Wrap It Up

Who Needs Christmas? 12

Wrap It Up Twelve elves left the North Pole to be free of all things Christmas and have been living together for decades. They have gone without their mates for years, but when the first of the twelve finds his, the others have hope of finding theirs. Shadow hates gifts, but that hatred is small compared to the loathing he has for vampires. Shadow is a skilled hunter feared by the vampire community. When Shadow meets Terry, he feels an intense attraction that thrills and frightens him. Terry Christoff is a vampire who refuses to kill humans and has spent centuries hating the creature he is. Meeting Shadow could finally give him a chance to be human and find the love he has denied himself for so long. Will Shadow and Terry learn to trust each other fully despite being enemies, or will they be unable to put their dark pasts behind them? Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter Length: 35,711 words

WRAP IT UP Who Needs Christmas? 12

Joyee Flynn

EROTIC ROMANCE MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

WRAP IT UP Copyright © 2011 by Joyee Flynn E-book ISBN: 1-61926-264-9 First E-book Publication: December 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Wrap It Up by Joyee Flynn from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Joyee Flynn’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Flynn’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION Merry Christmas to all! To all my wonderful fans and friends, may your holidays be full of love, joy, and elves of your own. See you all in the new year!

WRAP IT UP Who Needs Christmas? 12 JOYEE FLYNN Copyright © 2011

Chapter 1 “Here we go,” I growled as I glanced at the skylights, having seen shadows crossing over them. Please don’t let me get them all killed, I thought desperately as I always did when I dragged any of my friends into my fight. “Bren, Shely, Benjii, and anyone with guns, pay attention to the windows.” I did a quick scan around the room to see where my friends were positioned, and I noticed how ridiculous we all looked wearing our normal clothes while holding all these deadly weapons. We all just had on jeans and different T-shirts or button-down shirts, which were so not meant for fighting. I was used to my custom-made, formfitting attire that ensured maximum flexibility. But this was an emergency, and we didn’t exactly have time for everyone to get custom-made outfits. I snapped out of my wandering thoughts to listen to the people around me. “Way ahead of ya.” Benjii chuckled. “This is gonna be fun.” Glad he sounded so excited. Part of me wanted to see what he was doing, but I had to trust my crew to do their jobs. I didn’t want to take my focus off the vamps for a second.

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“I really wish you weren’t so excited,” Surprise mumbled. Thank you! Though it was better than pissing his pants, so I’d take my wins where I could. “It’s like shooting fish in a barrel!” Was that like a Southern joke? Who put fish in a barrel? I watched in horror as the first wave of bloodsuckers came in through the ceiling, the vast drop not even fazing them. The guns were going off all around me, and while I was best at hand-to-hand combat, I did have a few tricks up my sleeve. I focused my magic into moving the larger chunks of broken glass and decapitating, or at least incapacitating, as many as I could. Except it was extremely hard to focus with all the noise and mini explosions happening all around me. Though, I had to pat myself on the back for coming up with those arrows. Next was silver grenades. Oh! And maybe a grenade launcher! Damn, I loved progress. All the new toys were so much better than just swords. I mean swords were cool and all but sometimes they weren’t that practical. “Magazine!” Shely and Bren called out together as Benjii was loading more casings into his shotgun. The front windows imploded toward us, the force of the blast knocking most of them off their feet. I’d been ready since I’d seen the show before. Vamps might not have magic, but like most paranormals, they had something different about them and that normally meant gifts or powers humans didn’t have. Shely and Justice moved to kneel in front of us, taking forward positions as they kept firing their weapons relentlessly. I was pleasantly surprise and impressed by the way we were all working as a fluid unit. We might just have a shot at winning after all. But then again, I shouldn’t be so shocked…it was amazing what people would do to protect the ones they loved. Gods knew what I’d sacrifice to keep my chosen family safe. Suddenly the vampires were coming into the media room faster than we could hold them off. The big guns and explosives weren’t going to work anymore without the risk of friendly fire.

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“We’re up,” I growled, pulling out my swords as vampires filled the room like cockroaches. “Don’t break formation for any reason.” “There’s so many,” Button whispered, and I shivered. Yeah, there was, more than I’d ever dealt with in one fight before. I sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening that we could just keep it together. We were doing well. We could do this as long as no one freaked. Or at least that’s what I was going to keep telling myself. I don’t think I had ever seen this many vampires at one time. Even when we fought that group holding Daran hostage, there hadn’t been this many. I mean sure, there had been a lot, but it didn’t even come close to what I was witnessing now. And why weren’t they immediately attacking? “Deal’s off,” one vampire snarled to a man behind him. “He’s been claimed. He’s food now.” The vampire licked his lips as he stared at Maze’s mate. “That wasn’t the deal!” Another man screamed like a little girl and pushed the guy. Fuck! “Zander is mine. That was the trade, Shadow and Maze for Zander. You kill the elf and the bond is broken.” Ahh, this must be Bryl. Fuck head. “I will never be yours whether Maze is alive or not!” Zander shouted, raising his crossbow to take aim at his stepbrother’s heart. “And I’ll see you dead before you hurt a hair on his head.” He pulled the trigger and I had a new appreciation for my brotherin-law. For one, he had balls the size of Alaska. Two, he knew where his loyalties were and did what was necessary, no matter how distasteful, to keep the people he cared about safe. There were several screams as the arrow from Zander went off. Horse grabbed Maze to talk with him and Button, but I could barely hear them over the crazy amount of noise filling the room. I was also busy ’porting in and out of the different clusters of vamps and picking several off that way when they couldn’t see me coming. “Can we shoot energy blasts full of silver?”

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“Yes!” Maze exclaimed. “That never crossed my mind because I can’t do that.” That was a fan-fucking-tastic idea! I never thought of it, and while I was the oldest, I had primal, raw power that I never bothered to harness and control. Horse was the man when it came to learning new magic and pushing limits. He’d taught me a lot and was always coming up with new ideas. Apparently Button had learned a lot about magic as well, but he had kept that knowledge secret until recently. “We can, and Shadow should be able to as well,” Button replied with a raised brow. Dude? Really? They were going to discuss my issues now? This was so not the time. “He prefers up close and personal methods.” Maze shrugged. Hey, I went with what I knew to work, nothing wrong with that. “Not when we’re this outnumbered!” I snarled as I ’ported next to them and grabbed their hands. “Show me how.” “We’ll cover you,” Shely said as he loaded another magazine. I opened myself up to Horse and Button, letting their magic flow through me and give me the key to how they could make their energy blasts silver. It was a rush and better than any damn instructional video I’d ever seen. “I got it,” I whispered as we broke apart. We spread out and started shooting blasts as others had to switch to short-range weapons. The crazy thing about the energy blasts was that it wasn’t like tossing a ball or even throwing an orb of fire. No, these were tethered to us, almost like a trail from a comet that led right back to the originator. Which meant it was literally like a piece of us traveling with it. And that explained why I could feel everyone as I passed and hit them. Any part of the energy that came into contact with them or got too close, I felt them as if they were standing next to me. And could smell them, too, it seemed. Weird. With the third blast I sent out, I scented and felt something that shook me down to my very soul…and had my fangs popping out. No! I lifted my head and caught the gaze of the vampire. He had felt it,

