervantes. Score!”
“Excellent. Are we selling it or are you collecting it?”
“I have no idea. I bought it with an eye to selling it, but you know Brand.” Devon gave him a quicksilver grin.
Arielle clapped her hands at Brand’s name.
“I do.” Ollie grinned wryly. Brand always compensated the shop handsomely if he stole something from them, though. He was just such a compulsive collector.
He leaned back, finding a warm smile for little Arielle. “Has she decided the Christmas tree isn’t going to eat her alive yet?”
“She stopped screaming at it.” Devon shrugged, still bouncing her. “Now she’s pondering it as a perch, I think.”
“Hmmm. No bueno.” Impulsively, he held out his arms to her, and Arielle came right to him. Aww. What a sweetie. “Hey, Danger Mouse. How’s my best girl?”
She crowed at him, blowing raspberries at the air.
“You’re good with her. I’m glad to see you warming up.”
Ollie ducked his head. “I didn’t hate her or anything. I was just sad. It was so hard to see her all the time and know I won’t be able to do that for Eagan.”
“I know that, derp.” Devon squeezed his shoulder as he came to look at the laptop and its open catalog. “I know you want your permanent base to be Eagan’s place, but I’m so glad you’re here for Yule.”
“I’m so glad you’ve given us rooms. When we get back to Denver, I’ll be making a suite for you and Danger Mouse and one for Ty. We are family.” He’d set his mind to that. No matter what, he belonged.
“And we’ll have to go pick spaces at Ty’s house. And OMG get new beds. The man never has guests, which is a real shame. He has a damn compound, with this freakishly beautiful castle house that this eccentric millionaire moved in stone by stone from like, Alsace or something.”
“He’ll have to make room for us.” Secretly he thought Ty would love them being in his space. He needed them to keep him from getting all hermitish.
“Yep.” They shared a grin, both tickled at the idea. “I hear he also has caves,” Devon said.
“Ooh. That’s cool. I could so spelunk.”
“Right? I love to explore.”
Arielle sighed, kind of collapsing against his chest. Such a sweetie.
“Love you, baby girl.” He nuzzled the top of her head. Ollie was so happy, right here, right now. He was with his family.
She babbled something at him just like she did to Eagan or Tyson, patting his chest, and he had a vision of a tiny gold and red dragon romping with a blue and bright turquoise pair in Eagan’s und
erground lair.
“Are you going to play with your Uncle E? He’s amazing. I swear. Totally amazing.”
“You have it so bad.” Devon gave him this look, all love. “Promise me you never get mad at me for mixing you up with dragons.”
“Hey, we’ve been the great loners since forever. Where would I go if it wasn’t with you?”
“My adventure buddy.” Devon came to hug him, which made Arielle hum.
He leaned back into his best friend. “Love you, man.”
“Love you too.” Devon pulled up a chair after kissing his head. “So, show me what all we have going on. Halle is excited to go internet and mostly appointment.”
“Is she? It’s less of a commute for her, for sure.” He wasn’t sure the bookstore was safe anymore. “Have you considered whether she’s okay? I mean… I know she’s a stud.”
“I know. Tyson says he’s hired security for the store and for her and the new guy’s apartments. I think he’s hoping he gets to eat someone.”
Little Arielle made nom noises. Bloodthirsty baby.
It was vastly cool. “Does she eat meat yet?” Her little teeth were…sharper than you’d think.
“A little, if I cut it up or moosh it in the food processor.” Devon watched her with a grin. “I blame Ty.”
“Says the man who crispy-fried a vamp, I hear.” That made him vaguely queasy.
“I was so pissed, man.” For a second Dev looked gold. Like GOLD. And scaly. Smoke poured out of his nose.
“I can tell.” He patted Arielle’s back so she didn’t get all grr too. “Easy, Danger Mouse. Uncle Ollie has you.”
She wiggled and got more comfortable, then went right to sleep.
His heart melted. Just melted.
“I love my life, Dev. I really do.”
“I’m so glad to hear it, Ollie.” Devon leaned on him. “I really am.”
“So, come on. Let’s go over this inventory. We need to move some of the Romantics for Christmas, I think.”
“Sounds good. We’ll discount the Dickens too.”
“Always.” He settled Arielle deeper, and they set to work, the baby dragon snoozing away.
