“I’m fine,” Jaxon assured him. “Just took a bit to get back on my feet.”
A loud moan caught their attention and Justice sat up in human form.
“Oh my God, my head!” Justice winced at the pain lashing at his temples.
“A hangover?” Nate tilted his head. “I get them wasted and then they have a hangover?” Nate contemplated that information. He shrugged his shoulders. “Meh.”
“This was a lesson; you guys have got to figure out how to control your powers. It can’t always be when you’re scared. You have to be able to call on it whenever you need to.” Jaxon faced the group. “Now, try again.”
They spent the rest of the day working on their abilities. Elijah found that he could actually produce two phoenixes if he concentrated hard enough. Granted, they were small, but it was something.
He stood on the bow of the boat watching the sunset paint the horizon with watercolors. A light flashed and then a figure stood next to him. Elijah looked sideways at a woman with long flowing hair.
“Gaea?”
“Yes. You are all coming together, just as it was meant to be.”
“Is there, like, a handbook or something on how we are supposed to defend ourselves?”
“You are all demi-gods; your parents have tried to gather all their combined powers and instill them in all of you. Your powers will grow as you come together.” Gaea studied Elijah closely. “You are all family. The fact that you all found each other means your bond is strong. You will need it. Your parents had to give you a new twist in your powers; this is the twenty-first century.”
“Stone drains life, Nate makes them drunk. I make phoenixes. Anything else we should be aware of?”
Gaea smiled. “Your father is very proud of you.”
Elijah ducked his head. “He is?”
Gaea held Elijah’s face in her hands. “You are a strong soul, just like the rest of them and you have a warrior at your side.”
“Will I ever see my father?”
“One day. They are protecting Olympus. We know you are all being attacked in an attempt to force them down from Olympus to protect you, which is why you were given your abilities. Do not think for one moment that they do not care. They all care.”
“Elijah?”
Elijah turned to see Jaxon standing behind them, mouth agape.
“Well, hello, Jaxon,” Gaea smiled.
Jaxon knelt and bowed his head.
“Seems you are not so stupid after all,” Gaea chuckled. She turned to Elijah. “Love one another.”
With that, Gaea was gone. Jaxon sat down on the deck and held his head.
“You okay?” Elijah knelt down at his side.
“Yes, I feel a little woozy.”
“Well, come on, let’s get you to bed.”
~*~
Elijah snuggled into Jaxon’s chest. They were in one of the many bedrooms on the yacht. The rest of the guys had gone to bed after dinner. Elijah had let them in on Gaea’s visit. To be in the presence of a goddess was something he’d never even thought about. Jaxon’s arms wrapped around him and Elijah forgot about everything except the man holding him.
“Jaxon?”
“Hmmm?”
“You feeling better?”
Jaxon chuckled.
“Is that your way of asking me if I want to make love?”
“Maybe…”
Jaxon rolled Elijah onto his back and balanced on one hand above him.
“Oh yeah, I want to make love to you.”
Elijah pulled Jaxon down and kissed him.
“Stop talking.”
~*~
Elijah threw the football to Skylar, who caught it and threw it to Ryder. He’d be starting college soon. Thanks to Caden and Kellan, Elijah was enrolled at the college with Skylar, Ryder, Dasan, Stone and Nate. He didn’t think he’d be joining the football team, but Skylar was and Ryder was considering it. Caden had suggested the swim team for Ryder, but Ryder hadn’t conquered his fear of water yet. So, football it was. Stone had played in high school, so transitioning to the college team wasn’t a big deal. They’d have to try out, just like everyone else, but at the end of the day, Elijah knew they’d be on the team.
Family stuck together.
Watching the guys play, Elijah was impressed at how much they’d all bulked up. It seemed as if his absence had prompted the boys to work out their aggression in the gym.
Jaxon was planning on taking him back to New Zealand for his twentieth birthday. He’d kept in contact with his mother via email, Skype and texts and they were getting closer.
He’d moved in with Jaxon two days after his memory had come back. He belonged with his mate. Elijah fingered the pendant around his neck. Justice, Jesse and Jaxon all had the paw print side tattooed on their skin. He, Skylar and Noah all wore the wolf face-side up. The pendant was made to protect them; they had all been blessed with love. Elijah didn’t quite know how they worked, but he didn’t care. He had the man he’d wanted since he was sixteen, or seventeen, whatever.
