by Lynn Stark
“Hello, Pebin. Is there something I can help you with?” Ian asked curiously.
Pebin nodded vigorously. He ignored Cain coming up to stand beside Ian. His dark gaze was filled with curiosity, but he didn’t interrupt. “Yes, I would like to make a request.”
“And that is?”
“Some crazy person painted our house black and gray. I would like to paint it a more cheerful color, one that doesn’t reek of doom and gloom.”
Ian’s lips twitched. The guy was terribly tall, and it was hurting Pebin’s neck to look up at him. “I would be the crazy person who chose black.”
Swallowing hard, Pebin felt his face heat up. He bowed his head slightly. “I apologize. I meant no insult.” Would the clan’s leader toss him off the farm? His parents would disown him.
An amused laugh from Ian helped Pebin relax. “I chose the color—”
“Non-color,” Pebin interrupted, forgetting he should be more respectful.
“I chose the non-color,” Ian went on, grinning, “as a joke I wanted to play on someone.”
“That someone was me,” Cain supplied, also looking amused. “What color would you paint it?” he asked.
Having given the house a good look, the colors had come to him. Every house had a personality it wanted to be expressed. Once the house was happy, the people living inside would be happier. It wasn’t an idea that had popped into Pebin’s head. Fairies did everything they could to make their homes happy places.
“Cornflower blue with sunshine yellow trim.” Just saying the names of the colors made Pebin feel good inside. He grinned up at Ian, knowing he’d made the perfect choices. The clan leader couldn’t help but agree.
Ian nodded and mirrored Pebin’s smile with one of his own. “Those sound like perfect choices. If that’s the house you and your mates want, I will gladly pay for the supplies and the crew to paint the house.”
Looking to his mate, Pebin asked Cain anxiously, “You like the house, don’t you, Cain?”
“Other than the color, I like it very much. It’s quite spacious and well-designed.”
“Good.” Pebin nodded. “Now we just have to find Chance and Larson, to get their opinion on the house.”
It only took a couple of phone calls by Ian. He handed over his phone each time to Pebin, so he could explain the situation and get their opinions as to whether they liked the house enough to live in it. They agreed it was a nice house. Pebin had plans to make it much, much nicer. Decorating was in his fairy blood and he was certain others would want his help to decorate their own homes. The possibility made his pulse race with excitement.
With Cain standing beside him, Pebin and Ian made the arrangements for the house to be painted. By the time they parted company with Ian, Pebin was so excited he didn’t know if he would be able to sleep that night.
When he saw Larson and Cain walking side-by-side across the meadow, Pebin waved to them. “Why don’t we ask them if they want to go into New Vista for supper?” Cain asked Pebin while they waited for their mates to join them.
Pebin looked at the vampire in surprise. “We can do that?”
“Sure. We can all pass for human, if necessary. Besides, there aren’t that many humans living in town any longer. And the ones remaining don’t seem to know, or care if they do, that there are non-humans living among them.”
While he didn’t want to live in Boston with Cain, which was why he was happy to have a permanent home for them on the farm, he was relieved that they could be normal people in the human world. Going into town to shop or to enjoy a meal with his mates would be extremely nice.
“I want a cheeseburger,” he declared.
“Have you ever had one?”
“No. That’s why I want one. And fries. I heard vinegar is good on them.”
Larson and Chance had joined them by this time. Pebin inhaled their scents. They both smelled good, even after a hard day of work on the farm.
“What’s up?” Chance asked curiously.
“We were talking about going into town to get something to eat. Cain said we can do that.”
“We have to find a place that serves beer. I’ve got a craving for one.”
“I’ve never had beer, either. I’ll have to try one.”
Pebin looked at Larson when he cleared his throat. “You can’t have alcohol, if you can’t prove how old you are. And you don’t look like you’re over twenty-one.”
“But I’m twenty-five!” he declared, feeling slightly offended. “If you guys are going to drink, then I want a beer, too.”