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too. We bared our fangs at each other, and when I saw the cut on his neck and focused solely on him, I smelled his blood and got rock hard. I let out a cry as my world crumbled. My mate was a vampire. “No!” I gasped, unable to believe it. Then I saw Horse aiming an energy blast in my mate’s direction. “Cease fire!” I ’ported to my mate, ignoring all the other bloodsuckers around me. I felt like a caveman as I banged him on the back of the head with the hilt of my sword, knocking the guy out. But it wasn’t like we could have a civilized conversation right then…or maybe ever. I couldn’t let myself think about this right now. I had to put all my energy into protecting my family. Then I ’ported right back to my group, completely clueless as to what I would do now. It was instinct to protect my mate, but what the fuck should I do now? My brain was screaming to kill him, my heart hurt, and my soul was excited. Holy motherfucking cocksucking… “Fire!” Benjii roared. His voice was so loud it managed to carry over the rest of the noise, which was pretty impressive. Horse and Button took up positions on either side of the group and restarted throwing energy blasts. Well, I couldn’t just stand there with my cock in my hand and be completely useless. I was our best weapon in the fight, having centuries of experience. I made a split-second decision. “Watch him but don’t hurt him,” I begged Cadan, Justice, and Daran. “He’s my mate.” “You’re sure?” Maze asked, looking as if he’d been kicked in the balls. Yeah, imagine how I felt. “Yes,” I whispered and then moved quickly to the front. I couldn’t deal with my mate or him being a bloodsucker right then. But I could fight. Fuck, I welcomed it right then. “I’m almost out of juice!” Horse called out. Cave, Surprise, and Idiot immediately dropped their weapons and held on to Horse. For a

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group who wasn’t battle trained, I was impressed with my brothers. They thought on their feet and didn’t hesitate. “What is the meaning of this?” My father, Anubis, and a friend appeared. Great. Just fucking great. Of course he would answer the distress call. I really shouldn’t have been surprised. It was just that I didn’t think that I could deal with any more right now. “We’re under attack, Elder,” I answered. I could feel his gaze as I let loose an energy blast. “Shut your eyes,” he ordered, and I had a sinking realization of what he was going to do. “No!” I screamed and grabbed him. I heard a few gasps. Fuck the rules about touching elders in anger. He was my father first. “My mate is one of them.” I pointed to the unconscious man a few mates were guarding. “If you’re going to do what I think you are, you’ll kill him, too.” My father’s eyes widened for a second before the calm expression returned. “I’ll focus the energy, Son,” he said gently, tears forming in his eyes. I nodded, wanting to cry myself. “Hold your fire and shut your eyes,” I ordered. Just to be sure my mate wasn’t hurt, I dove on top of him. His body was a lot larger than mine, but I covered as much of him up as I could. Even with my eyes closed the light the blasts emitted was still almost blinding. And the noise was louder than all the guns combined. Then it was silent. “It’s safe now,” my father declared. I opened my eyes and saw every single vampire besides my mate was dead. In the center of the media room was a beaten Bryl. “Is this man the culprit?” “Yes, Elder,” Maze answered as he helped Zander to his feet. “He wanted my mate and told the vampires where to find us.” Maze was shaking with anger as he said those words. “Ahh, and you and my son would be quite a trophy kill for them.” He snapped his fingers and suddenly Bryl wasn’t there anymore.

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“Good-bye, brother,” Zander whispered. Maze hugged him tightly, and I felt for them. Today was all around fucked up and crazy. “I’m okay. He dug his own grave.” “He will be executed, but not until we have all the information we need from him,” my father explained sympathetically. “For now I sent him back to our headquarters.” “I will go oversee his imprisonment,” the other elder announced and disappeared. He looked vaguely familiar from my childhood and growing up around the elders, but I couldn’t place him right then…not that it really mattered I moved to kneel in front of my mate, pulling back his upper lip to check he really was a vampire. It was silly since I’d seen the fangs. The moment I saw his fangs, I spun out of control. “Why? Have I not suffered enough for my crimes? Why?” “Son, there was never a crime committed,” my dad sighed. “But at least you have gotten over some of your issues if you lead this group.” “I don’t,” I whispered as I pulled my mate into my lap. “You know I would never lead again.” “But you’re the oldest here by at least eight hundred years.” He raised a brow and pointed to Button. “Though this one is incredibly powerful. If you are not the leader, then who is?” “I am?” Horse groaned from Bren’s arms. “Nice to meet you, Elder. I’d love to shake your hand, but I’m afraid I exerted too much energy fighting them off.” Horse did sound weak. “A good leader always does whatever is necessary to protect his people.” My dad gave a nod of approval. “I am Elder Anubis.” “The Egyptian god?” Bren asked with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open slightly in awe. “In my youth I thought it was senseless to hide what I was, and the humans of that time did worship me as a god,” he answered with a chuckle. “We all do silly things when young.” If I hadn’t been so distracted with my mate, I would have groaned. I’d long since gotten over my embarrassment that my father was an

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Egyptian god, but he did so love to talk about it. Most of the time I just blocked it out, but some times it was harder to do that than others. “Thank you for helping our asses, but enough of the history lesson, Father,” I snarled. “How can my mate be a vampire?” “He was a human that was turned,” Anubis answered gently as he knelt next to me. Yeah, no shit, but how is that not the same as my mate just being dead? A vampire was the same as death to a human soul, so why could I still feel him as my mate? He touched my mate and sighed in relief. “But all is not without hope. He is still pure of heart. While he has taken blood, he has never killed. He can be reverted to human.” Now we were getting somewhere! “I didn’t know that was possible.” Maze’s eyes were bugging out of his head. Zander plopped down on one of the comfy gaming chairs we had and pulled my best friend onto his lap. Gods, would I ever have that, or was I destined to wander this world alone, forever in torment? At this moment it felt like the latter. “Anything is possible, young Maze.” Anubis went over to Horse and touched his forehead softly. “Thank you, Elder,” Horse said, letting his gratitude show in his tone as his energy returned. He tapped Bren’s arm and was set on his feet, completely fine. “It is I who should thank you. You included my son when he needed a family but could not turn to his own.” Then he glanced at Maze. “And you, young Maze. You helped heal his heart when I thought it to be impossible.” “He saved me, too,” my friend replied with a blush. I loved that he still had enough innocence to do that. It had been so long that I’d been jaded I couldn’t even remember my cheeks ever heating up. Then I had another thought. “How long have you been watching me, Father?” I asked with a raised brow.

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“From the moment you left.” My father shrugged in a way I knew full well that told me I shouldn’t have bothered to ask the question. “Okay then.” I rolled my eyes at him. Some things never changed, not that I was surprised when it came to my father. “How do I help my mate?” “Let us speak in private.” I nodded and stood with my mate in my arms. My father glanced at all of my friends. “Do any of you fierce warriors need healing as well?” “No, we’re good,” Button answered with a smile. “Thanks for swooping in and saving the day.” “You had it well in hand, Button. I just sped up the outcome.” I touched my dad’s hand and ’ported us to the kitchen. My room might have been a better idea, but I could really use a drink or sixteen after today. I set my mate down on the table and went to grab a couple of beers from our giant refrigerator. Gesturing to my father with the beer bottle in my hand, he let out a deep laugh. “Sure, I could have a beer I guess.” He took one, smiling at me. “You look good. Well, considering everything going on.” I gave him a once-over. He looked a lot like me with the same short stature and short, light brown hair. The only difference was that his eyes were gray instead of my green. “Thanks, I guess.” I popped the top and downed it all in one shot. Apparently I had needed that. I reached into the fridge and got another one, thinking getting pissed drunk wasn’t a bad plan. “Not to be rude, but can we catch up after we save my mate?” I winced at how harsh it sounded. I hoped my father would cut me some slack. “Of course,” he said with a sympathetic nod. “The answer is simpler than you think and right in front of you.” He held up a placating hand when I growled. “Normally I would have expected you to figure it out, but under the circumstances, I can appreciate why you didn’t.”

