by JL Madore
Elora swirled the burgundy liquid in her glass and watched the surface settle. “Cameron was my perfect mate. With him, it was easy, natural. He was the air that I breathed and the blood in my veins. When I lost him, I lost myself.”
Cameron brushed her cheek with the back of his ghostly fingers. You were my life as well, neelan.
“But the difference between my loss and Aust’s is that I am accustomed to people. I talked through my heartache, cried about it, drank with new friends, reminisced about the things I missed most. I came to terms with the fact that my life is not as it was. Aust, to my knowledge, has never spoken of it. He endured too much in that village of judgment and narrow-minded attitudes. It left him protective of his heart.”
I swallowed and let the robust flavor of the vintage wash over me. “My life as a Fate, with Dane and my sisters as my family, conditioned me in much the same way.”
“When he lashed out at me, just now, I realized that now that he has you, there are things he shall never turn to me for, never confide in me. He is a grown male with a mate.” She frowned. “Two mates. That struck my heart with as much of a blow as his anger about Maximus.”
“Having Kobi and me in his life doesn’t lessen his need for your love and approval. He was tied up in knots coming here. Your involvement with Reign took him off guard, but he desperately needs you to approve his choice to be with us—to understand that we complement each other and are happy.”
Elora emptied her glass and balanced it on the fireplace mantle. “Then it seems we each disappoint the other today.”
I shrugged. “Maybe, but there’s always tomorrow.”
Kobi had waited for me in the hall, and pushed off the wall the moment I exited the library. I don’t think I would ever tire of watching the lithe strength of his body when he moved. Delicious. “Everything okay?”
I left the door open and smiled at Reign. “Thank you for the use of your private space. Again, I am sorry we interrupted your afternoon.”
Reign could scowl with the force of a thousand curses. It was quite a skill. When he left us and closed the door, Kobi whisked me down the hall and up the main staircase.
I paused on the steps. “We can meet the babies later. Right now, we should check on Aust.”
Kobi pointed up the stairs and placed a gentle hand at the small of my back. Tugging me back into motion, we continued toward Jade’s suite. “While you were in with Elora, our boy went up to talk to his Elven family. He wanted to rip the bandage off and get everyone’s disappointment with him over with all at once.”
“Oh, no. He should have waited for us.”
Kobi shrugged. “His call. Well, other than Jade. I guess you had a right to be there for that one.”
I jogged to keep up with his long legs. “I honestly don’t care. Other than Castian, Abbey, and my mom, everyone in my family considered me a disappointment my whole life. Why worry about it now?”
Kobi chuckled. “At least you had a family. I was thinking about it down there. I don’t have anyone to tell. Who and what I left behind aren’t even worth the breath to give them the news. No baggage here.”
“Nothing wrong with traveling light.”
We reached the top landing and headed down the hall to the open door of Jade and Galan’s suite.
A loud pop sounded, and several people yelled. Something crashed, and the babies began to cry.
“Stay here, Lacy,” he said, drawing his dagger and pressing me to the wall.
I waited, heart racing, as Kobi burst into the space.
A moment later, he popped his head out the door and waved me in. “False alarm, s’all good.”
It took me a moment to take in the bustle of what was happening inside. Julian was filling champagne flutes. Bruin and Mika were hugging Kobi. Nyssa and Iadon were over by the window with Aust. Cowboy and Samuel were fussing over the baby in Lia’s arms. Ella had a hold on Faolan’s tail and was toddling around the room, singing.
“It’s not a real party ’till something gets broken,” Lexi said, bouncing the other baby. “Rogue cork took out a wall sconce. No worries. Hey, Aust told us the exciting news. Congrats.”
Lexi hugged me with her free arm, and I got my first look at Jade and Galan’s little boy. “Oh my goodness, how sweet. Can I hold him?”
“Yeah, sure, but you take him, you change him. He’s wet.”
Jade joined us, taking possession of her newborn. “Come into the nursery, and then you can have a turn with a fresh one.”
