by C. W. Gray
“Fire?” A man pushed past Hack. “You had better have a good explanation, young man. You were supposed to be back by sunset, and I felt you use a lot of your power yesterday.”
Fire ran to the man and hugged him. “Sebby, I met my mate! My dick really likes him too, but so does my heart. I just want to hold him forever.”
Quigley flushed at Fire’s words while the others laughed.
Well, all except the man hugging Fire. As Quigley looked Sebastian over, he grew distinctly uncomfortable. The man was much younger than he had pictured from Fire’s stories. He looked to be only a few years older than Fire. Well, Fire’s body.
Sebastian met his gaze, eyes narrowed. “You’re Fire’s mate?”
Quigley glared back, letting his inner fire fill his eyes. “Yes, I am. You should release him. Now.”
Sebastian growled and pushed Fire to the side. “Don’t you dare tell me what to do. Fire is mine to protect, and I don’t know a thing about you. If you think you can just walk in here and take him away from his family, I’m going to bury your big, burly ass in all that sand out there.”
“Whoa, love,” Alois said, coming to stand behind Sebastian. He settled his hands on his mate’s shoulders. “Quigley isn’t here to take Fire away from us. Fire is bringing Quig and his family into our family. We just got larger, not smaller.”
“Sebby,” Fire said, pouting. “You’re supposed to love my mate and give him lots of hugs and food.”
Quigley gave Sebastian a smug look. “You heard him.”
Fire smacked his arm. “You’re being mean too, Quig. You have to love Sebby.”
Quigley scowled. “He shouldn’t touch you.”
“I’ll touch him all I want,” Sebastian said, voice rising. “He’s my son.”
Fire’s eyes grew wide and he turned to Sebastian. “I am?”
“Did you really doubt it?” Alois asked, voice full of amusement. He turned to Quigley. “I know you’re feeling protective of your mate, but Sebastian and I love Fire too. He’s our son, despite him looking just a little younger than us. He’s a special soul, and we’ve taken care of him since we met.”
“It’s my honor to care for him now,” Quigley said, trying to keep the anger from his voice. “I’ll try to be less…” He struggled to find the right word.
“Bossy, grumpy, and a pain in the ass,” Gram filled in for him, chuckling.
Sebastian snorted. “Very good choice of words.”
Gram settled her hand on Sebastian’s arm. “Come on. I’ll tell you all the embarrassing stories I have about my grandson. You can think on them when he gets all growly.”
Sebastian smiled and took her hand. “I’m going to like you. I can already tell.”
“That’s my Gram,” Fire said, bouncing from foot to foot. “I have three babies too. This is Cyrus. His mama died, so Quig and I are gonna raise him. Then, this is Aster, who is really smart and can sense the spirit word, and David, who loves animals like me. That’s his friend Gracie.”
Sebastian’s mouth opened and closed, and Quigley could sense the conflict in him.
Alois grinned and nuzzled against his mate’s neck. “We’re going to need a bigger attic.”
Sebastian’s quick laugh turned into a sigh. “I wasn’t ready for this.”
“Parents never are,” Gram said sadly. “My Quigley is a good man. He may be broodier than a hen, but he knows the value of loving family. We’ll all make good additions to your clan.”
Sebastian shook his head. “Of course you will. What am I thinking, making you stand here all day while I have a hissy fit.” He smiled at Aster and David. “Please come with me, and I’ll help you all get settled, then we’ll go to the market. I’ve been itching to go since we landed.”
Quigley started to follow, but Sebastian pressed a hand to his chest, stopping him. “Alois, take Quigley and show him around the shooting range.”
Alois rolled his eyes. “Yes, dear.”
Hack snickered. The man had been watching them from the side for a while. “I’ll come too. We’ll give Quigley here the talk.”
Alois gave Hack a flat look. “The talk didn’t work on Gravy. He still got my sweet, innocent Periwinkle pregnant.”
Quigley looked at Perri. The fuzzy dog watched them, tongue hanging out. “Please tell me Gravy is a dog.”
“Of course he is,” Hack said, frowning.