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“Father, please stop talking in riddles,” I begged, not caring that I was showing weakness in front of him, an elder. “This is my mate.” “One of our main rules is to not fornicate with other paranormals,” he explained as he sat down on one of the kitchen stools. “Why is that?” Uggghhh! I know this was my father’s way, but I was tired of him trying to make me connect the dots. Right now, I just wanted the fucking answers and was too exhausted to put up with his games. Then it hit me. “Because our magic is pure and completely ingrained in us. We’re so powerful that we would strip any other being of their juice and abilities.” “Correct. So it stands to reason that if you had sex with your mate, you would strip him of his paranormal essence and revert him to human.” “Are you sure?” I whispered, scared to hope that the solution could actually be that simple. He nodded and I downed another beer, wiping a hand across my mouth after I had finished. “Has anyone ever done it before? I mean, do we know anyone who’s had the same problem?” “Know them? No,” he said quietly. “But we have papers documented in our extensive libraries. And the theory makes sense.” “So all I have to do is have sex with a vampire and keep him from biting me and draining me and killing me and—” “Breathe, Shadow,” my father ordered. I nodded and took several deep, calming breaths. It worked to a point, but I still felt as if the panic was boiling up inside of me and I was putting a Band-Aid on a broken dam. It wouldn’t hold much or for long. “It’s never easy to bond with one’s mate, and I’ll admit it’s a lot trickier in your case. But fate wouldn’t have put you together if you couldn’t overcome this.” He stared at me intently as he sipped his beer. “Right, makes sense,” I mumbled as I shifted my gaze from my father to my mate as he lay limply on the table, getting my first real

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look at him. I did a double take when I recognized him. “And I do what with him? Keep him tied down until he agrees to be my mate and have sex with me? We’re enemies, for gods’ sakes.” This situation seemed only to be getting worse. “I didn’t say it would be easy, but nothing worth happening ever is, Son.” He finished off his beer with a few long swigs and gave me a nod. “You’re strong enough to handle this, Shadow. I have no doubt you’ll figure it out. But if you need my help, you know how to find me.” “I’m not strong,” I whispered, tears spilling out of my eyes as I plopped down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. I wiped my eyes angrily. “I fight because anger’s all that’s left in me, Father. I’ve not been of any use to anyone in centuries.” I pointed to my mate. “Is he Jake? Or is this fate’s way of rubbing my past crimes in my face?” “He’s not Jake. I was wondering how long it would take you to see the similarities after you got over the shock of him being a vampire. I made sure it wasn’t him the moment I saw him. Jake is truly dead, my son. He has been this entire time.” “I don’t know if that’s a blessing or torture,” I whimpered before finishing my beer. What the hell did I do now? And all these centuries of saving people. Hadn’t I done enough to pay for my past crimes? It would seem not.

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Chapter 2 I rested my head in my hands, ready to bawl like a baby but fighting to keep my anguish inside. The moment my father laid a comforting hand on my shoulder, I couldn’t keep it in anymore. A loud sob passed my lips, and I felt my father lean over and hug me. I hadn’t cried since Jake died and even then I didn’t turn to anyone for comfort. I had just learned to deal with it by turning it into anger. Now, I couldn’t carry this burden alone and let my father comfort me. I clutched onto his shirt, not caring that I was showing weakness to him. While my father might be old and very old-school, he was never one of those pricks who judged men for crying. He whispered gently to me, reminding me that I wasn’t alone and had people who loved me that would help. Several minutes later when I got it all out, I realized we weren’t alone anymore. I wiped my eyes and glanced up, seeing my entire family there. “It’s okay, Uncle Shadow,” Wade said quietly as he pushed himself into my lap. “We can fix whatever is making you sad.” His innocent eyes were filled with sincerity as he said the words. “Thank you—” I gasped when I realized the twins were in the same room as a vampire. “You can never be around this man, Wade. Do you understand me?” “But he’s your mate.” He had the confused look of a child wondering why he was in trouble. “Yes, but he is very sick,” I replied gently. “Until he’s better, you and your sister are not to be around him. He could hurt you.” My insides clenched at the possibility.

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“Okay, Uncle Shadow.” He nodded solemnly and gave me one more hug before slipping off my lap and standing back by his parents. “They are not immortal yet,” my father said with a raised brow, gesturing to the twins. “They are truly your children?” “They are mine by blood, Elder,” Alexi confirmed with a slight bow of his head. “Button said that we had to get the official adoption papers and then we could petition the Council about them.” “Yes, those are the rules. Make sure and call me when you have the legal documents and I will see it is done immediately.” “We should have them this week,” Daran explained with a nod. “I had an old contact speed the process along.” “Good, good.” Just then there was a groan coming from the table. My father’s and my gazes immediately snapped to my mate. “What do we do now?” I was so lost in all of this that I didn’t have the first idea. “Take us to your room,” he ordered, touching my mate and I. I ’ported us there, still not sure what was going to happen. My father closed his eyes, and I felt the intense flow of his power as he used his magic. Suddenly there was a large, metal cage in the corner of my room away from the windows. Then it had a bed, small table, and a few basic comforts adorning its interior. It was so weird to see a giant cage in my normally spacious room. I wasn’t much for stuff, so my room had been fairly sparse with just a bed, two nightstands, and a dresser. Now that there was a cage in the corner, it felt a lot smaller than normal. Anubis lifted my mate up and carried him into the cage before setting him on the bed. Then even my father, in all his power, exited the cage with haste. That was reassuring. He locked it up and handed me the key. “Until you are able to convince him that you can save him, he’s too dangerous to let roam free. And not just because there are children in this house. Give yourselves some time to get to know each other. I will have some bagged, human blood sent to you. He’ll need to feed

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of course, and I’m not sure if the donated blood tastes the same, but it will have to do.” “Yeah, it’s not like I’m bringing in people for him to feed off of or asking someone in this house to open a vein for him,” I agreed, my stomach squirming at the idea. I gave my father the best smile I could muster under the circumstances. “Thank you.” He reached out to me, cupping my cheeks in his hands. “I would do anything to spare you this pain and hardship, Shadow. I know it feels as if this is too much to bear, but I know you can and will come out the other side of this. “It’s hard to see now but fate did this for a reason, and I have a feeling it is to heal you. You have been through so much pain that you have chosen to bury instead of overcoming. That’s the only reason I can see that your mate would resemble the only man you’ve ever loved.” “Or to torture me,” I whispered, lowering my eyes in shame. “Don’t make me call your mother here,” my father threatened. I shivered at the idea. I’d love my mother always, but that woman was fierce in a way that was hard to put into words. She would kick my ass all over the place and then baby me until I forgave myself. No thanks. “The only person who ever blamed you was you, Shadow.” My mate groaned again from his cage and moved his hand to wipe his eyes. “I’ll leave you to it now. If you need me, you know where I am.” He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and another supportive hug before ’porting home. As long as I had been away from my father, it felt odd to watch him go, leaving me in my room with my mate locked in a cage. Oh fuck it! This whole fucking fucked-up situation was so fucking fucked up that I just wanted to fucking scream! Or say fuck a lot, it seemed. My mate must have felt the energy my father used because he sat up, his eyes blinking rapidly as if trying to shake off the last of his

