by Macy Blake
Dakota winced at the shrillness of her tone. It would only make things worse when he told them he’d been unconscious for a few days.
“How did you find me?”
“GPS tracker on your phone, dickhead,” Iris added. And boy were his sisters pissed. “Do you really think Koios would let you go on one of your wandering, I had a vision, adventures and not know how to find you? We have a rule. Check in every forty-eight hours. How many hours has it been, Dakota? How many?”
Koios stepped forward, his knowing eyes already putting pieces together. “How long were you unconscious?”
Dakota grunted.
“Three days,” Coal helpfully provided.
“Three…” Jax gasped in horror. “Let me go, you neanderthal.”
The dragon holding Jax steady looked to Dakota for approval.
“Should we lower the ward?” Coal asked.
“No,” Dakota replied immediately. But he winked at Coal when his sisters both shrieked and the dragon turned to him with wide eyes.
Before they could let them inside, Ben came running from the clinic, obviously sure someone was dying based on the sounds his sisters were emitting.
“What have we got?” Ben slid to a halt and glanced around the crowd, probably searching for whatever had made the horrible sounds.
“We’ve got my family,” Dakota said. He tried not to sound unhappy at the announcement.
“Oh, then let them in already.”
Dakota groaned again when the wards dropped. Alastor stormed forward and punched him in the arm before hugging him. The others followed suit.
“Can’t believe you put a tracker on me,” Dakota complained.
“Yeah, well, believe it,” Nyx said. “Koios is a paranoid asshole, but we all love him for it. Next thing you know, he’s going to inject us with some tracker like they do in the movies.”
“How do you know I haven’t already?” Koios asked.
He stood to the back of the group, his cloak covering him from head to toe. Ben, Dakota noticed, hadn’t taken his eyes off of him. It was hard to ignore the large bulges at Koios’s back. They were the reason his brother rarely left their home. He couldn’t pass as human. They had truly been scared for him to take such a risk.
“You didn’t?” Iris asked. “Did you?”
Koios shrugged, coy as ever, but he hadn’t stopped searching Dakota’s expression for answers. There were too many to give, and he didn’t have enough energy to try.
“Why don’t we take this inside?” Ben suggested. “Your mates are going to get worried.”
“What’s that? Did he just say—“ Jax turned to his siblings, his mouth open and gaping like a fish. “Please tell me I’m not hearing things.”
“You aren’t,” the twins said in unison. “We heard it, too.”
Dakota groaned. “Look, a lot has happened, okay?”
“No shit, Sherlock,” Nyx bitched. “Dish duty for a month.”
“Seconded,” Alastor said.
“Dammit, guys, I—“
“All in favor?” Koios asked.
A chorus of yeses echoed. “I don’t even know if I’ll be—“
“Oh, you will be. And we’ll bring your mates. Even more dishes for you to wash. Asshole.”
“Dakota?” Henry asked from behind him.
He turned to look at his mate. Something in his eyes must have revealed his desperation because Henry hurried to his side.
“What’s going on? Who are these people?” Henry asked.
“His brothers and sisters,” Ben supplied helpfully.
All these helpful people needed to go away and stop answering questions.
“Your… oh,” Henry said. He smiled widely and hurried closer. “You must be Nyx. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Nyx smiled at Henry, but then turned to Dakota. The smile turned cold. Oh, he was going to pay in more than dishes for this.
“And the twins, Castor and Pollux, right? Which must make you Alastor and you Jax. And then Iris and Koios. Did I get everyone right?”
“And who are you?” Nyx asked sweetly, batting her eyes and glaring at Dakota.
“Oh boy. You’re in trouble,” Henry said. He patted Dakota’s arm sympathetically. “I’m Henry. One of his mates. And I have a sister who looks at me just like that when I’m in big trouble.”
“Exactly how many mates does he have?” Koios asked.
Dakota whimpered. He was going to die, and not by the hands of a god set on destroying the universe. His siblings were going to kill him.
“You’re in so much trouble,” Henry said. “And there are nine of us total.”