“Sometimes I don’t know for sure who’s a pet and who isn’t when Fire tells me about them,” Quigley said, shrugging.
“That’s because it doesn’t matter,” Fire said and gave Quigley a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll buy you something nice at the market. Sebby, I need some credits.”
Sebastian led them away, and Quigley groaned. “You forgot Jellybean and your death lizard.”
Fire waved at him and kept going.
“Death lizard?” Hack arched a brow and eyed Cinnamon. “Is that a black stinger? Why is it on your shoulder?”
Quigley sighed and used one finger to pat the animal’s head. “Fire made a friend.”
A man with wine red hair ran into the shuttle and squealed at the sight of the Oryx. “What are these adorable donkey/goat/sheep things?”
Hack groaned. “You can’t have one, Leti. They all belong to Quigley.”
Quigley smirked. “Well, really just five of the Oryx belong to me.”
Hack glared at him. “Let’s go to the shooting range. I have the urge to blast someone in the head.”
Quigley fought a laugh and noticed another man following behind Leti and holding a child. The baby was clearly burnished with golden skin and birth markings that looked like Hack’s. His hair, though, was the same wine red of Hack’s mate.
I wonder what my own child will look like. He pictured a miniature Fire running around and grinned.
The man carrying the child was young and delicate looking. His small stature and fine features would encourage many to dismiss him as a threat, but the way he watched Quigley identified him as a predator.
Alois patted Quigley’s shoulder. “Quig, this is Leti, Hack’s mate, and Wolfe, Leti’s good friend and constant guard. He’s holding Milo, Hack and Leti’s youngest child. For now.”
“Can I have this one?” Leti asked, hugging one of the spare Oryx Quigley had collected after Sara’s death. “Please?”
Quigley smiled. “She’s yours.”
Hack groaned and gave Leti a kiss. “What’s one more pet, right? I’m taking Quigley to the shooting range to use him as target practice. I’ll be back by dinner.”
Leti patted his new pet’s nose. “You have one hour. You’re supposed to spend time with your younger siblings, but every time they come close, you run. They don’t hate you, Will.”
Hack grabbed Quigley’s arm and tugged him away. “Sorry, love. I have to go scare Fire’s mate. I’ll try to be back soon.”
Leti rolled his eyes and focused on the Oryx.
Wolfe watched them leave, eyes narrowed on Quigley. Another friend of Fire’s, Quigley thought with a sigh.
He turned and gave Hack a curious look. “Why is your mate unhappy with you?”
Hack winced. “I wasn’t raised on Burnished Outpost.”
“How is that possible?” Quigley asked, surprised. “You’re Burnished.”
“My mother left me in the deep desert,” Hack said, eyes hard. “I was just a kid.”
Quigley sighed. “I’m sorry to hear that. My clan elder wanted to abandon Gram, David, and Aster too, but I refused. How did you survive?”
Hack’s face softened. “Charybdis Station sends training patrols to fly over the deep desert every few days. My adopted dad found me and took me in. When Bowan took over as chieftain, we found out I had younger siblings. A few came to live with me, but the youngest stayed with Bowan.”
“You feel guilty for not insisting they come to you?” Quigley guessed.
Alois snorted. “Really, Hack?”
Hack flushed. “I can’t help it. They seem happy here with
Bowan, but I’m their brother. I should have taken them in.”
“Bowan is their uncle,” Alois said. “He’s family too.”
“Enough,” Hack said, pulling Quigley to a stop. “We’re here.”
Quigley looked around. The shooting range was full of offworld soldiers. He took a moment to study the different species and tried to put a name to them. The large, furry beings were Grell, and the ones with horns were Sirens. He knew that much from Grandpa’s stories.
“Selene,” Hack yelled, waving his arm. “This is Fire’s mate.”
A tall Siren with curled horns and black hair, turned to stare at him. Her face remained impassive, but her eyes were full of curiosity. “He has a bow and arrows,” she said, voice monotone.
“Phasors aren’t as useful when you can shoot flames,” Hack said, summoning a bit of his inner fire to dance around his hand. “A bow is a good hunting weapon.”
