by Julia Mills
Everyone roared with laughter as Lance’s face turned an exceptionally brilliant color of red. Never one to be outdone, his brethren did the only thing he could…he smacked his mate on the butt, grabbed his daughter, and jogged across the room to avoid Sam’s swinging hand. Their antics once again reminded Devon how lucky he was to be a part of such an amazing family and clan.
As the laughter died down, Lance and his family exited, saying one last goodbye. The younger healers followed with their bags of candles and supplies, leaving only his mother behind. She stood looking from him to his mate and back again. It was several long moments before she spoke, and her words were overflowing with love, “You need to get some rest, Son. We made great strides today, but there is still a long row to hoe and you are going to need your strength.”
She paused and smiled before continuing, “And you might want to think about a shave and a haircut before you officially meet your mate.” She let the laugh she had obviously been holding at bay out and the sound of it comforted Devon in a way nothing else could. He stood on the precipice of one of the most important events in his very long life, and was so incredibly grateful for all the woman standing before him had done to make him the man he was. He closed the gap that separated them, nodded while placing his hands on her shoulders and said, “As soon as she is safely at the lair, I promise I’ll shave and get a haircut. And…Mom?”
“Yes, Son?” Siobhan answered, looking at him as only a mother can look at her child.
“Thank you for everything.” As soon as the words crossed his lips, he pulled her into a hug that lasted until a nurse coming to take his mate’s vitals knocked on the door.
Devon recognized her as Melanie, his favorite of all of the nurses, and one that didn’t usually work in the evenings. “What are you still doing here?” he asked.
“One of the night shift girls is home with the flu so I offered to stay and help out until her replacement gets here. Sorry to interrupt,” Melanie said as she headed to his mate’s bedside.
“You’re not interrupting, Melanie, I’d like to introduce my mom, Siobhan. Mom, this is Melanie, one of the best nurses in the world. Mom was just heading home.”
Melanie blushed and giggled, “Thank you, Mr. Walsh.” Then she looked to his mother and stretched out her hand, “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
The ladies shook and Siobhan replied, “No need for formalities, just call me Siobhan and I am very happy to meet you. Thank you for taking such good care of our girl, here.”
“It’s my pleasure.” It was obvious Melanie was about to say something else but the cordless phone in her hand interrupted.
As she moved away to answer it, Devon walked Siobhan to the door and watched as she met up with the young healers waiting by the elevators. He watched until they were out of sight before turning on his heel and returning to his mate’s bedside. Melanie was just finishing her exam and as soon as the young nurse was gone, he took a deep breath, reached for his beloved’s hand, and sank into the recliner, thankfully still positioned next her bed. It was the first time in ten days that he actually relaxed, simply wanting to spend the next few hours talking to his mate.
Devon brought her hand to his lips, taking her scent into his lungs. His eyes slid shut and his dragon all but purred as her scent infused every fiber of their being. The need to rest overrode his need to talk.
“I have so much to tell you, Sweetheart, but I can barely keep my eyes open. I’m gonna put my head down for just a few minutes and then we’ll talk, okay?” He chuckled at himself as he actually waited for her to answer.
He laid his head on the pillow of their joined hands and spoke directly into her mind, “Rest well, mo chroi’, big things are just over the horizon.”
Devon waited as long as he could but when his mate didn’t answer, he gave up his battle and drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Stuck somewhere between completely asleep and barely awake, Devon could hear a very persistent, extremely annoying buzzing sound that he swore he would destroy if only he could locate its origin. The offending noise stopped, only to immediately begin again. When the cycle of buzz…stop…buzz started for the third time, he forced his eyes open. The flood of light from the huge window across the room let him know he had slept through the night.
As he lifted his head, it became apparent that his six-foot three-inch frame was not meant to spend the night doubled over in a recliner, and he would pay for his decision to spend the night as a pretzel. He stretched, feeling every one of his hundred and twenty years right before the horrendous buzzing sounded again. Finally conscious, he realized it was his cell phone and fished it out of his back pocket, answering just before it went to voicemail.
