by Macy Blake
Nothing happened. No sparkle. No flash. No bang. No nothing.
“Oh come on! What’s the point in having a super powerful staff thing— oh my goddess, and a cape. Do I get a cape too?”
The ground rumbled again.
“Weird. Oh… Hmm. Maybe. Take me to Draco, please?”
He tapped the ground once more and vanished.
Epilogue
Sawyer
Sawyer rolled over. Cool wind brushed over his back sending a shiver up his spine. Was that a draft? That never, ever happened. He always had a large, warm, Draco-sized lump at his back. Always. Nothing cool there. Ever.
“Draco?”
Silence.
Maybe he’d gone for a snack. He’d been a bit off lately, but not in a bad way. Sawyer had put it down to him resuming his YouTube career. Once everything with them had settled back to something resembling normal, Draco had taken over his old house and started reviewing technology again. Sawyer couldn’t be happier to see that grumpy frown back on the internet once more.
Climbing carefully from their bed to avoid waking up the rest of his mates, Sawyer snagged one of the robes from the back of the door and made his way to the kitchen. He fully expected to find Draco with a plate full of something spectacular. Viv often left them tasty treats for evening snacks. She assured them that sexy times required post game snacks. Or something. Sawyer preferred not to think about the way she leered at them when she said things like that.
But Draco wasn’t in the kitchen. Sawyer stuck his head out the back door and waved down one of the vampire guards. “Have you seen Draco?”
“Down at the studio,” the guard replied.
Sawyer blinked and glanced at the clock in the kitchen. Draco needed to go to the studio at three in the morning? Something was definitely going on.
“I’m going down there,” Sawyer said. “Please let my mates know where I am if they wake up.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sawyer stumbled down the hill in his robe, shivering as the draft reached his unmentionables. One would think that being god-lite meant he could keep his bits from being cold. Apparently, his powers didn’t work that way. He still had some residual power inside him, enough to help him keep up with his mates yet not so much that he didn’t still require the dreaded smoothies. Basically, he didn’t have enough to be full-powered. Sawyer had a sneaking suspicion that his Mother had meddled one final time. He didn’t question it, though. It meant he didn’t have to worry about his human body giving out on him. He had a long time to look forward to the life he was building with his mates. Even if he did have to find a new butler. Cecil had recovered from his injuries, but Sawyer had fired him. Cecil wouldn’t go live the life he needed with his mate as long as Sawyer needed him. And Sawyer would always need Cecil. But Cecil needed to move on, so Sawyer made him go.
Down at the house, shivering from the breeze, Sawyer opened the door quietly, fully expecting to find Draco in the studio, fighting with whatever new release had annoyed him so much he needed to rant about it at three in the morning. He wasn’t expecting to find the living room full of boxes.
“What the hell?”
“Sawyer?”
He heard a sleepy sounding Draco’s voice from what used to be his storage room. Draco received so many boxes in PR that he had to find a place to stick it all until he got around to it. Those boxes were now in piles in the living room. Draco hated piles of boxes in his living room. Sawyer stomped down the hall to the spare room and found Draco curled up on a pile of blankets and pillows in the corner of the now-empty-of-boxes room.
“What the hell?”
“It’s not what it looks like,” Draco said softly.
“It looks like you’re sleeping down here instead of in bed beside me.”
Draco looked away guiltily.
“Draco?”
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
Draco sounded timid. Another item on the list of things that didn’t happen.
Sawyer moved closer and sank to his knees, his heart in his throat. “Tell me.”
“It… I never told you. I just…it happened so fast. I wanted to talk to you first. Explain. Make sure you were okay. But I’m so happy and you’re all so powerful and the combination… I’m sorry.”
Sawyer reached for his hand and held it tight. “Tell me, love.”
Instead of answering, Draco moved one of the blankets and revealed…
Sawyer gulped. “Is that…” He swallowed again, unable to take his eyes from the— “Is that?”
“Yes,” Draco said proudly.
“Eggs?”
Three of them, as black as Draco in his dragon form with iridescent scales Sawyer knew would shimmer in the light.
“Yes,” Draco replied.
“How? What? How? Who? What?”
Draco chuckled and tugged Sawyer closer. “How do you think dragons procreate?”
“The old-fashioned way.”
Draco scoffed. “How do you think I have my dad’s coloring but my other dad’s temperament? My mom’s attitude?”
“I don’t know. Nurture versus nature or whatever. They raised you so…”
“No, love. A dragon is able to provide his mates with children that have pieces of all of them.”
Sawyer blinked, staring at the bundles on the blanket. He touched one gently, feeling the gentle thrum of energy it contained. “All of us?”
“Yeah.”
“Whoa. That’s…even better. I thought… I don’t know, I thought maybe one day we’d get a surrogate or something, but then I didn’t want to do that because it would only be one of ours, even though it would be all of ours and… it wasn’t right, you know? So I put the idea aside and didn’t really think about it again. But it made me sad, because you’re all so amazing, and I wanted there to be more of you in the world and… really?”
