Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
D aniel was getting ready for Declan to come.
It wasn’t that there was a ton to do —the house was clean, but Rita and Denise were stressed, and he liked to put out little personal touches just to make it feel more friendly and less sterile.
Apparently, two of the wings were very rarely even used, and they just needed a little freshening, some cold air blown in, the fireplaces set, that sort of thing.
Jacks basically stayed with him, wherever he went. The little boy was scared to be alone in his room unless Dusty was in there with him.
Daniel totally understood, even with Dusty in there, he found himself constantly going to check on his son as he slept, to make sure everything was okay.
This was not how he wanted to spend his pregnancy. Of course, how did he know?
Maybe it was how he wanted to spend his pregnancy. It wasn’t as if he’d ever considered having a pregnancy before.
Sometimes, context was important.
Hayden was spending a lot of time on security. But they did come together several times throughout the day, Hayden loving on him, kissing him, touching him, letting him know he wasn’t alone.
“Dan Dan?”
“Yes, Jacksy?”
“Cookie?”
He checked his phone, and yes, it was snack time. “Sounds good. Yes. Come on. I want milk too.”
“Mil.”
“Yep. Milk and cookies.” He took Jacks downstairs and hit the kitchen up. There was no one there this morning, but that didn’t matter. He knew where the cookies were and he knew how to pour milk.
This was so weird and awkward. They’d just been settling into a really good team together and now he felt as though things were changing again. All of the constant and new crises that kept hitting him in the face were starting to get to him a little.
He felt a mental caress from Hayden at that and it calmed him almost immediately. Are you all right love?
I’m just feeling a little crazy. I’m tired of emergencies. I’m ready for a break.
You and me both.
Do you know how long until Dec gets here?
There was a tiny pause, then, Less than an hour.
Is it just him?
Him and a couple of other guys from his team who came running when they heard him call.
I’m surprised there wasn’t another attack. It seemed like that would have been a perfect time for a second wave.
Goddess, he watched too many action adventure movies.
I think you and I neutralized at least a chunk of that. Hayden didn’t sound sorry.
We’re going to have milk and cookies if you’d like to join us.
Oh, I’d like that. Meet you in the kitchen.
We’re already here. He started pulling out the cookie jar and some glasses. “Your papa’s coming.”
“Papa? Papa?” Jacks clapped his hands.
“Yes, he wants cookies too.”
Jacks grinned, the look wicked and playful. “Mine cookies. Mine and Dan Dan’s.”
“You’re not going to share with Papa?”
Jacks giggled and nodded to him, then raised his voice. “No cookies, Papa. Jacks’s cookies.”
Oh, he’s learning to tease.
Hayden came in, all big-eyed, even though his laughter was right there, obvious to all of them. “No cookies for me?”
Jacks wrinkled his face up. “One cookie for Papa.”
“Okay, so one cookie for Jacks?” Hayden teased back.
“One cookie for Papa. All cookies for Jacks and Dan Dan.”
“I see how it is. You think Dusty wants a cookie?” The cat had slunk into the room behind Hayden, obviously patrolling the house.
He made a disgruntled noise, and Jacks laughed, clapping his hands again. “No like cookies.”
“No, I think Dusty would rather have some lunch meat, huh?” Daniel pulled that out too. Dusty wasn’t a fan of sweet things.
“Meats! Kitty meats!”
Daniel shook his head. “You are learning so many words, little dragon.”
“Dwagon! Dwagon cookies!” Jacks threw his hands up in the air, laughing hysterically.
Hayden was chuckling and even Dusty chuffed, so Daniel had to smile because suddenly he felt better. Family time was so important and he wanted to have his baby come into this world and know that Hayden and Jacks and him were happy and full of life.
It’s going to be good. The house is too empty. It’ll be good to have more people here. More dragons.
He hoped so. He truly did. Yes, our babies need to be protected, right?
Completely. Hayden bared his teeth. We’ll figure it out . I’ve done a lot to increase security and I know Declan will have ideas too. He’s not going to let what happened to his people happen again.
