by S. E. Smith
Riley wound her arms tighter around his neck and pulled him back down to her. Sealing her lips over his, she kissed him for several long minutes before reluctantly pulling away. Her fingers played in his hair before she tugged on it and stepped away with a sway to her hips.
“Only if I get a girl this time,” she said with a seductive curve of her lips.
Vox scowled as he watched Riley walk into the bathroom. There was no way he would ever have a little girl. He would be in the same situation as Creon, Trelon, and Ha’ven! He would kill any warrior who even looked at her. He was about to tell Riley that when he saw her slowly bend over as she slid her panties off.
“You do not fight fair, Riley,” Vox growled as he quickly shed the rest of his clothing and hurried into the bathroom after her. “Goddess help us both if our daughter is anything like you.”
He ignored Riley’s laughter, instead grabbing her and pulling her into the shower where he pressed her up against the wall. The warm spray ran down over them, but both were oblivious to it as they ran their hands desperately over each other. All Vox could think of was how much he loved his stubborn, gorgeous mate.
*.*.*
Ha’ven quietly entered his and Emma’s living quarters and shut the door behind him. He could hear Emma talking to Alice. The sweet sound of Alice’s giggle answered whatever Emma had told their tiny daughter. He paused at the entrance to the living area to silently watch them. Emma was holding up different blocks and calling out their colors.
“Red,” Alice giggled and clapped her hands. “Red, red, red, red, red.”
Emma’s delighted laughter echoed through the room. “Yes, red,” she replied, bending to give Alice a quick peck on the cheek. “Now, what color is this?”
Ha’ven grinned when Alice touched the blue block and it changed to red. “Red,” Alice replied with a grin before turning her head toward him with a happy squeal. “Daddy!”
Ha’ven opened his arms, knowing from experience what was about to happen. Sure enough, a second later, Alice appeared in them. Her tiny arms wrapped around his neck and a very wet kiss was pressed to his lips. He tried not to wince when the wooden block caught him upside the head.
“Dada, red!” Alice proclaimed with a proud grin. “I like red.”
“Yes, I see that,” Ha’ven commented as he pulled Alice’s squirming body closer to his. “I take it red is her favorite color today?”
“Yes,” Emma replied with a sigh, glancing around the room. “She is so powerful, Ha’ven. I worry about her.”
Ha’ven’s eyes followed Emma’s around the room. All of the blocks were now red, as was Alice’s blanket that she liked to carry, her doll’s hair and dress, her stuffed bear, and her shoes that were lying next to the couch. He glanced down at Alice.
Yes, red is her current favorite color, he thought as he took in the bright red dress she was wearing and the red bow in her pigtail. He frowned as a pang of fear washed through him at the thought of anything ever happening to something so sweet and beautiful.
“What is it?” Emma asked, touching his arm and pulling him back to the present.
Ha’ven’s eyes softened and he leaned down to brush a kiss against Emma’s lips. A chuckle escaped him when Alice pulled his head around and raised her face to his. He bent and dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose, pulling more delighted giggles from his very talented daughter.
“Nothing,” he said, pushing away his fear. “We are done. Trelon threatened to evict Vox and I if we added any more lights. The only reason we decided we’d better listen to him was because he swore the next one who blew a circuit was going to have to babysit Amber and Jade for the next week because he would pull Cara in to help him fix things. If the Valdier had Cara, Amber and Jade as a secret weapon during the Great War, they would have won by the end of the first day.”
Emma laughed and shook her head. “They are not that bad,” she chided, turning to pick up the toys off of the floor. She straightened when they disappeared before she could. Turning, she placed her hands on her hips and scowled. “Okay, which one of you did it this time?” She breathed out in exasperation.
Ha’ven and Alice pointed at each other before both burst out laughing when Emma just looked at them with a raised eyebrow. Unable to resist, Ha’ven pulled Emma against him and Alice. With a wave of his hand, some of the music that Emma had recorded began to play in the background. He turned with the grace of a warrior and began dancing with the two most precious women in the universe.
