by Mills, Julia
“Dr. Sam is still sleeping Syd, but we can go down and make some breakfast, maybe play until she gets up, cool?”
She clapped her hands, and bounced in his arms, “Yay! Let’s do it! But you better put a shirt on you silly dragon.”
He damn near dropped her, and could feel his eyes go round when she called him a silly dragon, but then he remembered all that Siobhan had told him about the little sweetie, and couldn’t help but laugh along with her. “If I’m a silly dragon, then you are most definitely a silly girl,” he teased as he sat her on her feet, and mussed the curls on her head.
“You head on down, and I’ll grab a shirt and be right there.”
“Okay,” she sing-songed and skipped towards the stairs. No sooner had he put his hand on the doorknob then she called to him, “Lance?”
“Yes, Darlin’,” he answered looking over his shoulder.
“Love you,” she said, and continued her trip to the stairs.
He stood motionless as he watched her disappear down the stairs, and smiled as he entered the bedroom. The sight that caught his eyes, coupled with what had just happened in the hall, made him believe he had to be the most blessed of all dragon kin. Sam was still curled on her side, facing him with a look of absolute peace on her face. Her long curly hair spread out behind her made his fingers itch to run through the silky tendrils as he had all through the night. It was truly one of his guilty pleasures to unwind her hair from the intricate French braid she frequently wore, and watch as it resumed its true wild form. He would never tire of simply looking at her.
A few weeks ago he’d feared turning into a sappy shell of himself, but now he welcomed all the love and devotion he felt thrumming through his veins and filling his heart. He had mistaken love for weakness, when in essence it was the strength that had brought him back to life, and the unyielding force that made absolutely anything seem possible. Knowing if he didn’t leave right away he would end up back in bed making love to Sam, he grabbed a clean T-shirt from the drawer and pulled it over his head as he made his way down the stairs. He could hear the sounds of Syd explaining the finer points of block stacking to Jay, along with his brethren laughing and joking in the kitchen.
Deciding caffeine was a necessity after the night he’d spent loving his mate, he headed straight for the kitchen. As soon as his bare feet hit tile, the jokes started. Of all the taunts he listened to as he poured a cup of coffee, Aidan’s damn near caused him to spit coffee across the counter. “Hey there Macho Man, what’s with the moony eyes? Did cupid shove an arrow up your ass?”
When he could speak again, he smiled the grin he knew pissed them all off, and said, “He damn sure did.”
Chuckling at their stunned silence, he joined Syd on the floor, and helped build block castles while the child told stories of princesses trapped in towers and the knights that saved them. Jay crawled from structure to structure wreaking havoc, and putting everything possible in his mouth. Kyndel passed by a few times to make sure they were all getting along while picking up toys that had spread all over the house. Aidan told him Grace was locked in her office with some new information concerning the whereabouts of ‘The Auctioneer’ as he passed by on his way to join his mate.
It wasn’t until his stomach growled that he remembered he hadn’t eaten this morning. “Hey, Syd, you hungry?”
He could tell she was thinking about it before she nodded, “I am. Can we have chicken nuggets and French fries?”
“We sure can,” he answered, and stood, scooping Jay up at the same time. Syd grabbed his hand as they made their way to the kitchen, and he imagined what it would be like to take care of Sam and his kids. Little girls with long dark curls and his blue eyes, charming everyone they came in contact with, and blonde haired boys with big brown eyes that were always causing trouble. Kyndel met him at the refrigerator and took Jay for his bottle and a nap, while Syd climbed up to the breakfast bar.
He was bent down placing the nuggets and fries in the oven when he felt his mate’s arms wrap around his waist. Standing and turning to face her at the same time, he was once again amazed that someone as brilliant and beautiful as she was had been designed just for him. “How did you sleep, Doc?”
She got a dreamy look in her eyes, and barely spoke above a whisper, “Great. And you?”
“Best night I’ve ever had,” he said as he kissed the tip of her nose, and pulled her closer.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Syd struggling to climb off her barstool. Putting his mouth to her ear, he whispered, “There’s a little girl back there dying to see you.”