Jade led us through the master bedroom, laid him on the nursery change pad, and undid all the necessary snaps and tabs. With sure hands, she exchanged wet for dry and was handing me a tiny bundle in a matter of moments.
“Wow, you’re a natural.”
Jade laughed. “Hardly, but Galan is Ella’s mentor guardian, so we’ve spent time with her since she was born.”
I gathered the baby’s little fist between my fingers and brushed it against my lips. His skin was so soft and smelled sweet. “What’s his name?”
“That’s Rain, and his sister is Ember.”
The baby blinked up at the sound of his mother’s voice, his green eyes bright but unfocused. He had Jade’s copper skin and deep, red hair and Galan’s soft features and pointed ears. “Hello, Rain.”
He is a wonder, is he not? Tham asked, standing next to me.
I nodded, wondering if Galan and Jade knew their elven brother was never far away.
Aust joined us and nestled into my side. He leaned close to brush Rain’s cheek with his finger, and I kissed his cheek. I was pleased to see that his upset with his mother didn’t seem to be ruining this moment.
Maybe this emotional strength stemmed from him knowing that no matter what people thought, he was secure and loved. Or maybe he knew they’d work it out. I had no doubt they would.
“Are he and his sister not the most stunning young elves you have ever seen, neelan?”
“He’s the only young elf I’ve ever seen. Up close anyway. And I haven’t met his sister yet.”
“Maybe someday soon,” Jade said, hugging Aust’s arm and leaning in to join the group staring, “you two will hold your own babies. Ella and these two will want more cousins to play with while growing up.”
“From your lips to the ears of the gods,” Aust said, a blush coloring his cheeks. “It is too early yet, I think, to plan such things, though I look forward to having young of our own.”
I exhaled, thankful he didn’t have me slotted as a baby maker just yet.
“And how are we handling that?” Kobi said, bouncing in to join us. “My demon swimmers were dammed upstream for a good reason. Elven babes are all that are in store. Are we gonna be able to rock a my-two-dads kinda thing?”
“Why not?” Jade said. “The more love, the better. Your kids will be lucky to have three amazing parents.”
Despite my comment about not caring what people thought, I loved that there was no hesitation in Jade’s answer.
Rain started to squirm and fuss, and Jade took him back into her arms. “Feeding time. If you’ll excuse us.”
“Don’t be shy, Blaze,” Kobi said. “Breastfeeding is natural. A wonder to be shared.”
Jade snorted and pointed to the open door. “Why does every conversation with you lately come back to my breasts.”
Kobi laughed as I shoved him through the bedroom. “I appreciate the beauty of the female form. It’s a compliment.”
Back in the living room of Jade’s suite, the celebration of family and friends amazed me. I’d been to countless Fae parties over my centuries Behind the Veil, and never had I seen such genuine love and affection flowing between a gathered group.
“Can I get everyone’s attention?” Bruin raised his bottle of beer, clinking the glass with the Were ring which recognized him as king. When the room quieted, he cleared his throat. “I want to say a few words and make a few toasts. Does everyone have a glass to raise?”
Cowboy handed Aust and Kobi each a bot
tle of beer.
Lexi put a pink and orange swirl drink in my hand and winked. “All set, big brother. Have at it.”
Bruin nodded. “All right . . . first off, congratulations to Jade and Galan. The pregnancy was tough, but my sister proved, once again, that she’s tougher. Welcome, Rain and Ember.”
“Woohoo!” Lexi squealed, and everyone drank to toast the safe arrival of the young.
“And congratulations to Kobi, Aust, and Zophia. May the three of you be as happy together as anyone can be while living with the ego and attitude of an incubus demon.”
Everyone laughed, and Kobi flashed his best friend a middle-fingered salute.
Bruin chuckled and shook his head. “No, I’m just fucking with you—Kobi’s a keeper. I love you man, and I’ll miss having you around morning ’till night.”
“Yeah? Where am I going, exactly?”
Bruin tossed a security fob, and Kobi plucked it from the air. “The house in the ruin clearing is vacant and yours for the taking. A wedding present from Mika and I, to you three.”
