“Tease,” I hissed at him.
Everyone got into the car and we drove away.
“What? No cops?” I asked. “No one is going to go after the shooter?”
“I got him already,” Nico said with a smirk. “You okay, Rhys?”
Rhys nodded. “Yeah, but that hurt.”
“You’re such a baby,” I said and rolled my eyes, only teasing him since I was certain it had to have hurt.
“Good thing we’re going to the dragon’s den today, so you can talk to your dad,” Fox said.
“Yeah,” Rhys agreed.
“Who was the shooter?” I asked.
“Human,” Nico answered as though that explained everything.
“And he’s dead?”
“No, he’s in police custody,” he told me.
“Oh. Okay.”
“No, we did not kill someone and just leave their body on the roof of a building,” Nico said with an eye roll.
“I don’t know!” I snapped. “Every time we’ve been shot at before, we’ve just run off.”
“No, you’ve been taken away. One of us has always stayed and taken care of the person or their body,” Rhys explained quietly to me.
“Are you still bleeding?” I asked.
“No,” he shook his head.
“Good.”
“I need coffee,” he told the driver. “Please.”
“You got it, boss,” the driver said, switching lanes as he changed course.
“What is our first meal going to be?” I asked Fox.
“I’m not ruining it. You’ll just have to wait to see,” he said.
“I’m getting fudge though, right?” I asked.
He laughed. “I’m sure my mother did as she said and made a special batch of fudge just for you.”
“She’s getting her own fudge?” Deryn asked with an open mouth. “Your mom never gave me my own fudge.”
“You aren’t her son’s future mate,” I reminded him.
“Oh, say that again,” Fox said, moving his head next to mine. “Say it again, please.”
“Future mate,” I whispered into his ear.
His body shuddered and he moaned. “Yes.”
We went through a drive thru for Rhys’s coffee and then continued on our way to visit the elves. My nerves were frayed, not only was I spending my first Christmas with the guys, but with each of their families. It was so much at once. So many new experiences for one day.
Rhys found a spare shirt in the SUV and changed into it, grumbling about guns and scales incoherently. Once he had the shirt on, he linked our fingers together, scooted closer so that our arms were touching, and whispered, “You’re going to be fine. One of us will be with you at all times, no matter where we are. If you need to step out and get some air, just tell us.”
His words were reassuring and I calmed a bit, not completely, but a bit.
Katar and Kara were waiting on the porch when we arrived. Both had pleasant smiles on, though Kara looked a bit worn.
“She spends all night working on food preparation and then wakes up very early to get the meal ready. She’s tired, but she enjoys it. This is her favorite time of year,” Fox whispered in my ear.
Our group stepped out of the SUV, Fox in the lead with me right behind him, and the others following lazily behind.
Katar patted his son on the back and pulled me into a hug. “Everything working?”
“I caught them all staring at it this morning,” I whispered.
He chuckled. “Fox has always had an insatiable curiosity.”
“You’re hogging her again,” Kara whispered. “Let me get my hug.”
“Sorry, dear,” Katar said, giving me a wink before letting me go.
Kara instantly pulled me into a hug.
“Can I have my queen back now?” Fox asked, his voice held nothing, but affection for his mother.
“Fine, Son,” she said and let me go. “It’s time to eat, anyway.”
“Food,” Rhys grumbled, a growl in his chest.
Everyone turned to face him.
“Rhys?” I asked softly.
“Sorry,” he said and wiped a hand down his face. “I’m really hungry.”
“We didn’t eat breakfast,” I explained to Kara.
“Let’s get inside and get you some food,” she told Rhys, setting her hand on his shoulder and guiding him inside.
“Is he okay?” I asked Fox softly.
He nodded. “We didn’t eat yet and he got shot, so his body needs food. He’s fine. As soon as he gets food in his belly, he’ll be back to his normal self.”
Linking our arms, he pulled me inside and then pulled out a chair for me. I sat and my eyes widened in surprised to find my plate already filled with food. Everyone ate in silence, our appetites too ravenous for courtesies. Kara and Katar didn’t seem to mind, smiling at each other occasionally as they ate.
“Where is Silverowl?” Nico asked Fox, breaking the silence.
Fox finished chewing the food in his mouth and answered, “He’s on an errand. He should be back soon.”
“The meal was delicious,” Rhys complimented Kara.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Do you need any healing?”
I had forgotten that Fox said his mother was the best healer out of them.
“Can you at least give him a check?” I asked before Rhys could decline her offer.
“Jolie,” Rhys sighed.
“No back talk,” I ordered him.
Kara rested her hand on Rhys’s hand and closed her eyes. Light shimmered from her fingers, spreading from Rhys’s hand up his arm, and covered his entire body.
Rhys’s shoulders lowered, his face relaxed, tension leaving it that I had not even noticed. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“Next time, you tell your queen that you are injured,” she ordered him, pulling her hand away and the light with her.
“Yes, Kara,” he said with a resigned head bow.
“Thank you,” I said to her. “Sometimes, they’re a bit-”
“Defiant. Stubborn. Headstrong. Bullheaded,” Kara supplied.