As if he knew he was needed, Ian returned with a large envelope in his hand. “Here are the documents you’ll need for an official identification card. The sheriff is able to make that for you. Just give him this packet. Everything you’ll need to get an ID is in it.”
“Thanks, Ian.” Pebin clutched the envelope and smiled up at the shifter. “You’re the best.”
“You’re welcome, Pebin. All we want is for you and your mates to be happy here.”
Once they were alone again, Chance asked, “Do you mind if I clean up real fast? I won’t be longer than fifteen minutes.”
“Me, too.” This was from Larson.
“Okay.” As much as he wanted to get into town to get his identification card, which would make him official in the human realm, Pebin had to think of his mates. “Take your time.”
The wait would probably kill him, but he would do it. He returned to the bench in front of the building and sat down. Cain joined him, sitting close, and placing his arm behind Pebin on the back of the bench. He liked being close to his handsome vampire mate. Cain was beautiful and sexy. The scent of his body was intoxicating, making Pebin want to rub himself all over the desirable creature. It didn’t help that the scent of sex lingered on Cain. He’d mated with Larson. It was a good thing, but he felt the sting of envy. Soon, it would be his turn.
Putting his hand on Cain’s muscular thigh, Pebin stroked it as he asked his mate, “When are you going back to that nasty, stinky city?” He had snuck off to a city once. The visit hadn’t been a pleasant one, and he’d coughed for a week after returning home. His mother was certain he was going to die.
Cain laughed. “Boston is a beautiful, interesting city, filled with history. And I already told you that my home is away from the city itself and looks out over the water. You will have to come to visit, so that you can see for yourself that it is a pleasant place to live. Now, to answer your question, I will probably return in a few days. I can’t be gone long. I have a coven to oversee.”
Pebin remained quiet, not knowing how to respond to that. It made him sad to know that one of his mates wouldn’t be there with him on the farm.
The vampire seemed to know what he was feeling. His large hand stroked Pebin’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll return every few days. You can’t get rid of me so easily.”
“I don’t want to get rid of you,” Pebin responded, treating the subject seriously and without returning Cain’s teasing. “You understand me. Chance and Larson don’t.” He sniffled. “I want them to like me, but I’ve probably screwed that up. I told them I didn’t want mates. And I know they don’t want mates, either.” Looking up at Cain, he stared into the black eyes that should have appeared fathomless, but were filled with understanding and what Pebin thought might be the beginning of love. “If you leave, I won’t have anyone to cuddle with.”
Did that sound pathetic or romantic? Pebin hoped it was the latter. He gave Cain a smile and was gifted one in return.
“I’ll miss cuddling with you. Last night was amazing. Keep in mind, you have two more mates. If the three of you could make more of an effort to establish a positive relationship, you would have Larson and Chance to share a bed with.”
Pebin sighed. It sounded like a lot of work and nearly impossible, at that. He had some serious doubts about Chance. They only argued, whenever they were together. Pebin hadn’t been too nice to the werewolf. There were some possibilities with Lar
son. The big mountain of a man had a killer smile that made Pebin’s toes curl whenever he was on the receiving end. Pebin didn’t think Larson did it on purpose. He had just been made sexy.
It was times like these when he wished he’d found a fairy for a mate. It would have been so much easier. Fairies meshed perfectly. Although he preferred males, he wouldn’t have said no to a female mate.
“Don’t worry, sweet little mate,” Cain reassured him. “It will all work out.”
Leaning against him, Pebin hoped Cain was right. Getting his mated life started was important. Having mates and being mated seemed to be on opposite ends of the spectrum at the moment. Even Cain was holding out on him.
“You do like the colors I chose for the house, don’t you, Cain?” he asked uncertainly, wondering if he’d taken too much upon himself.
He might love color, but he wasn’t the only one who would have to look at it. What he should have done was discuss a color change with his mates before approaching Ian about it.
“Of course I do. The colors will be cheerful and will bring joy to everyone who sees them. I think you’ll discover that more people will want to change the color of their homes, too, and will ask for your advice.”