Silence.
None of his siblings knew what to say. Hell, Dakota didn’t know what to say about it either. He still hadn’t wrapped his head around it. Besides, they shouldn’t count as mates if he hadn’t even kissed them yet. Right? They were potential mates. Nothing set in stone yet. His heart lurched at the thought. Wrong. They were his. He just hadn’t figured it out yet.
“Come on, big guy. Maybe if we feed them, they’ll forgive you.”
Henry turned and led the way to his childhood home.
“Not likely,” Dakota grumbled.
“Did he say nine?” Alastor asked. “Is that including Dakota or not?”
“Does it really matter?” Iris said. “Either way that’s a whole lot of mates for our loner brother. This I gotta see. You think his eye will twitch?”
“Probably,” Nyx snickered. “It’s probably twitching now.”
Dakota’s eye twitched. “Dammit.”
Henry simply squeezed his hand and led them into the house. “Nana, we have company. Dakota’s family is here.”
“Oh my goodness,” Nana said. “Look at you all. And these two strapping fellas. My my.”
“Nana,” Henry groaned. “Their names are Castor and Pollux.”
Nana grinned and pulled the twins into a hug.
“And who is this?”
Alastor actually blushed and got bashful.
Dakota’s eye twitched again.
“Alastor, ma’am. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Aww, you sweet boy. Now, none of this ma’am business. Just call me Nana. Everybody does. Besides, you’re family now. Well, once this big lug figures everything out. Is he always this slow?”
Dakota groaned and his sisters cackled.
“Always,” Iris said. “I’m Iris. This is Nyx. And what is that amazing smell?”
“My potato soup. Are you kids hungry? I made enough for an army.”
“Nana,” Henry grumbled. “They clearly aren’t kids. They’re at least my age.”
“Kids. When you get to be my age, everyone’s a kid. And you shush. I’ve had enough sass out of you today. Unconscious for days. You’re lucky I’m even letting you have my soup. Go set the table.”
“Yes ma’am,” Henry said. He hurried into the kitchen. Nana turned her glare to Dakota. “And you. I can’t believe you didn’t give us their numbers. What if something worse had happened? How could we let them know you needed them. Irresponsible, I say.”
“I can give you our numbers,” Koios said softly.
It drew her attention to him. She beamed. “And you. Take off that silly cloak. You don’t need to hide here. We’ve had so many fae in this house, I’ve learned how to work around wings. Henry! Get the backless chair for Koios and put it at the end where Loch usually sits.”
“On it,” Henry said.
Koios looked suddenly unsure, but before Dakota could intervene and explain that his brother didn’t let anyone see his wings other than them, his brother did the exact thing Dakota would have sworn he’d never do. He untied the cloak and slid it from his shoulders.
“Good boy,” Nana Jerrick said as she took the cloak and dropped it over the back of a chair. “Now, what can I get you to drink, Koios? And my is that ever a lovely name. One I’ve not heard before. What does it mean?”
“Koios was the god of intelligence,” Iris exp
lained. “Our… mother said that Koios was the smartest person she’d ever met so he deserved that name.”
“Someone had a fondness for Greek myth, I see. Delightful. I can’t wait to hear tales of how you each came to your names. I’m sure you all live up to them.”
Dakota had never seen his siblings eat up attention the way they did from Henry’s great-grandmother. She had them sitting around the table within minutes, each of them with a big bowl of soup and crackers in front of them.
He sank down in his seat beside Henry and tried to figure out exactly what was happening. Henry touched his thigh under the table. Dakota looked at him. Henry smiled.
And Dakota couldn’t help himself. He smiled back.
Nyx gasped. Iris dropped her spoon. Koios’s wings expanded. The twins’ mouths fell open. Alastor wiped away a tear.
Jax grinned. “This is epic. I didn’t know he actually had teeth.”
“Shut up,” Dakota gripped. He dropped his hand to cover Henry’s and used his other to pick up his spoon.
