Chapter 6 #3
Their dad had been there for each of their first flights.
He’d also been there when they’d shifted the first time.
His dad might not be a dragon, but he was just as much a part of their lives as if he’d been one.
Not to mention his vampirism had given them a bit extra when they were growing up.
He loved his dad and thought that he didn’t tell him often enough.
Telling him now had him hugging him tightly and telling him that he loved him as well.
Sitting next to Olivia as the sun was coming up, they made plans to all have dinner together.
Grandma said she’d keep an eye on the realm so that Dad and Mom could go as well, and it was worked out that they’d meet at Fowler’s home so that they could have it catered.
He wondered if they’d have enough time for that, then realized that Amy would make it happen.
She was good at gently bullying people into doing things for her.
And she’d leave them a great tip, too. Money always helped.
On his way home, he held Olivia’s hand. Thatcher had long since gone to bed, and it was just the two of them awake in the house when they got inside.
Both of them were hungry when the cook came on duty, and they had her fix them a hardy breakfast. Turned out that Thatcher was hungry too when he got up to join them, and the three of them had an enjoyable first meal of the day together.
Going up to their bedroom, he was both excited and exhausted at the same time.
He wanted to make love to Olivia, but he was nearly too tired to stand upright, much less make love to his mate.
As soon as she got into bed before him, she was asleep.
He was happy for that, knowing that he wasn’t going to be too far behind her.
Holding her in his arms, he felt love like he’d never felt before. As soon as she rolled to her side, her back to his chest, he held her tightly in his arms and wondered not for the first time how he’d been so lucky as to have found a mate as wonderful as she was.
Suddenly not tired, he thought about his life going forward with Olivia.
He knew that he was in love with her and that he’d love her more daily, but it was the small things about her that would have him smiling.
She could make him laugh at himself when he was down.
Bring him up from some depression when she only hugged him.
There were times when he wondered, too, if he should be waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But if he thought too much like that, he’d not enjoy the life that he had with her.
And he had a good life. All he needed to do was to keep her happy, and he was happy in turn.
After messing around in his office, he went back up to bed. It was nearly noon when he got into bed after closing the curtains. The room was nice and dark, like he liked it, and he snuggled up with Olivia. As soon as she wrapped herself around him, he held her tight and went to sleep.
Waking up, he found himself in the other realm. He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten there until he saw his grandmother. She was crying. He couldn’t tell if they were tears of happiness or sadness, and went to her. Before he could touch her, she looked up and through him. Like he wasn’t even there.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.” Mom, in the room too, he only just noticed said she was going to have to deal with it. “He’s been faded longer than he’s been around me. Why now would he be coming to me when, after all this time, he’s been just fine where he is?”
“Don’t you figure that he wants to see his grandkids?
They were just tiny when he went away. Dad hasn’t seen any of them since before Sidney was born.
Much less the children of them. That’s the thought I’m going with until I know differently.
If he gives us any trouble, I’ll fade him myself.
” Grandmother said not to talk like that.
Mom snorted. “If he so much as makes you cry again, I’m going to do to him what should have been done to him years ago.
I’m going to remove his head. There was no reason whatsoever that he treated you like he did. ”
“He meant well.” Mom rolled her eyes and looked around the room. “I have a feeling that we’re being watched. Who do you suppose is spying on us?”
“There are any number of faeries in this room alone that are hiding in the event that one of us wants something. Of course, we’re being watched.
What am I supposed to do about your father?
” Mom told her to wait until he appeared before she could make decisions about him.
“Will you really remove his head? I don’t think that’s even possible. ”
“It will be if I have to. Fowler removed your mother’s head when she needed it, and I’ll do the same.
I love you too much to have you suffering at his hand again.
” Grandmother sat down on her chair and said nothing for several minutes.
“When did you hear from him? I mean, it’ll take him a while to wake up from the fade, won’t it? ”
“Several days. More because of how long he’s been out of my life.
I do wonder if I had treated him differently, would he have stayed around.
But he was so mean to me. I’ve never gotten over the fact that he beat me.
” Mom said that she’d not either. “Well, I’m not going to allow him to touch me again.
I’m made of stronger stuff now, and I’m more powerful since the children have been coming around.
How much longer will it be before Sidney and Olivia have their next child? Soon I’m thinking.”
“Any day now. She’s doing well this time. I think because she’s less fearful of the unknown. I can’t wait to see what sort of dragon she’ll have. Being the baby of the family, Sidney has had the most colorful group of children.”
As they faded out, he opened his eyes. It had been a dream.
One that he’d never had before. Then the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he was seeing a bit of the future.
Just as his dad could, and Fowler. As he lay there getting his bearings, he thought of his grandfather coming back from the fade.
He didn’t know him at all. He’d been gone before he’d been born. But that didn’t mean that he was going to be happy about him coming back. If he so much as touched his grandmother again, he was going to do the deed himself and put him in a grave. A shallow one at that.
Closing his eyes again, he could feel himself drifting on.
Thinking about Olivia having his children made him happy, and he went to sleep with a smile on his face.
He did wonder how many they had, but didn’t care.
Just to be able to hold one of his children was going to be the best that he’d ever felt.