I miss you too, you sexy blackbird. And I miss that package between your thighs. Any chance you'll be giving it to me this Christmas?
Fuck me, was she serious?
Gabriel:
I thought you were spending Christmas with your mate…
Elise:
He's happy for me to visit whoever I want. And I really want to visit you. I'm a naughty Santa and I need a sleigh to ride...
I grinned as my dick swelled despite her fucking ridiculous euphemism. And I was really tempted to play along even though I definitely shouldn't have been thinking about Elise right now. Especially not imagining her sliding onto my dick and defying every star in the sky as she fucked me. I’d spoken to Bill for hours over the Solstice about what he thought I should do about her. I’d kept people out of my life for so long that allowing someone in now felt like such a big risk to take. But he’d taken the stance that if someone was looking for me, he’d have caught wind of it in the underworld of the city. He had connections everywhere and if anyone was asking after someone of my description he’d get tipped off long before they got close to me.
Besides that, Elise was dating the most powerful assholes in Alestria, so they were a pretty big deterrent if anyone wanted to get to her. And I was sure between Ryder Draconis, Dante Oscura and Leon Night, anyone threatening her would end up buried deep in the woods somewhere before they could so much as put a finger on her. Amongst all of that, I come to start thinking that maybe it meant I could give in to this desperate desire I had for Elise. That I was allowed to give in to it. Old habits died hard, but I tapped out my next message before I could cock block myself.
Gabriel:
Why don't you come here and I'll rope your reindeer or whatever the fuck you want?
Elise:
What's the address again, big boy?
I sent it fast and pushed my hand into my pants, fisting my dick as I tried not to feel bad about this decision. I should have been resisting her for Leon’s sake too, allowing her to strengthen her mate bond with him, but fuck, both of them seemed to be up for Elise seeing other people so why was I torturing myself? I could have her and she could have me. It didn't have to be forever even if I wanted that with all my heart. But I didn't need to deny myself of her in the meantime. It might be harder to let her go in future, but for now...fuck it.
A knock came at the door and my brows jumped up. I guessed being friends with Dante Oscura had its perks when it came to stardust.
I hurried to check my reflection in the mirror, brushing chip crumbs off my bare chest and checking my teeth for cheese-it dust before heading to the door and yanking it open.
Leon stood there with a taunting smirk on his face and Elise's Atlas in his hand. "Hey jingle balls, I'm here to suck on your North Pole."
"You fucking-" I started but he stepped forward, kicked the door shut and tossed a handful of stardust over our heads.
I shouted out as I was yanked into the ether, tumbling through the stars as rage gnawed at my insides. That fucking Lion!
My feet hit a hard wooden floor and Dante's voice reached me, shouting, "Shift and get help, Gabriel!"
Before I could comprehend those words, a sharp pinch in my neck made me swing around, finding Leon with a syringe in his hand. I punched him in the jaw and he stumbled back, crashing to his ass with a laugh. My Harpy was pushed down deep inside me and I growled as I tried to claw it back up to the surface and shift. I took in the cabin I was now in, finding Ryder and Dante standing there in shock.
"What the fuck did you do to me?" I growled as Leon got up just as Ryder collided with him, locking his hand around his throat.
"Give me the fucking stardust, Simba." He patted him down roughly as Leon laughed. Ryder tugged the pouch from his pocket and shoved Leon away as he turned it upside down over his hand. But nothing came out.
"Where the fuck are we?" I stormed away from them, knocking past Dante and yanking the curtains open. Snow stared back at me between the trees of a dark forest.
I twisted around, finding a few doors leading off this central room with a cream couch and a couple of armchairs opposite a large TV. There was a dining table to one side of the room and a kitchenette on the other.
"We're a hundred miles north of the Polar Capital," Leon announced like that was the best news ever and a snarl ripped from my throat. "And you now don't have access to your Orders thanks to Roary who stole a canister of concentrated Order Suppressant on its way to Darkmore Penitentiary. Did you know that if it's injected directly into the vein the effects can last for up to three days?" he mused. “Ryder obviously can’t be affected, but what’s he gonna do? Snake away from here into the snow and freeze solid?” He chuckled.