“None of that talk at my table, boys,” Nana said. “And you have lovely teeth, dear. You should use them for something besides growling and eating once in a while.”
“You don’t use teeth to growl, Nana,” Henry said, trying to help.
Nana simply huffed. “Now, what do we need to do to get you all caught up? Let’s see. Once upon a time, there was a Mother goddess. She had five children.”
Dakota groaned and tuned out the explanation. He didn’t need to hear it again. He was living it. From what they’d seen of Palinourous’s power, he had somehow managed to get a leg up on Sawyer. Their mate hadn’t begun to reclaim the powers of metal he’d once held. Until he did, Dakota feared the odds weren’t in their favor.
“Wait,” Iris said. “Dakota is mated to a god?”
“Yes. I know it’s a lot to take in, sweetie, but your brother and my Henry here are very important. They are both guardians of the chosen one. It’s a big deal.”
“A very big deal,” Koios mumbled. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Dakota wouldn’t have cared if only his siblings looked at him with such looks of disappointment. But when Henry and Nana both looked sad too, well, not even Dakota could stand the weight of those stares.
“Things have been… difficult for me,” Dakota explained.
He needed to find the words. He didn’t have them. Luckily distraction came in the form of the front door opening. Sawyer walked in with Draco close behind.
“Hubba Hubba,” Iris said.
Nyx actually whistled.
Sawyer blushed. Draco ignored them all and marched around the table. He stopped between Dakota and Henry then placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “You’re both okay?”
“I’m good,” Henry said. He leaned into Draco.
Draco leaned down and kissed him sweetly. Dakota groaned when the majority of his siblings sighed.
The dragon continued to ignore them. He turned his attention to Dakota next. “You’re well?”
“I’m fine.”
Draco searched his gaze for a long moment. He leaned in close, closer than he’d ever been. The look spoke volumes.
“I know,” Dakota said softly. “Me, too.”
He didn’t need the words. The longing in Draco’s eyes, the fear that they’d almost lost their only chance, laid heavily on his heart as well.
Draco leaned in and kissed him, a soft fleeting brush of lips, before he backed away and stood up. Dakota’s siblings all had looks of… well, Dakota didn’t know how to describe them, but he dropped his head into his hands and tried to figure out how he was going to get out of this without being relegated to dish duty for the rest of his life.
He should have known he didn’t need to worry. His best weapon against the revenge in his siblings’ hearts stood behind him. He heard gasps and knew what had happened without looking. Draco had smiled. It turned them all to putty in his hands.
“You’re… Draco,” Koios said softly. His brother seemed awed. Nothing ever awed Koios.
Dakota looked up.
“Yes,” Draco said. “And you are my mate’s brother. Your name?”
“K-k-k…”
“I think it’s Koios, dear,” Nana supplied helpfully.
So many helpful people around here. Dakota wouldn’t have minded listening to Koios stutter for another few minutes.
“I’m a big fan,” Koios finally managed to say.
Draco’s smile widened. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“I have never in my entire life seen Koios like this,” Jax said. “Who are you and what is your secret power?”
Of course, the killer smile turned to Jax next and his brother actually shuddered under the weight of it.
“And what’s your name?”
“Jax.” At least one sibling managed to say their name, even if it was in a throaty sexy whimper.
“Well, Jax,” Draco said, “I’m guessing your brother Koios is a bit of a geek over electronics like I am. In fact, I seem to recall Koios being able to find an address for us not so long ago?” Jax didn’t know what to say. Draco often had that effect on people.
“You’re mated to our brother,” Nyx finally managed to say. “That is epic.”
Draco squeezed Dakota’s shoulder. “I think so.”
Dakota pretended he couldn’t feel his cheeks warming. He’d finally come to terms with having mates, had finally broken through the anger and fear, and now his siblings got to witness the first sign of affection he received from Draco? This was the universe’s way of getting back at him. The universe had had enough fun on his behalf lately. He figured he should catch a break and not have to put up with teasing from his siblings for the rest of his life over this.