Quigley moved to stand in front of the woman. “I can fire a phasor as well. My grandpa trained me. I prefer the bow for hunting, but I’m also a good warrior.”
Selene nodded. “Let’s see.”
A nearby offworlder whooped loudly. “Selene’s about to kick a new guy’s ass. My money’s on Selene, of course.”
Alois winced. “I’ll bet on Quigley. He’s family, damn it.”
A small crowd gathered around them, but Quigley ignored them to study his opponent. Selene moved gracefully, but there was power within her slender form. He knew a predator when he saw one.
“Go easy on him, Selene,” Hack said, patting Quigley’s shoulder. “We don’t want to hurt him too much. Fire will be upset.”
“I love Fire,” Selene said, voice flat and emotionless. “You will treat him well.”
Quigley nodded and unhooked his bow from his back. He would have to take her by surprise – though with the way she assessed him, that would be hard. “I will.”
Selene drew a long, strange-looking blade from behind her. “We start now.”
Quigley barely saw her move and darted to the side. He pulled his bow out slightly, and she tripped, stumbling briefly.
That was enough time for Quigley to quickly fire an arrow.
Selene paused, looking over her shoulder. Her long braid was pinned to one of the many posts holding the canvas tent above the shooting range.
The crowd around them was completely silent as they all stared at the arrow.
Selene’s face stayed expressionless, but Quigley saw the excitement in her eyes. “Draif?”
One of the men in the crowd grinned. “You rushed, Selene. You were expecting his skill, but underestimated the bow.”
She reached back and pulled the arrow from her braid. “Again.”
“I’m next.” A large man with feline ears and sharp fangs gave him a hard look. “Fire’s my friend, and we need to make sure you’re worthy of him.”
“I’m after Lucas,” another man said.
Alois held his hands up. “Okay, now. You’ll all get a turn, but make sure you don’t hurt him too bad. Fire really likes him.”
Later that night, Quigley shifted in his chair on the balcony of his own room. His body ached from the hours of sparring Selene and her friends had put him through. Alois and Hack had sat back, feet up and drinks in hand, as he endured the most intense workout of his life. Bastards.
Quigley stared out over the city of Star’s Oasis. He had never been inside one of the large houses, and the chieftain’s home was truly a palace.
The city was so different than the last time he had seen it. Offworlder technology mixed with Burnished Outpost’s traditional architecture. Even the market had grown.
He smoothed a hand over the beautiful gold and amber ear cuff Fire had brought him. Quigley had never owned something so beautiful before. Ear adornments weren’t considered appropriate for a hunter, but Quigley loved it.
He had felt a little less special when he saw the jeweled harness Fire and David had picked out for Gracie. The goat had pranced around, practically preening.
Quigley also didn’t particularly love the kitten Fire had bought Aster. The little beast was a white, fluffy ball of hate. At least when Quigley was around. Sebastian had loved it.
“What’s wrong?” Fire asked, rocking Cyrus to sleep in his arms. He sat in another chair across from Quigley. “Did Hack and Alois scare you?”
“I like them,” Quigley admitted with a smile, shifting in his seat again. “It’s just very odd to be here. We’re going to have dinner with the chieftain.”
“Bowan is nice,” Fire said, yawning. “He said I could come run in the deserts anytime, but I couldn’t leave my fire wall burning.”
“Bowan,” Quigley repeated, shaking his head. “He lets us call him Bowan, and his mate is a man and is pregnant with his second child. I never thought something like that would happen or that I’d be somewhere like this.”
Fire cooed at Cyrus and settled the baby into his bassinet.
Cinnamon curled on top of the basket, sleeping, and Jellybean snuggled beside Cyrus once he settled down. Quigley smiled, wishing he had had a Jellybean and Cinnamon when he was a child. He and David were far too much alike.
Fire petted Jellybean’s brown and white furry back, then sat on Quigley’s lap. “Changes are scary, aren’t they?”
Quigley frowned. “I’m not scared.”
“I get scared sometimes.” Fire settled his head on Quigley’s shoulder. “Every time Sebastian takes a new apprentice, I’m afraid he’ll get tired of me and make me leave.”