“Hey guys!”
Elijah turned to find Stone walking up the sidewalk, holding a puppy.
“Stone? Where’d you get the dog?” Elijah asked.
“I found him on my walk — well he found me. I walked around the neighborhood and asked if anyone was missing a Siberian husky puppy, but no one came forward. I took him to the vet, too. No microchip.” Stone eyed Skylar. “Can I keep him?”
Skylar eyed the puppy. “He seems…calm? Aren’t puppies rambunctious and playful?” At his words, the puppy began wiggling in Stone’s grip, licking his face. Skylar narrowed his eyes at the puppy. “Is he neutered?” At those words, the puppy’s head whirled around and low growl rumbled out.
Skylar smiled.
So, Killian had found a way to be in Stone’s life.
“Yes,” Elijah nodded slowly, figuring it out as well. “He should be neutered. We can’t have him marking the house.”
The puppy whined and licked Stone’s face.
“Hey guys, calm down. He’s going to be an inside dog and we have a gated yard. Maybe when he gets older I’ll consider it, but he’s just a puppy right now,” Stone chuckled as the puppy’s tail wagged and he got a lick up the side of his face. “Can you hold him for a second? I have to get my wallet so I can get him a collar and leash.”
Skylar took Killian in his arms and scratched behind his ears. “Aren’t you just so cute and adorable?” Skylar crooned. As soon as Stone entered the house, the puppy fixed Skylar with a warning look. Skylar laughed.
“Hello, Killian.”
“Aw, he’s so frickin’ cute!” Elijah chuckled.
“What should we name him?” Ryder laughed as Killian’s butt wiggled.
“How about Fluffy?” Skylar offered.
Killian growled and snapped at Skylar.
“Now, now,” Skylar waggled his finger at Killian. “No biting or you’ll be an outdoor dog.”
Stone came back out and Elijah smiled at him. The guy had no clue what he was dealing with.
“What are you going to name him?” Elijah asked.
Stone’s brows furrowed. “I don’t know.”
“How about Fluffy?” Elijah snickered.
“Or how about Killian?” Skylar offered.
“Why?” Stone’s nose twitched.
“That way when you look at this cute, fluffy little puppy named Killian, you won’t be so made at the human one.”
“How about Furball?” Elijah laughed.
“Nah, I like Killian. What Skylar said actually made sense.” Stone took the puppy from Skylar and held it close.
“That’s cool,” Elijah nodded.
“Okay, well I’m off! Have to go buy puppy stuff!”
Skylar bit his lip to keep from laughing as Killian stared at them over Stone’s shoulder.
“Oh, this is going to be so much fun,” Skylar enthused.
“I almost wish I was still living here,” Elijah cracked up.
&nbs
p; “We’ll fuck with Killian for you.” Ryder set a hand on Elijah’s shoulder. “Besides, it’s not like we’ll never see you again. School starts soon and we have the club on the weekends.”
Nate pulled up in the driveway in Skylar’s car and got out. He looked them all over and tilted his head.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Oh, just wait for this one, Nate,” Skylar chuckled.
They all laughed.
That night, wrapped up in Jaxon’s arms, Elijah thought about his life. Things had changed. He’d be seeing a shrink in the next two weeks with Jaxon at his side. He had incredible friends, a mom, he knew who his father was, and had two dads who loved him. Then he had his mate. Jaxon Salvatore was his, would always be his. Whatever came their way, they’d deal with it.
“Elijah?”
“Hmm?” Elijah’s eyelids drooped.
“Did you ever figure out which brother you liked most?” Jaxon whispered, kissing Elijah’s temple.
“The middle one,” Elijah said sleepily.
Jaxon smiled.
~ The End ~
Start the ride from the beginning with the Assassins/Shifters series: A Marked Man; Alaska with Love; By the Light of the Moon; Half Moon Rising; Best Laid Plans; For the Love of Caden; The General’s Lover; Russian Prey; An Ignited Passion; Reflash; The Red Zone; Irish Wishes; Pleading the Fifth; Betrayed; Summer of Awakenings; Into the Lyons Den; The Nik of Time; The Littlest Assassin-Shifters; Lessons Learned; Broken Bonds and Forbidden.
The 12 Olympians series: Justice for Skylar.
From Wilde City Publishing: A Betting Man and A Marrying Man
And, Second Time Around.
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At Year's End (The 12 Olympians) Page 22