“Hello?”
“Good morning to you, too,” Grace chuckled on the other end of the phone. “Long night?”
Devon grinned at the lawyer’s sunny disposition so early in the morning, remembering how much his brethren, her mate, hated mornings. He cleared his throat before answering, “Actually, I slept pretty well…just waking up. How are you?”
“I’m good, always was an early riser and seems as though pregnancy has amplified that condition,” she answered. “Aidan is less than thrilled,” she added with a chuckle. “But what I really called for is to let you know that the judge is signing your paperwork as we speak and I just got off the phone with the hospital administrator who is waiting for the fax. As soon as Sam gets there and signs the release orders, you’ll be free to bring your mate home.”
“Hot damn, Grace, that’s great news! Thank you so much!”
“Sure thing, Dev. Gotta run. Got some bad guys to put away. Talk to you soon.” Devon smiled at the attorney’s response.
“Be safe out there,” he said at the same that Royce and Kyra walked into the room.
Devon disconnected the call and stood to welcome his friends. “Morning, guys. How’s it goin’?”
Kyra hugged him hello before answering, “We’re good. Talked to Lance and he said you were working to get her back to the lair, but we wanted to stop by anyway and see if there was anything we could do to help.”
Devon shook his head, “Just hung up with Grace and the paperwork is on the way. As soon as Sam signs her part, we’ll be good to go. Thanks for coming.”
“No problem. Great news, Bro,” Royce finally spoke.
“Damn straight. If you guys want to head home to grab food and sleep, I can holler when we get there and are all settled in.”
The look of relief on Royce’s face said it all; his oldest friend and the oldest of his Force needed some shut eye. Kyra picked up on her mate’s exhaustion and said, “If you’re sure you’re okay then I’m gonna take the big guy here home so he can rest his old bones.”
Her giggles were cut short when Royce grabbed her up and threw her over his shoulder. “You better put me down, old man, or I swear I will make good on my threat to turn you into a toad.”
Royce barked out a laugh while placing the feisty witch on the ground. Kyra winked and pointed at her little finger before teasing, “Got him right where I want him.”
The older Guardsman returned his hands to her waist and growled, “Be careful little witch, or I will carry you out of here with your pretty little ass in the air.”
Kyra blushed and elbowed Royce in the gut. The resulting ‘oomph’ assured Devon that the couple before him was more in love than ever, only serving to reinforce his belief that the Universe does not make mistakes. Kyra’s quick response reminded him why he liked her so much, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, says the guy that still can’t find his boots.”
“Kyra…” Royce growled.
“Royce…” Kyra growled back. She might have been convincing if she hadn’t started giggling.
Deciding he needed to grab some coffee and make arrangements to get his mate back to the lair before Sam arrived, Devon said, “I don’t even want to know.”
“No, you don’t,” Royce was quick to respond. “If you’re sure you do
n’t need us, I’m gonna take you up on the offer to get some rest. I’m beat.”
“No problem. Get outta here and I’ll talk to you soon.” Devon hugged Kyra and shook hands with Royce in the way of their kind.
As soon as the couple was out of sight, Devon spoke to Aaron through their unique link, “Aar, you up?”
“Yeah. What’s up?” was the groggy response he received a few seconds later.
“Looks like I’m gonna get to bring her home today, so I need a favor.”
“Good news, man. Whatcha need?”
“Thanks. I need to see if you can bring my SUV to the hospital and then take my Harley back to the house?”
“Not a problem. I just need to grab a shower and mainline some caffeine and I’ll be right there.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem, buddy.”
Devon felt Aaron sever their connection and decided mainlining caffeine was the best idea he’d heard all morning. He kissed his mate and headed to the cafeteria in search of coffee and food.
