Chapter Six
Sunshine peeked through the curtains and highlighted Lysander’s skin.
He slept peacefully while Stone couldn’t stop staring.
His skin had a slight glittery hue. He was so fucking beautiful.
Being mates was a connection impossible to explain.
It was instant love, and no one understood that until they were in Stone’s shoes.
He had known from the moment they met Lysander was special.
Stone had just thought his being a fairy had enchanted him.
Everything in Faerie looked prettier than the human counterpart.
It was as if everything was just slightly crisper.
Some places were the same except for the surreal sheen.
Other places looked like an entirely different world.
It hadn’t been a hard decision to choose Faerie.
The more he thought about it, the righter his choice felt.
Lysander was always the most gorgeous creature in any room, but here, goddamn. He left Stone breathless.
As slowly as possible, hoping not to wake Lysander, Stone dragged the covers down, exposing his nude body.
He was indescribable, really. When Lysander slept, his entire body relaxed.
His wings didn’t hide. They looked delicate—as if they’d crumble under the slightest brush.
A smirk tugged at Stone’s lips. He had stroked those wings several times.
They were strong and so fucking sexy. Plus, stroking them made Lysander moan. That was Stone’s favorite pastime.
Chill bumps rose on Lysander’s skin.
Stone pulled the covers up again. He wouldn’t let Lysander freeze just to satisfy his inner pervert. Damned if he didn’t want to kiss him awake and have his way with Lysander’s delectable body. Just the thought had him rock hard.
“Mhmm.” The sexy sound cut through the air as Lysander stretched like a cat. “I can smell your lust. It’s like ambrosia.”
Stone smiled at the comparison. Lysander still hadn’t opened his eyes. “You’re looking verra sexy. You’ve been teasing me all morning.”
Lysander chuckled. “In my sleep? Damn, I’m good.” He rolled to his knees and straddled Stone. “Imagine what I can do when I’m awake.”
Stone ran his hands up Lysander’s thighs. “No need to fantasize. I know exactly what this work of art body can—”
A knock interrupted them.
They froze.
A moment passed. Another knock rang out.
Lysander whispered the obvious. “There’s someone at the door.”
Curiosity had them donning robes while they exchanged confused glances. Under normal circumstances, Stone would know who graced their stoop only by their scent. He hadn’t been inside Faerie long enough to distinguish scents. They answered the door together.
Frost stood on the other side, holding Celina.
Lysander magicked them into being fully dressed.
Stone blinked.
Lysander didn’t. “You have a baby in Faerie.”
A huge grin lit Frost’s face. “To be fair, we live in Hell, so…”
Stone hadn’t known that. They stepped back.
Lysander waved frantically. “Get inside before she sees something she shouldn’t.”
Frost laughed. “She’s too young to see something she shouldn’t.
At her age, she can only see a foot or so away.
” He stepped inside. Frost had a bulging diaper bag over his shoulder and some sort of small, bouncy chair-bed thing Stone couldn’t identify looped over his arm.
He passed Celina to Stone—like the exchange was one they made all day.
“Here. Hold her. I can’t go anywhere anymore without packing the entire house.
” Frost set everything on the floor. “Not that I’m complaining. I know exactly how lucky I am.”
“Speaking of that luck,” Lysander said, obviously spotting his opening. “I’m dead curious to know how Gemini and you ended up with a very obviously biologically-yours baby. She looks too much like a mixture of you both to not carry both your genes.”
“Best not to ask questions sometimes.”
At Frost’s response, Lysander and Frost dove into a conversation Stone didn’t hear.
He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Celina.
She was beautiful—like staring at a living, breathing true miracle.
He was always awed by her. Stone moved to the couch and sat when it didn’t seem Frost intended to reclaim Celina. He went back to staring at her.
“Hey, wee one. Did I miss anything good since I saw you last?”
Celina’s mouth opened and closed.
Stone smiled. She genuinely looked as if she struggled to tell him a story.
Her little fists shot up before moving to her face.
She accidentally hit herself trying to get her hand in her mouth.
Celina didn’t flinch. Instead, she made a small noise.
He didn’t know it was annoyance or satisfaction.