Happiness swelled in Pebin’s chest. He pulled back so he could see the sincerity on Cain’s face. “That’s what I was thinking. It’s so brown and gray and drab around here in the winter.”
Chance and Larson returned then. They walked together to Cain’s luxurious car. It was beautiful, but it could have been another color. Pebin bit his lip so he didn’t blurt out a suggestion that Cain have it painted yellow or pink, either of which would be more cheerful than dark steel gray.
Because Larson was so large, Pebin urged him to get in the front passenger seat. His own excitement was about to shoot through the roof, because he’d never been in a car before, let alone rode in one. Chance swore and wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him down as he pulled a sturdy strap across his body and locked him in place against the seat. Testing it, he couldn’t move well.
“Now you’ll have to sit still,” Chance told him, not seeming to be too excited about sitting beside Pebin.
“Why are you so mean to me?” Pebin asked, resisting the urge to stick out his tongue. He was a mature fairy now, on the verge of mating and fatherhood. It was something he needed to keep in mind, so he would have the respect of his mates.
“I’m not. I’m protecting you. You always have to wear a seat belt.”
Suddenly feeling all warm and fuzzy, Pebin leaned against Chance and looked up at him. The werewolf grimaced, but Pebin thought he saw a bit of softening in the big, grouchy guy. He didn’t have anyone to blame but himself.
“Thank you, Chance.” Pebin gave Chance a huge smile that stretched his cheeks.
Chance blinked. “Uh, you’re welcome.”
“Can we have sex tonight?”
The werewolf blinked again. “I don’t think so.”
“Why? We’re mates.” Pebin pouted, poking his lower lip out. He knew he’d found a button to push, when Chance’s gaze dropped to his lip and heat filled the man’s hazel eyes. “I’d like to learn how to give blow jobs. I could practice on you.”
The swearing began then. The car filled with words Pebin had never heard before. He definitely didn’t know what they meant. Most, he was certain, weren’t good. There were also the scents of aroused males making the air thick.
Feeling his ears heat up, he turned his head and stared out the window. The countryside they passed through was lovely. There weren’t a lot of trees where he had grown up in the fairy realm. The great forests were far away and rarely visited. Pebin had only visited them twice, with his family, and had been thoroughly impressed by the trees that had been growing, mostly undisturbed, for centuries.
“I only want to have babies,” Pebin muttered. “I don’t know what’s so wrong with that.”
“Nothing’s wrong with that,” Larson told him, speaking from the front seat. “Only a day ago, you didn’t want mates.” The blunt reminder stung. “Now you want mates and babies. Chance and I had accepted it would take time for you to change your mind. We have our own doubts, too. I can’t speak for Cain, but Chance and I would like time to adjust to those changes. I doubt it will take long.”
Thwarted, Pebin knew he would have to accept what the others wanted. If they needed time to get used to the idea of mates, then he’d have to give it. Maybe his mother could talk to them, as she had done with him. She had known exactly the right things to say to make him realize that mates were precious and he shouldn’t be treating them so badly by denying what nature had given them as a true gift.
After their talk, guilt had swamped Pebin. Hurting his mates had been unintentional. But it had been difficult to give up the life he’d always known. His parents’ care had been amazing. They raised his brothers and him to become their finest. What each of them did was a direct reflection on their mother and father. Pebin couldn’t shame them. It was unthinkable.
When they arrived at their first destination, which was the sheriff’s office where he would receive his official human identification, excitement shot through him and he tried to get out of the car. However, he was locked in place by the straps across his lap and chest. He growled in frustration as he tried to figure out how to get out of it, jerking the strap in all directions.
Chance helped him, but he had to take a shot at Pebin as he did so. “He’s so short, we probably should get him one of those booster seats. That way he can see better.”
“I can see just fine.” He was released from the belt, but then he was thwarted by the door. Scowling, he began tugging and slapping at it. “Let me out of here!” Suddenly feeling trapped, he began to panic.