Twenty minutes later, filled with eggs, bacon, toast, a couple of blueberry muffins, and three cups of coffee, Devon stood waiting for the elevator, thinking about all that needed to be done between the time he got her home and when she would finally open her eyes. Just as the doors to the lift opened, he heard the unmistakable squeal of Sydney and the tap of her little shoes on the tile. He turned just in time to pick up the running child before she made contact with his leg.
“Good morning, Dev. Ready to take our girl home?” Sydney asked, her eyes shining bright with excitement.
“Our girl, huh?” Devon asked, winking to assure the child he was playing.
“Well, duh. She’s one of us, ya know?”
“Yes, Darlin’, I know”
Sydney giggled and kissed him on the cheek right before her parents appeared behind them. Having let the elevator go, Devon leaned forward and pressed the call button again while asking, “Going my way?”
Lance and Sam smiled, answering in unison, “Sure are.”
“To what do I owe the honor of the entire Kavanaugh clan’s presence this fine morning?”
“Sydney has a checkup scheduled,” Lance answered.
Samantha added with a wink, “I have some paperwork to get done so we can get your mate home and awake. By the way, just a head’s up, Kyndel is cooking up a feast. Rayne is rearranging search schedules to keep as many of you guys at the lair as he can until Kyra knows what we are dealing with and well…you’ve talked to everyone else.”
Once again Devon was filled with an incredible sense of gratitude. “Thank you all so much,” he said as the doors of the elevator opened and they all stepped in.
Their group exited the elevator as soon as it stopped on their floor and headed down the hall. Sam stopped at the nurse’s station, while Devon, Lance, and Sydney continued on their course. Once inside his mate’s room, he took up his usual spot at her bedside, but this time with Sydney on his lap. When he reached for her hand, Sydney mimicked his movements and laid her smaller hand atop their joined ones.
“She’s sleeping,” Sydney said in a tiny voice, staring at his mate’s face.
Devon leaned forward until his head was next to the child’s and looked between the beautiful woman and the sweet little girl. “How can you tell, Syd?” Devon asked.
“I can feel it…here,” she answered and placed her hand over Devon’s heart.
His curiosity got the best of him and he had to ask, “What does it feel like?”
Sydney tilted her head to the side and squinted her eyes while she was thinking. A moment later she said, “When she’s sleeping, I feel floaty, like when I jump on the trampoline at Jay’s house.”
He had so many more questions but didn’t want to make Sydney uncomfortable, even though he doubted that was possible. The child was remarkable and until her parents knew the extent of her special abilities, they had all agreed not to draw any more attention than was absolutely necessary. Devon answered the only way he could think it, “That’s really cool, Syd. Thanks for the help.”
The little girl nodded and returned her hand to his and his mate’s, apparently content to just sit with him. Her father, however, was another story. Lance was pacing back and forth and sighing at least once every pass. Devon turned his head and watched a few trips before asking, “What’s up, bud?”
Lance stopped and looked out the window, arms crossed, legs shoulder width apart, and blew out a long, slow breath. He answered without turning around, “Nothing…everything…oh screw it. Nothing I can’t handle.” He spun around and speared Devon with a look that said he was done, but then added, “And let it go until you have your world straight and then we’ll go grab a beer or twelve and solve all the problems of the world. Deal?”
His brethren obviously needed to talk, but not in front of Sydney and Devon respected that. He also knew that Sydney was getting better at listening into their mind speak unless it was the link between mates, so he understood why their normal form of communication wouldn’t work. With no other options, he nodded his agreement but added out loud, “Ya’ know I’ll hold you to that beer and the talk.”
Lance half-heartedly chuckled and nodded, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know…you’re a dog with a bone.”
“Daddy, you’re so silly,” Sydney laughed and jumped down, running to her dad.
Devon smiled as he watched Lance ruffle his daughter’s hair and listened to Sydney’s resulting laughter, thinking how much his brother had grown since meeting the two women in his life. The alarm on Lance’s phone rang reminding him of Sydney’s appointment. The two said their goodbyes and once again, Devon found himself alone with his mate.
Needing to make sure Aaron had not gotten sidetracked, he called to him, “Hey bud, how long till you get here?”