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sleep. I cleared my throat and his intense milk-chocolate eyes focused on me. My heart skipped a beat as our gazes interlocked. I forced myself to speak, fighting the sudden dryness in my mouth. “I apologize for knocking you over the head like that. I didn’t know how else to get you out of the line of fire quickly without you fighting me.” I wasn’t sure if that was the best thing to say to my mate right then, but it was all I could think of. “Is everyone dead?” he asked, clearing his throat a few times as if he’d overused his voice recently…or he was that thirsty. “Yes, they are all dead. The werecat will be joining them shortly,” I confirmed, not willing to sugarcoat that part of the discussion. “But you’re safe.” He let out a snort as he ran his hand over his short, black hair. “Right. Because being held in a cage normally screams safety and to not worry.” He eyed me over, his fangs elongating past his lower lip. “I don’t know what information you want from me, but I’ll give it to you. I will bite though. You come near me and I’ll rip you to shreds.” I held up my hands in surrender and then pulled the chair in my room up to the cage. “I have no intention of hurting you. I would like to know your name though.” “Why?” he asked, raising an eyebrow of distrust. I sighed, exhausted, weary, and just all-around fucking tired. I sat in the chair cross-legged and braced my hands on my knees. “That depends. Are you a rip the bandage off and give it to you straight kinda guy, or do you need to take baby steps?” “Are you picking on me?” he snarled, getting to his feet quickly and approaching the bars. His eyes were full of hatred, and it hurt my heart that my mate was looking at me that way. “No,” I answered, sighing again, not even flinching when he got close to me. “I just don’t know how to handle this. I don’t know if I should just lay it all on the line for you and go from there. Should I ease you into all of this? Or would that scare you more not knowing

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the full story?” I paused and met his gaze. “I’ve had my emotions buried for centuries, so I’m at a loss at how to try and use them now.” “That’s clears everything up for me now.” He snorted and went back to the bed. “How about giving it to me in pieces as I ask? Let me process as we go along.” “Will you answer my questions, too?” I thought it was a fair trade. “Yeah, but I don’t know how long I have until my voice gives out.” He glanced at the floor as if it was a point of embarrassment, confirming my suspicions about his needing to drink. “How long since you fed?” There, my tone was gentle and not threatening. I could do this. His eyes went wide, and I saw fear in them. “My father is an elder, and he told me you’ve drunk from humans but never killed anyone. I promise you this isn’t about punishment or torturing you.” “Then what is this about?” he whispered, moving forward so his forehead was resting against the bars of his cage. I ran my hands over my face and massaged my temples, kind of feeling as if we were going in circles. I decided to bite the bullet. We weren’t going to get anywhere if we didn’t start answering each other’s questions. “You know I’m an elf, right?” He nodded. “How much do you know about us?” “About elves in general? Nothing,” he answered quietly. “But you? I know who you are, Shadow. You’re like the boogeyman to my kind. The great vampire hunter. No one goes up against you and lives to tell the tale.” “Then how does anyone know about me?” I asked with a smirk. “That’s a good point.” He chuckled, the tension in the room finally breaking, if only slightly. “You know most paranormals who are born as one have destined mates that fate gives us.” “Yes, I’ve heard that,” he confirmed, eyeing me over cautiously. “Are you going to tell me I’m yours?” “Yes.”

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His facial expression clearly said yeah, right. “You are. Why else would I pop into the middle of a fight and pull you out, keeping you alive before killing the rest?” “Because I have a really tight, virgin ass?” He raised a brow and my nostrils flared with desire. “Because you’re horny and I look easy.” “Nothing about this is easy,” I whispered, the severity of the situation slamming back into me. “I never thought I’d find my mate and have to worry that he’d want to tear me to shreds. When I envisioned finding my mate, I never saw having to lock him up to keep my family safe.” “You’re serious,” he gasped. I nodded, focusing on a piece of lint on the carpet, not able to meet his eyes right then. I couldn’t deal with his reaction if I had to see disgust or revulsion. “Terry.” “What?” I asked, my head snapping up to look at him before I even realized it. “My name is Terry Christoff.” He blushed and fidgeted with his hands. It was an adorable nervous habit on someone so large. My heart went out to him. I longed to reach out and touch him. He looked like a scared child. A very tall, built child. “I like it,” I admitted, eyeing him over appreciatively. I shook off my lust, my body threatening to overthrow my brain. Everything in me was screaming to take my mate in my arms and keep him safe, close to me always. If only he wouldn’t tear me apart if I did. I let out a small sigh and turned my head to look out the window. “So what do we do now?” His voice sounded as if it was painful to use. I returned my gaze back to him. “We get you something to drink. You might be a vampire, but you’re my mate, and I won’t have you feeling the slightest discomfort.” “How can you be so understanding?” Terry’s eyes narrowed, and he looked apprehensive again.

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“Because curling in a ball and dying won’t save you,” I answered honestly. I stood just as someone at the door knocked. “Come in.” Horse opened the door and stuck his head in. “Your father just had a cooler delivered full of blood. There was a note that you’d need it.” “Yes, thanks.” I crossed the room and pushed the door open wider, taking the large cooler from my friend, giving him a worried smile. Would my family freak out about my vampire mate or that I was keeping him in the house? “We need to have a discussion later, Shadow,” he announced firmly, his stony facial expression brooking no argument. “I know, but my father said the cage will hold—” “I don’t care that your mate is here,” he growled, giving me a shove. “You think we wouldn’t be here for you and your mate as you have been for us?” Well, that surprised me. “Oh, then what do we need to discuss?” “The fact that your father is an elder maybe? That you obviously didn’t run away from the North Pole when you were sixteen as you told us. No more secrets, Shadow. We love you and deserve the truth.” “You’re right,” I whispered as I nodded. And he was. There was so much I had been hiding from them for so long. It really was time to let it all out. “I’ll come clean soon, I swear it.” “I’m going to hold you to it.” Horse hugged me tightly, which shocked me as well. “Let us know any way we can help.” “Actually, you can.” I pulled away from him but took his hand, pulling him over to the cage. “Tell my mate, Terry, how you knew when you found your mate.” “My fangs came out,” he replied, giving me a confused look. “That’s how elves know. I was drawn to him in a way I never felt possible and Bren experienced the same thing. There was an instant attraction. When we are intimate with our mates or smell their blood, we know for sure if it’s them and our fangs come out.”

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Terry’s hand fluttered to his shoulder where he had the cut I’d smelled earlier. “Thanks.” Horse nodded, giving me a funny look before shutting the door quietly behind him as he took his leave. “You saw my fangs come out from across the room before I ’ported to you,” I explained to Terry, gesturing in the general direction of my mouth. I was trying to get him to understand the method to my madness. “Now you know why.” He lowered his gaze and started shaking his head. “You have to accept this one fact, Terry, before we can move on. The rest makes sense if you—” “Look, you’ve been nice to me by not torturing me and all,” he said, interrupting me. His voice had become even quieter, and I could see that his eyelids were starting to droop as though it was a struggle to keep them open. “But I’m exhausted. It’s been forever since I’ve had anything to drink. It’s gods only know what time. I’m not saying I don’t believe you. It’s just a lot and I need a little time to think. Can we please get some sleep and pick this up later? I know I’m the prisoner and—” “You’re not a prisoner,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I fully intend on letting you out the second I know you won’t hurt my family.” “That’s fair.” He nodded with understanding. “I get that. Most vampires don’t control their thirst and are nasty things.” Terry gave me a weak smile. “You’re not the only one who hates them. Hell, you’re not the only one in this room who kills them.” My jaw dropped open at that one. I had a hundred and one questions I wanted to ask him then, but his request for sleep was simple, and I wanted to crash as well. “We’ll talk when we get up?” “Yes, I have questions. I just can’t seem to wrap my tired mind around this enough to think what to ask.” He did look exhausted, and I didn’t even want to think about what I looked like. “Fair enough. I’m going to open the door and give you the cooler so you can drink as you need.” I eyed him over carefully.

