Chapter 12 #2
Little Tisi shifted and took some sort of vegetable roll from the snack tray. The kids were all clearly needing a snack. Sharing food was one of the best ways to bond, though, and his brothers needed to see these children as something worthy of their protection.
Love, is your father still there? Corbin’s voice came into his head.
He is. He’s communing with the children.
There was a soft chuckle. Did they have someone come out with them, Cullen or Cosmo?
Cosmo is right here. Everyone’s fine. How are you feeling?
Better. Much better. I think I might live. Is it too late to come out and say hi?
He chuckled softly. It’s never too late to say hello to my family. They’re eager to know you better.
I feel the same way. I’ll be there in a bit. I’m going to get dressed.
He sent a wave of lust just because he could. The idea of his mate naked was lovely.
Naughty, naughty.
“Corbin’s on his way. He’ll be here in a few. He’s feeling better.”
“Oh, good.” Cosmo gave Elliot the littlest part of a cookie. “Morning sickness is the worst.”
“Is there nothing that helps?” Father asked, and Cosmo rolled his eyes.
“There’s a tea. Mother has the recipe. She’s mad at Corbin. Corbin’s mad at her. I told Cullen one of us should get pregnant just so we can get him some tea to help the puking.”
Evander growled a little bit underneath his breath. “If there is a solution, then his lady mother ought to provide.” He wasn’t going to put up with this nonsense of his lethean being miserable because he and Calla were warring.
Cosmo grinned at him and handed Isabelle off to him when she struggled to get to him. “You know what? You’re right. I’ll just ask her because she’s not mad at me. I don’t think she’s actually really mad at Corbin anymore. I think that things just got out of hand, but I’ll ask.”
“Thank you, brother.” He watched Elliot climb on Kristofer, who went utterly still, eyes wide. He looked as though a venomous wild animal had jumped on him.
The effect was rather pleasing.
Elliot squirmed up high enough to stare Kristofer right in the eyes, his forehead pressing against his brother’s. “Hello.”
“Hello?” Kristofer looked a little panicked, to be honest.
“What’s your name?” Elliot croaked.
“Kristofer, what’s yours?”
“El-li-ot,” he ground out, and then he grinned, throwing himself back against Kristofer’s hands, knowing without doubt that no one would let him fall.
He looked at Evander upside down. “Dis my friend.”
Evander put Isabelle on his shoulder and said, “Yes, he’s my brother.”
Elliot frowned. “Your brudder?”
Evander nodded. “Yes, you know how you are Isabelle’s brother? Kristofer is my brother.”
Elliot’s eyes went wide. “Uncle?”
Kristofer shook his head even as Evander nodded. “That’s your Uncle Kristofer.”
Elliot’s laugh filled the air, so happy and warm and joyous that even Kristofer cracked a smile. “Uncle Kristofer!”
Father was rocking Tisi, who was sound asleep in his arms, and Serena looked like she was going to cry if she didn’t get a snuggle.
“Gregor, if you don’t hold that little girl, I’m going to let her weep on you.”
Gregor stared at him for a moment, eyebrow arched, and then opened up his arms. “Come here, little one. Come see your Uncle Gregor.”
Father beamed. Somebody was over the moon.
“Oh, look at everyone, you all look so happy.” Corbin looked healthy and whole, well-dressed in a lovely dark brown tunic and jeans. It was charming.
Elliot gave Corbin a wave with his chubby little fist. “Uncle Corbin, this is Uncle Kristofer.”
“Kristofer? How lovely. And Uncle Gregor, too, I see. And this is?” Corbin pointed to Father.
“Grandpa Archer!”
“Very good.” Corbin popped a cheese puff in his mouth.
“My perfect boy,” Father said. “I am well pleased with your choice of family, Evander. If your brothers choose half was well, I will be the luckiest fae in existence.”
Corbin flushed, his cheeks going a dark green. He was pleased; Evander could tell.
“Are you well, Corbin?” Gergor asked. “Evander says you require tea, and Cosmo has offered to speak to your mother. Would you like me to go and get it?”
“Oh, I’m sure that… well, let me check with Cosmo, and if he’s going to bring it back, there’s no reason for you to have to make the trip.”
Is that all right? he asked, and Evander nodded, barely.
He’s just trying to get out of holding the baby. It’s good for him.
Oh, all right then. Are you happy with Isabelle, or do you need me to take her?
She was sound asleep, quiet and warm and solid in his arms. Absolutely gorgeous. “Your brother makes very heavy children.”
“I think it’s probably Hawk’s fault. I mean, look at you. You’re not going to blame me if we have very horny children.” Corbin’s eyes went wide. “Wait. That’s not what I meant.”
All of the adults began to laugh, the sound cracking out like a whip and filling the air. As they all laughed together, the grasses began to grow and the flowers bloomed wildly.