I trust you. Hayden had given everything for them and he knew it. And Hayden loved him—he wouldn’t lie.
Okay, there’s not something coming, is there? There’s not something terrible like a clown-popping-out-of-a-box surprise coming?
He felt Hayden’s mental caress. No love. I know these men. They’re dragons. They brought us Jacks. These are good men.
Okay, I’m just worried. I don’t like this.
I understand, but you’ve met Declan, right?
Yes.
Don’t worry; it’s not going to be scary. He might be shut down a little because of what happened but he’s a good guy. Hayden reached out and stroked his cheek, a physical component to the mental loving he was getting.
Daniel nodded and got more cookies out, arranging them a plate before he got bread out of the pantry and started making sandwiches too.
He wanted to have plenty of food just in case these guys had had a long trip.
Because grilled cheese sandwiches and cookies and milk and coffee were comfort items. Daniel felt so awful for Declan and his team. This had to be horrifying.
“You have such a good heart, baby.” Hayden came and kissed the back of his neck, making Jacks squeal with happy laughter. Kissing was the most hilarious thing he’d ever seen or heard and he would make big smacking sounds whenever they did kiss on the lips.
He had no idea how much later it was when the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside came to them and he and Hayden exchanged a glance. “You stay here with Jacks. I’ll make sure this is who it’s supposed to be, okay?”
“Where are Rita and Denise?” Daniel asked, worried about the ladies now.
“Where they can be of most help and take out anybody who comes that doesn’t belong here. We just wanted to make sure that nobody was coming in with them. Maybe holding them hostage or something.”
The sound of a car engine came closer, they both took a deep breath, and Hayden immediately headed outside.
Daniel went to the kitchen window to watch. Just in case.
The big Humvee bounced through the snow and ice, coming closer even as Hayden watched, his dragon right there at the surface, the snow around him melting.
Daniel watched his mate, ready to shift and take their children and zoom upstairs, protect them with all he had.
Two men came out, greeting Hayden, and then, the man that he recognized, Declan, came out, bandages covering part of his face and one of his arms.
The other two started unloading the vehicle, with cases and boxes, and Daniel couldn’t stop being tense, couldn’t stop worrying.
It’s going to be all right. Hayden’s mental voice caressed him just like a hand would on the small of his back. He felt it all the way down to his toes.
I know you’re not going to tell me to calm down, right? Because never in the history of pregnant dragons—or people, for that matter—has being told to calm down made somebody calm down. But Hayden was smiling now, so that had to be a good thing, right?
Jacks was there, his little body throwing out heat like a furnace, and he sounded happy as he gnawed on a cookie.
Everyone started tumbling in, and Denise was there helping with bags, Rita began pouring coffee, and Daniel stood behind the high chair, one hand on Jacks, watching.
Declan crashed down on a kitchen chair, almost transparent in his exhaustion, and stared at him. Suddenly, Daniel’s heart just broke for this poor man.
“Hey, I’m so sorry,” Declan murmured.
Daniel nodded. “Me too. Welcome home.”
One crystalline tear slid down Declan’s cheek and landed with a clink on the kitchen table, the diamond rolling off onto the floor.
He couldn’t not comfort this man, so he went to Declan and held on, careful of the bandages, just giving comfort, one dragon to another.
The other two dragons—one tall and dark, the other smaller and covered in what looked like colorful tattoos but were actually scales—looked uncomfortable and just started eating, scarfing sandwiches in like they hadn’t eaten in days.
“Hey, guys, there’s more where that came from, so please, help yourselves.” Hayden poured a huge glass of milk and brought it to him, and Daniel took it gratefully.
“Thanks. I’m Thomas. This big guy here is Kenn. Marco and Anthony are on the road making sure to leave a huge trail heading south.”
“And then they’ll be here?” Hayden asked. “They are totally welcome.”
“Yeah as soon as they think they’ve forged a good enough trail, they’ll fly down and just leave their vehicles some place.” Thomas blew out a gusty sigh and grabbed another sandwich. “Thanks for this.”