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“I’ll stay on the bed then,” he said in a quiet voice. My instincts were confused. Half of me said I could never trust a vampire while the other part of me reminded me it, no he, was my mate. I shook the thoughts off and took the key, opened the door, and set down the cooler. When I looked back up, Terry hadn’t moved and was simply lying back on the bed staring up at the ceiling of the cage with his arms folded beneath his head. I locked the cage back up and stepped away as calmly as I could. I didn’t want to seem scared even though stepping into a cage to feed a vampire had shaken me up. But then the part of me that longed to satisfy my mate kicked in. “Thank you.” My heart warmed at the thought that I provided something my mate needed so desperately…even if it was blood. “You’re welcome.” He moved to the cooler cautiously, and I turned my back to give him privacy. I went over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of pajama pants. I’d just gotten off my shirt and pants when I heard a gasp. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Terry’s gorgeous brown eyes were focused intently on me. Shit. I hadn’t meant to tease him or make this anything sexual. I quickly yanked on the sleeping pants before turning back to him. He was clutching the empty blood bag, his eyes hooded with lust. “Sleep. We need to sleep.” I swallowed loudly, wanting to say something completely different than what I had. But a certain part of my body was betraying my rational statement. Sometimes it just wouldn’t behave. “Right, sleep good,” he mumbled as he set down the empty bag on the table. He climbed into the bed and pulled the covers over himself. Terry still looked scared. I felt that I needed to reassure him because it made my heart ache that he was afraid of me. “I won’t ever hurt you, Terry. It’s not possible for an elf to harm his mate.” “Time will tell me if that’s true or not.” He yawned and snuggled into his bed. That was a fair assessment. As much as I wanted him to instantly believe me, I thought it was wise of him to be cautious. Very

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wise. So much so that I couldn’t help being a little impressed with him. I got into my own bed, trying my best to ignore that the maroon color of the comforter looked so much like the blood I had just seen my mate drink. I was ready for sleep to take me. It didn’t take long. The second my head hit the downy pillow, I was out.

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Chapter 3 “Jake!” I gasped loudly as I woke up with a start, clutching the sheets to my chest. The same nightmares were plaguing me as always. “Who’s Jake?” someone asked from across the room. I growled at the intruder and was up and out of bed, in a fight stance, before I realized who it was. Terry. I relaxed, slumped back onto the bed, and scrubbed the sleep from my eyes. “A very, very long story,” I mumbled. “Sorry if I woke you up.” “No, I was up,” he replied slowly. “I was debating if you would let me take a shower.” I blinked at him in surprise for a few moments. Yeah, that was one I wasn’t prepared for. “I could get a bathtub in there. I know it’s not the same but—” “But you don’t trust me. I can’t say I blame you. I’d appreciate a bath, a long soak sounds like heaven right now.” “Was the blood okay?” I wasn’t sure I could hear that he enjoyed it, but I had to check my mate was taken care of. “Umm, yeah, I’m just not used to human blood,” he admitted with a shrug. “I normally have animal blood unless I can snag some bags from a hospital, which is rare.” “Vamps can survive off of animal blood?” I didn’t know that. Wow, my mate was teaching me a lot already. I never thought he’d be a font of bloodsucker information. Then again, he was a vampire, so I don’t know why I was all that surprised. But whatever. I used my magic to make a large freestanding bathtub with the cool claw feet appear and filled it with hot water. Then I went into the bathroom to grab him some soap, a washcloth, and shampoo.

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When I stepped back into the room, he was naked and stepping into the tub. Dear gods, he was gorgeous. I bit my lip to keep the moan in, my heart racing as he moaned when the hot water touched his ivory skin. Once he was settled in it, Terry turned to look at me. “Voyeur,” he teased. “Sorry.” I tried to keep my eyes focused on his eyes rather than his beautiful, naked body as I handed him what he would need through the bars. Our fingers grazed each other’s, and we both gasped at the shock of electricity that ran through our bodies. I met his gaze and saw the surprise and slight fear in his eyes. “You felt that, too?” “Y–Yes,” he answered with a stutter and cleared his throat. “A mate thing I take it?” “I think so.” I shrugged as I sat in the chair by the cage. Now seemed as good of a time for us to talk as any. “I’ve never had a mate before. I don’t know everything to expect.” He nodded before ducking his head under the water. “So you drink animal blood?” I asked when his head resurfaced, his wet hair glistening. “It’s not pleasant though some are better than others,” he confirmed as he started to soap up his upper body. “Deer is my favorite. But it doesn’t keep us as sated as human blood. Too much animal blood and we can get incredibly weak, sick even. So it’s a balancing act for me. I drink it as much as I can while still keeping in top condition to fight, but it staves off the guilt that I feel when I take blood from humans.” “You’re not like any vampire I’ve ever met before,” I admitted sheepishly. There was nothing about him that made me feel that he should be locked up for anyone’s safety. But then again, I might be partially blind when it came to my mate. He could be lying through his very long teeth for all I knew. I didn’t know him well enough to be able to tell at this point. “You’re the only elf I’ve ever met.” He chuckled. I got hard as a rock when he moaned as he lathered up his hair. His muscles flexing

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as water dripped down his body. I wanted to catch every drop with my tongue. “So you don’t like being a vampire?” I decided to go out on a limb. “Yeah, because becoming a monster was exactly what I dreamed of when I was kid.” He rolled his eyes just in case I missed his sarcasm. “I hate what I am, and I’m going to kill every son-of-a-bitch bloodsucker I can before one of them does me in. Just like I did to the thing that made me.” Well, hello. If he didn’t know much about elves, he couldn’t guess I could hear his thoughts. “Do I get to watch you wash up, too?” Terry asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I met his glance and saw enough heat and lust there that I was ready to come. He wanted me! Well damn, that was a good sign. “If you want,” I answered, my tone becoming deep with desire. I didn’t want the other topic to die just yet, so I decided to continue at the risk of killing the lust in the room. As much as I didn’t want to. “What if you didn’t have to be a vampire anymore?” “Yeah right,” he scoffed, shaking his head at me as he went to wash one of his legs. “Modern medicine have a pill for the vampire gene or some X-Men shit?” “No, it won’t work for any vampire. Only one mated to an elf, who’s never killed a human and kept their soul.” “I still have my soul?” Terry’s eyes went wide and he dropped the soap, which splashed loudly as it hit the water. He looked away quickly and fished it back out of the tub. “And how do I get saved? You claim me? That sounds like the worst pickup line ever.” “I don’t have to claim you,” I admitted, my cheeks heating up with embarrassment. This was much harder to discuss than I thought it would have been. “We do have to be intimate.” “Of course we do.” He snorted and didn’t look at me. “Find another piece of ass, buddy.”

