by Katie Reus
Moving quickly, she straddled Finn, letting her knees fall on either side of his hips. “If something happens to me, I give you permission to go into the afterlife and pull me back,” she said, even if that was ridiculous. Probably.
Growling low in his throat, he crushed her body to his, teasing her mouth open with his tongue, taking and demanding everything. Just as he always did.
Her entire body lit on fire. Just as it always did.
For the moment nothing existed but Finn—the two of them. And the wild heat they always created together.
* * *
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Bran muttered as they snuck in the back door of Keelin’s parents’ house. “Two grown dragons.”
“Well if you want any sexy times later, no more complaining.” His petite mate lifted up on her toes and tugged his face down to hers. Her long, blonde hair was in some complicated set of braids tonight that wrapped around into a tight knot at her nape. All he wanted to do was tug her hair free and run his fingers through the tresses as he possessed her mouth. Then her. Over and over.
Keelin’s kiss scorched him straight to his cock. Like always. So yeah, he felt ridiculous sneaking into her parents’ house and delivering presents, but the truth was he would do anything for her. The female had stolen his heart so many years ago and he didn’t want it back. She owned him, body and soul.
Which was why he was wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and they were delivering presents to most of Keelin’s former clanmates.
She’d given up her clan to become a part of his, so yeah, he could quit complaining. He hefted the big red and green bag of presents onto his back as they slipped inside the back door.
“I just don’t understand why we have to sneak in.” Because sneaking into Arya and Dragos’s house seemed like taking your life into your own hands. No one kept their doors locked in dragon territory. It was virtually impossible for humans to sneak into their compound because of their security, and pretty much no one would be stupid enough to steal from one of them.
Or break into a house. Even to deliver gifts.
“It’s more fun this way. And I’ll wear that naughty elf costume later if you’re good.”
He straightened. Okay, then. It was time to deliver these damn presents.
The house was huge, as most dragon homes were. But it didn’t take long to make their way to one of the front living rooms. The twelve-foot-high Christmas tree was decorated in silver and greens, the lights twinkling in tune to music playing from somewhere. And they’d used a real tree, if the rich scent was anything to go by.
He set the bag down and immediately opened it, pulling out a handful of silver-wrapped boxes.
“My mom is going to be so surprised—” She frowned as they both heard a soft thump from upstairs. “I thought they were visiting with Aunt Alma right now,” she murmured.
“Set all the gifts up, I’ll check.” Bran strode from the room and quietly jogged up a few steps. But he froze halfway up the stairs when he heard very distinctive noises. Oh, it was definitely time to get out of there.
Grinning to himself, he hurried back down the stairs and grabbed Keelin’s hand.
“What are you doing?”
He held a finger to her mouth, and picked up the half-full bag. “Did you leave everything?” he whispered.
She nodded, frowning, but didn’t say anything else as he took her hand in his.
Heading back the way they’d come, they moved quickly and quietly until they were on the back patio. But he held a finger to his lips, motioning next door. It was their next stop anyway and he knew for a fact that house was empty right now. The owners were celebrating Christmas Eve with their kids a couple blocks over.
“What’s going on?” Keelin asked as they reached the back door.
“I very distinctly heard two people having sex upstairs. And one guess who it was.”
She scrunched her nose. “Gah. Those two have been mated for thousands of years.”
He let his hands slide down Keelin’s hips as he pulled her close, letting her feel his reaction to her. “I hope when we’ve been mated that long, we’re the same way.”
Even under the moonlight he could see her cheeks flush pink with pleasure. “Me too,” she said, smiling. “Let’s finish this so we can get down to business too.”
Hell yeah, that sounded like a plan. And he was definitely going to let her wear that elf costume.
Chapter 13
“I had fun tonight, but I always miss her,” Nyx whispered as both she and Bo looked down at their sleeping little six-month-old baby girl, Thea. They knew better than to wake her up.
She would be cranky with a capital C. Sweet girl liked her sleep. Which is what she seemed to do most of the time.
Bo simply nodded and held a finger to his lips.
He was so overprotective of their baby, not that she blamed him. Tonight, at the bar, he’d been checking in on one of their home security cameras to make sure she was okay. He’d installed a ridiculous amount of them all over the house and increased the warding spells around their property as well.
Instead of staying in Montana, Nyx had just used her transportation ability to transport Bo and herself back to Biloxi tonight.
They’d decided that it was safer for their daughter to stay at their house with a sitter, where they trusted the wards and spells and knew who was watching her. Not that she didn’t trust the dragons—she absolutely did. But it was also Christmastime and she wanted her daughter to wake up in a familiar place.
Thea was so young and probably wouldn’t remember regardless, but Nyx didn’t care. She’d had a dysfunctional childhood and she wanted to make sure that their daughter had stability and love more than anything. Part of that was Christmas morning in her own home. They’d even put up a little tree in Thea’s room and decorated it with ornament gifts from Bo’s brothers, sister and Stavros pack members.
“Solon said she was a perfect angel tonight,” Bo said as he shut Thea’s bedroom door behind them.
