Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Kyson
“Yes, mom, I promise. We’ll be there on Saturday. Just give us a few days to get settled in.” I love that woman, I swear I do, but she has got to learn when to clam up. “Jesus, there’s an hour of my life I won’t get back.”
Juni sighed, he’d been hard at it going through all his boxes and was beyond tired. “At least you know you’re loved.”
Juni broke my heart. That mother of his better hope we never run into each other in a dark alley. “You are too, sweetheart. By me and by my crazy family. Just you wait and see. You’ll be the new favorite son.”
And another sigh. “That’ll be a first. I’m glad we already dropped off the clothes to the consignment place. I’m exhausted.” He fell back onto the couch with his head resting on my lap.
“You’ve worked hard, darlin’. Why don’t you rest while I work in the shop for a bit.
” Shopping was Juni’s therapy, whereas mine was woodworking.
His eyes closed the moment I scooted out from under him.
The number of changes in such short time had to weigh heavily on him.
I covered him with the blanket off the back of the couch and headed into my therapy session.
I opened the overhead garage door a couple of feet to let the cool breeze in then broke down the empty boxes and set them aside.
We’d need them again once our house was finished.
My dad, brothers, and I went over the layout already and dad mentioned the perfect spot of land for a house that size.
I didn’t think it was big in comparison to a couple of my siblings’, but I guess adding the shop with stalls to park our vehicles in basically doubled it.
Dad was taking care of getting the architect friend of his to draw it up.
Said he’d have it back to us in a few days to approve.
As was the norm for me, I lost track of time putting the final touches and smoothing out the sculptures I’d left half finished before going on vacation.
Never in a million years had I envisioned leaving single and returning mated.
I’d never deleted apps off my phone so fast in my life as I did with the hook-up sites I had been on.
Juni wasn’t the only one with stuff to donate or sell.
With those projects finished, wrapped, and ready to drop off at the stores, I got to work going through the shop tools.
The furniture inside I made and would move with us.
It was sturdier than that mass produced crap they sell nowadays and real wood.
But the old tools I’d already replaced could go. No use moving shit I don’t use.
Guess you could say tools were my horde because this was turning into quite the mental battle.
Horde. Keep.
Yes, it’s looking that way, dragon.
Huh, who knew I already had a horde?
Likely everyone but me.
With that, the boxes I broke down were retaped and filled with what I wasn’t using. Go me! I did something productive today even though it didn’t lighten the moving load in the least.
How premature would it be to build a crib?
Bad mojo, our clan elder Nuri would say.
She had a knack for linking old verbiages with new and not necessarily correctly, but it was one of her many traits we all adored.
It was hard not to get excited when suddenly your world had shifted on its axis, and now having a mate, the thoughts of playing outside with your future dragonets were clear as day.
Teaching them to fly, to control their fire, putting them to bed at night after reading them a story.
Goddess, how I wanted all of that and more.
With Juni.
“Can we have the master bedroom downstairs?” Juni’s voice startled me. “Sorry, should’ve cleared my throat or thrown something at you first.”
Not sure how good being a dragon is if you can’t hear someone sneak up on you. “No worries. That’s a great idea. One down with a private bathroom, three upstairs with a hall bath. Maybe a half bath downstairs for visitors to use?”
“That sounds perfect,” he purred as he wrapped his arms around my neck. “Then we can hear the pitter patter of little feet trying to sneak out when they’re teenagers.”
“Good call.” I nibbled down his neck and he moaned. Just as things were getting good a familiar little imp came rolling in.
“Unca Ky! Unca Ky!”
I scooped up my nephew Kayden and swung him around. “Did you escape from the asylum?”
“Nope,” he giggled.
“Kobalt, might as well come on in because I know you’re out there.”
“Can’t fit under the door.”
“So, you sent the spy in first?”
“Yup.”
“Juni, can you…”
“Already on it.” He pressed the opener on the wall and there stood my brother.
“Ah, I see the mate does exist,” Kobalt winked. “I’m the better brother, Kobalt, and you must be Juni.”
“And if I’m not?” Juni teased him.
“Then my brother is in for a world of hurt.”
That got Juni and Kayden giggling. “Yes, I’m Juni. It’s nice to meet you and know my honor is protected.”
“Geesh,” I rolled my eyes at their ridiculousness. “Like I’d ever stray from my mate. Have you seen him? He’s hot as hell.”
“Awe, you say the sweetest things,” Juni batted his lashes. “Besides, I’d castrate him before you had a chance to pounce, Kobalt.”
I gripped my sac and stepped back. “So not funny. I take it mom sent you to spy?”
“Nope. Running into town for supplies and needed to hit the big box store. Bellingham is the closest one so I’m spying on my own. Besides, this fluttery bug chanted your name all the way here.”
“I not bug, I big dragon. RAWR!”
“Now if that isn’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Juni had the sweetest look on his face as he talked to Kayden. “I’m Juni, what’s your name?” He’d heard me say it, but the formal introduction with my nephew was too cute.
“Kayden. Papa says I be big dragon like him when I growed up.”
“I bet you will be a beautiful dragon, Kayden, and I can’t wait to see you fly way high up in the sky.” My man had it all going on today.
“You dragon?” he pointed to Juni.
“No, but I’m Uncle Kyson’s mate, so I’ll have little dragons for you to play with someday.”
