Chapter 79
SEVENTY-NINE
T he dining room glowed with warm light as evening settled over their riverside home. Zina lit the last of the candles—real flame, at Xai’s insistence, rather than the LED versions she’d initially suggested.
“Dragons appreciate authentic fire,” he’d explained with such solemnity that she couldn’t help but tease him for days afterward.
Now she surveyed their handiwork with quiet pride. The long wooden table—hand-carved by a local artisan—gleamed beneath carefully arranged place settings. Crystal glasses caught candlelight in prismatic bursts. Fresh-cut hydrangeas in deep blues and purples formed the centerpiece, surrounded by smaller votives.
“Overthinking again?” Xai appeared behind her, his reflection joining hers in the window glass.
“Wanting everything to be perfect for our first dinner party.” She leaned back against his solid warmth. “Is that ridiculous?”
“Not at all.” His arms encircled her waist. “Though our guests care more about our company than the table settings.”
“Says the dragon who insisted on real silver serving dishes.” She turned in his embrace, straightening his collar with automatic precision.
His smile deepened the fine lines around his eyes—marks of expression no amount of supernatural longevity could erase. “I’ve had centuries to develop expensive taste.”
The doorbell interrupted their moment. Zina felt a flutter of nervous excitement as she moved to answer it. This gathering represented more than simple hospitality—it marked their formal introduction as a mated pair with a shared home. In supernatural societies, especially among predator shifters, such milestones carried significant weight.
Bryn arrived first, her cheerful energy filling the entryway as she thrust a bottle of wine and an elaborately wrapped package into Zina’s hands.
“Housewarming gift,” she explained, brushing past to hug Xai with characteristic exuberance. “From the bear clan—sustainable craftsmanship, blah, blah, you know how Artair goes on about traditional methods.”
Rust and Kalyna followed, the lion elder appearing almost casual in an open-collar shirt rather than his usual formal attire. Kalyna kissed Zina’s cheek, her subtle perfume carrying notes of honey and citrus.
“Your home is beautiful,” she said, glancing around appreciatively. “The energy feels balanced—impressive for a new dwelling.”
“Xai insisted on proper feng shui,” Zina explained, accepting their gift—a potted herb arrangement with protective properties. “Apparently five centuries teaches you a thing or two about harmonious spaces.”
Within half an hour, their living room buzzed with conversation as Thora and Artair arrived, followed by Noven and Luciana. Last came Draven, Xai’s brother, his travel-worn appearance suggesting he’d come directly from the airport to join them.
The resemblance between the brothers struck Zina anew—similar golden eyes and aristocratic features, though Draven’s manner carried less formal reserve than Xai’s. Where her mate projected controlled power, Draven exuded relaxed confidence.
“Little lioness,” he greeted her with surprising warmth, clasping her hands in his. “I see my brother finally found someone capable of handling his particular brand of intensity.”
“I manage,” she replied with a smile, leading him toward the others. “Though some days require more management than others.”
Dinner progressed with the easy rhythm of genuine friendship. Zina found herself relaxing as conversation flowed—Thora recounting her latest bounty-hunting adventure, Noven teasing Xai about council politics, Bryn describing the newest spa treatment she’d developed.
“Using charged crystals in the massage oil was inspired,” Zina told her, refilling wine glasses. “The shifter clients especially notice the difference.”
“Experimentation has its benefits,” Bryn agreed with a meaningful glance between Zina and Xai that brought unexpected heat to Zina’s cheeks.
“Speaking of benefits,” Rust interjected, saving Zina from formulating a response, “Kalyna and I have an announcement.”
The table quieted as Rust reached for his mate’s hand. Kalyna’s face glowed with more than candlelight as she nodded for him to continue.
“We’re expecting,” he said, uncharacteristic emotion roughening his voice. “A cub, due in early spring.”
Exclamations of delight erupted around the table. Zina caught Kalyna’s eye across the flowers, raising her glass in silent toast to her friend’s joy. The warm buzz of supernatural pregnancies being rare made the moment even more precious.
“Have you thought about names?” Bryn asked, already reaching for her phone as if prepared to create a spreadsheet of options.
Kalyna laughed. “We’re considering family names, but nothing’s decided yet.”
“Lion cubs are notoriously stubborn,” Rust added with unexpected humor. “Probably best to wait and see what temperament emerges.”
As conversation shifted to baby topics, Zina went to prepare dessert in the kitchen. Artair followed.
“You’ve created something special here,” he said quietly. “Not just the home, but the community around it.”
Zina paused in slicing the chocolate torte. “You think so?”
“Look at them.” He nodded toward supernatural beings who might once have been territorial rivals now laughed together like family. “Dragons, lions, bears, tigers—all breaking bread without a hint of ancient grudges. That doesn’t happen by accident.”
The observation touched her unexpectedly deeply. “We didn’t set out to create anything beyond our own space.”
“The best communities form that way—organically, around a solid center.” His bear-shifter bluntness carried no flattery, only observed truth. “You and Xai provide that center now.”
She carried his words back to the table along with dessert, seeing their gathering through fresh eyes. Draven regaled them with tales from Nepal, describing mountain monasteries where dragons had meditated for millennia. Thora and Artair debated the merits of different security systems with good-natured intensity, while Noven attempted to convince Luciana that motorcycles were a perfectly safe transport.
Halfway through dessert, Zina noticed Xai watching her from across the table, his golden eyes reflecting candlelight with supernatural clarity. Something in his gaze—a focused tenderness—sent heat cascading through her core. Without words, he conveyed volumes: pride, desire, and something deeper that made her breath catch.
Later, as their gathering wound down, she found herself watching him in return. He stood near the fireplace, deep in conversation with his brother, gesturing with uncharacteristic animation. Something in her chest tightened at the sight—this powerful, ancient being who had unexpectedly become the cornerstone of her life.