Draco grinned and pulled him closer. “Really. Although three of them at once is… not normal. Twins happen occasionally but three is rare.”
“Are you really surprised, considering everything that’s happened?”
Draco thought about it for a second, and then smiled, his real, true, eyes sparking and teeth shining smile. The one Sawyer cherished above all things. “No.”
“I’ve got to go get the others. Stay here. Don’t move. Oh my goddess, we’re going to need a bigger house. And more guards. And more security. Three of them? Holy goddess in the sky this is so amazing.”
Sawyer leapt to his feet then dropped immediately back to his knees. He grabbed Draco’s face and kissed him deeply. When he pulled back, Draco grinned at him dopily.
“I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“Be right back.”
Draco nodded.
Sawyer ran back up the hill like his ass was on fire. He tore upstairs and flung open the bedroom door. Andvari sat up, followed quickly by Loch. They both looked ready to attack.
“Wake up.”
“What’s wrong? Are we under attack?”
“No. Good stuff. So good. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.”
Pearl bounded up to him, excited by his tone. She’d taken to sleeping on the giant orthopedic pillow in the corner of the room. Probably something to do with all the legs in the bed and the amount of jostling which happened in some combination every night.
He patted her head and beamed.
All of his mates stumbled out of bed, bleary-eyed and confused. Sawyer tossed pajama pants and robes their way, still not willing to let anyone else see his mates’ nether regions. Retired god or not, he had human foibles. Sue him.
Pip ended up hopping onto Dakota’s back for a ride. Henry gave Saeward a pouty look and ended up in a similar position on Saeward’s back. Sawyer bounced around happily and led them all down the hill to Draco’s old house.
Draco hadn’t moved. He had covered up the eggs, though. Overprotective!Dad!Dragon mode, engaged! Sawyer cackled gleefully and bounced over to him. He kissed Draco ag
ain for good measure before spinning to face their mates.
“Sawyer?” Eduard groaned, leaning against Andvari. “If this is some weird kinky sex thing, I’m going to… well, I’ll totally be into it, but I’ll be cranky and sleep-deprived later. Is that what you want?”
“Loves of my life, you better prepare to be cranky and sleep-deprived for a really long time. Draco has a big surprise for us. Even though he’s nervous, I know you’re all going to be as excited as I am.”
“Draco?” Henry climbed off Saeward’s back, finally awake enough to notice the anxiety rolling off of their dragon. “What’s wrong?”
Draco sucked in a breath and moved the blankets aside once more.
“We’re gonna be daddies.”
His mates’ expressions all went from shocked to amazed to thrilled in a matter of seconds. There couldn’t be a truer expression of the miracle they’d performed healing the magic in their world. Supernatural beings around their realm were finding their true mates in record form. And now, with Drew at the helm of fertility magic, all creatures would be able to have children of their own if they chose.
Sawyer would never forget the moment when Sam, Henry’s human father, woke up one day and completely felt the magic of the mating bond he’d had for so many years with Vaughn. Others had had similar experiences. And pregnancies were being reported by the droves. Dozens of them. The Jerrick’s clinic was booked solid, and Ben had increased his class load so he could graduate early and take his place as another doctor in the clinic.
“We’re gonna be daddies,” Henry gasped, echoing Sawyer’s words. “How are… you made… where did they come from exactly? And, um, does it hurt? Do you need a doctor? I mean, they’re a little big and if there is—“
“Henry, they are formed magically. I didn’t give birth. Please stop whatever your imagination is spinning right now before I’m scarred for life.” Draco groused, but one look at him showed he wasn’t really upset. He had all of his mates around him, thrilled for the gift he’d managed to give them.
“Oh, thank the goddess. I mean, I know how chickens lay eggs and for a minute there—”
“Stop. Please.”
“Yeah, okay,” Henry said. He scooted closer and laid his hand across one of the shells. His eyes lit up, and he looked to them all in wonder. “They’re so strong. I can feel their magic. Draco, they’re part of all of us! I can feel us all, mingled together and… oh my goddess.”
“All of us?” Saeward whispered, hope in his expression.
“All of us,” Draco confirmed. “That is how dragon magic works.”
“Even me?” Dakota asked.
“It only works when the dragon is content with all of his mates, and when all of his mates are content with him.”
The stare between them went on for a long moment, until finally Dakota fell to his knees and touched the eggs in awe. He raised his other hand to Draco’s cheek. “I truly am content.”
Draco grinned. “I know.”
The grin didn’t hide the extent of Draco’s emotions. Sawyer could see through them to the core of him and knew how important it was for Draco to know without a shadow of a doubt that all of his mates were happy.
“That’s why dragons were still able to have kids when no one else could,” Henry murmured. “I always wondered why dragons were different.”
“We need more security,” Andvari grumbled as he sank to his knees beside Draco. Then he grabbed him and kissed him. “You’re incredible. Thank you for this precious gift.”
Draco actually blushed a little. Each of their mates took turns gushing over him, and then they surrounded the little black eggs. Sawyer wrapped his arms around as many of them as he could reach, and they all huddled together around the small miracles they’d created with the power of their love.