Desire flooded him when Emma’s delicate hand ran up his arm. He knew the black bands of his power were reaching greedily for her. The dark bands wove around, intertwining with the soft pastels of her aura. His eyes softened when Alice reached out and touched the black bands with her tiny hand. Brilliant shades of red burst out from her palm, calming him.
“Dada worry,” Alice said with an insight older than a two year old. “Mama and Alice be safe.”
“Ha’ven?” Emma asked in a husky voice, not sure what to say.
Ha’ven slowly pulled Emma closer and stood still, breathing in her familiar scent as he closed his eyes and waited for the vast, yet sometimes erratic power inside him to calm.
“Sometimes the fear of something happening to you or Alice overwhelms me,” he admitted in a reluctant voice, opening his eyes to look down into Emma’s worried ones. “You are the only thing that keeps me grounded, Emma. I worry about Alice, too. She is very powerful. I fear what will happen to her if she doesn’t find a mate who can help her find her balance, as well.”
His head turned when Alice placed her palm against his cheek and turned his head toward her. A mischievous grin curved her lips. She tilted her blonde head to the side and stared up at him with shining eyes filled with happiness.
“Bálint help me,” Alice informed him. “Bálint make pretty colors.”
“Do you think…?” Emma whispered in shock, gazing up at Ha’ven’s stunned face that suddenly hardened.
“It better not,” he growled, ignoring Emma and Alice’s laughter at the thought that Kelan and Trisha’s son might one day end up being Alice’s mate. “I’m going to have to talk to Kelan.”
Ha’ven ignored Emma when she giggled and wound her arms around both him and Alice and pressed her face into his chest. The more he thought about it, the more he decided he needed to build a huge wall around his home so no one could ever get to his precious daughter. He’d protect her and care for her….
And let her find love, even if it is with a Valdier dragon shifter and the son of a friend, Emma’s whispered thoughts touched his mind. I could think of no one better than to one day protect our daughter, can you?
No, Ha’ven uncomfortably admitted, pressing his lips to the top of Emma’s head. But, that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“Dada, red,” Alice suddenly said, touching his hair. “I’s likes red.”
Ha’ven pulled back and looked at the strand of hair Alice was holding. Sure enough, it was red. With a sigh, he focused the energy around him and redirected it toward his hair. In a swirl of color, it returned to its natural shade of black.
“Dada doesn’t want red hair, my little princess,” he growled. “Dada wants Alice’s belly.”
The red block in Alice’s hand disappeared as she reached to grip his cheeks as he bent his head toward her. Delighted squeals burst from Alice as she screamed for her mommy to save her. Howls of laughter filled the air, flooding Ha’ven with a power unlike anything he had ever expected to experience before he met Emma; the power of love.
Chapter 4
“A little to the right,” Viper called out. “No, your other right, Zoran. That’s it, just a little more, and drop it there.”
The huge green, gold, and red dragon carefully dropped the string of lights that he was holding above the top of the tall tree along the courtyard. He would’ve been alright if not for the end of the long string getting tangled around his left foot. He snorted and tried to shake it lose.
&
nbsp; “Zoran watch out!” Viper shouted, grimacing when the tip of Zoran’s wing caught in another strand of lights he had just wrapped around the tree. Twisting, the small bulbs snagged each other, tangling the set of lights he was trying to position with the set he had just finished. Before he knew it, he was hanging upside down with a mass of lights wrapped around his lower legs and wings.
“Do you need some help?” Viper asked with a grin. “Vox didn’t tell me this was going to be so entertaining when Tina and I arrived this morning. If I had known, I would have come sooner.”
Zoran’s lip curled back and he released a frustrated snarl. Gripping the branch slightly below him with his front claws and wrapping his tail around the top of the tree, he tried to push himself up. Unfortunately, with the wire from the lights wrapped around his wings, he couldn’t move. With a loud snort of resignation, he focused on shifting back to his two-legged form.
