“The past can’t hurt you, mate,” Luc said and brushed a stray blonde lock away from my face. “This stone holds the memory of sound, sight, smell. Touch isn’t included. Even the Monteros keep somethings to themselves.”
“Should I sit down?” I asked him.
“There are chairs in the back if you like.”
“Lead the way,” I held my hand out to him.
In the back of the vault we sat down in a pair of black leather chairs with a small wooden table between them. The engravings on the table matched the vault’s door. Luc held out the stone.
“Show me,” I whispered leaning my head closer to him.
“Okay,” Luc grinned and pressed the stone against my forehead.
The change was instant. I no longer sat in the memory vault with my Alpha. Instead, I stood at the front of a group of half-harpies looking at our elders and friends gathering around a large freestanding wooden door that would lead them away forever. A man gripped my hand for dear life. He was shorter than most gathered here and definitely a human non-shifting omega. I watched the hand attached to my phantom body pull him closer.
“You belong here with me,” she whispered to him over a mating link.
He opened his mouth to answer but a shadow flew over the gathered crowd. Looking up I saw a huge red winged harpy circle before landing between the two crowds. Everyone fell silent as Emmet Gilmore opened his mouth to speak. His words blurred together as if Ella didn’t pay them much mind. He was one of the few male Alphas in the crowd on either side. Glancing around the crowd was filled with familiar features of both the Gilmores and Monteros. I held my breath trying to memorize the faces of the people who brought Luc and I to where we were now. Then Ella’s memory zoomed in on Emmet’s face as he spoke the prophecy Luc mentioned.
Emmet’s green eyes turned back into his head and the whites of his eyes turned black.
“He’s having a vision from the other side!” Someone shouted from the crowd.
“Shut up, Beverly! We want to hear him not your fat mouth!” Someone else shouted.
Someone shushed them from the crowd by the door and everyone fell silent.
“Two ancient tribes failed to breach their divide,
Feathers flustered and humans denied,
Wings and wind shifted, now we must hide.
Not forever, but for yet.
Wingless witches and casting magi,
All watching, upwards turn thine eye.
Leaves fall like feathers when fates collide.
Fierce ancestors watching from the other side
Give thy blessing where gilded wings do glide.
Montero and Gilmore Covens ease the divide.
True-mates their hearts cannot hide.
An oath sworn, a babe born
Harpies return when Yule fires burn.”
When Emmet finished speaking, he turned towards the door with his eyes still black. Another harpy opened it and he flew through. Without saying goodbye, the others followed him. When they were all inside the door disappeared.
In the solid world something vibrated my left butt cheek. The stone fell from my forehead and my vision swam until my eyes adjusted to the dim light of the vault again. My butt vibrated again.
“Someone’s calling you,” Luc said.
I pulled the phone out of my pocket and checked the number. It was the office phone again.
“Shit,” I hissed under my breath and answered it. “What’s going on, Zera?”
“Hey! Titus Moonscale here. I came by to take a look at your system. There’s nothing wrong with it. None of the security systems have been breached from the outside. There’s no virus. No worms. No nothing. Something might be wrong with your code, but we’re up and running and nothing wonky is happening. Sometimes programing has flukes. Does your system perform auto updates?” The man on the other end of the line asked.
“Yeah for security, but that wouldn’t change the code.”
“Sorry I’m not more helpful, Mr. Gilmore, but it is what it is. Your system’s fine. Is there anything else I can do for you?” He asked. “I’ll get everything back online before I leave.”
“Thanks. If everything’s okay. I think we’re set,” I told him.
“If anything, else happens give me a call.”
“Thanks,” I ended the call and told Luc what Titus said.
“That’s good, right? No hacker means no data was stolen.”
“It is in theory,” I stood up, “but something definitely happened to set off my alarms and someone was messing with my code.”
“Or the code was messing with itself. I’ve had mandrake roots walk across the table to lay in sunshine.”
“Code does what it’s told or at least it’s supposed to,” I sat back down. “Our child is going to bring the harpies back?”
“That was an abrupt change of subject,” Luc laughed.
“If the technician says there isn’t a problem, I have to believe him for now. Zera’s still there. If something goes off, she’ll call me again. Besides for the first time in a decade I’m more interested in something that’s not my business. Gloria would be over the moon.”
“If we’re the couple in the prophecy the conception or birth of our child could very well open the door to the harpies. I mean, sure, some come out here and I’m sure they do at the Gilmore House too, but this would mean they could come and go as they please again. That’s a big deal.”
“What will the humans think?” I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes.
The memory played out again behind my eyelids. Had fate spent all this time preparing for this very moment?
“There aren’t many left and those who are have the Alpha omega gene. I don’t think there will be as many problems as last time. If humans put up with dragons flying around and elves trying to raid their pawn shops to take back family heirlooms why wouldn’t they put up with harpies?” Luc laughed.
“Our baby will be a harpy.”
“Or an angel as the others like to call us. We could be the mated pair to bring our families home and free them from the Other World for good.”
“Do you think they want to come back?” I asked him.
“Zera? She’s your harpy, right?” Luc asked.
“Yeah.”