I laughed while all of the princes scowled at her words.
“Who is ready for dessert?” Kara asked.
“Me!” I said eagerly.
I had not been prepared for the dessert course. Pies, fudge, cookies, and even a cake were laid out on a table in the living room.
“No fudge for you,” Fox said, grabbing the piece from my hand before I could pop it into my mouth.
“What?” I gasped.
“You have to wait until we get home and you eat a piece of the fudge she made for you,” he explained.
“Fox,” I pouted, sticking my lip out and giving him my best puppy dog eyes. “Just one little piece,” I begged, ran my hands up his chest, and leaned into him.
His eyes heated and he pressed himself closer to me. His lips brushed against mine as he whispered, “No.”
“Gah!” I yelled and smacked Fox on the chest, pushing him away from me.
“Here, baby,” Deryn said, holding out a slice of pie with a ton of whipped cream on top.
“At least someone loves me,” I said with a glare at Fox before taking the offered pie.
Deryn kissed me softly and gave Fox a cheeky grin.
“Suck-up,” Fox growled at him.
I scooped whipped cream off the top of the pie with one finger and licked it off slowly, drawing the attention of four princes.
“Do that again,” Fox threatened, “and you won’t get any fudge.”
“Foxfire,” Kara growled, “don’t you dare use my treats as part of your threats.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“Busted!” I laughed at him.
Everyone laughed, including Fox.
Andras and Emrys stood at the steps to their house, waiting for us to exit the cars. Rhys tried to hold my hand, but I quickened my step to hug Emrys and kiss his cheek. “Hello, Father.”
He kissed my cheek and smiled, w
armth filling his eyes. “Daughter, you look well.”
Leaning close with my hands on his shoulders to keep my balance, I whispered into his ear, “Take Rhys away and speak to him. Something happened.”
His shoulders tensed beneath my hands and he nodded.
I turned to Andras and opened my arms. “Brother.”
He snickered. “That is not what I’d like to hear you call me, but I suppose that is the best I will get.”
My arms started to drop, disappointment stinging in my chest and my expression tightening.
Andras rushed forward, hugging me tightly, tucking my face against his chest with a hand on the back of my head. His lips lowered to my ear and he whispered, “I was teasing you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Forgive me? Sister?”
I nodded, but didn’t speak, unsure if I could keep my voice even.
He released me to shake hands with Nico and Deryn.
“Jolie?” Fox whispered.
“Where’s Rhys?” I asked.
“Emrys took him inside,” he said.
I nodded and headed up the steps, only to have my path blocked by an eager teenage boy. His arms wrapped around me and he spun me around, my feet dangling in the air.
“Jolie!” he exclaimed.
“Gavin,” I gasped, clutching his arms while smiling.
He set me down, a joyous smile on his face. “I’m so happy you’re here! Come on, food’s ready.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I can eat yet,” I admitted.
“You will once you smell the meal that has been prepared,” he told me, adamantly.
Nico slid his fingers between mine as we walked down the hallway, pulling me to his side as we held hands. “You look beautiful,” he whispered.
“Thank you,” I replied, glancing at him curiously. While he did give me compliments, he normally reserved them for when we were alone. He also rarely held my hand.
“What?” he asked.
“You’re just not usually so affectionate in public,” I whispered.
“Does it bother you?” Nico asked.
“No!” I gasped. “Nico, you know it doesn't. I was just wondering what the change in attitude was from, that's all.”
“Almost losing you,” he whispered a shadow passing over his face. “I thought I had lost you and, in that moment, I saw all of the times that I was rude to you or the times that I wished I had expressed my feelings more clearly to you. I'm not generally an affectionate person. However, when it comes to you, I find myself constantly wanting to hold your hand, hug you, kiss you, at least touch you briefly.”
“You're always welcome to touch me,” I whispered and squeezed his hand.
He kissed my cheek and whispered, “I will keep that in mind.”
The dining room was decorated with garlands, poinsettias, gold leaves, and pine cones. It was rustic and charming at the same time. Rhys's mother looked in my direction and scowled. She said something to the servant she had been talking to and walked toward me. I dropped Nico's hand and took a step away from him, so I wouldn't try to hide behind him, like I desperately wanted to.
“Jolie,” she said in greeting.
“Queen Adelaide,” I replied and dipped my head. “Thank you for allowing us to come enjoy Christmas with you and your family.”
“You are family now,” she said and sighed. “Whether I agree or think you worthy or not, my son loves you and I can tell that you love him. I wished he would be with a female dragon, but you are not a bad specimen. I would like to speak to you in private, if you can spare a moment?”
Should I go somewhere alone with her? I wasn't convinced she would not hurt me. She loved Rhys and I was definitely not her choice for him.
“Certainly,” I replied and glanced at Nico. “I'm going to speak with the queen for a moment. I'll be right back.”
And if I didn't come back, hopefully they would come looking for me.
Nico nodded and whispered to Deryn, who was talking with Rhian. Rhian had a slight blush on her cheeks and a huge smile on her face. The adorable teenager must have a crush on Deryn.
