Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
“Oh my back.” Corbin put a hand to the small of his back and tried to stretch. He was feeling huge and ungainly.
While the babies were very quiet this morning, they were moving; they just weren’t laughing and chattering at him, and he wasn’t sure whether it was because of the weather—which was stormy on two fronts—both the human and Lunastra, or if it was just because he was out of sorts, and they were trying not to be too rambunctious.
One way or another, he kind of wanted a cheeseburger. He blamed that on Evander.
What’s wrong, brother? Cosmo’s mental touch was sweet and soft. You okay?
I want a cheeseburger. I want, like, eight cheeseburgers with bacon and cheddar and tomatoes.
All right, I’ll send Yarrow out to get them. We’ll have him get like thirty burgers. That should be enough for everybody. And we’ll have a big hamburger movie party in the main room!
He beamed, so tickled that Cosmo had reached out. Oh, that’s an exceptional idea! I’d love that.
It made him feel a little stupid because why hadn’t he thought of that? That was a brilliant idea to ask Yarrow if he wouldn’t mind running down into town to buy thirty hamburgers for a football party.
I’ll let everybody know. You relax. You’re very, very busy growing babies.
I am. My belly feels like it’s going to explode. And I’m not even halfway through this pregnancy.
Thank goodness you have all of us and Evander to help. I don’t suppose you could watch Elliot and Isabelle while I go talk to Yarrow.
Of course I can! I’m just sitting.
Elliot was more than capable of sitting for hours and playing. And Isabelle wasn’t much of a sitter, but she understood the idea of ‘be kind to your Uncle Corbin. He’s the size of a house’.
She did occasionally climb on his head and sit on it like a cat, just like she did to everyone else, but that was okay. He didn’t mind. She didn’t weigh much, unlike her brother who seemed to weigh a metric ton.
Okay, I’m sending them to you. Cosmo was really good at directing his kids with his mind. Elliot would just roll right into the room. Isabelle would either crawl or flit, but sometimes, he thought she could teleport.
Elliot came rolling right in a few minutes later, Isabelle stumbling along on his heels, half walking, half running like a cat with its back up in the air. It was sort of hilarious.
“Hello, my darlings.” He held out his arms and stopped them short of running right into his shins, which was good because that would have been a heavy-duty clunk. Isabelle floated right up into his arms, and Elliot crawled up on his lap, weighing him down, but it was adorable.
“How are my dear little ones? It’s so good to see you.” He nuzzled them both and listened to their sweet jabbering, kind of just pouring over him in a way. So sweet.
It didn’t take long before Tisi and Serena came in, both of them so eager to play and so worried about being left out.
Elliot got out crayons and color books, encouraging them both to take on their more human form so they could color with him. It took them both a bit to shift, but they did, and then they settled next to their beloved eldest cousin.
“We make pictures for Unca Corbin.”
Elliot set to drawing, and the other two started scribbling madly, their little heads together.
Isabelle seemed content to sit on top of him and just let him hold her, but that was okay.
She was a little bit small yet for real coloring.
Although she was wildly creative, and every so often she would let out an illusion exactly as Cullen did.
He didn’t think that was going to be her particular talent, but she could do it just like her uncle could.
It was peaceful, and he was dozing a little bit by the time he heard Cosmo come in, chuckling.
He had heard Elliot telling the little flyers to not color the floor, which he was grateful for. But goddess knew, the wood floors in his part of the house had a good solid coating of wax on them, they would be fine.
“Everyone’s coming. I thought maybe we could move into the big main room, get pillows and blankets, put on the monster TV, and watch something appropriate.”
He smiled at his brother and nodded. “Perfect. By the time we get everything in there set up, Yarrow will be ready.”
Cosmo picked up Isabelle and kissed her, making her laugh. “We called ahead. Otherwise, I think thirty hamburgers would be a stretch.”
Thirty hamburgers, thirty orders of fries, thirty… wow.
Corbin had to admit he didn’t hate this.
Mmm… lethean. What wickedness have you got planned? Evander was laughing at him, he could tell.
I didn’t plan it. Cosmo planned it. He’s just making me happy.
Well, I like it when you’re happy. I’ll be right there.