Hate lights, his dragon mumbled.
You aren’t the only one, my friend, Zoran muttered as he focused.
The moment he shifted, he felt his body falling as the wires tangled around him loosened. He wrapped his hands around the branch he had tried to use felt a moment before, holding it tightly as his body swung down. A low curse escaped him when the thick bark of the tree cut into his palms. Still, the discomfort of a few abrasions was better than falling fifty feet to the ground.
“You were supposed to warn me if the lights got tangled,” Zoran snapped, glancing down at the bemused look on Viper’s face. “I was doing a better job on my own.”
“So I can see,” Viper chuckled, staring up at Zoran’s dangling feet. “There’s a branch just to the left of you that might support your weight.”
“Thanks,” Zoran muttered, reaching out his left leg just far enough to test the branch. Now, I’ve got to try to pull the damn lights off and redo it.”
“Tell me again, why are you doing this?” Viper asked in a loud voice.
“Because it is a celebration that most humans love back on Earth,” a soft voice replied from behind Viper.
*.*.*
Viper turned to study the delicate, dark haired female that stepped out of the shadows. She was small compared to his mate, but had the same dark coloring in her hair, though her eyes were a vivid green. She gave him a hesitant smile before glancing up at where Zoran was hanging from a branch. Her lips tugged upward as she tried to hide her amusement.
“But, why the lights?” Viper asked in puzzlement.
The slender shoulders shrugged. “Truthfully, I don’t know. I never thought to ask my grandfather,” the woman replied with a slight catch in her voice. “I only know it was one of my favorite times of the year. Don’t you think you should help him?”
“Melina,” a voice called from the shadowed corridor behind her.
Viper watched as the woman’s eyes softened as she turned toward the men walking out of the main reception room. Viper immediately stiffened when he recognized the deadly twin dragons walking toward them. The human female smiled reassuringly when they cast a suspicious glance at him.
Both men looked up even as they moved protectively to each side of the woman. Viper instinctively moved several steps back and turned to keep them in his peripheral vision.
“My Lord, would you like some assistance?” One of the men asked in an amused voice.
Viper glanced back up and grinned at Zoran as he turned on the branch and glanced down at the small group that was enjoying his discomfort. It was obvious from the sudden curve of Zoran’s lips and the calculating gleam that came into his eyes that the Valdier leader had recognized he had re-enforcements to help him.
“I haven’t hung Christmas lights on a tree in… forever,” Melina breathed in excitement as she twisted to look up at the twin on her right. “Can we, Calo? It will be so much fun. I can’t wait to see what it looks like tonight when they finally turn all the lights on. Abby was telling me that the men have been working on it for weeks now.”
A scowl darkened Calo’s face for a moment before he glanced at his twin and sighed. A breathless laugh escaped Melina as she stepped backwards and transformed into a delicate dark green dragon. Almost immediately, Calo shifted as well, forcing Viper to step several more feet to the side as he watched the two dragons with a wary eye.
“Just take it easy,” the other twin said, running his hand tenderly along the side of Melina’s jaw. “You just had our daughter and should still be resting.”
The tiny dark green dragon snorted at the warrior before rubbing the tip of her nose against his cheek. The other male dragon tenderly nipped at her neck, wanting her attention. Viper watched in amazement as the small dragon turned her head and blew a puff of hot air at him before pushing up off the ground.
“She is beautiful,” Viper commented without thinking.
“She is ours,” the dark voice of the other twin growled.
Viper gave the twin a sharp tooth grin. “I have my own human mate,” he stated with a shrug. “My Tina is all I need.”
*.*.*
An hour later, Zoran breathed a sigh of relief as the last of the lights were in place. While he had volunteered to work on his own, he had to admit it was easier with help, especially from someone who really seemed to know what to do like Melina. She had made several suggestions, giving him some very creative ideas that reminded him so much of his mate. Between Melina, Calo, Cree, and finally Viper’s help, they had finished the rest of the courtyard area in the early afternoon.
