No one moved when the great tails of the dragons shattered the two iced people. Jason looked down at his notes to give himself a few seconds to deal with the deaths. Not so much the deaths of the two, but the look of the bodies, broken into smaller pieces that still held the bones and other parts in small separate pieces.
The rest of the morning went quickly. He did have to use Emerald once more when Sherry, upon leaving the area, killed not just one small dog that she came across but also a herd of cattle that had simply been grazing in a field she’d gone by.
Gathering up his notes on the day, he sat at the desk he’d been using for the last few months. Jason asked Emerald what she needed from him. When she didn’t speak, he turned and looked at her. Something was up, and he honestly didn’t think he could deal with anything more today. For the rest of the week, he thought.
“You’re fucking stressed out.” Jason just snorted at her. “I was going to ask you if you’d watch the twins for us, but I really don’t think you could enjoy having them around.”
“Yes.” She looked at him with a cocked head. “Yes, I’d love to watch the twins. Please. All I can think about is having our child. I think that if I get on the Internet once more to buy something for it, Jewel is going to have me committed. It might do us both some good.”
“Yeah, she told me you were going nuts with online shopping. Did you really buy your unborn child a rocking horse?” He nodded. “Christ, Jason, it won’t be able to ride it for about three or four years.”
“It was on sale.” It hadn’t been. He’d been sticking with that story since he purchased it. It didn’t seem to him that Emerald believed him any more than Jewel had. “Besides, it’s a good investment, I think. Someday our grandchildren will want to ride it.”
“Yes, of course, that’s a good reason. You’re a sap.” He didn’t even try denying it. “Chase and I have two meetings we’re going to attend in the morning. I could leave them with the nanny tonight, but I think you’d have a good deal more fun with them than she will. Not that she’s mean to them, but she’s a bitter old woman that thinks I’m too hard on my babies. Just because I won’t pick them up every time they make a noise.”
Jason kept his mouth shut. He had seen both her and Chase pick up their babies and cuddle them when all they’d done was open their eyes from a nap. He supposed he’d be the same way. However, he was going to do it when there was no one around to catch him at it.
Going home, he reached out to Jewel to tell her what they were doing tonight. He was highly insulted when she asked him if he was planning to kidnap the babies so they could try out all the shit he’d picked up on sale.
No. I promise you that we’re supposed to watch them tonight. He tried hard not to sound hurt by her, but she figured it out and told him she was sorry. It’s all right. I’ve never been a dad before, so I’m just having a little fun.
Yes, but your fun is making it so I can’t go buy things. You’re hogging up all the new things I want to do for our baby. He’d not thought of that. Jason told her he was sorry as he entered the front door. “I appreciate that, but it’s doubtful you’re going to stop.”
“Probably not. But I won’t buy everything that catches my attention. I promise.”
They were both still laughing about things they had yet to buy when Emerald and Chase came in with the babies. They were beautiful—the little girl and boy looked a great deal like their father. But Jason knew that even at six months old, they were more powerful than he was. And more so than he’d ever be.
When the other couple left, he and Jewel sat down on the couch to play with the children. They were just getting to the point where they would look at you and smile. He loved playing peek-a-boo with them and felt less stressed when they both fell asleep after having their bottles.
“You look better.” He nodded at Jewel and told her he needed this. “I can tell. I’m having fun too. You’ve been so cranky. Lately, I thought that I was going to have to knock you around again.”
“I’ll never live that down, will I?” She shook her head at him. “I was a monster. I hurt you and a lot of people. Mostly you. I can’t believe I’m still up and walking around after that.”
“You’re just lucky.” She watched the babies as she continued. “I want so much for our child that I can’t tell you how terrified I am about screwing up. I mean, my father was great, and how I wish he could be here to see all the new children in this family. But I also know that he’s watching down on us to make sure we’re not screwing them up too badly.”
“You and I together will be just fine. We’ll have fun too with the kids. I can’t wait for grandchildren. Not just for my dad to have some around, but for you and I having a few. Little girls. I didn’t think I wanted any daughters until I met you. I hope all our children are like you. Calm and even-tempered.”
This time she snorted at him, laying her head on his shoulder.
He watched the babies while they slept. He felt his own body relax by degrees as they lay there, so still. Yawning twice, Jason felt himself drifting off to sleep.
When he woke up, he was still in the living room and alone. Stretching, he stood up and went in search of his wife. Jason found her in the kitchen with both the kids in highchairs, ones he’d purchased about a month ago. Since he’d not known what they were having, he’d bought one of them in pink, the other in royal blue. He was going to be all girly for his daughter if he were to have one.
They were making a mess of the room. He didn’t have any idea how some cereal managed to end up in Jewel’s hair, but she didn’t seem to mind. As he walked more into the room, his bare feet encountered not just cereal but also a fork and a sippy cup.
“Can they use this?” He put the cup into the sink and rinsed it out. “I thought that once they’re on a bottle, you have to feed them only that.”
