Chapter Two
Aries
A snowball hit him right in the back of his head and Aries faceplanted. He growled as he rolled onto his back to stare up at the darkening sky. It was hard staying on his feet with the thick clothing and heavy jacket that Vin had dressed him in and his brother was an absolute menace.
Nix’s manic cackle rose above all the other sounds.
Vin’s face blocked his view as his Daddy leaned over him. “Are you okay, baby?”
“Nix is a cheater!” Aries whined. “And I can’t move!” He tried wiggling around again.
Vin’s lips twitched like he wanted to laugh. At him? Aries glared. “It’s not funny.”
“This from the person who barely waited until his brother got out of the SUV to pelt him with snowballs?’” Vin questioned. He lifted Aries onto his feet but Aries wasn’t done pouting yet.
“That’s different,” Aries argued.
Vin crouched beside him and tried to brush the snow off Aries’s jacket and pants. “And how is it different?”
Well, Aries didn’t have any answer to that. His Daddy shouldn’t ask tough questions. Aries huffed.
“Come on!” Nix shouted. “Stop being a baby!”
Aries stomped his foot into the snow. “I don’t want to play no more!”
“Baby!” Vin pulled Aries up and into his arms.
Aries wiggled and squirmed, not wanting Vin to pull him from his tantrum.
“Stop that!” Vin ordered.
Aries sighed as Vin settled Aries on his hip. It wasn’t fair. Playing in the snow wasn’t as much fun as he thought. And Nix wouldn’t even tell him what Evan had given him or where he’d been.
“Are you getting tired?” Vin asked.
“No,” Aries drawled. “I took a nap.”
“And we’ve been playing out here for several hours. We built that huge snowman. It’s okay to be tired.”
“Nix isn’t!”
Vin chuckled then forced Aries’s chin over to where Nix was on his knees with his head against Evan’s hips as Evan scratched the top of his head while speaking quietly. Nix was blinking slowly as if he was tired too.
“Oh!”
“It’s been a big day,” Vin said. “Even with a nap, traveling was stressful.”
Aries nodded.
“And you’ve been stressed about sharing our secret with your family, so you haven’t been sleeping well.”
“Sorry, Daddy.” Aries nearly admitted that there was something else keeping him up but managed to hold back. He needed to keep his secret. At least until he asked Nix his opinion.
Vin kissed his forehead. “It’s okay, baby boy. You know I love nothing more than taking care of you. How about a nice hot bath before we have dinner?”
“Can I play in the tub? You brought my toys, right?”
“Like I would forget anything my boy needed,” Vin teased.
“K.” Aries rubbed his cheek against Vin’s heavy jacket. Cold!
“We’re heading inside to warm up,” Evan said as he led Nix over with both his wrists wrapped in Evan’s large hand.
Nix had the most peaceful look on his face. Aries would swear that he’d never seen his brother so calm and…just relaxed.
“I agree,” Vin said. “We need to warm up and then it should be time for dinner.”
Now that he wasn’t running around and play fighting with his brother, Aries had gotten cold. The thick snowflakes had started to fall harder.
“I’m glad you put a roast in the crockpot this morning,” Evan said to Nix. “That is going to be delicious after a hot shower and changing into some warm clothes.”
Nix blinked then perked right up. Even with his wrists still captured in Evan’s strong hand, Nix bounced behind his Daddy. “I made pumpkin pie, and apple pie, and pumpkin bites, and apple crisps for dessert tonight too.”
With his head on Vin’s shoulder, Aries had to smile. Nix was the best. He was the baker of the family, but he was never selfish. Nix might prefer his pumpkin treats, but he always made sure the rest of the family got their favorites as well.
“I see that smile, boy,” Vin said. “You will eat dinner before getting into any sweets.”
“Fine,” Aries agreed with a groan. “If you insist.” And Vin always insisted.
Nix glanced back at Aries with a bright smile. “I have plenty of apples for you.”
Now Aries felt bad for throwing a fit. He’d been having fun but Vin was right, Aries had gotten tired. Playing in the snow was fun but it sure was exhausting. And being cold kind of sucked. “Thank you,” he replied sweetly.
“No sneaking apples.” Vin patted his bottom.
“I don’t sneak apples,” Aries fibbed. Was it a fib if their teammates gave him the apple and he just didn’t show Vin?
“Yeah, right.” They entered the house with Vin still carrying him.
Aries had always hated how small he was.
Even growing up, they had been smaller than the humans around them.
And Aries was an inch shorter than Nix and Gem, who never let him forget it.
But it was awesome that his Daddy could carry him everywhere.
They headed up the stairs as Evan towed Nix farther into the back of the house where the master bedroom was located.