“He would say that even if she screamed her head off all night,” Nyx said, rolling her eyes, even if she did adore the mischievous wolf shifter. Solon had watched Thea a few times and had done so well with her. He’d left as soon as they’d returned tonight, practically running out the door because he still had to wrap a bunch of presents for some of his packmates. Talk about cutting it close.
“True enough. He would also defend her with his life, so I’m okay with it.” Bo slipped his fingers into hers as they headed down the stairs. They would head back up to Montana tomorrow for an hour or so with Thea to check in with everyone and wish them a Merry Christmas—and exchange presents with Bo’s siblings—but she was glad they’d be sleeping in their own bed tonight. Because Nyx needed normalcy in her life too. Life with Bo certainly wasn’t boring, but she’d discovered that she needed roots and some routine.
“So, who is this vampire that Cynara was dating? Because I can’t believe she didn’t tell me she was seeing someone.” Nyx was a little hurt by the knowledge even though she knew it wasn’t about her. But she and Cynara had grown really close the last couple years.
Bo snorted softly as they reached the kitchen. “She probably didn’t tell you because she knew you would tell me,” he said, pulling two glasses from the cabinet. “Water or tea?”
“She told Javier… Oh, water.” He knew her too well. After having a few drinks, she needed hydration.
“Pretty sure my brother was eavesdropping.”
“Still, I’m going to get details out of her later.”
“Please don’t share those details with me.” Bo’s voice was dry.
She snickered. “I saw the princess house earlier and forgot to tell you. It looks amazing,” Nyx said as he poured her drink. Her mate amazed her more and more every day. And since he’d become a father, he was even more adorable. Her badass half-demon mate had turned into a big softie where Thea was concerned.
Bo beamed with fatherl
y pride. “It should look amazing. I put it together by hand instead of using my powers.”
“Why?” she asked, surprised. He’d been all secretive about putting together the princess house for Thea—even if their daughter wouldn’t be able to play with it for a while yet.
He lifted a shoulder as he leaned in close to her, brushing his lips over hers. “I just wanted to do it by myself. I haven’t celebrated Christmas in so long. But my mom always made it special. I want Thea’s first Christmas to be incredible.”
Bo had loved his human mother, and though Nyx had never met her, the female had given him the best childhood. She’d given him all the love in the world. “Well our girl is going to love it even if she can’t walk yet,” she said. “She’ll just be happy to be with us and all her aunts and uncles.”
He nodded once before his gaze narrowed ever so slightly. “Are you about done with that water yet?” he asked even though she hadn’t touched it. His amber-gold eyes were bright with hunger, sending heat sizzling through her.
“Maybe,” she murmured, taking a long, slow sip, knowing exactly what he wanted. She wanted it too, but it was fun to tease her mate, after all.
But he was having none of that tonight. Grasping the glass from her hands, he shoved it to the side before hoisting her up onto the countertop with a soft growl.
Heat punched through her even as she spread her legs, wrapping them around his waist. Looked like she was going to get her Christmas present early.
Chapter 14
Cynara handed a small gold and red sparkly wrapped box to her brother Javier—who had on flannel pajama pants with little reindeer all over them. A gift from Nyx. “Merry Christmas, jackass,” she said, half-smiling. She was only a little annoyed with him for narcing her out last night.
“Jackass?”
“Yep. Why’d you narc me out to our brothers?”
“Pretty sure it’s part of the big brother code,” he said. “And I waited a while to tell them.”
“I’m older than you, by like a lot.” Not that anyone could tell, considering supernaturals aged differently than humans. She was in her eighties while he was barely over thirty, but they looked to be the same age. He’d dealt with his fair share of shit in Afghanistan though. Not to mention he’d been trapped in a shitty Hell realm and could take care of himself, but still, he was her baby brother.
“Doesn’t matter. There’s definitely a codebook and it’s one of the rules.”
Rolling her eyes, she laughed. “Whatever. I already texted my ex and told him that you guys were going to show up for the next fight to ambush him.” She didn’t wish her ex any ill will. If anything, she wished… Nope, not going there. She was a half-demon. She wasn’t getting her happily ever after or some ridiculous Christmas wish that came true. That wasn’t how the world worked. Not for her anyway.
He lifted an eyebrow.
“Did you forget that I have supernatural hearing?” she asked, insinuating that she’d overheard them at the bar last night. The truth was Fiona had told her because she actually hadn’t heard them talking. But she wasn’t going to let Javier know that.
“So he decided to bail on the fight,” Javier muttered. “He’s not good enough for you, after all.”
Cynara’s cheeks flushed red. “Ah, no. He said he would gladly take all of you on. At once. He said he hadn’t had a true challenge in a while. The whole thing is ridiculous considering we’re not together anymore.” She’d just been trying to give him a head’s up so he wouldn’t get demolished by her brothers. “I don’t know what Justus is trying to prove.”
Javier stilled with the present in his lap. “That’s impressive. So, tell me the truth. Why did you end things with him? It’s clear you’re still into him.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she muttered.
He lifted a shoulder and started opening the present. “I understand. It’s okay,” he said. “But you know I’m always here for you.”