“No. I guess, according to what I looked up, they can start eating some foods if they want. I asked Emerald, and she said they’d been having fun with cereal. I didn’t think she meant they liked tossing it around the room.” Jason handed her a washcloth. “This is harder than I thought it was. You know, making sure they don’t choke to death or fall out of their chair. It’s terrifying having someone so dependent on you that even the slightest little thing can hurt them.”
He didn’t point out that he doubted Emerald was as afraid as she was. Also, the babies were immortal. Sitting down, he decided he might have to get a few books on raising children. Or better yet, have Dad move in with them until the baby was ready for college. He was never going to make it as a full-time dad.
~*~
Chase hated to leave the babies behind, but what he was doing now was important to a great many people. He stood up when Emerald sat down to get sworn in. Today they were going to be told what their new jobs were, according to the law of dragons.
“I went ahead and made you both a copy so you could read along as we go over them.” Emerald looked up from the stack of paper that had been set in front of them. Mr. Hendel said it was going to be a long night. “Once we’ve gone over these, then we can go over the second packet of items you will need to carry on—”
“I don’t think so. First of all, I can fucking well read. I’m not going to sit here listening to you drone on about rules when I have a copy of them right here. Second of all, no fucking way are you going to tell me what I’m going to be carrying around on my person when I’ve been doing this since well before you were born.” Mr. Hendel told her this was important. “Of course, it is. I’m well aware of how important my job is. You just sit your ass right there and let me have a look at some of— There are four hundred and sixty rules here. What the fuck are you trying to do to me, have me get harmed while I’m trying to figure out what rules I need to follow? What the hell was wrong with the way I’d been doing it all along?”
Chase didn’t bother trying to interject anything into the
conversation. Emerald would either kill the man or leave. Either option was all right with him. They’d been summoned here by this man three days ago, and he wouldn’t tell them why they had to go to him. More than likely because he knew this was going to happen—that the two of them would shoot him down on each one of the rules.
“This rule right here, the very first one you have listed. That’s not ever going to work for me. I’m not going to ask them if they want a second chance in whatever they’re doing. If they fuck up bad enough that I have to be called in, they’ve already fucked up any chances of a second or even third go round. If you fuck up, you’re as good as dead if I come to find you.” He asked what if she had the wrong person. “I won’t. I can go through your mind without a second’s hesitation to determine what crimes you’ve been committing. There is no way I’m going to miss something that way.”
They were at the bottom of the first page when Emerald tossed the copy of the rules back at Hendel. She told him she wasn’t going to sign off on anything written there. Nor was she going to keep tabs on those that wanted a second chance, and she certainly wasn’t going to bring each person she was to kill to him so he could interview them.
“Why not? Tell me how you would handle things if the person had a just reason for whatever they’d done. Would you just end their lives without a second thought?” She nodded at the man, and Chase started to laugh. “Young man, I don’t think this is the least bit funny. We’re putting these rules in place, so there is fairness for all creatures.”
“What is funny is that you seriously think either one of us is going to do anything in this book of rules. As Emerald told you, we’re not going to be second guessing ourselves when it comes to destroying creatures that might well be waiting for the opportunity to do it again.” Chase leaned back in his seat. “What if this person was a killer? Someone that told us they’d have no trouble following the rules from now on. We leave and let him go on living. Then, the very next night, he breaks into your home and murders you and your entire family. What kind of rules do you think we should make available then?”
“I have guards around my home so that no one can enter.” Chase nodded, then went to the man’s house and brought his daughter to the meeting, all within a blink of an eye. “How the hell did you do that? I should have you shot. That’s my daughter you have there.”
“So it is. I didn’t encounter a single guard when I popped into her bedroom. No one was any the wiser when I put a spell on her to sleep. I was even able to walk out of her bedroom and disappear without causing a single alarm.” Chase sat back down. “However, if you threaten me again, I will rip you apart. I’m not one to be fucking with.”
“This is getting out of control. I have these rules here that you’re going to follow.” The books disappeared. Even the desk that Hendel was sitting at was gone. “What is the meaning of this? Bring those things back to me.”
“Nope. I’m just showing you that no matter what you put before me, we can make it disappear without a single trace.” Emerald smiled at him. “That includes you, in the event you didn’t know. Who is this “we” you keep referring to? And if there is a committee we’re supposed to answer to, then why weren’t we made aware of it before I was dragged out of my home to come here to listen to you bitching about rules?”
“Everyone needs rules. What would this world be without them?” She told him that rules were good, but not for someone carrying out the law. “So, you’re going to just go about your business as if no one is out there to curb your killing off people?”
“Yes.” She stood up, and so did Chase. “This meeting is done. I’m not going to follow rules that I don’t have a part in making. I do my job. I do a great job, and if you don’t like it, then I can and will call forth my dragons and show you what real justice looks like.”