“Pulling into the parking lot. Impatient much?” Aaron answered, and Devon could hear the grin through their link.
“Actually, I am,” Devon laughed. “See ya in a minute.”
He shut down their connection and grabbed the overnight bag he had been keeping in the closet. Ten minutes later he was shaved, had on a fresh shirt, and was ready to get the show on the road. He’d just decided to go check on Sam’s progress when she and her friend, Charlie, entered the room, greeting him in unison. Sam continued, “We have the paperwork you need and also…” She pulled a bag from the hospital gift shop out from under her arm and handed it to him. “A pair of scrubs for her to wear home. Is Aaron here, yet?”
“You called, doctor dear?” came from the hall, and within seconds Aaron was standing in the doorway, a fresh cup of coffee in hand. A look of surprise flashed across his face before he schooled his features and walked to the far side of the room, speaking as he went. “Are we ready to get the hell outta dodge, Bro?”
Aaron had made kind of a wide berth around the doctors and Devon wondered about his strange behavior, but could only focus on getting his girl home. Devon grinned, “Yep. Sam and Charlie just got here with her paperwork. How about you and I go out in the hall and sign it while the ladies change my girl’s clothes?”
“Deal”
Ten excruciating minutes later, Sam called to them that they were ready to go. He and Aaron worked perfectly together, just as they had hundreds of times, to get his mate transferred to a gurney and into the elevator. Charlie had insisted they get an orderly, but the men had it done before she could complete the call.
As soon as his mate was loaded into the back of his SUV and he was buckled into the driver’s seat, Devon breathed a sigh of relief and headed out of the parking lot. A few of the pieces of the puzzle that were his chaotic life fell into place as he turned onto the road leading to their lair with Aaron following closely behind.
He called his mother and let her know they were on their way and then called to Royce through the connection of their Force, “Hey Royce, we’re headed your way.”
“Congrats, Bro. I’ll let Kyra know and we’ll meet you at your mom�
�s.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Anytime, Brother.” And they both cut their connection.
The rest of the trip was without incident and he spent the time telling his mate anything and everything he could think of concerning his clan, his brethren, and their lair. He knew he was repeating things he had already shared and wondered for about the hundredth time if she really could hear what he was saying, or if she would remember.
He entered the lair and maneuvered the narrow streets that led to Siobhan’s house. His mother was waiting on her front porch as he pulled his SUV into the driveway while Aaron parked Devon’s Harley on the street. Before he was out of the truck, Royce and Kyra appeared from behind the house carrying two large duffle bags, with what he guessed were the witch’s supplies. Rayne, Kyndel, and their son, Jay, could be seen making their way down the sidewalk. Aidan and Grace were missing from the ‘family reunion’, but he knew Grace was at work and was sure her mate was at her side, which only left Lance, Sam, and Sydney, who he had just left at the hospital.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Devon motioned for Aaron to help get his mate out of the SUV and into his mother’s home. They were joined by his Commander and Royce, and together the four well-trained warriors made quick work of her transfer. Siobhan directed them to the room that had been his when he was younger, but had been remodeled several times over with the passing years. He wasn’t at all surprised to see she had it completely ready for his mate and any situation that may arise with her recovery. No sooner had the guys wheeled the gurney into the room than Kyra and Kyndel appeared at Siobhan’s side.
“You guys get out of here for a minute and let us girls get her settled into bed,” Kyndel said as she handed her son to his father and made a shooing motion with her hands.
The men looked at one another, shrugged, and then turned and left. Down in the kitchen, they raided his mother’s fridge while Devon got the play-by-play of the latest soccer game he’d missed. He continued to keep one eye on the clock and one ear on the bedroom until Kyndel appeared in the doorway, giving the all clear. Devon practically ran out of the room, wasting no time maneuvering the long halls lined with his mother’s menagerie of antiques and knickknacks to get to his mate. He burst through the half-closed door and right into the middle of Siobhan and Kyra’s conversation.