I was about to tackle him to the floor and punch the shit out of him, but Ryder beat me to it with a hiss of rage. “I could shift and eat you, motherfucker,” he snarled.
Leon wrestled with him as if he was having the time of his life and I looked to Dante who was frowning deeply, seeming like he was about to go full Dragon on us, except he couldn't. Fuck.
"What's this about?" Dante snapped, striding over and yanking Ryder off of Leon on the floor.
"Don't you touch me, scum," Ryder spat, throwing his palms into Dante's chest and making him stumble back a step.
Dante bared his teeth at him as he conjured a cold wind gusting through the room. Ryder created a wooden blade in his hand with a serrated edge and my gut twisted as I expected this to get really fucking out of hand.
"It's about this shit." Leon stepped between them, placing a palm on each of their chests to keep them away from each other and giving Dante a firm look to back down. "It's about making this whole situation easier on Elise."
"Pah, what situation?" Ryder spat, striding away to pace the room like a caged tiger.
I assessed my next move, pissed that for once I wasn't carrying the stardust I'd stolen from Dante. Why now?
I called on the stars for a vision to get me out of this, but they were suspiciously quiet. And why the fuck hadn’t they tried to warn me I was about to be kidnapped? Treacherous bastards.
I marched over to the door, yanking it open and snow swirled through the air along with a freezing gust of wind. A jagged cliff stood twenty feet away from the door and all there was in either direction was snow, ice and nothing.
"Are you planning on walking a hundred miles to the capital, Gabe?" Leon asked lightly and my shoulders tensed.
I looked over my shoulder at him as he smiled conspiratorially. "Why should I stay?"
"Well, reason number one: you'll die out there if you don't. Reason number two: all you have to do is pass my tests and Roary will be here in a couple of days with stardust to take you back home." Leon shrugged innocently as Ryder started slashing furniture with his blade as if that was going to make the slightest bit of difference.
Dante slid an arm over Leon's shoulders, trying to guide him towards the nearest door. "A word in private, fratello."
Leon slid out from under his arm, shaking his head. "You can't talk me out of this, brother. You have to pass the tests just like the others."
"What tests?" I asked in a deadly tone and Ryder stopped pacing as he looked to Leon for the answer and Dante raised his brows.
Leon chuckled darkly like a fucking supervillain in his lair. "Secret tests. Tests that only I can judge. Tests that will earn you Christmas back home in your sad, lonely little abodes if you pass them." He gave me and Ryder a meaningful look and I scowled.
"Well maybe some of us like being alone," Ryder snarled, looking like he was about to murder Leon. I wasn't sure I'd even hold him back.
"No one likes being alone, Scar," Leon said with a smirk. "And I'm gonna prove it."
I finally managed to get Leon to talk with me alone and we headed into a large bedroom with a king bed and a fur rug on the floor. I knew Leon could be irrational sometimes, but he'd really taken things too far now. I also knew he wouldn't respond to threats though, so I had to make him see s
ense another way.
"Leon," I said tightly as he folded his arms and gave me a look that said he was going to hear me out, but it wasn't going to change a damn thing.
"Dante," he said calmly.
"I'm sure you're doing this with the best of intentions, but you don't understand what you're asking of me."
“And what have I asked of you exactly?" he questioned lightly, walking to the closet and taking out some matching plaid red and black shirts.
"You want peace between us for Elise's sake, I get that, fratello, but you can't ask it of me and that fucking Lunar stronzo." I tried to keep my temper in check, but I was about to lose it. If I still had access to my Dragon, I'd have brought down a violent storm on this place already. "You need to let us go," I said through my teeth.
He changed into one of the shirts, then offered me one, but I scowled in refusal and he tossed it on the bed instead.
"I can't do it, Dante. I know you're angry and I hate to see you looking at me like you want to tear my fucking head off no matter how much you're trying to hide it, but this is for your own good." He walked forward and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tight while I stood there growling.