Larson was outside of the door, and he opened it. Relief swept through him. Pebin scrambled out and gave him a fierce hug, before he headed for the door of the sheriff’s office.
“Pebin, wings,” Cain said in a low voice.
Normally Pebin went shirtless on the farm, or wore one of the special shirts his mother made for him, so his wings could be exposed. Although more humans in the town were learning about paranormal beings, there was no point in surprising them with the sight of wings attached to what appeared to be a human body.
The four of them walked up to the counter and waited for the person behind it to finish what they were doing. A welcoming smile curved the man’s mouth.
“Hello. Is there something I can help you with?”
“We’re supposed to meet with Sheriff Danvers. Pebin, here, needs his official identification card.”
“The sheriff was called away, but he told me to expect you.” Pebin handed over the packet of information and waited breathlessly as it was opened and the man inspected the contents. “It looks like you have everything. Please go over there and stand on the X.”
Twenty minutes later Pebin was walking out of the sheriff’s department with his ID card clutched in his hand. He had shown it proudly to his mates, and they had complimented it. Even Chance did so, causing him to soften his feelings toward the werewolf. They didn’t hate each other, but they certainly weren’t feeling any love. Yet.
Pebin knew that was his fault. He’d been tormenting Chance since they had met and realized they were mates. Despite approaching mating age, Pebin hadn’t wanted a mate yet. He wanted to be young and free and explore the world. Chance rejecting him had been a rude awakening. He couldn’t believe that the werewolf didn’t want him for a mate. That was when they had begun to verbally spar with each other. Insults had flown like arrows, often finding their marks.
Now Pebin knew he would have to do his best to make it up to Chance and show him that they could be happy together. That would take being nice, no matter how bad he was provoked. He would be nice to Chance, even if it killed him.
“I need a wallet,” Pebin announced as he realized he had no proper place to keep his ID.
“Easily taken care of. Let’s go in the department st
ore. They’ll have what you need.”
It turned out, it had a lot of things Pebin needed. He wanted to fit in, and he would need human-style clothes for that. After he had a wallet and a selection of new clothes, which Cain generously paid for, they left the store to walk along the sidewalk to a restaurant.
Again, Pebin’s heart raced with excitement. This time it was because he was going into a restaurant that reminded him a lot of his mother’s kitchen. The walls were painted a nice shade of orange. There were colorful, woven blankets on the walls, and beautiful pottery with designs on them. There were also dozens of plants in pots, making the groupings of tables and chairs seem more intimate. If all that wasn’t enough to make him feel at home, he inhaled the scents of the food coming from the kitchen.
“What kind of place is this?” he asked after they were shown to a table. “Do they have cheeseburgers?”
Larson answered him. “It’s a Mexican restaurant. The owners came here from the country of Mexico about forty years ago and opened the business. It’s a favorite place for the locals to eat. They probably have cheeseburgers here, but wouldn’t you like to try something they would make in their homeland? Do you like spicy foods?”
Pebin nodded. “My middle name is spicy.”
“I thought it was Xavier,” Cain commented as he unfolded a napkin and placed it across his lap.
“You know it is. I’m just having fun. But if I like the food, I might change it to spicy. What should I get to eat?” Able to read the human’s English language, he looked over the menu. He sounded out the unfamiliar names of the food. His mates chuckled, and he had the feeling he wasn’t getting them right. He didn’t mind. They didn’t mean any harm. Looking up, he gave them a smile, and then looked back at the menu. It was too bad he didn’t know what any of the food was. He pointed at the first thing on the list. “Is this good?”
“That’s a quesadilla. The next is a tamale.” Chance went on to explain what each food was, easily speaking the Spanish words. While they went over the menu, a server dressed in a bright yellow shirt and black slacks brought bowls of chips and red sauce and placed them on the table. There was also a bowl of pasty green stuff. “That’s guacamole. It’s made primarily from avocadoes.”