Mika hugged Aust and kissed his cheek. “Anyone around during the first weeks and months of our mating knows that new couples need space to figure things out and gain their stride. Now, you have a place of your own to do that.”
Aust kissed her forehead and whispered something to her, while Kobi went over, grabbed Bruin by the jaw, and kissed him squarely on the mouth.
Bruin rolled his eyes and wiped the kiss away. “Yeah, well, good luck, you two. And remember, there are no returns. He’s yours now.”
“For better and for worse,” I said.
“Likely more of the latter,” Lexi said, leaning against Rowan’s chest. “But he’s handy if you lose your lighter.”
Bruin drank deep and raised his bottle again. “And two last announcements.”
The room settled down, and he pulled a velvet box out of his pocket. “With the excitement and drama of the past forty-eight hours, you might not all know that the Weres accepted me as king and that I named my Beta.”
I met the gaze of Kobi and Aust, and they both shrugged. Nope. We’d been too busy with our own lives to keep up with what was happening. Ha. So much for the Keeper of Lives in Progress. I was out of the loop.
Bruin opened the velvet box and lifted a Were signet ring for everyone to see. “May I formally introduce Cowboy as the Were beta and aide to the king.”
Everyone broke into a wild round of applause as Bruin placed the ring on Cowboy’s finger. I was proud of Aust. He patted the man’s shoulder and was genuinely happy for him.
“You said two more announcements, Bear,” Julian said, taking pictures with his phone. “What’s the last one?”
Bruin smiled and turned the ring box out for the room to see. “Samuel, Lia, and I have been working on a surprise. It was Lia’s idea and her husband’s unsurpassed talent which brought the idea to fruition, but these two rings belong to two very special people. Lia assures me that my sister and Tham are in the room. I’d like them to come forward.”
The two ghostly lovebirds stopped chatting in the corner. They looked as confused and curious as the rest of the room.
Lia turned and waved them on. “Come on, you two.” She picked up, first the male’s silver band and then the daintier one fitted for a young woman’s finger. “When I first asked Samuel if he thought it possible to bring you two back to the visual plain, he was skeptical.”
“But ye never argue with a female who’s got an idea lodged in her heed,” Samuel said, raising his tumbler of whiskey toward his bride. “Especially, a Highborne female.”
Galan, Aust, Iadon, and Tham all nodded, as if that was common logic.
“So, anyway,” Lia continued, “my amazing and sexy mate researched, experimented, and consulted with a dozen other wizards, mages, and sorcerers to come up with these.”
She slid the rings on Tham and Gemma’s fingers and bit-by-bit, moment-by-moment, their ghostly translucence began to solidify. A hushed gasp of excitement fell over the gathering as the two became visible once again.
“Now,” Samuel said, stepping forward, “if all is right in my figurin’, we should be able to see, hear, and even touch them while they wear the rings.”
Galan reached for Tham at the same moment Bruin pulled his twin sister against his chest. The room broke into a great wave of joyous hugs and tears. Lexi, Jade, and the elves huddled around their fallen brother, while Lia, Mika, Bruin, and Cowboy hugged Gemma.
For the first time since my banishment from Behind the Veil, I truly missed my station in life. I squeezed Kobi’s hand. “Are you okay to leave and help me with something?”
His glassy gaze, as he looked over at me, made me laugh. He swiped his eyes and inhaled. “Yeah, anything. Boy, you really contaminated me with the feels. This is bad for my rep.”
I laughed harder. “Are you sure that’s my fault? I think, beneath all that cold, dark, demon armor you surround yourself in, you’ve always had a big, squishy heart.”
Kobi made a face. “What an awful thing to say to someone you supposedly love. How rude.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Aust jogged along the path between Jade and Galan’s manse and the home Bruin and Mika built in the ruin clearing. He loved the couple dearly, but did they truly intend to give him, Kobi, and Zophia a matrimonial home? It defied all expectation of friendship. He supposed that was where his mistake lay. It was not an act of friends—Mika and Bruin were family.