“We’re going to need a bigger house,” Eduard said suddenly. “How much time do I have? And we can’t have them hidden away in the corner down here, Draco. It’s not acceptable. We need a nursery. And a bigger house. A much bigger house.”
Draco grinned and looked at Sawyer. “We can take them to the house. We’ll keep them with us, for now.”
“Yes,” Sawyer said, his smile so wide his cheeks hurt. “Let’s bring them home.”
Sweet Spot
A Paranormal Sugar Daddy Novella
Copyright © 2020 by Macy Blake
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Augustus
When a goddess recommended heading to the mountains for “what you needed”, the best thing to do, in Augustus’s opinion, was to head to the mountains. Goddesses were well-known for their vaguery, but rarely did the ones in his circle lead him astray.
“Sir, we’re approaching Rantoul Ridge.”
“Thank you, Maxine,” Augustus said to his driver. “Will you handle checking me in?”
“Of course, sir. I’ll message you once we have your accommodations set up.”
When Gamayun suggested Augustus make this voyage, one place immediately came to mind. He hadn’t visited Rantoul Ridge since his wife passed many years ago. It had been one of their favorite places to escape for a weekend. Being run by a goblin family made it extremely luxurious, albeit rustic, and even though it was frequented by humans, their kind had always found safe passage at the lodge as well.
The car pulled to a stop in front of the large wooden resort. The exterior hadn’t changed at all. Memories flooded in even as Nathan, Maxine’s son and apprentice, leapt from the car to open his door. Augustus met Maxine’s eyes in the rearview mirror and smiled. She returned it.
“I hope you find what you seek, sir. We’ll be here if you need us.”
“Thank you.”
Augustus climbed from the car and briefly nodded his thanks to Nathan before heading away from the entrance and around the side of the building. He hoped their spot still existed. Even though it had been many years, moments of grief over his wife’s death still crept up on him sometimes.
Tall evergreens surrounded the path on every side. Pine needles crunched beneath his feet. Augustus breathed in the once-familiar scent as he made his way along the trail until the trees opened up on the familiar vista. A large wooden gazebo sat perched on the edge of an overlook. The deep blue waters of the lake sparkled in the afternoon sunlight, providing the perfect backdrop. But instead of the quiet, contemplative spot Augustus had hoped to find, a young man stomped back and forth along the edge over the ridge and bedraggled luggage sat in the center of the gazebo.
“You promised me, Brad. I’m here. What the fuck?”
A moment passed, and Augustus should have taken it to discreetly make his way back down the path. But he couldn’t look away. He found himself captivated by the vision in front of him. Tight jeans and a tighter T-shirt covered his slim, toned body. His skin smooth and creamy, and golden blond curls atop his head that blew in the breeze.
“You changed your mind? You CHANGED YOUR MIND?”
The shriek drew a wince from Augustus. Poor guy was clearly having a really bad day, and the frown on his face was the only thing marring his perfection.
“What am I supposed to do now, you son of a bitch? You cancelled the room. You know I don’t have mommy’s credit card like you do. What am I supposed to do? You said you’d take care of everything! All I had to do was get here.” Another pause, but apparently whatever Brad had to say only made things worse. “You are such an asshole! Fine, I’ll figure it out myself. Lose my number.”
The blond vision in front of him ran his fingers through messy curls before letting out a scream of outrage. “BOYS SUCK!”
Augustus couldn’t help it. He laughed.
The delightful, if furious, vision in front of him spun around and flung his fists up in a defensive stance.
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry. I’m… borrowing it for a bit. You can… sit. Or whatever. I’ll… go.”
“No need to leave,” Augustus said, taking a few steps closer.
“Well, that’s actually good. Because I have nowhere to go apparently. Because I’m an idiot.”
“Hmm. Sounds like you trusted the wrong person.”
“Story of my life.”
Augustus moved closer, some magnetic force drawing him in, even when his head told him he had other business to attend to. “Perhaps I could be of assistance?”
“What? Oh, no. It’s fine. I’ll figure it out. Thank you, though.”
He should have taken the hint, but the small, sad smile had him moving closer still, close enough that he could reach out and touch the smooth peaches-and-cream complexion in front of him. What about this young man captivated him so?
“My name is Augustus.”
Adorable brown eyes flecked with amber looked up to meet his. “Augustus. That’s a great name. Powerful. Strong. I bet it means something good, too.”
“Venerable,” Augustus replied.
“What?”
“That’s what my name means. My w-wife—“ Augustus paused as he tripped over the word. He cleared his throat and tried again. “My wife used to tease me about it.”
“Venerable. I mean, it’s awfully close to venereal. No offense.”
Augustus laughed, a booming sound that startled him. He reached out and laid his hand on the young man’s shoulder once he’d regained control. “Thank you. I needed a new memory to brighten my day and you have given me one. But won’t you also give me your name?”
“Oh. Right. I’m rude. I mean, not my name. My name is Jamie, not rude. Clearly. Rude would be a horrible name. God. You’re kinda… well venerable is actually a really good word for you.”