A Very Denarius Christmas (Primordial Protectors)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Ionus

“Oh no, not another tree!” Alex bellowed at the same time I heard the fire extinguisher expel it’s all too familiar sounding guts.

“At least this time we hadn’t put the presents back under it.

” A small fortune had been spent replacing gifts thanks to our out-of-control fire gifted twins, Kane and Hunter.

“I’ll cut down another one.” Poor Caro’s beloved forest would be owed many new saplings come spring.

Jesus, at this rate we’d need a whole grove.

Uncle Odem, your presence is required before they burn the house down.

On my way.

Who knew the one brother that had been the bane of my training existence over the centuries would be the one I’d call on to help deal with my twins?

Goddess, where had I wronged you?

Odem passed me in the hall carrying out the still sizzling yet very dead Christmas tree.

We’d given up on ornaments for this one, tree number three, thankfully, though we had killed every string of lights we had.

Poor Luna, she loved to sit and watch the pretty lights, merrily humming away.

She was the epitome of our wonderful mother, a direct reincarnation if I’d ever seen one.

Did they make non-flammable trees? Maybe a fake one was the way to go for this family rather than decimate our beloved forest. It hurt my heart each time one of them died.

Sadly, tomorrow was Christmas day though, and the entire family would be here to celebrate with our dragonets, firebugs included, and it just wouldn’t be the same without a tree.

I was excited to watch our dragonets open their presents.

Hopefully the boys wouldn’t use fire in their rush to discover what’s inside.

Off I went, Odem and the twins behind me, in search of a new tree.

The last three trees spoke to me, wishing to be a part of our first holiday celebration, until replanting time came in the spring and they could rejoin their flora family.

Now with those gone would any speak to me again knowing their friends wouldn’t be returning as we’d promised?

Ugh…

“Boys, follow Uncle Odem’s lead after we apologize to this poor tree for taking its life.

” The boys teared up, and I nearly whisked them away to a happier place, but they must learn that the earth feels all that its inhabitants do to it and a clear understanding of that will make them stronger, more caring dragons in the end.

“Uncle Caro’s element is earth, and he feels what it does and when it hurts, so does he.” Odem had such a way with them. I loved the bond he’d formed with Kane and Hunter. Luna and Griffin adored him as well but with these two it was a win given Odem shared their element.

“Sawry Unca Cawo.”

I can feel the boys’ pain, are they okay, brothers? Caro reached out.

Yes, Odem is teaching them how the earth feels in the hopes that they’ll stop burning down our beloved forest one tree at a time.

Not to mention couches, chairs, linens and toys.

That explains the pain I’ve felt. If you need me let me know and I’ll come right over.

Thank you, brother. Enjoy your morning with your beloved mate and we’ll see you both tomorrow.

Caro’s mate, Emerson, was very pregnant and would lay their egg any time now. No use riling him up and tempting fate into an early delivery. One egg for their first was perfect. Having four dragonets at one time took an army of dragon kin to wrangle.

While Odem worked with the twins, I set off in search of another victim, err tree. My poor mate was at his wits end with these two and I didn’t blame him one bit. We loved our four dragonets fiercely, but Kane and Hunter were a handful on a good day.

And they weren’t even a year old yet…

But dragons aged and grew quicker than humans, though once we reached adulthood the progress slowed way down, preparing us for the longevity that lay ahead.

If they were this rambunctious as dragonets, how would they be as teens? I shivered at the thought recalling mine and my brothers’ younger years. My brothers were a challenge and by then we’d lost our mother, so I was the only voice of reason and authority being the eldest.

Goddess, help us all.

I scoured the nearby trees, and none spoke to me, as expected. By the same token, my mind wasn’t free of the guilt over those we’d already lost, and it weighed heavily on me. I made my apologies to Mother Earth and called out to my brothers.

Brothers, are any of you in town?

Aye, Mattias replied. How can I help you?

Can you find a store with a fake Christmas tree to purchase? Preferably, pre-lit.

Boys took out another one?

Indeed. I don’t wish to end the life of another.

I’ll take care of it.

Hopefully, he’ll find an open store.