She blushed the most spectacular color of pink and twisted in his arms, “Hey Pretty Girl, get over here and let’s have a huggy party.”
Syd hit the floor running and squeezed between their legs. Sam stepped back as Lance picked the child up, and held her on his hip. The little sweetheart kissed both of their cheeks, and looked from one to the other. He saw something brewing her eyes, and winked at Sam before speaking, “So tell me, Little Bit, what’s on your mind?”
He and Sam waited as Sydney looked down, took a deep breath, and then began, “I was thinking…” She looked between the two of them. “Will I have to go back to the ‘big house’? Cause I really like it here with you, and all the other dragons and Miss Kyndel and Baby Jay and Miss Grace.”
When she finished, her head dropped forward, avoiding their gaze. Sam and he looked at each for a few long moments. He could see the conflict in his mate’s eyes, and feel her love for the child through their bond. Making the first real decision of what he thought of as his new life, he spoke, “Syd, we are going to do everything possible to keep you with us. That is if you are sure you want to stay.”
The last word was barely out of his mouth before both of his girls had thrown their arms around his neck, and he understood the true meaning of ‘huggy party’. The term ‘His girls’ continued to roll around in his brain, but it only took a few seconds for him to realize that is exactly who they were…His. His to love. His to protect. His to have in his life for all time. It just felt right. “All right you two, we need plates and silverware, ketchup and something to drink. The chicken nuggets and fries should be just about done.”
The girls released his neck. Sydney practically jumped out of his arms, and headed to the fridge while Sam collected plates, utensils, and cups, and both headed to the table. As they ate, they discussed plans for the day, and Sam let them know she had two days off. He grinned to himself, thinking she was going to need a hell of a lot longer than two days off if things went as he had planned.
They spent the rest of the day walking the grounds, picking flowers since the ones he’d picked the night before were now gone and playing hide and seek. Later, they watched The Little Mermaid and Cars, two of Syd’s favorite movies. At about eight-thirty, Sam announced it was bath time, and that he could meet them in Sydney’s room in about a half an hour for bedtime stories.
Left to his own devices, he wandered towards Grace’s office. What sounded like a serious conversation could be heard as he walked up. Not wanting to eavesdrop, he resisted the urge to use his enhanced hearing and instead stepped over the threshold. “Glad you could join us, Bro,” Aidan said as he looked up from the pile of papers neatly stacked in front of him.
“Hey, Dude, how you feelin’?” Aaron asked.
“I’m good. Thanks, man,” he answered as they slapped each other on the back.
Rayne took charge as he had for as many years as Lance could remember, “Glad to have you back. We were just discussing what Grace has learned about ‘The Auctioneer’ and the traitor. Max’s men are trying to find a way back in with the lead wizard. The little information they did get, proved that he and the human criminal are working together, and it appears that Andrew has formed his own group with the wizards that severed ties to the Master.”
The volume of grumbling increased and Rayne shot a look at each member of their Force indicating he was not finished speaking. As the nois
e died down he continued, “So what we surmised from the shit storm in the woods was correct. Andrew is running his own show, and still has a connection to black magic; however, we believe it is not as powerful or as plentiful as before.”
Kyra spoke from her spot next to Grace, “Now that I know the son of a bitch uses black magic, and I have the ‘taste’ of it, I can scry for a location, but I’ll tell you that he has one hell of a shielding spell, so unless I’m close I have no clue how reliable it’ll be.” She narrowed her eyes, and spit through gritted teeth, almost growling, “But I can promise once we catch him, I’m gonna have a party torturing the shit out of the little fucker.”
He looked around the room as each of his brothers either bit the inside of his cheeks or coughed into their hands to avoid laughing at the tiny, platinum haired witch that nearly vibrated with her anger. She was definitely not over the fact that the little fucker had duped her into making amulets for him, and then he twisted her white magic with his filthy black magic. Siobhan had shared with him that her Council was not holding any of Andrew’s actions against Kyra, and it seemed as though she had been accepted into their motley crew at least by most of his brethren.