Funnily enough, it was Alastor who put a stop to it all before the others started. “I think you’re really lucky, Dakota. And I’m happy you finally found peace.”
“Well, I don’t know about peace,” Nana said. “They do have a god trying to kill them after all.”
Dakota groaned. The hits just kept on coming.
“Excuse me,” Nyx shrieked.
“Uh-oh,” Nana said. “You really didn’t tell them anything at all?”
Dakota pushed his bowl out of the way and thumped his head down on the table. Then he did it again. Maybe if he knocked himself unconscious, it would end.
“Hi,” Sawyer said. “Sawyer. God of metal and mating. Also mated to your brother, although I get it. Nowhere near as impressive as the big lug over there.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Castor said.
Pollux nodded his agreement. “I wouldn’t either. You can come sit over here by us.”
“Guys,” Dakota groaned. “I called dibs.”
“Did you though?” Iris asked. “Because between cutie pie over there snuggling you, hottie over there who shouldn’t be allowed to smile in public, and now dreamy boy next door who, not gonna lie, I kinda want to lick, I think that’s called being greedy.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Henry said.
“Oh, speaking of which, the others are getting cleaned up. Everyone is hungry and I didn’t feel like carting food down there to the clinic.”
“Really?” Henry asked.
“Okay, fine. Eduard said it wasn’t my job to serve everyone and that they would come here. He’s a doll, that one. Did you see the bracelet he gave me? A gemstone for all of my kids, grandkids, and great-grands.”
It only took a second for his sisters to notice that the stones weren’t little flecks. Nope, each one would be counted in carats. And there were a lot of them. Nyx’s head swiveled, and she narrowed her gaze on him once more.
“I think it’s lovely,” Koios said. “They’re all very blessed to have you.”
Nana flushed and waved her hands. “Now, you shush. I take care of my family, that’s all.”
“So when can we expect the rest of his mates?” Jax asked.
“Oh, any second, I suspect,” Nana
said. “I don’t have enough room for all of you at the table, but I can have them sit—“
“Oh no,” Alastor said. “We’ll clean up and help you get the table reset.”
“You’re guests!”
Nana’s protest didn’t carry any weight.
“You said we were family.” Jax did the thing where he looked ridiculously pitiful and puppy-like. It worked. It usually did. It was his super-power. Jax, Pip, and Henry should team up and take notes. Then again, maybe not.
“Well, I did say that,” Nana said gently.
“Then if we’re family, let us help. Besides, then we can gossip about my brother. Tell me more about these mates of his that he’s kept quiet about.”
“I shouldn’t—“ Nana said.
“Please?” The twins were clearly going to get anything they wanted out of the woman. They were devilishly handsome and ridiculously charming, and they both knew it. The little shits.
“Well, I can give you a little background. You do deserve to be caught up that much.”
They high-fived each other and began gathering dirty bowls.
Dakota raised his head and thumped it against the table again. Draco slid his hand up to Dakota’s neck and gave it a squeeze before running his thumb over his skin tenderly. Dakota let out a breath, relaxing into Draco’s touch.
Something had definitely changed. They all felt it. It wasn’t simply Dakota’s imagination. Draco had never touched him this way. Henry, as much as he touched them all, had never had his hands on Dakota the way he’d done for what had to have been hours now. A glance at the clock told Dakota the torture had only been happening for half an hour, but it certainly felt like longer.
And then there was Sawyer. He’d never thought about the connection he felt with Sawyer before. Guardian to chosen one. Mate and god. The connection between them had been there, of course, or Dakota wouldn’t have felt the pull to come to him in the first place. But he had. He’d fought it with all he had, resenting the war that had resulted in his siblings being tortured for so long. But Sawyer had managed to break down his walls.
Koios had his attention at the end of the table, but Sawyer’s true focus was never far from his mates. Dakota glanced his way and was met with a smile from his mate. He breathed, relieved to see Sawyer alive and in one piece. He’d known it, of course. He’d been assured that he was fine but seeing Sawyer for himself took the last of his fear away.