Quigley snorted. “That’s never going to happen. He loves you.”
“I know that here,” Fire said, tapping his head, “but it’s hard to remember it here,” he finished, patting his chest. “Before Sebastian, I was alone. My queen wasn’t really my queen anymore, and Death was too busy trying to survive. Then Sebby saved me and loved me. He’s my family, just like you, Gram, and the kids are. I don’t want to lose that. Not ever.”
Quigley stroked his mate’s back. “You’ll never be alone again, Fire. Between Sebastian and me, you’ll always have a family.”
Fire snuggled against him. “You will too. No matter how much things change over the next few months, I’ll always be right here with you.”
Quigley’s arms tightened around his mate. The sands may be shifting under his feet, but Fire was right. There were constants in his life. His mate and his family.
7
Fire stole another piece of fruit from Quigley’s plate and stuffed it in his mouth. The food on Burnished Outpost was different than what he was used to, but it was good. He especially liked the Gaora cactus fruit.
“You’ll train with me starting tomorrow, Quigley,” Selene said. She sat with her mate and son across from them. “You need to learn our technology, but I have some ideas for your bow. We’ll be on Burnished Outpost for three more weeks, so that gives us a head start.”
“I appreciate it,” Quigley said, nodding.
Fire squeezed his mate’s thigh under the table, making him wince. “You sure you don’t need to rest up from today?”
Quigley snuggled Cyrus closer and glared at Fire. “I’m alright.”
Fire sighed. “Mates are so stubborn.”
“I know, right?” Leti gave Hack a look. “They should just listen to their husbands and do as they’re told.”
Hack gave his mate a stubborn look, then smiled tentatively at one of his younger brothers, Darrin.
The boy smiled back. “We won’t bite, Will. Laurie won’t let us.”
Laurie, Bowan’s mate, rolled his eyes. “Like that’s ever stopped you from doing something.”
Fire giggled and leaned into Quigley’s side. His mate draped an arm around him and kissed the top of his head. He looked down the table, happy to see Gram and Hack’s grandpa, Moses, talking. Hack’s son Elril and David were seated next to each other and seemed to be getting along well. Aster quietly ate her own meal, face serene. Fire could feel her soaking in the threads of connect
ions from the spirit world to help her garner her own impressions of the people seated around her.
He frowned when he noticed Xu watching her like a puppy begging for food. Selene’s son was about the same age as Aster, and Fire didn’t like that look in his eyes.
“Why are you glaring at Xu?” Sebastian asked quietly from Fire’s other side.
“There are threads connecting Aster to Xu,” Fire whispered, narrowing his eyes. “Romantic threads.”
“They’re barely ten,” Sebastian said, voice amused.
“He likes her.” Fire wrinkled his nose. “She’s my daughter, and I just got her.”
Sebastian smacked Fire’s arm. “Don’t worry about Xu and Aster. They’re just kids. When they get a few years older, you can worry.”
“You two aren’t as quiet as you think you are,” Quigley said, arching a brow.
“Aster’s our baby,” Fire said, lip trembling.
Quigley gave him a sad look. “She won’t always be. I remember singing her to sleep and changing her diapers. Watching her grow into the person she is has been a privilege. Now, you get to join me in seeing her become an adult. Very slowly. Because she is just ten.”
Sebastian made a disgusted face. “Why do you have to make me like you?”
Fire rubbed his face on Quigley’s shoulder. “Because he’s the greatest mate ever.”
“I was happy to see you’ve taken good care of David and Aster,” Bowan said, keeping his voice soft as he leaned closer to them. “Several of the more traditional clans still leave any they deem too weak in the deep desert. I’ve had my own patrols joining Charybdis Station in searching for the abandoned, and somehow I’m still surprised when they find someone.”
Quigley’s face went hard. “Aster and David aren’t weak. They’re different, yes, but never weak. Even if they were, there is more to them than their ability to survive in the desert. Aster is my sunrise and always reminds me of the wonder to be found in our world. David’s kind nature reminds me that there is more to life than hunting and surviving. They even wanted to abandon Gram, and she is the smartest person I know.”