“This way,” Queen Adelaide said, spinning and causing her dress to flare around her. She was so graceful and beautiful. I followed close behind her, glancing at the pictures on the walls as we went down a hallway I had never used before and into a study that smelled mostly of Emrys.
She shut the door and spun to face me. “Are you truly going to remove your ability to have children?”
Crap. I had not wanted a discussion like this with her.
“Yes,” I answered her.
“Why?”
“There are many reasons,” I replied, trying to be vague and hoping she would leave it at that.
“Please, indulge me and let me hear these reasons,” she said softly.
She didn't seem mad, but I still wasn't sure if I could trust her.
“I'm going to be mated to four different males. Four different clans. I don't want to have a child with one of them and not the others. What if I only got pregnant with a child from one or two of them. Or, even worse, three of them and the fourth never had one with me. I don't want to have one of them never have a child and see the others with their children. Plus, I don't really want children. I've never viewed myself as a person who would have children. There's so much work and they have to be protected. I can barely protect myself right now.”
“And my son is okay with this?” she asked me.
I nodded. “They said that if I wanted to have children, they would all love the children I had, no matter who the father was, but it's just too strange for me to think about. What would the children call them? Uncle? Here, little John, this is Rhys, your uncle and mommy's other mate? It's too weird. I don't want to do that. I would prefer to never have children if that is the only option available to me.”
“You're certain that you are going to have this procedure done?”
She didn't seem to be judging me, but she also didn't seem to be upset or angry with me either. Maybe she understood.
“Yes.”
She sighed and said, “While I would prefer to have grandchildren from Rhys, I understand your reasoning. If you would like to talk about childbirth ever, I am willing to discuss my experiences with you.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, shocked by her offer. Maybe she had gotten over her initial reaction of hating me and thinking I was not good enough.
“We should return. I'm certain Rhys will be following your scent trail now to make sure I'm not being rude or cruel to you.”
“So, Rhys is your favorite?” I asked with a smirk.
She laughed. “No, he's just the oldest, so I spent a bit more time with him than the others. I had alone time with him, while the others never had that luxury.”
We walked down the hallway again and almost immediately ran into Rhys.
“Mother,” he said in a worried tone.
“I was perfectly nice to her. Not a scratch on her head.”
“She was very nice and just giving me some motherly time. Don't be so mean to your mother,” I ordered him and poked him in the ribs.
“Great, now you are teaming up against me?” He groaned.
“There you two are,” Emrys called. He walked to his wife and kissed her forehead. “I think we're ready to eat now.”
“I am famished,” she admitted, leaning into him.
As cold as she had been when I met her, seeing her like this made my heart swell. She truly loved Emrys and I knew that she loved Rhys as well. She wouldn't be concerned with my intentions with him if she did not care about him.
“Are you hungry yet?” Rhys asked me.
“A little,” I admitted.
We stepped into the room and the scents of the food surrounded me. A tornado of cooked meats, baked breads, and vegetables swirled around me and made my mouth water. I was definitely hungry again.
Rhys pulled out a chair for me, between Deryn and Nico, and took a seat across from me. I saw Rhian rush to take
the seat on Deryn's other side and had to hide my smile behind my glass as I took a drink.
Rhys arched an eyebrow at me, but I just smiled at him and refused to say anything.
As soon as Emrys sat down, everyone began filling their plates with food. I didn't even get a chance to fill mine, Deryn and Nico filled it for me. Fox tossed a bread roll to them to add to my plate and Rhys laughed softly.
“I can make my own plate,” I whispered to them.
“We know, but you like to pile your plate high with potatoes and not enough meat. You need to eat more meat,” Deryn told me.
“I eat a lot of meat,” I grumbled, but instead of truly arguing with them, because they were likely right, I just dug in. Everything was delicious and I could understand the appeal of having chefs at your house. I wanted a chef at my house to cook for me! If we all moved into a house together, we could pool our money and hire one of the best chefs in the world to cook for us.
I froze, my body completely tense at my last thought. Since when had I begun thinking of their money as mine? Since when did I start thinking about having a house with all of us together? It would make things convenient, but we had never discussed that. Should we? Should we all live together in one house? We could have separate rooms still. Or one huge room that would make it much easier for us to share a bed. We could make the entire room a bed for all of us to share.
“What's wrong?” Nico asked, setting his hand on my knee beneath the table.
I shook my head and shoveled more food into my mouth. I did not want to talk about this right now. I did not want to admit the crazy thoughts going through my head. What would they think about doing something like that? Would they agree? Would they want to find a house for all of us to live in?
I supposed, the thought of being their mate truly hadn't sunk in yet. Yes, the sex part was well understood. Our future though, what were we going to do? Would we find a house to live in together or would we stay in the apartments? Would they want to have one house or would we go to different ones? Would I go certain days to certain houses? Would we have to make a schedule like we had done before?
“Jolie,” Deryn said loudly.
I jerked my head to the side to look at him. “What?”
“You cut through your plate,” he whispered.
“What?” I looked down and sure enough, I had cut my plate in half. “Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to. I was just-”
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