Corbin took Elliot’s hand, and they headed for the main room. Cool, we’re having cheeseburgers and French fries and a movie afternoon.
I didn’t even know that I was missing those in my life. Evander chuckled softly. I mean, seriously, how did I live so long without movie afternoons?
I don’t know, Corbin told him primly, but you have them now, so be grateful.
Evander’s great shout of laughter rang in his mind. And he must have been laughing out loud too, because Tisi and Serena both perked up their ears, looking toward where Evander was probably coming down the stairs.
They were so responsive to him. They loved him so much. And he couldn’t have been happier because that boded well for their children and Evander’s ability to be a dad.
Tisi went flying as soon as he was sure that Evander was coming. “Evander! Evander!”
Corbin and Cosmo both laughed because Tisi rarely spoke, and so whenever it happened, it was a joy.
“Is that you, my Tisi? I’m coming! Serena, can you hear me?” Evander called, his voice booming.
Serena’s answer was a trill, and she went running as fast as her little legs could carry her.
As soon as Evander opened the door, he leaned down and scooped the children up. “It is you! And Elliot and Isabelle? I heard we are going to have movie day! All of us together, I love that.”
Cosmo chuckled. “Yes, it is that time. Hamburgers are on the way. Come on, guys. Serena, find your daddy!”
They all wandered to the main room where, miraculously, Hawk and Orion had been arranging blankets and pillows in huge piles, perfect for dragons and unicorns and fae and beavers and anyone else that would happen to stop by.
Cullen was already on one sofa, while Elliot rolled to the spot right in front of the TV. The other three children joined him immediately, focused on their eldest leader.
They always seemed to feel like Elliot knew what the appropriate action was, so they would join him no matter what.
He settled down on a pile of blankets and pillows and held out his arms, and all four of them swarmed on top of him, pressing kisses to his cheeks and curling into his warmth.
Corbin had to smile about that because soon his babies would be joining the others, learning to love their uncles and their cousins.
“So, what should we watch, my minions?” Cosmo asked. “Do we want something like Bolt? Or do we want something live-action like Mary Poppins?”
Oddly enough, Mary Poppins was Hawk’s favorite movie to watch when they were sitting and having a kid day like this.
Elliot looked up at Hawk who nodded and grinned, and he smiled widely. “Start Mary Puppins.”
Cullen chuckled because he was awake now too. “We can absolutely start with Mary Poppins and work our way to something else, huh?”
“Candy?” That was Serena. She may not know a lot of words, but she knew candy.
“Not yet, Sweet Pea, Uncle Yarrow went to get hamburgers and french fries and some of those fried zucchini things that you like.”
“ZINI!” she crowed and threw herself at her father.
Orion caught her before she made it to Cullen and swooped her around in a huge circle. “Oh, my little butterfly unicorn dragon. How we love you!”
She blushed a bright pink and hearts began to explode all over the room like mad things. Isabelle tried to chase them while Elliot simply poked them with his finger and popped them whenever they reached him.
Tisi curled up in Evander’s lap as if he belonged there.
Corbin began to chuckle, because one, he was lucky, and two, for the first time in forever, he felt like they were all together, that they had somehow formed a family— all of them, eight adults, four babies.
Four babies that are soon to be seven, Cullen pointed out. At least.
His eyes went wide. Another set of triplets. That would be wild.
Cullen nodded and blew bubbles for Isabelle to chase. Right. Then it would be Cosmo’s turn, and the rest of us can just go back to singles.
I didn’t agree to that. Cosmo shook his head at them. I didn’t agree to that at all.
Hawk looked at Cosmo, waggling his eyebrows, and Cosmo shook his finger at Hawk. “I don’t think so.”
Orion hooted. “You don’t know; never say never.”
“I’m the one who sucked at being pregnant. It’s not good to have visions while you’re having a baby.” Cosmo flapped a hand in the air. “Leave me out of it.”
Elliot glanced up away from the TV, scowling. “Love sisser. Love all babies, Papa.”
“I know you do, my earth angel.” Cosmo stroked Elliot’s little grassy, sort of mossy hair. “And I would love to give you another brother or sister, but not yet. I’m still feeling like you two need to grow up just a tiny bit.”
“Sos we can help?”