Zoran had picked the courtyard leading off the main dining room all the way down to the walled cliff at the end of the gardens since he originally thought he would be working alone and it would be more manageable. He had finished the lower garden areas, but the upper level proved more challenging as he tried to think of a way to blend the glow from the plants in his mother’s garden with the lights he was trying to finish hanging. It had taken him a lot longer than he anticipated, and since Trelon refused to allow the addition of any more lights, he had to rethink how to setup different parts of it.
Shifting as he landed next to where Viper had given them instructions from the ground level, he glanced around the area with a sense of pride. He was sure to win the contest. He had snagged another couple thousand lights from under Mandra and Kelan’s noses earlier this morning and it was just what they had needed to set off the stone railing around the balcony area. The biggest test would come when he turned them on. If he didn’t blow any more breakers or catch the panel on fire from pulling too much power, the courtyard and gardens should be magnificent tonight.
Viper folded his arms across his chest and nodded to Zoran in satisfaction. “I am glad you are the one who is doing this. It looks like far more work than it is worth.”
“It will be magical,” Melina retorted with a happy smile. “I can’t wait to see how everything is lit up. It has been so long since I’ve celebrated Christmas.”
“Then we will have to make sure that it happens more often,” Cree replied, wrapping his arms around Melina’s waist and pulling her close to him. Bending his head, he pressed a kiss against her neck. “Now, I think it is time for you to rest. I can feel your fatigue.”
Melina sighed as she relaxed back against Cree’s tall frame. “Yes,” she reluctantly admitted. “It’s Hope’s feeding time as well.”
A low rumble escaped Calo at her innocent words, drawing a delicate rose-colored blush to Melina’s cheeks. Her eyes twinkled with exasperated amusement even as Cree picked her up in his arms and turned back toward the palace. Zoran watched in amusement as two of the fiercest warriors known to the Valdier hurried away to take care of their mate.
“Don’t forget the dinner tonight,” he called out to their retreating figures.
“We won’t,” Calo replied just before they disappeared inside.
Zoran turned to look at Viper with a satisfied smile. “I am glad that you and your mate could make it for the dinner tonight. Will you be here for the celebration next week?” He asked.<
br />
Viper nodded. “Yes,” he replied, looking over the huge courtyard and lower garden areas. “We are leaving tonight after the dinner to spend a few days up at Asim’s place in the mountains, but we will be back before the celebration.”
Zoran nodded and turned toward the main reception area. He and the other men had done everything they could to make this a magical time for their mates. He could only hope it was as joyous an occasion as their Easter and Halloween had been. Each of the Earth holidays had been different and strange, but with a few adjustments, he could see why they celebrated them. It was a time of coming together and celebrating with friends and family. Even his mother said she could feel a difference, a sense of excitement, among not only the people of their world as they embraced the idea of making these holidays their own, but also the symbiots who were embracing the changes.
"Are Pearl and Asim going back with you?" Zoran asked as they stepped inside.
"Unfortunately, yes," Viper replied with a sigh of resignation. "Pearl wants to decorate Asim's place as well. At least helping you today has given me ideas."
Zoran laughed and slapped Viper on the shoulder. "Good luck," he said, as Viper turned to the left when they exited the reception room. "Something tells me you will need it with Pearl."
Viper just snorted and muttered under his breath. Zoran watched as Viper disappeared around the corner. Turning on his heel, he headed toward his and Abby's living quarters, hoping that she and Zohar would be there. He was in the mood to do a little early celebration for having finished the lights. Rubbing his hands together, he couldn't wait to win Ha'ven's prized air glider. He was sure he had the best lit area in the whole palace.
Chapter 5
"Trelon, what about...," Kelan started to say.
"An entire week, Kelan," Trelon growled, glaring at his three brothers. "I swear! I'll have you babysitting for an entire week if any of you even think of asking for more lights or having another power grid to be added. In fact, I'll make it two! Amber and Jade, think of it, two weeks of babysitting!"