Now if that didn’t chip the last shred of ice off this dragon’s heart then I don’t know what would do it.
Holding our own dragonets would.
Well played, dragon, well played.
Yup, the ice was gone, and the fog was lifted. My view of the future was crystal clear and filled with love, life, and happiness. Plus, a couple of imps of our own.
“Kayden, do you like cookies?” Juni asked and Kayden’s head bobbed up and down. “Do you want to go inside and have some with me? I don’t like eating alone.”
“Is it ‘kay, Papa?”
“Absolutely. Uncle Kyson and I might join you in a few minutes, if that’s alright with you?”
“Yes, Papa,” Kayden leaned forward and kissed Kobalt’s cheek, wiggled in my arms to be let down, and followed Juni inside.
“You did good, brother. Snarky and feisty, just what the fates ordered. Whatcha working on now?” Kobalt glanced around. “Moving somewhere?”
“Thought I’d get a head start on packing. I know how we dragons get when it comes to building houses. None of that year long wait like the human world has. We’ll be in by spring knowing you guys.”
“Let me tell you, Juni is all mom talks about. Do you know what time you’ll be out on Saturday so I can get her to calm down?”
“Ha-ha, I figured you’d ask that. Let’s shoot for noon.”
“Works perfectly. Oh, forgot to tell you, Azure is pregnant again.”
I clapped Kobalt’s shoulder and pulled him into a hug. “Congrats. I hope she has an easier pregnancy than she did with Kayden.” Poor Azure was sick up until the day she laid his egg.
“You and me both, brother. Now, about those cookies Juni mentioned.”
Kobalt and Kayden stayed long enough to drain our cookie stash then left to run their errands. Juni chased Kayden around, running off his sugar rush so he’d likely sleep the entire time my brother shopped. Seeing them today really hit home and I realized how much I missed my family.
Just don’t let mom know that.
Too right you are, dragon.
“Feel like going out to a nice dinner and a walk along the waterfront?”
Juni perked right up. “Really? The ocean is that close? I love the beach!”
“Well, not quite the ocean. It’s Bellingham Bay, which is an estuary, a mix of salt and freshwater.
Kinda hard to explain though there are beachy areas along it.
Come on, let’s shower and get dressed and I’ll show you.
But wear comfortable walking shoes.” Though I loved those high heels of his.
When Juni came to bed wearing them and his lacey lingerie… Goddess it made me a very naughty man.
We walked into Keenan’s at the Pier for what I considered our first official date. Finding your mate had you doing normal dating rituals a bit backwards. My dragon and I were cocky as hell tonight with this gorgeous man on our arm.
I am one lucky fucker.
We are.
Yes, my bad, dragon. We are lucky fuckers.
I got sass no matter which way I turned.
Being the gentleman I was, I pulled out Juni’s chair for him before I sat down. “Why don’t you order a bottle of wine for us. I’m sure your tastes are far superior to mine.” I was a beer guy, plain and simple.
Juni rattled something off to the waiter, who told him he made a very good choice, then left us to peruse the menus.
“What a whirlwind romance we’ve had,” Juni smiled at me over his menu. “It’s nice to finally have a date night.”
“Regrets?” I was screwed if he did.
“Not a single one. So, tell me, handsome, what does your family do to earn their money?”
“They own Cinders Construction. They work all over Washington and even up into Canada. Our Canadian cousins hold the license for that. During my down time I help, but over the winter months they mostly just work on our land.”
“Why is that?”
“Not supposed to pour concrete during the winter. It needs proper time to cure and using dragon fire to help it along is frowned upon in the human world. Something about humans freaking out and all that. Some may even pass out the first time they see it,” I winked at him.
“But on our land we can pretty much do whatever we want.”
“Sounds exciting.”
“I’ll probably do more with them once we move.”
“Well, if I can help in any way I will. What I can do is limited to websites and social media though. Maybe they need a website or have one in need of updating?”
“I’ll mention that to my dad. None of us are technologically savvy, so whatever you can do to help with that will be appreciated.” Juni’s smile was so different from any I’d seen from him, and that’s when it hit me—Juni desired to be needed. I’d remember that and ensure he was always included.
Timed perfectly, we watched the sun set just before our dinners were served.
The array of prismatic colors took my breath away, as did my gorgeous date.
Though I’d witnessed many a sunset over the years, I’d never taken the time to appreciate them as I did tonight.
Or maybe that was because Juni was by my side.
“Next time we sit on the beach and do a selfie with it setting behind us,” Juni said.
“It’s a date!” I’d do my best to set up more dates before we moved. After that I’d have to get creative, though I already had a couple of ideas in mind.
Hand in hand we strolled along the pier. Thankfully Juni brought a jacket with him because even I felt a chill given the breeze coming off the water. Personally, I enjoyed brisk weather. My dragon was a natural heater, so as we neared the end of the pathway, I drew Juni into my arms to warm him up.
“Thank you,” he stood on tip toes and kissed me. “Tonight was perfect.”
“Only because of you, Juni. You make everything better.” A single tear rolled down his cheek, and I kissed it . “What’s wrong, my love?”
“Nothing is wrong, everything is right.”
“Then why the tears?”
“For so long I was lost and no one cared to find me. Then along came a grumpy dragon who made everything right and showed me that I mattered.”
“We found each other when we were meant to. And Juni, you will always matter.”