“Exactly, although you help an awful lot already with everything.”
Hawk rumbled deep in his chest. “You’re my perfect boy, Elliot. We couldn’t ask for better.”
Elliot just beamed. “When I grow up, I’m going to be a daddy.”
“Are you?” Corbin smiled at his nephew. “Are you going to go out into the human world to find a mate?”
Elliot looked at him as if he were crazy. “No.”
“No?” Hawk tilted his head. “Are you sure?”
That had Elliot nodding his head. “I’s sure.”
“So, who’s going to be your mate, little boy?” Cosmo asked, and Elliot smiled, his look absolutely one-hundred percent sure.
“Stella.”
They all stared at him, eyes wide. Corbin felt that click into place, like pieces of a puzzle, and he couldn’t believe it.
It made so much damn sense. Elliot and Stella were forces of nature, little changeling babies who were nothing like anyone else in anybody’s family. Of course they would be together.
Cosmo’s eyes began to glow softly, and Hawk nudged him, just a little too hard.
“Not now,” he murmured.
Is that going to work? Just telling him? Cullen asked, and Corbin shrugged.
We can hope. But can’t you see it? Little flying rocks everywhere. Adorable.
Cullen nodded. It would be like a video game.
He’s the most dragony of all of us.
And Stella is the least dragony of all of them. It’s perfect.
Stella? Evander asked. And Corbin chuckled.
Elliot says they’re going to be mates.
Cosmo shook a little bit of blood coming from one of his nostrils, and Hawk growled, snatching him up in his arms. Take care of the babies. He raced off with Cosmo, obviously not wanting Elliot, Isabelle, Tisi, and Serena to see what was going on.
Evander gave them a worried glance. “Will they be all right?”
Cullen shook his head, and Corbin met his mate’s gaze. When Cosmo is having a vision, it can make his nose bleed.
Elliot stood on his sturdy little legs, starting toward the door that led to the stairs, “Da?”
“No, love. Your da is having a vision. You know he doesn’t like you to see him like that. Let your papa handle it.”
Corbin felt attention from Cullen, Hawk, even Orion and Evander. They all knew this could mean something bad, and the visions were so hard on Cosmo sometimes physically.
So they just pulled the babies in and snuggled them and waited for the other two to come back.
Hawk came down maybe twenty minutes later, his face pale, his expression strained. “Cosmo’s having a nap. I’m going to go back up and join him in a minute. I just want to take him some tea. Can you all watch the—”
Is there anything we need to know? Corbin let everybody, except the babies, hopefully, hear him.
Oh, he’s worried about the baby.
Evander blinked. Whatever for.
Hawk kept a straight face. Maybe he’s stressed that Elliot’s going to leave for the dragonlands and never come back; maybe he’s just concerned about our little gargoyle having decided on a mate now. But he’s convinced someone’s going to hurt Elliot.
Like we’d ever let that happen. Evander shook his head, and then said to Corbin, privately. Seriously, we would never ever let that happen.
Corbin nodded and smiled as his mate. Cosmo knows.
He sighed softly and shook his head. “I don’t suppose it’s too late to tell Yarrow to cancel the order.”
“Yarrow’s already down the hill. We’ll just throw everything we don’t eat into a basket and take it to the dragons. They’ll eat it.”
He nodded to Cullen.
This was supposed to be a fun afternoon, and now it wasn’t, but at least the babies didn’t know.
Maybe his babies knew. They weren’t laughing anymore.
And really, he didn’t want hamburgers at all now either.
“Well, go be with Cosmo, Hawk. I can keep an eye on the kids. Even if everybody else has other things to do, I’m very good at sitting and staying.”
“Sorry, brother,” Hawk sighed. “Cosmo was so looking forward to doing something kind for you.”
“He did. It’s not a problem. We’ll have fun watching Mary Poppins.”
They would watch, him and the kids.
Evander and Orion were discussing beefing up protections again, and Cullen was trying to decide if the smell of hamburgers was going to make him queasy, and it was only going to be a few minutes before they were all going to wander off.
Corbin grabbed his blanket and covered up in his chair. He could just keep an eye on the babies and thank Yarrow when he came up with the food.
The Rocky Mountain clans would be well fed today.