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“You are not just another piece of ass to me,” I said firmly with a snarl. “You are my mate, and I would do anything for you.” I took a deep breath to calm down when he stared at me as if I was off my rocker. My freaking out was not going to help the situation. “Look, one of the first rules we learn when we learn about sex is to never, ever have intercourse with another paranormal. We’re told to not even make out with them because it could have devastating effects on them.” “But yet you want to do it with me?” He looked equal parts pissed and confused with his wide eyes, furrowed brows, and the slanted line of his mouth. “In your case, it’s what you want.” Wow, that came out wrong. I ran my fingers through my hair in a gesture of frustration. “The reason we can’t have sex with other paranormals is because our magic is pure and crazy strong. If we couple with another magical or supernatural being, we would cancel out their paranormal essence. If it was a werewolf, then that means they’d lose their wolf and ability to shift. For a vampire—” “I’d be human again,” he whispered, his eyes filling with tears. “You’re serious? You’re not fucking with me as some type of twisted torture thing?” “If I was into torture, I’d just rape you to get what I wanted, Terry. One, that’s not my thing. Two, you’re my mate, I can’t hurt you. Ever.” “But look at it from my perspective.” He was shaking so bad the water in the tub was sloshing, and his knuckles had turned white he was gripping the sides of the tub so hard. I was up and unlocking the cage door before I even realized it. I knelt by the tub and hugged him to me. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? It doesn’t seem like you’d have any reason to lie, and I can’t even see any way you’d benefit from fucking with me like this, but how do I really know?” He sounded so lost right then as the words spilled from his mouth.

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“You’re going to have to have some faith, Terry. I’m trusting you enough to come in here and comfort you.” “Which was really stupid,” he said, his voice becoming horribly icy and cold. I had a second to move, trying to lock us into the cage together, but he beat me there. Vampires were faster than even elves were. He closed me into the cage and I laughed. “What’s so funny.” “I could teleport you back in here in five seconds.” His face fell and he cussed. “I’m not going to hurt anyone. I didn’t hurt you, right? I just thought if you were on that side of the bars and told me all of this, maybe I could believe you didn’t have an agenda.” “I never said I didn’t have an agenda.” I ’ported out of the cage so I was standing right in front of him. He gasped and went completely hard. Oh right, he was gloriously naked and wet. I ran my fingers along his stiff cock, a thrill going through me when he gasped again. “Wh–what’s your a–agenda? What d–do you w–want?” “You, Terry,” I whispered as I stared up into his eyes. We’d not spent time this close and vertical, so I hadn’t realized that he had almost a foot on me. Which was funny because I was tall for an elf. I didn’t say tall in general since I was only five-seven and a half. But it was tall for one of my kind. And Terry was probably six-six. It didn’t help that he was also well built whereas my body was more lean and lithe. “I want you, Terry.” “Why?” he asked, going to take a step back. I moved one forward, smiling impishly when I realized he was inches from the edge of my bed. “You’re my mate. I only get one and honestly I’d given up hope at finding one. I thought I was too evil to have a mate, that I’d had love once and screwed it up so I forfeited my mate.” “That Jake guy?” “Yes,” I answered simply. “But that’s a conversation for another time.”

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“You mean talking about another man is bad form when you’re holding my cock.” He raised an eyebrow at me as if challenging me to say otherwise. “That and I’m not ready to tell the tale. Maybe when I know we trust each other, I can reveal old wounds to you.” “Fair enough,” he gasped as I cupped his sac as well. “Is this your way of trying to talk me into letting you fuck me and fix me?” “That’s not the only reason I want to fuck you, Terry, and you know it.” He didn’t take any more steps back so instead I gave him a slight shove. My mate toppled back onto my bed, his eyes widening with surprise, and I gladly went with him, straddling his lap. “I want so much more than one fuck with you, my mate.” I cupped his face in my hands and leaned over to give him a soft kiss. To say it was electric was an understatement. I lapped at his lips, begging for entrance. “No, this is too weird,” he whispered and shoved me off of him. I blinked at him in shock, not having a clue what to say. Hadn’t he felt the same electricity in our kiss? Terry got off the bed and willingly went back into the cage, slamming the door behind him. Then I watched as he went back into his bath, without a word or a backward glance at me. It felt like he had just punched me in the stomach. “I’m sorry. I thought you wanted it, too.” I didn’t wait for his reply. I ’ported down to the training room, the only place I could ever seem to think. I sighed in relief when I saw no one had cleaned up the weapons we had pulled from their places in the racks. They were just piled haphazardly around the room, and it would take hours upon hours for me to clean them and put them back in the correct place, which would give me enough of a distraction. I just needed to think about anything other than my mate freaking out over kissing me. First, I collected the guns we’d pulled out of their holding spots, even if we didn’t use them. I unloaded any rounds or shells before making sure that it hadn’t been fired. With the smaller guns, I took the

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bullets out of the chambers and pulled out the clips. If they had been used, then I sat down with them and cleaned them thoroughly. I had no idea what I was doing…oh, not about the guns. Those I was getting good at dealing with. When they were all cleaned, I put the rest of the unorganized weapons away and headed to the media room to collect more since there were unfilled gaps in the training room. I meant I had no idea what I was doing with Terry. Did I push too soon? Had I imagined the lust I saw in his eyes? I knew he had been hard. I entered the wreckage that was the ballroom. There was broken glass and chunks of drywall strewn everywhere from the part of the ceiling that the vampires had destroyed when they attacked. Pretty much all of the surrounding walls were damaged, having been cracked or burnt from the bullets and exploding arrows. It was not a pretty sight. “What are you doing down here?” Maze asked with a raised brow. He and his mate, Zander, were vacuuming up all the remnants of the dusted vampires mixed with dust from the drywall. Yuck. I used my magic, waving my wrist in that direction, and cleaned it all up. “Thanks, but that doesn’t answer my question.” “I’m helping clean the mess up I caused,” I answered with an edge to my tone. I wasn’t exactly in the mood to talk right now. “This wasn’t your fault, Shadow,” he said gently, his eyes sad as he moved towards me. I darted around him and went to collect some more guns. “Don’t do this.” “Do what?” “Shut down on me. I know you’re hurting.” I glanced up and saw half the house was doing various tasks in the media room to help…all staring at me. I really should not have come up here. “I’m not, but it is my fault. I brought this into our home. They wanted to kill Shadow the vampire hunter. I could have gotten you all killed.”

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“It was a calculated risk,” Horse said gently. “None of us are mad at you.” “No?” I laughed and gestured to the room. “It’s not love I see in all your eyes as you stare at me like a freak.” “It’s not hate either,” he growled. “I know for me it’s wonder. You’re the son of an elder and we never even knew.” “And you wonder why I never told any of you.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “You think I wanted this attention.” If they should have learned anything about me in all the years we had lived together, it was that I hated attention. “We wouldn’t still be curious if you had simply told us,” Button countered. “We’ve lived together for decades. I can’t help wonder what else you’ve kept from us, brother.” “Fine,” I snarled, throwing the guns I had in my arms back to the floor. They clattered noisily as they hit the wood floor. “You want to know? Yes, I’m the son of an elder. I was groomed from birth to join the Council because of my lineage. I never wanted it. I fell in love with a human, and we started taking in strays. They all died. I left them alone to go on some Council errand for my father, and when I got home, they were all slaughtered like cattle. By vampires. “Now I’m mated to one, and he looks like the twin of my human lover. And I have no clue what to do about any of it. I can’t handle it. My heart was ruined centuries ago. I’m no use to anyone except to fight, and now I’ve endangered you all! That about sum it up?” I fought back sobs from the pain of remembering. “We held our own last night,” Horse replied with a smile. “A little more training and we won’t have to worry if they ever come back.” I felt my chest fall into my stomach. “You think I’m staying here now?” My leader’s jaw opened and just about hit the ground. “I’m a walking target and now they might all know where I live.” “But we would be worse off if you weren’t here to help us if they come back,” Button surmised. Gods damn him and his logic. “I’ve