“I do know that. But talking about my love life with my baby brother? I’m good.” She smiled as he shook his head and laughed.
And holy balls, he took his sweet time opening the present.
“Come on, slowpoke!” she finally snapped.
He simply grinned and moved even slower, barely pulling the tape up. Gah, brothers.
In the silence, she broke and decided to tell him a little more. She needed to talk to someone. Normally it would be Nyx, but Cynara had been worried she’d tell Bo everything. And Bo was probably the worst out of her brothers as far as protectiveness went. “Okay fine, Justus is from this royal bloodline. He’s all ancient. He used to be a Roman…captain or something. And I’m a half-demon, half-vamp who bartends. I know a relationship would never work out with us.”
Javier set the mostly unwrapped box on the countertop, his amber eyes flaring wild and dangerous. “He made you feel bad about your lineage?”
“No! The opposite. He…doesn’t even care.”
“Oh. So, what, you think you’re not good enough for him?” Javier stared at her as if she’d grown another head.
“I don’t know what I feel.” And that was the problem. They hadn’t even been together very long and Justus acted as if they were fated mates. But she knew that wasn’t true.
“Well, he’s lucky to have you. Hell, that’s if he’s even worthy. The guys and I will find that out later.”
“What are we talking about?” Ian said, stumbling into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. His hair was wild and he looked half awake. With the exception of Nyx and Bo, the rest of them had all decided to bunk in one of the huge dragon homes last night here in Montana and do Christmas morning as a family. Nyx, Bo and the baby should be here within the hour. “Hey, are we starting presents early?” Ian asked, when neither of them answered.
Cynara shook her head. “No. I just gave this to Javier first.”
“You gave him more presents than us?” Ian asked, frowning as he went for the coffee maker.
“Oh, sweet flying vampires, no! I forgot what babies you guys can be. You each get an equal amount of presents from me.”
“She’s lying,” Javier said, smirking. “Don’t feel bad. I’m just more lovable than you.”
Ian glared at him as he inhaled his freshly poured coffee. “It’s too early to spar with you but we’ll decide who the favorite brother is after coffee. And breakfast. Man, I’m fucking starving.”
“I wonder why,” Javier muttered, raising an eyebrow. “Ya’ll were up pretty late last night.”
“You guys heard us?” Ian grumbled.
“The house is insulated but it’s not soundproof.” Cynara’s voice was dry.
Ian just grumbled under his breath before he said, “So who is your favorite brother? Really?”
“There literally is no favorite,” Cynara said even as she laughed at them. For so long it had just been her and Bo, but when she’d discovered she had three more brothers, it had been the best present in the world. It had made her life a hell of a lot less lonely to have those ties keeping her grounded. Even if their father had been an actual demon king monster who they’d all killed together, she was so damn glad to have her existing family.
She didn’t need some aristocratic vampire in her life. Some male who wanted to take care of her. The concept was ridiculous. So she shelved that thought and listened to her brothers banter back and forth. This was definitely one of the best Christmases she had ever had.
Chapter 15
Victoria was snuggled up on her couch, holding Phoenix close as she watched her clanmates move in and out of the living room. The giant Christmas tree in the corner sparkled and glittered with lights and tinsel one of the visiting younger relatives had tossed onto it. It only covered the bottom half of the tree so it looked silly and adorable at the same time. And there were so many presents for Phoenix that they weren’t going to try opening them until after everyone had left. It was basically like they’d had another baby shower.
Everyone was just excit
ed that another baby had been added to the clan. There weren’t that many children in the clan but she knew that was going to change soon. It was like baby fever had struck or something. In reality she knew this happened every few generations with shifters. It was like feast or famine. Then they’d all grow up and it would be a long time before kids were around again.
Drake was next to her, not leaving her or Phoenix’s side anytime soon. In fact, he let out a soft growl when Dagen, one of their clanmates, approached with a small bag in hand.
She nudged Drake gently. Males could be so ridiculous sometimes.
“What’s up?” she asked, nodding at the small brown bag.
“It’s a gift for you. Well, sort of.”
Now Drake really growled, his dragon lurking just under the surface.
Laughing, Dagen set the bag down in between them, then stepped back. “It’s your winnings from the baby bet.”
As what he said registered, Victoria threw her head back and laughed. She’d totally forgotten that she’d placed a bet on herself, determined that if she was going to be pregnant for a bazillion years, she was at least going to make some winnings off of it.
“I actually won?”
“You and a couple others. I was going to split the pot three ways, but the other winners said you deserved it all since you’d been pregnant for so long.” He looked down at their baby and his expression went all soft. “He really is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“You are correct,” Drake said. “Now back away from my mate and baby.”
Dagen didn’t act as if Drake’s behavior was insane. Instead he nodded and did as ordered. “Congratulations again, you two.”
It was true, shifters could be exceptionally territorial but especially when a new baby was involved. She didn’t mind Drake’s overprotectiveness one bit and she was glad Dagen respected it. Not that she expected anything less. He was a good male.
“I can’t believe you placed a bet on his birth,” Drake murmured for her ears alone.