They left the office then. Their plans had been to go to the meeting then have a nice dinner out. It was far too early in the day for dinner, so they headed out to the malls that were here. Being in a different city, they thought they could have a little bit of fun getting things for their children.
They ended up grazing their lunch meal. Emerald had never had cotton candy, and he fell in love with something called mochi, a ball of sweet rice dough covering a scoop of ice cream. He had two of them before he let Emerald have a bite of one.
Heading back to the hotel, they dropped off all their purchases and changed. It only took them seconds to do that, and they were out the door in no time. Chase had wanted the two of them to have some alone time for a while now, and it was great that they had such a good sitter tonight.
“Do you think they’re having fun?” Chase asked her who. “Your brother and Jewel. I bet right now they’re freaking out over some tiny little thing.”
“More than likely, Jason is, but I don’t think Jewel is. She’s pretty confident in having kids around.” Emerald nodded. “Someday, I’m going to look back on this night and think that you were beautiful. Then I’m going to tell you how much more beautiful you are now.”
“That was so nice.” She kissed him, and he lingered a little longer with her lips. “We’re about to have company, Chase. I think the waiter is wanting us to order.”
“I’m suddenly no longer hungry—for food.” She told him she was and that he was to behave himself. “Party pooper.”
They did order from their waiter, and Chase ordered a bottle of wine to go with their meal. While neither of them could get intoxicated, they enjoyed the taste of it when paired with dinner. Sipping his wine, he thought of what the future might be bringing them.
“There are times when I wish things were different for us. I don’t mean that we’d never met—just different. Had I not been a dragon queen, I wonder what sort of things we might be doing instead of being hit men with dragons.” He told her he loved what she did. “But I’ll bet you’d be happier if I were, say, a nice housewife going to every meeting at school and making sure the kids are getting good grades.”
“Where the hell did that come from?” She shrugged, and he laughed. “Emerald, you’re my world, my everything. I was just thinking today how we have the best of all the world. Then I started thinking about our future. Do you think we’ll be living where we are for the next hundred or so years? Will our children live close to us so we can pop over and visit when we want? These are just things that I think of when I’m working. I write them down, by the way, so I can see what came to fruition and what didn’t.”
“I saw you writing in it the other day. I wondered about that.” He pulled out his worn notepad and handed it to her. She shoved it back at him. “I don’t want to know. I want to live our lives like every day is the very last one. I know it’s not, but there is something so profoundly wonderful about having no idea what tomorrow might bring. When I was a dragon rider, I only thought one thing all the time. To be safe. Or sometimes, not to die. But that’s all I had back then. With the kids, we have now and the ones in the future, I’m set on making the most out of it.”
“You’re telling me to toss away my book.” She told him no, that’s not what she wanted. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be thinking of the future. I might get lost there, making things go the way I want, and forget about the things right here in front of me.”
He tossed the book on the table and incinerated it with just a touch. Chase felt better already. Kissing Emerald again, he asked her how he’d gotten so lucky in mates.
“We both hit the lottery on that. I love you, Chase Crosby. I don’t know why it took me so long to realize how happy I am.” She laughed, causing the entire room of guests to turn to smile at her. “I nearly pissed myself when you disappeared and brought back Hendel’s daughter. I think you scared him straight into not putting rules in place for us. Besides, I like our rules better. If you fuck up, you might as well shut up and take your punishment.”
After dinner, they walked around the city. It was nearly
spring now. There were sales going on to proclaim that the new fashions were in. He was glad to see sprouts of flowers beginning to peek through the dirt. The places where flowers were up and blooming made him think of new beginnings. This was his favorite time of the year.
After taking her back to the hotel, the two of them sat on the couch and watched some television. He did wonder how his brother was doing but decided not to check up on him. They’d be home tomorrow afternoon, and he could hear about their fun when he got there. Chase wondered not for the first time how he’d been so lucky to have his family close to him. Not to mention, just close altogether.
Chase did wonder a little about the future as he got ready for bed. There were things he still wanted to do with Emerald. Now with the children, he was thinking of ways to travel with them. To take them to places, he might well have had a hand in building. Even seeing things that were now marvels of the world. To him, they’d just been something new that wouldn’t last, he thought.
Several times throughout the night, Chase found himself awake. Getting up when he was awakened the third time, he found himself in the living room again watching old movies, the kind that were brand new in his lifetime. There had been so many changes in the world since he’d helped his family save the queen of faeries. He wondered what else might be in store for the world before it was finished. More than he could imagine, he thought.
The next time he got into bed, Emerald spooned around him, then asked if he was all right. Telling her that he was and that he loved her had her getting closer to him. Once he knew she was asleep, he reached out to his father.
I just wanted to tell you that I’m proud of you. You took on a great deal in being our father. I love you for that. Dad asked him what had happened. Nothing. I just thought I don’t tell you that I love you nearly enough. I do, and I’m going to tell you that more often.
Sean: The Sons of Crosby: Vampire Paranormal Romance Page 9