Whatever was in the crockpot filled the house with the best aroma. Aries whined. “Hungry, Daddy.”
“I know, baby. Quick bath and then we’ll eat.”
“Play though?” Aries asked. Hadn’t Vin promised? Daddy even brought his bath toys.
“You’ll have a few minutes to play while Daddy gets everything ready for after your bath.”
“K.” Aries rested his head on Vin’s shoulder as he brought his thumb up.
“No sucking your thumb, baby,” Vin said quietly. “We need to wash your hands.”
Aries huffed. He listened to his Daddy though and sucked on his bottom lip.
Their bedroom was the first off the stairs. Vin pushed the door open to lug Aries across the room to the bathroom. Vin sat him on the long vanity then picked up the pacifier that he’d washed earlier.
Vin popped the pacifier into his mouth and Aries immediately began to suck. Kicking his feet, he waited as Daddy moved around the bathroom, first getting the water for the tub started then pulling out a bag from under the sink with bubble bath and toys.
“Daddy found this for you.” Vin removed the top of the bubble bath and placed the container under Aries’s nose.
Crisp apple scent wafted up.
Aries squealed and clapped.
That was so awesome.
“I thought you would like that.” Vin walked over and poured two, two! capfuls of bubbles into the bath.
Aries wiggled in place.
Next, Daddy dumped the bag of toys, making a big splash. That deserved a clap too.
“Okay, little one. Let’s get you out of these clothes.” Vin helped Aries scoot off the counter before grabbing the zipper of the heavy jacket.
The pile of clothes grew in the corner as Vin tossed each garment over. It was a good thing since Daddy had forced Aries to layer up and, closed inside the bathroom with the hot water running, it was getting humid.
Once he was naked, Aries wiggled his bottom at his Daddy, making Vin bark out a laugh.
“Okay, little one. Into the bath,” Vin said with a light smack to Aries’s bottom.
Aries ran over to the tub.
“Wait for me,” Vin ordered sternly.
He stopped in front of the tub. The bubbles were nearly at the top. The bubbles covered Aries’s toys, but he thought he could see his rainbow duckie bobbing in the water.
Vin joined him and turned off the faucet.
“Carefully,” Vin said, grasping his arm.
Such a worrier, his Daddy. Aries sucked on his paci as he put one foot into the water.
The temperature was perfect. Hot but not too hot.
Daddy helped him into the tub. Aries dropped down onto his butt and the water nearly crashed over the side.
“You play while I set out our clothes and grab a quick shower,” Vin told him.
Aries nodded as he searched for more of his duckies. They were going to have a race and the winner would get a full candy cane all to himself.
He played in the bath as Daddy moved around. Aries was always conscious of where Vin was when he was in little mode. Aries didn’t like to be by himself when he was regressed.
And he got to watch as his Daddy showered in the big stall across from the tub.
When Vin exited the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist before coming over to check on him.
“Ready to get cleaned up?” Vin asked, running a hand down his back.
Aries whined, holding up his rainbow duckie who had totally won the race.
“I thought you were hungry?” Vin asked.
Oh yeah, he was. And after dinner, he could open presents. Aries handed Daddy the winning duckie and nodded.
“Good boy,” Vin said and set the duckie on the counter.
* * * * *
Nix
“That’s it, boy. Take my cock.”
Nix pushed his ass back as Evan thrust forward.
Heat surrounded them inside the glass shower stall where they’d been for the last twenty minutes. The water was hot but no hotter than the man who was currently fucking the come from Nix’s dick.
Nix shouted as he painted the tile with his seed.
Evan groaned and his fingers tightened on Nix’s hips as he came.
If Evan hadn’t been holding him, Nix would have faceplanted into the very tile that he’d just come against. He was fucked-out and didn’t think that he would be able to move for the rest of the night.
“Let’s get cleaned up,” Evan whispered against the back of Nix’s neck. “I’m starving.”
He huffed but managed to turn around. Evan’s hair was plastered to his forehead and he had a sated and sleepy look in his eyes. Nix was so used to Evan looking perfectly put together that he couldn’t stop staring.
“What?” Evan growled.
There was his grump. Nix shrugged. “How do you feel?”
“Feel?”
“After shifting, I’m always ravenous. You didn’t eat anything in the car. Also, we played in the snow for a couple of hours when we got home,” Nix explained.
Evan shook his head. “The dragon’s form is filled with magic. There are times that I need to drink some tea that contains magical properties, but I would do that anyway. I’m fine. Only normal hungry.”
He shuffled forward to wrap his arms around Evan’s waist. Nix loved that Evan had grown more comfortable with him to start sharing more about his dragon form.
Evan hugged him back. “What’s this about?” he questioned.