“Soon there are going to be bees,” he pointed out. He did love the joy his lethean brought them.
Corbin nodded. “At least they’re not dragon bees.”
“Pardon me?” Father blinked over at Corbin. “Dragon bees?”
Corbin nodded. “You should see them. They’re huge! There’s an entire set of hives in Lunastra, and they’re tame unless they’re mad at you. I’m pretty sure they’re big enough that they could stab you right through the heart, though.”
Elliot cheered and popped Kristofer right in the chin when he threw up his hands. Bang. “Yay! Bees!”
Gregor looked stunned. “Yay, bees.”
Kristofer just moaned.
Corbin smiled at his father. “I’m afraid your son married into a wild family.”
“My son married into a family of warriors, and we appreciate that. And also, you have the most important job of all. You protect the portal.”
Corbin nodded. “It’s what we were born to do. Keep everyone else safe. We’re guardians.”
“And I was born to keep you and our children safe.” Evander made sure to catch Corbin’s verdant green gaze, sharing a smile with him that was only for them.
Corbin cleared his throat. “Yes. My mate.”
Gregor made gagging noises, and Serena immediately followed suit, imitating him. Elliot started to laugh, the sound like an underground cavern troll meeting Santa Claus.
Kristofer actually looked amused, and Elliot reached out and booped his nose.
“I like you.”
“I like you too,” Kristofer admitted. “You are a very fun dragon.”
“Not just a dragon. I’m part like you too.”
Evander’s father nodded. “Yes, you are part fae as well. You all are, or you couldn’t be here.”
Kristofer laughed. “Very well. I stand corrected.” He gently hugged Elliot. Perhaps more gingerly, but he was coming around.
Cosmo came in for a landing moments later, shifting and putting his clothes back on. “Tea, ahoy. I think Mom is still a wee bit shell-shocked, not mad.”
“Is she all right?” Corbin asked. “Do I need to go see her?”
“Dad says to just stay home and stay safe right now. Let everybody figure things out, especially you.” Cosmo gave a directed look at Corbin’s belly.
“Of all of us, you’re the one who’s most vulnerable right now.
We don’t know what happens when we do our thing when we’re pregnant.
Never happened to either one of us before. ”
Evander frowned, and Corbin laid a hand over his belly. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. We’ve managed to keep our pregnant brothers away from vampires.”
“Yeah, but you have to be the one who does the thing.” Cosmo hugged him. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not. I’m glad I was there. We need each other.”
It was hard to keep track of who was speaking as the brothers spoke faster and faster. He wasn’t sure how anyone, fae or dragon, could have kept up with those three when they were young.
“Great, I have your tea. At least that part will be fixed. But we didn’t think to just ask Mom before now.”
Corbin shrugged. “We’ve been busy, and we didn’t have to worry about Cullen. Orion’s dad just fixed him right up.”
Father gave him a raised eyebrow, and Evander shrugged. “Unicorn magic.”
“Unicorn magic.”
His wolf nudged Elliot and her pup back into play as they tried to wander off together.
“She’s lovely.” Father motioned his head toward her. “She truly is a wondrous specimen.”
“She’s a good mom.”
“She will be a fine protector for your children.”
“Yes. Elliot has a magpie.”
Father frowned. “A bird? A scavenger at that?”
“Gaaaar.” Elliot roared at his father. “My Eddie.”
Evander gave Father a look. “Elliot is very, very honored to have his Eddie, who is a great protector and warns them when any danger is near. Has been known to peck the eyes out of evil-doers.”
“Eeeeeeeeevil-doers!” Elliot roared.
Well done. Corbin told him. That was gorgeous. Don’t mention the martin, okay? It’s really hard to explain the kids’ weasel.
If you’re not good, I’m going to tell everybody that you called him a weasel.
And I’ll bite your ass and make you cry.
Anything but that.
He smiled as Father apologized to Elliot, explained that he had not understood.
Elliot took his hand and babbled at him. Every so often you could hear ‘birdy’ and ‘Eddie’. And then there was a bunch of nonsense that sounded very, very serious. And Father simply nodded and listened.
Do you think he understands him? Corbin asked.
Not a chance. Did it matter? Offense had been taken, apologies had been made, and now they were creating some sort of a strange antler-rock bond over a bird.
It was odd, but not any odder than anything else that he had met since he entered the human world.
From that point, his entire life had gone pear-shaped.
Corbin raised an eyebrow. I am not pear-shaped.
But sometimes you are vaguely pear-colored.
Evander didn’t care that his life was irrevocably changed.
Clearly, he wasn’t going to get any answers about what had happened with the fae woman the day of the picnic.
So he decided just to let go and enjoy spending an afternoon with his mate, the children, his father, and his brothers.
He loved that they were all learning to be a whole new kind of family.