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already been talking with Flower on how to fortify the house better in case we’re ever attacked again.” “You can’t be serious?” I whispered, my legs giving out before I realized it, plopping onto the floor. “You can’t still want me here. You’ll all end up slaughtered along with your mates and the twins if I stay.” “We disagree,” Horse said gently as he knelt in front of me. “What you do, all the people you save, is worth the risk. Look what we were able to do without training, without being prepared. We can do this if you help us.” His eyes were pleading as he stared up at me. “Why?” “You’re our brother, Shadow,” he answered, tears filling his eyes. “Do we wish you’d just come clean with us? Of course, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to abandon you. If we were human living with Bren, a police detective, we could be just as at risk from some douche bag he put in jail. Look at all the shit we’ve all brought to this family, mates included. That doesn’t make us love anyone in this house any less. We’re a family and we stick together. Together we’re stronger.” “Thank you,” I sobbed and pulled him into my arms. I shook and cried as I hugged my friend and brother. It was the second time in less than a day that I’d let everything out. I really hope this didn’t become a habit. I wasn’t sure I liked this side of me, but after everything being repressed for centuries, I was like a ticking bomb ready to go off. It was only a matter of time before I exploded. “We’re here for you, brother,” he said gently. I felt a small flare of power, but I was so lost in my emotions I didn’t know who it was coming from. “I can’t do this, Horse. I just can’t. He doesn’t want me, and I don’t know how to get through to him. I can’t save my mate any more than I could keep Jake alive or be what my father wanted me to be! I’m not whole. I’d save him and let him go if he’d just let me. He deserves to be with someone who could love him like he deserves.”

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“There is no one better suited in this world for him than you are, Shadow. There is a reason fate put the two of you together.” “No. No, I don’t know how to be tender.” I shook my head against his shoulder as a few more sobbing cries escaped my lips. “I freaked when he didn’t want to kiss me. I just left. I didn’t know what to do. He needs better than that, deserves better.” “Do you still love Jake?” Horse asked quietly. That shocked me. “No. What does that have to do with anything? Jake was the first person I’d ever been with. He saw me as more than just an elder’s son. Hell, he didn’t care I was the son of Anubis. It was puppy love.” “Then why do you still carry him around with you?” His tone wasn’t accusatory, just curious. “I failed him. He came from an abusive home and I took him out of there, promised to always protect him. I failed. He was torn to shreds, and I hadn’t even known vampires existed.” “And now you’re mated to one,” my mate whispered. I gasped and glanced up at Terry. We were in my room. Horse had teleported us here so I could have my breakdown in private. “We’re not in the media room.” Wow, duh. Master of the obvious on that one. “I had a feeling your mate needed to hear what you had to say,” Horse admitted with a slight blush. “Knowing you, Shadow, you haven’t told him any of this.” “In his defense, we just met and I’ve not been really open to listening,” Terry said with a shrug. I sat there, opening and closing my mouth like a fish, not sure what came next. Horse seemed to know though and took the key for the cage out of my pocket, stood, and opened the door. “You hurt him and I’ll gut you. We clear?” Horse asked. “I can’t promise that I’m not just as screwed up emotionally as he is, but I won’t harm him physically.” Horse eyed Terry over, and I knew he was listening in on his thoughts. Normally it was a big no-no

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in our world, but I’d give exception considering how dire the situation was. We couldn’t exactly afford to take any chances. “Fine.” Horse stood aside and let Terry pass before focusing on me. “You’re not moving out or leaving this family. I won’t stand for it, so get those thoughts right out of your head.” His tone left no room for argument as he made his exit. “Yes, boss,” I replied before I was tackled to the floor, my arms full of my mate. “He’s right, we need to talk more,” Terry muttered as he peppered my face with kisses. “I said it was weird because you kill vamps and I am one. Plus, you woke up with another man’s name on your lips. I didn’t want to be a substitute for a dead man.” “Then in the spirit of full disclosure, I have to tell you that you’re almost Jake’s twin. You’re bigger, more muscular, and your mannerisms are different, but you look weirdly like him. I was scared you were him when I knocked you out. I thought maybe they’d taken him and I’d counted body parts wrong in the carnage.” “Would you rather it be him in your arms than me?” He pulled back until I could see his face clearly along with the tears shining in his eyes. “I wish he was still alive. Well, that would be impossible since he was human and he still would have died centuries ago. But he wasn’t my mate. I still wish I could have protected him.” “So basically you’re not wishing he was here instead of me, but don’t make you choose who you’d rather have?” I thought about that a moment before nodding. “Yes. That’s not a choice I could make. I can tell you that if we’d met while I was with Jake, I would have ended things with him to be with you. You’re my mate. You’re my perfect partner and other half of my soul. You’re everything I ever wanted, Terry, vampire or not. We can figure this out.” “Right answer.” He mashed his mouth down to mine quickly before pulling right back away. “For someone who’s supposedly got

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no heart and can’t talk to people, you’re doing a really good fucking job at it.” “Glad you think so,” I growled, yanking his head back down to mine. He moaned loudly, opening up, and I took full advantage. I speared my tongue into his willing mouth, tasting every inch of his. Terry went wild, making the cutest noises as he ground his hips into mine so hard that I was being pushed into the floor to the point of pain. Not that I was complaining. Suddenly he pulled his head away and screamed out. His eyes were wide with astonishment, gasping in deep gulps of air. I had no idea what was going on until I felt the wet spot forming on his jeans and over my pajama bottoms. I smiled up him and went to cup his cheek. “I’m such a freak,” he whimpered before moving off of me in a flash. I couldn’t even follow his movements with my eyes, but figured out where he went when I heard the bathroom door slam. Fuck. And here I thought it was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. I had a feeling my mate just experienced his first orgasm and it was not as he had planned.

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Chapter 4 I lay there on the carpet for a moment, options racing through my mind. I really didn’t know the right way to fix this, so I went with my gut. Getting to my feet, I went over to the bathroom door and knocked gently. When there was no answer, I decided to just start talking. “Terry, I thought it was hot. It totally turned me on.” I winced at how blunt and untender it sounded. “Really?” His voice sounded hopeful. “Gods, yes,” I moaned, rubbing the heel of my hand against my groin. “I wanted to lick every drop of your spunk up and have you jack me off, too.” The knob turned and creaked open a few inches. “Past tense?” “I still want it.” I couldn’t help smiling. Who would have thought a strong vampire could be so insecure? But I guess a person’s first time was nerve-racking no matter who the person was. “I want to lick every inch of your firm body and take you, make you come over and over again.” “I’m not sure I’m ready for actual sex,” he mumbled, his forehead thumping gently against the bathroom door. “I want to make sure I’m saying yes for the right reasons before I do it.” “You mean that right now you want to do it to be free of being a vampire?” My gut clenched even asking the question. “I don’t think so, but I want to be a hundred percent sure,” he admitted. “I do want you. I just don’t know if I would give in yet to sex just from wanting you. I mean I’ve saved myself this long because I wanted to fall in love before having sex. And when I got turned into a monster, that all went out the window.”