They continued to discuss strategy for capturing the asshole and stopping ‘The Auctioneer’. There was no way any of them were going to let harm come to those they loved. He looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was story time so he said his goodbyes and headed out to see his girls. In the hallway, he damn near ran right into Royce. The big guy looked frustrated and tired. “What’s up, grandpa?”
“I’m really not in the mood for your shit tonight, Pain in the Ass.”
He cut off the big guy’s attempt to slide past him, and put his hand on his chest, “Seriously, what’s going on?”
Royce took a deep breath, and stared over his head for almost an entire minute. When he responded, Lance could hear the sheer exhaustion in his friend’s voice, “Nothing. Just the same shit, different day, and I’m late to the party.” He nodded towards the door Lance had just come through.
Seeing his oldest friend was in no way ready to talk about whatever was bothering him, he decided to let it go for the moment, “All right, I’m heading up to tuck Sydney in. Talk to you tomorrow.”
Royce grinned, and even though it didn’t reach his eyes, Lance knew something good was coming. “Go get ‘em lover boy. I’m sure Sydney’s not the only young lady you’re ‘tucking in’.” He wiggled his eyebrows and scooted past Lance, chuckling all the way. He let the old guy have that one since it seemed to lighten his spirits.
Heading towards the stairs and going over his plans for the evening, he stopped dead in his tracks and listened to the wonderful sounds of Sam and Sydney’s laughter. He had to be the luckiest son of a bitch. He walked to Syd’s room, and there he saw both ladies sitting cross-legged on the bed dressing the child’s dolls for bed. “What’s all the ruckus in here,” he asked as he ran to the bed and picked Sydney up, tossed her into the air, and sat down as she landed in his lap.
It took a moment for her giggling to die down enough to speak, and when she did, she sounded like a cartoon character, “That was fun, Dragon Man. We’re getting the babies ready for bed. Can you read my story tonight, please?”
“Sure can, Short Stuff. Let’s get these babies to bed, and get you tucked in.”
Sydney jumped off the bed, placed her dolls tenderly in the beds she had fashioned out of small towels, and covered them with one of Jay’s blankets that Kyndel had given her. When she was finished, she came right back to her bed, jumped in, and pulled up the covers. “Can we read Sleeping Beauty?”
“Yes, we can,” Sam answered, and appeared at his side a minute later, carrying the book and a pink plastic cup filled with water.
Thirty minutes and a bunch of yawns later, he and Sam kissed Sydney goodnight, turned on her nightlight, and headed back to their room. After excruciatingly long months watching and protecting this amazing woman, it was the best feeling ever to have her hand in his and her scent filling his lungs. He fell more in love with Samantha Malone every second he spent in her presence. With this woman by his side, there was no doubt that he could defeat every foe, and conquer every challenge set before him. She was a beacon in his darkest hour. She captivated him completely…body and soul. She was all things right in the world. She was everything, and she was his.
As soon as the door closed, he had her in his arms, needing to reconnect with her even though he had spent the day by her side. There would never be a time that he felt like he had enough of his magnificent mate. He’d made fun of Rayne when he met Kyndel, and could not stop touching her even when they were marching through a field. He’d made jokes when Grace had come into Aidan’s life, and his brethren could not keep his lips off of her even when they were facing down a parking lot full of combatants, but now he understood. There was no feeling in the world like being with this woman, his woman. He slowly lowered his lips, gently touching hers, kissing her like they had all the time in the world, tasting every square inch of her succulent mouth, absorbing all of her that he could. And when she opened for him, he leisurely slid his tongue into her mouth and explored, stoking the flame that constantly burned between, until he was sure he would spontaneously combust. He moved along her jaw, tasting and teasing, marking her as his. Her hips began to move against his erection, the friction making him light-headed. He painstakingly pulled away from her, and together they groaned at the loss.
The passion he saw in her dreamy eyes almost made him rethink his plan, but he knew there were things they needed to discuss, and one very specific question he needed her to answer. So he walked them to the couch that overlooked the terrace, got them each a beer from the fridge Aidan made sure was in each room, and sat down facing her. He took a moment to just look at his mate, soaking in the goodness that radiated from her. “Damn Doc, you’re gorgeous,” he said, and was rewarded with a soft blush on her cheeks. She took a long draw of her beer, and all he could think of was what she would taste like in that moment.