Leon walked me back towards the bed, trying to push me down onto it and he purred as he nuzzled into my cheek.
“What are you doing, stronzo?”
“Shh.” He shoved me onto the bed, starting to wrestle me like a pazzo idiota and I pushed at his shoulders to try and keep him back. But he was using all his weight.
“Vaffanculo, Leon!” I barked as he tried to hush me again, pushing me into the sheets and I stopped holding back, punching him hard in the shoulder.
He lurched off of me with a roar, rubbing his arm as I got up and frowned at him.
“Sorry, Lion instincts.” He cleared his throat, rubbing a hand over his face as he snapped out of it.
“Dalle stelle.”
He grabbed up a couple more plaid shirts and strode out of the room while I muttered about crazy Leoni.
I headed back into the lounge with my blood boiling as I tried to figure out a way out of this. Gabriel looked up hopefully from an armchair across the room and I shook my head to tell him I hadn't made any progress. His shoulders slumped as Leon perched on the arm of the couch and I stole a brief glance at Ryder who was standing in a darkened corner of the room with his back to the wall and his arms folded.
If Leon really planned on caging us here, then this was how it was going to be. I was furious at him for even thinking this would work.
"I will be at home with my family for Christmas, Leone,” I growled and Leon glanced over at me with an innocent shrug.
"You will if you pass the tests," he said simply.
Ryder suddenly launched a lamp across the room and it smashed against the wall. "This is going to end one way; with you in ten pieces, Mufasa," he snarled, brandishing a wooden blade he'd created with his magic.
"If you kill me, my brother will hardly take you anywhere once he shows up. And Dante may be angry with me, but he will also avenge my death," he said and I rolled my eyes.
"Maybe I'll risk it and kill you both," Ryder growled.
Leon yawned broadly like he gave no shits about the idea of his murder being tossed around. "This can be a lot more simple than murder. Just pass my tests."
"Tests you won't even tell us about," Gabriel muttered, leaning his elbows on his knees and his inked biceps flexed.
Leon tossed him one of the plaid shirts. "Put this on."
Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "Is this a test?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." Leon shrugged and Gabriel sighed as he put on the shirt.
"Ryder?" Leon offered him the other shirt which matched his and Gabriel's and Ryder's right eye twitched. The serpente didn’t even bother to refuse and Leon placed it back down on the couch, taking the hint. "Well, so far Gabriel is winning," he murmured. "Guess he'll get to spend Christmas morning with Elise..."
"Elise?" Ryder grunted as my ears pricked up.
"Yeah...she's gonna come here with Roary so I hope you all brought presents for her with you." Leon stood, heading to a cupboard across the room and rummaging through it.
"How could we have brought presents here? You kidnapped us, stronzo," I growled.
"Well I guess you could make a present, as you have some time to kill," Leon suggested thoughtfully as he returned from the cupboard with a large box in his arms. He placed it down on the table, flipping open the lid and I caught sight of a bunch of craft paper, colouring pens, jars of glitter and all manner of creative shit.
"You're kidding, right?" Gabriel deadpanned.
"I'm not going anywhere near a tube of fucking glitter glue," Ryder snarled.
"Suit yourself," Leon said. "Elise is going to turn up here to find a lot of grumpy boyfriends with no gifts to offer her on her first Christmas without her brother though. Except me obviously. I bought her a Cadillac, a vacation house in Sunshine Bay and a fallen star engraved with both our names." He took the star out of his pocket alongside a photograph of both the house and the car. Dalle stelle.
"Well I bought the three of us tickets to see the Aquarius Firework Show next month. I just don’t have the tickets with me," I said with a huff.
"You did that?" Leon asked hopefully.
"Yeah." I broke a smile and he grinned back at me.
"Dante takes first place," Leon announced with a smirk.
"For fuck's sake," Ryder hissed, pushing off the wall, striding over to the craft box and snatching out some items before bundling them in his arms and marching over to a table under one of the windows. He sat down with a growl of irritation, hunching over and setting to work doing something with them.