“Do you think she’d like to come over and see the summer sun on Earth?”
“Definitely,” I grinned.
“Besides just because we open a door doesn’t mean they have to walk through it.”
“True. That still leaves a lot of questions.”
Luc took my hand and entwined our fingers. His magic flowed through me calming down the wrecking ball force gathering in my stomach as the questions raced through my mind.
“Like?” He asked.
“Why us?”
“Scientifically, there’s likely something in our genetics which can produce a baby who is a harpy. We both have family ties to the race. Genetics is always a lottery in a family that has a diverse background. It took fate awhile to work that out, but maybe it did,” Luc said.
“Will all of our babies be harpies?” I opened my eyes and asked him.
“Who knows? I have a sloth shifter in my family five generations back. Our baby might be a sloth,” Luc laughed.
“You can carry that one around after they’re born. You’re as tall as a tree.”
“You’re not exactly short yourself, mate,” Luc grinned.
“Compared to you I’m a shrub,” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“You’re the perfect size for somethings,” Luc said.
“Like what?”
Luc wiggled his eyebrows at me.
“What’s going on in that dirty mind of yours, mister?”
“All will be revealed in time,” Luc said before leaning over to steal a long slow kiss.
With his lips on mine the world was a calm place to live. The shadows receded and my business was safe. Our future children laughed in memories yet to come.
&nbs
p; Chapter Sixteen
Luc
Aidan and I spent the rest of the day lounging around the house and getting to know each other. Before his arrival I worried that I’d find nothing in common with whatever omega Mated for the Holidays matched me with. Barric and I struggled to find common grounds outside of magic and work. Even without our mate link Aidan and I talked for hours. The more we discussed our future children the more I worried about what might come to pass. Sure, mages, witches, and shifters outnumbered non-shifting humans, but it only takes one madman to destroy a family. I kept my worries to myself grateful we hadn’t exchanged the claiming vows yet. For now, my thoughts were still my own. After we exchanged the vows, I’d need to pay close attention and not let my thoughts wander too loudly.
“I’ve always wondered how wings work out in the womb?” Aidan asked.
We sat on the sofa with him resting his head on my lap. I twisted a wavy blonde lock of his hair around my middle finger as he spoke.
“Dragons lay eggs if the babies are hatchlings,” he continued. “Most bird shifters lay eggs too.”
“Harpies as we know them can’t hide their wings, but in lore and myth they were able to retract them like dragons can do in their human forms,” I told him. “Maybe the baby’s wings won’t grow in utero.”
“That would have to feel weird,” he looked down at his stomach. “I mean, just thinking about a baby growing inside my stomach feels weird.”
“Good weird or bad?” I asked him.
“Good, I think. Maybe just weird. Like feeling a little person moving around inside of me sounds odd. They’ll be in there swimming around or whatever they do. Then they’ll grow fingers and toes that wiggle and arms and legs the flail around and kick.”
“Does that frighten you?” I locked my gaze to his.
“Not really. It’s just strange to think about. Omegas and female Alphas and betas have carried children for a long time. Modern magic and medicine improved the quality of care. I’m just wondering how it feels when they start moving around. I should tell you this isn’t the first time I’ve wondered about this.”
“Good. Thought you were having second thoughts because wings were part of the equation.”
“Nah, I want to know how it feels,” he sat up. “I want to have a little person in my arms and that’s just part and parcel of the experience.”
“How are your fingers feeling?” I looked down at his hands.
“Stop worrying so much. I’m paying attention. I won’t break anything else.”
“Still tingling?”
“A bit,” he nodded.
The sunset outside the house leaving the grounds dark. Aidan peeked out the window and twisted his head to look up.
“Looks like we’ll get more snow tonight. Good thing I brought my warm pajamas,” he said.
“I’ll keep you warm,” I said and pulled him close.
My wolf brushed against my ribs reaching out for him. He leaned in close and rested his head on my shoulder.
“I didn’t want to assume you wanted me in your bed.”
In my bed. On the sofa. On the floor. The table. Anywhere. Just name the place and time.
“I did set up a room for my guest, but my mate is always welcome in my bed,” I said.
“You keep talking like that and I’m going to jump your bones any magical mishaps be damned.”
“Hungry?” I asked him.
“I think you’re trying to fatten me up. Are you planning to cook me as part of a feast?” Aidan laughed.
“Just thinking.”
“About?”
I arched a brow and flashed him a mischievous grin.
“Oh.” He blushed.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“I’m not hungry. I’m not upset or worried about anything.”
“Do you know how hard it was for me not to take you right on the hood of your car earlier today?” I asked him.
“You wouldn’t have gotten any complaints from me,” Aidan said as he climbed into my lap.
“Your magic feels more stable tonight,” I wrapped my hands around his feeling carefully for the little magical pulses passing through his palms and fingers.
“Then let me in,” he leaned his forehead against mine.
“That’s supposed to be my line.”
Aidan levitated off my lap. He blinked and looked down.
“Happiness plays with our magic too. You’re so happy you’re floating, literally,” I laughed and pulled him close.
He fell back into my lap laughing. The melody of his laughter wrapped around me and pulled me in for a long slow kiss.