The summer breeze blew warm with the breath of blooms and evergreen spice. He stopped at the edge of the trees and took in the beauty of the house. The soft curves and angles mirrored the lines of nature. The expansive glass let the beauty of the surroundings spill inside. The serenity of it being located remotely enough to offer privacy, yet close enough that he could aid his family in mere moments should they need him.
He never imagined himself worthy of something so perfect.
And then there were his mates.
Faolan’s ebony ears pricked and turned to capture the soft sound of footsteps behind them. Aust waited, the quickening of blood pumping in his veins making him feel like a silly youth.
“Glad you’re home, Rynn.”
Aust’s eyes rolled closed as Kobi spoke his soul name and pressed in behind him. Strong arms wrapped around his ribs as the male nipped the point of his ear. “We’ve been waiting for you. Come see what we’ve gotten done.”
Not ready to give up the contact, Aust flexed his spine and pressed against his lover’s groin.
The resulting groan made him smile.
“Haven’t had your fill yet, Highborne? Up for more torture, are you?”
If the torture he spoke of was the delicious penetration and slow, riding rhythm their joinings brought them, the answer was a definite yes. Aust turned in Kobi’s embrace and relished how the demon’s physical affection brought him to life. Every scent, every sight, every touch bombarded with more power and clarity than he had ever experienced before.
“I doubt my hunger shall ever truly be sated. The more the three of us share, the more I want of that connection.”
Kobi’s hand slid to the laces of Aust’s suede pants and stroked the length of his arousal. With deft fingers, the incubus freed him from constraint. It was almost too much to bear, the male’s unceasing desire, the kissing, the touching, the all-encompassing acceptance they both offered him.
“Insatiable hunger, eh? Challenge accepted. Now, let’s get you inside, our girl is waiting. Then, we’ll see about taking the edge off those needs of yours.”
“I can hardly wait.”
Kobi led him to the door, opened their way, and stopped.
“What is it?”
He turned, a wicked smile Aust recognized on the male’s face. “There’s a human tradition that a husband carries his bride over the threshold of their new home. I carried Zo earlier and think we should mark our first entry together in some way.”
Aust chuckled. “Do you intend to c
radle me like a female?”
“No. I was thinking something more manly.”
“Verily, I cannot wait to hear what you have in mind.”
Kobi pressed a firm hand to Aust’s chest and pushed him against the door frame. Aust’s head fell back as Kobi finished unlacing his pants and took him by mouth. Breath hissed from his lungs, and he braced himself against the wooden frame.
“Life with you shall never be boring, I am certain.”
In answer, Kobi grew rougher and more demanding.
Aust groaned. He gripped the doorframe above his head, the male’s possession taking him straight to the brink of orgasm.
“You’re mine, Rynn.” Kobi gazed up from his knees. “Say it for me.”
Aust’s breath caught. “I am yours.”
Kobi returned his attention and his hips seized. He gasped, his muscles shuddering as his release hit hard and fast. Kobi was a demanding lover, but also endlessly attentive. When the tall, dark, and handsome male straightened to his full height once again, Aust was all but falling to the floor, unable to stand.
“That was quite an entrance,” Zophia said, smiling from the entranceway of the living room.
Kobi chuckled, adjusted Aust’s pants, and tied them up again. “Our boy deserved a grand entrance and commented on being randy. What kind of self-respecting incubus demon could let that slide.”
Zophia laughed, kissed them both hello, and took Aust’s hand. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
Aust caught Hoola as she launched from a jungle gym climbing frame in the great room. The little gibbon hit his chest with a thud and nuzzled into his neck, quite content with her new accommodations.
“We are fortunate this place has a cathedral ceiling. This works well in here.”
Zophia nodded at the green tubing that reached up at least fifteen feet in front of a glass wall. “We thought so too. Now, come in here and see what I’m excited about.”
Zophia led the way to one of the large guest rooms down the hall. Near the window, a loom sat threaded and empty, then, along the far wall, there rows and rows of tapestries hung in open-ended wood frames. She swept her hand through the room and smiled. “Welcome to Zophia’s new life on earth.”