Gabriel pushed out of his seat, taking some things from the box too before dropping down to work on them on the couch.
Leon smiled broadly, glancing at me. "So will you not be giving her a card at least, Dante, as you don't have the tickets with you?"
I fought the urge to refuse, glancing over at Ryder then to Gabriel, pissed they might actually manage to out-do me with their Elements. My air magic couldn’t create a whole lot dammit.
I moved forward, grabbing some craft paper and a couple of jars of glitter and paint before taking it to the breakfast bar in the kitchenette at the far side of the room.
Leon dropped down beside Gabriel and kicked his feet up on the table, leaning his head back and shutting his eyes. We all fell quiet as we started working on our gifts and when I glanced over to try and see what Ryder was making, I found his work shrouded in shadow to conceal it from me. Figlio di puttana.
***
After I'd picked out grains of lilac glitter from the multicoloured jar all day, I was starting to worry my gift wasn't going to match up to whatever Gabriel and Ryder had planned. Both of them were concealing their work with spells so I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of what they were up to.
Leon was still sleeping even though it was deep into the evening and the sun had long since set. None of us had said a word to one another but more than one of our stomachs had growled in the past half an hour. I got up to go to the refrigerator and found it full of food. I had never cooked a day in my life, but I wasn't going to ask for fucking help. I grabbed out some tomatoes and cheese then found a bag of spaghetti in one of the cupboards. I set to work boiling water on the stove and was pretty damn proud of myself when it started bubbling. I placed the spaghetti in the water with the ends sticking out the top and left it there to cook. Perfetto.
I started chopping tomatoes, wondering how I was going to make this into a sauce. My mamma always used onions then...gah I couldn't remember. But how hard could it be?
A burning smell ran under my nose and I glanced over at the pot, finding the flames licking up the side of it had turned the ends of the spaghetti black and a few of them were on fire.
"Merda!" I gasped, grabbing the pot and dumping the whole lot in the sink as I ran water over the ruined spaghetti.
Ryder started l
aughing and cold, hard rage built in my gut.
"Let's see you do better then, serpente," I snarled, glaring at him across the room.
"I don't cook and clearly you don't either, I'm not going to embarrass myself by trying. I'll eat whatever's in the fridge." Ryder shrugged.
"So, raw vegetables?" I muttered and he didn’t answer.
Gabriel got up with a sigh, stepping over Leon's legs as he moved to join me in the kitchenette. "I can cook."
"You can?" I asked hopefully.
"Yeah, my adopted parents never really bothered cooking for me once I was old enough to do it myself. So I learned or went hungry. You want bolognese?" he offered and my heart yanked at his words. My mamma had never let my stomach growl for more than a second before she filled it. Sometimes I forgot how much she did for me.
"Yes please," I murmured and he shrugged as he set to work boiling the water again.
I stayed in the kitchenette, watching as he stirred the spaghetti into the water as it went soft, feeling like an idiota for not knowing that. How many times had I eaten my mamma's spaghetti bolognese? It was shameful that I didn't know how to cook it myself.
“So are you spending Christmas with your parents when you get out of here?” I asked him just to make conversation.
“Nah,” he murmured. “They don’t really invite me along to shit like that anymore.”
I frowned, not understanding. “But they’re your famiglia.”
“Not really. It was just their job to look after me but-” he stopped himself, glancing at me like he shouldn’t have said that.
I cast a silencing bubble around us on instinct. “Job?”
His throat bobbed and he looked away as he took out some garlic and started chopping it. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes you did,” I said. “I don’t spill people’s secrets, falco. It’s the way of the Oscuras.”
He hmphed, keeping his gaze on the garlic. “I don’t have secr-” he stopped mid-sentence, his eyes glazing and my brows arched as I witnessed him having a vision from the stars. It made my heart beat harder. I was always a little envious of those who had the gift of The Sight. It must have been quite the thing to have such a bond with the stars.
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