Reminding himself that there were things they needed to talk about, he took her hand in his, looked her in the eye, and said, “I know that everyone explained a lot of stuff to you about who we are while I was out, and I’m so damn sorry that I didn’t do it before the shit hit the fan. I have no excuse. I just thought there would be time when I got home and then…well…you know,” he shrugged, and was glad to see her smile.
“To be honest, I was surprised that you didn’t punch me when you got home last night. I mean I’m glad you didn’t but I wouldn’t have blamed you,” he continued as she giggled and was happy she wasn’t telling him what a jerk he was.
“So what questions do you have? I can see the wheels turning up there,” he tapped the side of her head. “I’m an open book…ask away.”
She paused and worried her bottom lip with her teeth, a sign he knew meant she was deciding what to say. He could feel that she had a ton of questions but waited for her to work it out for herself. After several long minutes, she straightened her back and looked him square in the eye. His mate backed down from nothing. “At first, I was pissed and couldn’t believe that you had hidden things from me. But the longer I thought about it, and the more time I spent with your family, I realized I probably would’ve done the same thing. There are things about me that I don’t shared with anyone,” she paused, and his curiosity was peaked, but he let her continue. “Then, I realized I wouldn’t have believed you anyway. My mom always said things happen for a reason. Guess this was definitely one of those times.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right, Doc, but I am really sorry that I left you hanging like that. And…” He had to pause, because for the first time since finding his family killed, he was almost overcome with emotion, “I want to thank you for saving my life, for opening yourself up and lending me your strength, and for taking care of me while I recovered. Siobhan was sure to tell me what an amazing doctor you are, which I already knew, but it was
cool to hear how much respect she has for you. It takes a lot to impress her and you definitely did.” He took her beer bottle, placed it next to his on the side table and took both her hands in his, “Now, ask me whatever you want.”
Almost before he had finished speaking, she blurted out, “Am I really your mate or whatever it’s called? Are we really meant to be together?”
Somehow he wasn’t surprised that she had asked. Siobhan had told him how uncomfortable she was with their fated future. “Yes, Doc, you are. I don’t know exactly how it was explained to you, but I can tell you that I’ve heard A LOT of stories in all my years, and not a damn one prepared me for that day in the abandoned warehouse when our eyes met. I guess the best way I can explain it is with a passage from our holy book, ‘when the two halves of the same whole meet, there will be instant recognition. Their souls will merge, and only then will the man and dragon know complete peace, they will have found their true home. It will be as if the time before they met their mate does not exist. All that will matter will be that they become one in body, mind, and soul with the One the Universe made for them.’” He waited and watched while she came to terms with what he had just said.
“I know that I feel things for you that I never imagined possible. I also know that ever since I did what Siobhan asked, and ‘opened’ myself up to you, there are times that I can actually feel what you feel.” It was an incredible feeling of belonging and love, that she acknowledged, at least partially, what was happening between them.
“I’ve seen firsthand that you guys are way more than what you appear, but you have to understand, I’ve been on my own since I was six years old.” She stopped, and closed her eyes. He could see what it cost her to think about the past. He rubbed circles on the back of her hands, and gave her the time she needed. They sat in silence for some time, but when she finally spoke, he was thankful for his enhanced hearing, because she barely even whispered, “My dad was killed while deployed during the Gulf War. I was barely walking and my sister was just a few months old. He was an army medic. I never really knew him, but I imagine he was like you, strong, fearless, and bound by some inner calling to help those that needed it, and protect those he loved. He is why I became a doctor. It was the least I could do to honor the man that gave so much, and loved us so completely.” She looked at him with tear filled eyes. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and take away all the pain she’d ever felt, but he knew his mate would have none of it. She spoke of his strength and fearlessness without recognizing those very traits in herself. Sam was a true warrior, his perfect match in every way.