Jacks giggled, and Daniel caught Kenn waving to the baby, sending a little bubble of light over to him.
When Jacks popped it, harmless sparkles in rainbow colors rained down everywhere, making the baby squeal with laughter.
“Oh, he likes that.”
Kenn nodded, offered Daniel a smile. “Congratulations,” he said softly. “On your upcoming blessing.”
“Thank you. I’m due in the spring, so not long from now.” Something fluttered deep inside him as he spoke, and he fought not to make a face, but Hayden knew.
Hayden always knew.
What’s wrong, mate?
The baby just moved. Of course, the baby just moved in the middle of all of these people, where we can’t just be hysterically happy.
We can be hysterically happy. This is our house.
Hayden came to him, one hand on his swollen belly, and their little one kicked again, pushing against Hayden’s hand. “Oh, wow.”
“Baby der,” Jacks pointed, nodding to Kenn. “Baby der.”
“Oh? Is there a baby in there?”
Jacks nodded. “Baby der, my baby.”
Kenn chuckled softly. “Is it your baby?”
Jacks pounded his little chest. “Brudder.”
Daniel looked at Hayden. Do you think he knows? That it’s a boy?
I think Jacks is so magical that we can’t dismiss it, but he may mean that he’s the brother.
Oh right! Daniel grinned. “Yes, my baby boy, you’re going to be a big brother.”
Declan actually gave them a ghost of a smile. “That’s the best news ever.”
Hayden nodded, expression serious as a heart attack. “Daniel meant what he said. Welcome home. There’s a wing in the house for you, bedrooms, bathrooms, a sitting area. The only thing you don’t have is a kitchen, but you’re welcome to dine with us.”
Rita chuckled. “Of course they are. This is home. Denise and I will take care of you. Welcome, dragons!”
Jacks squealed. “We’come, dwagons!”
Declan nodded. “Thank you, Jacks, very much.”
“Will you have something to eat?” Rita asked. “So you can heal?”
“I don’t deserve to heal.”
“Dec.” Hayden gave Daniel a look as if to say “What do I do?” but then put his hand gently on Declan’s shoulder. “You’re not at fault here.”
Declan scoffed. “Then who is? I had no idea we were going to get attacked. I believed we were impervious to that, and now I’ve been proven wrong. Pat died because I was wrong.”
“We were all wrong. I never thought in a million years somebody would come for Jacks.”
Jacks wiggled, and Daniel wasn’t sure what he wanted but obviously he wanted down out of his high chair, so Daniel lifted him out. Jacks lunged for Declan, who caught him purely out of instinct, looking surprised.
“Need cookie,” Jacks said, looking right into Declan’s eyes. “Feel better.”
“Jacks is still at the age where cookies make everything better, Declan. You better take one or he’ll start to pout.” Daniel put a hand on Jacks’s head, which was starting to be way less downy and feel like it had more like real hair.
Kenn chuckled. “Cookies make everything better, no matter what age you are.”
Thomas shook his head. “I much prefer sandwiches and chips.”
Jacks turned to look at Thomas with outrage in his expression. “Cook-ies.”
Thomas held up his hand not holding a sandwich. “Right, buddy. Cookies. They’re the most perfect emotional food.”
Jacks nodded then grabbed a cookie off the plate and practically shoved it into Declan’s nose. “Cookie.”
“Thank you, sweet one.” Declan took a cookie and chewed it, a bite of it, as if it tasted like sand. Daniel knew better. Those were damn good cookies.
Personally he thought Declan needed to rest and sleep, feel safe for a minute.
Jacks cuddled into Declan’s chest, patted him. “Poor, poor dwagon. Luff, luff, luff. Poor, poor dwagon. Luff, luff, luff.”
The little song was adorable, and it served to ease them all.
Daniel wished the situation could have been better. Well, he wished everything could be better, but it was going to take time.
Fortunately, that was something they had in spades.