“How do you want to do this?” I asked him when the kiss broke.
“Like what position?” He asked.
Aidan blushed redder with each word he spoke.
“That too. I meant the claiming vows. I know a lot of groups have their own traditions.”
“No one’s ever told me if we do.”
“Same,” I nodded. “So, how do you want to proceed?”
“With you,” he grinned and ground his ass down on my cock.
My breath hitched in my throat as my dick stirred to life. I ran my hands up and down his sides reveling in his lean muscular frame. Aidan’s breathing quickened and his lips hung open waiting for me to claim them. I traced his mouth with my thumb savoring the soft flesh. He locked his gaze to mine and leaned in until his body pressed hard against me.
“I don’t know what the future holds. I’m not the seer some of my ancestors were,” Aidan whispered, “but I trust fate. I trust fate so much I created an algorithm to discover how it works. Fate may be a cruel mistress at times, but I think it’s her way of driving us where we need to be. We don’t know each other that well yet, but we have a lifetime for that. Maybe our child will change the fate of a world. Maybe not. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Not me, but I really want to know where this will lead. Where we lead. I’m a scientist at heart. Even magic shows up on a lot of equipment now. The only way to know what’ll happen for sure is to jump headfirst and try new things out.”
When he finished speaking, I claimed Aidan’s lips in a hard-slow kiss. He ground his ass against my hard cock stoking the fires burning between us. Magic tingled over both of our bodies calling us closer together. Inside my chest, my wolf howled calling out to a mate who couldn’t hear him yet. His desire and longing trickled down my body until I couldn’t separate my wants from him.
“Let’s move to the bedroom,” I stood up taking Aidan with me.
Chapter Seventeen
Aidan
Luc dropped me gently onto his bed and I pulled him down with me. The ache of separation was stronger than ever. We only met this morning, but it was as if I waited a lifetime to be with him. My wolf lurked at the forefront of my thoughts. Without a doubt he knew Luc’s wolf in the Other World. This wasn’t a meeting, but a reunion of true-mates after a separation that lasted too long.
Luc kissed down my neck and pushed up my shirt with both hands. His warm palms drifted over my flesh leaving behind a warm trail of passion and magic. He left his scent everywhere he touched marking his territory and claiming my body as his own. He found my lips again in a slow passionate kiss. His tongue darted into my mouth twirling and giving me another taste of desire.
Then he kissed down my neck and ran his hands over my shoulder. My claim gland was already swollen full of the liquid needed to exchange the claiming vows.
“Let me take my shirt off,” I said tugging at it.
“Let me help,” Luc said pulling me upright.
I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor. Then without wasting time I started on the buttons and hidden zippers of his mage robe. Clothes were a waste of time and space. They might keep us warm during winter and protect us from the elements, but they only kept me from locking mind, body, and soul with my mate that night.
“Do you always wear mage robes?” I asked him while I fumbled with a zipper.
“Onl
y when an apprentice does my dry cleaning while I’m asleep and puts my non-official clothes in storage,” he laughed.
“Remind me to kick his ass later. It shouldn’t be this hard to get you naked,” I growled.
“Here let me help,” he knocked my hands out of the way. “Don’t get too riled up. I already need to replace the headboard.”
“Sorry,” I said and looked down at the comforter.
“Don’t be. That was hot,” he shrugged the robe off his shoulders and pulled me in. “Now, we need to finish getting you naked. Pants off.”
“Yes, sir!” I smirked looking his toned muscular body up and down.
My omegahole was already slick and my dick was hard waiting for Luc to claim me as his own for now and forever. Standing up I stripped from the waist down and tossed the rest of my clothes on the floor with my shirt. As soon as they left my fingers Luc pulled me down with him for another long kiss. I ran my fingers across his back. His muscles flexed under my touch. Luc’s hands slid down my back and settled on my ass. He groped and massaged roughly as our tongues danced together.
When the kiss broke, he slid his mouth down my throat and across my shoulder to my waiting claim gland. He kissed the sensitive flesh and raked his teeth across it. I hissed as the sting turn to a pleasurable vibration. He was teasing me, but it wasn’t time to exchange claiming vows yet. Everyone knew that happened during mating.
Luc turned his attention and warm moist mouth to my chest. His hot breath danced over my flesh giving me chills and goosebumps. His tongue flicked over my nipple teasing its hard peak before he landed a playful bite that shook me with surprise. I ran my fingers through his hair tugging and pulling gently as he turned his attention to my other nipple. I braced for a bite that didn’t come. He traced it with the tip of his tongue before licking lower down my stomach. His teeth grazed my flesh causing all my nerve endings to stand on edge of what he might do next.
His hands followed his hungry mouth. They trailed and caressed over my chest and stomach heating my flesh and leaving me wanting more of him. I massaged his shoulders and back touching every inch of him I could. I wanted him to smell like me. Then any omega he encountered would know to keep their hands off my man. My wolf let out a growl which crawled up my throat as Luc’s tongue swirled around my navel before licking lower.
Mated for the Holidays: A Holiday Mpreg Romance in the Hemlock Mpreg Universe Page 7