When I returned home, Odem had the boys with an ear to the ground, listening to the rumbling growth beneath the surface.

“Feel what it feels, hear what it hears,” he whispered to them.

This wasn’t their element, and they were likely only mimicking him because it was fun. But as they got older they’d become more in tune with it, and it would all click one day. He had them calm and I’d not disrupt that, so I proceeded to tiptoe by. Well, as much as a nearly seven-foot man could.

“No tree?” Alex asked as I’d returned empty handed.

I sighed. “I just couldn’t do it. Mattias is picking up a fake one for us. It’s best that way until the boys have learned to harness their gifts.”

“True. A fake one doesn’t have the same feel, though you made the right decision.”

“Where are Luna and Griffin?”

“Last I saw they were entertaining Gramps and Great-gramps.” Luna had those men wrapped around her tiny talons. “She is such an empath.”

“Aye, Raven says she’s a healer.” We were truly blessed, fireballs and all.

Griffin was the epitome of me. A strong, alpha leader with a gift for storms. Found that out the hard way when he flooded the living room putting out the first tree fire.

Good call but poorly executed, given he couldn’t turn off the waterworks once they started.

Had I not been there, the house would’ve likely floated right down the mountainside.

“I lined up the used fire extinguishers in the garage.” A fresh load to deliver to the company in town that managed the tanks to refill would happen next week. I swear, we were putting that man’s kids through college buying all these tanks.

“Thanks, my love,” I wrapped my arms around his waist, “Think we can steal a few minutes away from prying eyes?”

“Eyes, yes, ears, no,” Gramps called from the other room.

“Bloody dragon hearing.” That got them rolling, which in turn had the little ones giggling, though they hadn’t a clue why. “Maybe later.”

“Maybe, if you’re lucky,” Alex winked. “let’s bake some more cookies for the kids to decorate.”

I was so lucky to have found Alex. He hadn’t a clue he was a dragon, or even that we existed, and yet here we were, just over a year later, madly in love and with our home overflowing with friends and family. My once lonely existence was long gone.

Thank the Goddess for that.

Merry tunes played throughout the house, piped in through the Bluetooth surround sound.

For centuries, my brothers and I hadn’t acknowledged the Christian holiday.

There wasn’t any reason to when the five of us really had nothing to celebrate.

With deep pockets, having made wise investments over the years, we bought what we wanted when we wanted so an exchange of gifts seemed frivolous.

Now with the little ones around, our perspectives had changed, and it was all about them and their happiness.

The adults chose not to exchange gifts. Instead, we opted to only buy for the dragonets, which there would soon to be five of.

With Caro and I both finding our mates, the dynamic amongst the five brothers had shifted and for the better.

I only hoped that soon Mattias, Odem and Quint would find their forevers.

Our hearts had waited for so long and we’d given up hope that they were out there long ago.

Maybe that’s why the goddess brought Alex and Emerson to us now.

She waited until we had no longer made it our sole focus.

Sneaky female.

But there was nothing better than a home full of love, laughter and family. Of which we now had plenty, given Alex’s relatives, the Drakemyre’s, being here. How many more relatives would we find in our search to unite clans?

Thoughts for another day. Today was a happy day, tomorrow even happier. After that, we can figure out our next steps toward capturing and rehabilitating the Gorynych. I felt for those they’d condemned and cast aside and hoped for the best outcome, that they’d found loving mates on their own.

But until then, we’d enjoy time with our loved ones.

“Ooohhh, cookies,” Odem grabbed a hot one. That was one good thing about his gift, nothing burned him.

“Where are the twins?” Of course that would be Odem’s first question

“In the playroom with the others. Want me to get them?” Alex asked.

“Nah, I’ll grab them.” Odem snagged another cookie on his way out.

“Alex, my love, are these ready to decorate?” He’d rolled plastic over everything while I mixed the frosting in various colors. The cookies would be interesting, but as long as the kids had fun that’s all that mattered. This was, after all, their holiday.

“About as ready as the cookies and us will be,” he sighed as he glanced around the plastic covered area.

Here’s to hoping they don’t destroy the kitchen.

Does frosting wipe off the ceiling or will we need to repaint?

Guess we’re about to find out.