A gold bracelet shimmered on her wrist, catching light in a way that almost looked as if the beams came from within.
Stone touched it. “This is pretty. Already getting gifts from the lads, eh?”
Her ice-blue eyes looked scrunched as she curled her nose. It almost seemed as if she understood him and let her disgust be known.
Stone laughed. “Good for you. Don’t put up with any of that nonsense.”
Celina made another sound.
It sank in how quiet the room had become. He glanced up. Lysander and Frost were sitting and watching him. They each wore different unreadable expressions.
“Did I miss something?”
Frost smiled. “Not at all. I came to check on my patient. How are you feeling today? Have you had any lingering effects?”
Stone shrugged and went back to looking at Celina. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Nothing you can’t handle isn’t a no.”
At Frost’s comment, Lysander jumped in. “He’s still not fully back to himself. I can feel the sadness always trying to overwhelm him, but he keeps it hidden.”
Since they didn’t seem to need him for their conversation, Stone gave his full focus to Celina. “They worry because everyone is scared of me now, but not you, huh.”
She smiled.
Joy burst through Stone.
Frost was on his feet. “She’s smiling. That’s her first smile. Gemini will die when he finds out he missed it. Lucifer…” Frost froze and stared into the distance, as if his mind refused to think of something horrible enough to describe Lucifer missing his grandbaby’s first smile.
“Just don’t tell them.” Lysander sounded pragmatic, as if he didn’t understand the big deal.
It was a big deal, though, because that first smile had been for him.
Stone kind of wanted to cry. He was going through a lot no one could see—not even Lysander.
Someone had taken over his life. Worn his face.
Used his body and mouth to interact with all his friends.
Now no one looked at him the same, and he had done things to make other people hate him.
He didn’t know what he had done or said or how to fix it, and he was enraged because he couldn’t remember any of it.
But Celina was all things beautiful and innocent, and she had smiled for him.
Frost practically danced in place. It was more than obvious he wanted to snatch Celina from his arms and get a smile of his own.
Stone didn’t want the peace to end, but all things eventually did. He moved his face closer, hoping Celina could see him clearly. “Thank you.” He whispered the words. Stone knew everyone would hear, but he wanted Celina to know he spoke only to her.
Celina's little fist shot out. She hit Stone’s lips.
He didn’t take it personally. Stone knew she couldn’t control her movements yet.
But Stone still stole his chance. He kissed her hand.
A jolt shot through him. He felt himself falling as the world around him spun.
Memory after memory flowed through him, nearly breaking his mind with the overload.
He heard people speaking, but he no longer knew if it was the voices in his head or the people currently with him.
His body convulsed, causing him to bite his tongue. Then everything was gone.
Lysander paced. He didn’t know what else to do. His brain kept reliving the moment Stone had fallen into a full-blown seizure. He was a vampire—impervious to illnesses. Yet here they were back at Frost’s clinic turned mini hospital, and Stone wouldn’t wake.
“You look tired. I thought finding a mate brightened our kind.”
Lysander spun.
Stellar sat nearby.
Lysander hadn’t even heard him arrive. “Where are your guards, Stellar? You can’t be running around the mortal realm without protection.” He hadn’t meant to sound so angry, but he was angry. Life just kept pissing him off, but that wasn’t on Stellar. “Sorry. I’m just stressed.”
A kind smile lit Stellar’s face. “I know. Nonetheless, for your peace of mind, my guards are protecting every possible entry point. There’s no need for them to hover.” Stellar’s expression shifted, showing his concern. “I couldn’t let you be alone in your time of need.”
Lysander scrubbed his eyes and then looked at the ceiling. He didn’t know what to say because he didn’t know how he felt. Still, he just spoke with no clue what would pass his lips.
“It’s not fair. On stars, I know that sounds childish, but it isn’t.
Stone is such a good person.” Lysander paced as he ranted.
“He’s so funny and kind. Before this, I was so blinded by his inner light, I didn’t even notice him as my mate.
” He stopped walking a hole into the floor and focused on Stellar.
“Oh, and you should see him with Celina. I don’t know what it is, but that little girl loves him so much, and Stone looks at her like the world disappears when she’s around. ”
“I don’t know this Celina.”