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“We can still play around until you’re ready, right?” Yeah, might not have been the most sensitive thing to say, but I was horny, damnit! My brain wasn’t working well with the lack of blood in it… since it was all south of my beltline. “Oh yeah.” He opened the door so fast that I lost my balance and fell on him. Smooth. Terry caught me, smiling widely down at me. I had to ignore the fangs. It was hard. Part of my instincts were still screaming he was the enemy. “No penetration?” He lifted me into his arms, nodding as his eyes glazed over with desire. “I want to make you come, too.” And what did I say to that? “Okay.” Terry laid me gently on the bed, and I used my magic to wave away our clothes. “Neat trick.” “I have so many more,” I purred, spreading my legs wide to accommodate his large frame. “Like what?” He raised an eyebrow at me, daring me to show him. I would take that dare. I gave him an evil smile and used my power to make him feel as if I was eating out his ass. “Oh fuck. Please stop.” “What? Why?” I did as he asked immediately, but I was confused. “No one’s ever touched me there before,” he admitted with a cute blush. It was odd to see a vampire blush, but it was definitely attractive. “When it really happens, I don’t want it to be because of magic.” “Fair enough,” I agreed, cupping his cheek as I stared into his eyes. “What have you done?” “Nothing, besides kissing you and rubbing against you.” I sucked in air through my teeth, my own fangs extending. “That’s hot.” “You don’t think I’m some pussy virgin?”

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“No, never,” I answered gently. “We all have our reasons for why we wait. We can tell each other all about it later because right now I’m dying to touch you. Stop me if I go too far again, okay?” “I promise,” he moaned as I ran my fingers down his firm stomach, tracing his gloriously defined abs. “I’m going to come again if you don’t cut that out.” “Do it,” I whispered with a smile. “Come all over your mate. Mark me as yours with your seed.” “Oh, you are a kinky fucker.” He kissed the line of my neck with his wonderfully soft lips, and I had a moment of panic flare when I realized where his fangs were. “I won’t bite you, Shadow.” “I know, I swear I do,” I sighed, wrapping myself around him so he wouldn’t get up off the bed. “But old habits die hard, like not letting a vamp near my neck.” “No, I get it. I keep having the same panic when I remember you kill my kind.” “Then we just have to get over our shit.” I thrust up, letting our groins slide against each other. “I’m good with that.” He grabbed my hips and started moving his forcefully. Damn, if he fucked me, he’d pound me into the mattress. For the first time since Jake, I wanted someone inside of me. “Where did you go?” “What? Sorry, I was just thinking that I want to feel you inside of me, and I almost never bottom.” “Let me guess, except with Jake.” He started to move, but I held him to me. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I was wishing he was here, okay?” I put all the emotion I was feeling into my eyes, hoping he’d see I was telling the truth. “Please, Terry. Of all we have to overcome and deal with, let’s not let my having a past ruin our chances to be together.” “Right, okay,” he sighed, laying his forehead on my chest. “But I want the full story on him. Soon. I think that’s only fair.”

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“I agree,” I replied immediately. It was, too. “And I want to know how you became a vampire.” Terry winced, and I felt it against my chest. “We all have our demons, baby.” “Yeah, and if we’re really going to do this, make me human again and be mates, then we need to start with clean slates.” “I hope that’s possible,” I mumbled, not even having meant to say it aloud. “Me, too.” He took one of my nipples into his mouth before I was able to reply. I moaned and rubbed my cock against his. “You feel so amazing,” I groaned, running my short nails down his back. “If you’re not ready to be taken, I give myself to you willingly.” “Really? But won’t that still make me human?” He lifted his head to look into my eyes, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. “Oh, yeah, probably. Sorry. I just want you so badly. I can wait as long as you need.” “Thank you.” He reached between our bodies and took my cock into his hand. “You feel the same as mine.” “Yes, most dicks do,” I teased gently, unwrapping my legs from around him to give him better access. “You’re bigger than I am.” He chuckled as he started stroking me. “How is that possible when I’m so much taller?” “Elves tend to be well-endowed.” I shrugged. I just knew that all my friends and I were much bigger than humans our own size. “You’re no slouch in the dick department either. You’ve got to be at least nine inches.” “Yes, but you’re closer to a foot. That won’t fit inside of me.” “Yes it will.” I knew from experience that it would, but I wasn’t about to voice that. We had enough issues as it was, and I wanted to get some, not piss him off. “And I can go slow when you’re ready.” “Okay.” His brain shut off when I reached down and started stroking him as well. He came quickly, which thrilled me that I could get him so wound up. His spunk hit my groin and stomach. Just the

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smell of his pleasure set me off. I moaned and shot my load all over him. We stared at each other as we gasped for air. “We made a mess,” I joked. “Shower?” “I can get on board with that.” He gave me a small smile and another one of those cute blushes of his. We untangled ourselves and rolled off the bed. I smiled when Terry reached for my hand as if needing to stay as close to me as possible. Once in the bathroom, I used my other hand to turn on the shower and then turned to face him. He was smiling shyly down at me as I pulled him into the stall and closed the glass doors. I also couldn’t miss he was hard again. His long, thick cock was up against his stomach, almost hitting his navel. Without a thought in my head, I dropped to my knees, ignoring the dull pain that I felt from my knees slamming onto the shower floor. I ran my hands up his muscular thighs, squeezing them as he started to pant. I nuzzled his groin, inhaling his scent. “Let me please you.” “Okay,” he practically squeaked as my tongue darted out to lick his sac. I maneuvered him to lean back against the tiled wall, spreading his legs wide. I kept worshipping his balls with my tongue as I reached back behind them to his hole. “This is where I’m going to take you one day and show you such bliss you’ll pass out from it.” I rubbed the pads of my fingers against the puckered entrance I wanted to sink my cock into. “Okay,” he moaned, shuddering with pleasure at my touch. I knew he wasn’t giving me permission yet, simply acknowledging what I was saying. I could wait. “Such a pretty cock.” I gave it a few licks before swallowing it down. “Holy fucking gods on Olympus,” Terry gasped. His fingers tangled in my short hair, but he didn’t pull too hard or try to thrust down my throat. I figured it was more he wasn’t sure what to do with

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his hands just then. He just knew that he wanted to touch me, and his warm, strong hands felt wonderful as they massaged my head. I sucked on him hard as I squeezed his sac. I wanted this to be perfect for him, and if I showed lots of enthusiasm, I had a feeling he wouldn’t get upset if he came too quickly. I thought it was hot when he did. But most men saw it as a sign of their failing to control their own bodies. Since when was anything to do with sex about control? “Shadow, Shadow, Shadow!” he chanted as his thighs started to shake. Yup, my mate was getting close. I deep-throated him until my nose rubbed against the sparse hairs at his groin. Terry gasped and then cried out. I had just enough time to pull back so he didn’t end up choking me. His grip on my hair tightened as his seed shot into my mouth. I moaned at the sweet but salty taste of his cum, swallowing it all down. When my mate was spent, he slumped against the white-tiled wall of the shower. I braced his hips so he didn’t fall to the floor. I pulled off his cock with a loud pop before standing. “That was,” he started to say but then swallowed loudly and tried to take more air into his lungs. “Glad you liked it,” I purred, reaching for the soap. While he was recovering, I washed my mate slowly and thoroughly. I wanted to explore every inch of his body and memorize the smooth curvature of his muscles. He’d already done his hair, so once he was clean, I quickly did the same to myself. I felt my eyelids starting to droop as I finished up. “Time for a nap.” “Mm-hm,” he mumbled as I shut off the water. I opened the shower door, letting more steam fill the room, and grabbed us a couple of towels as we stepped out. Terry was half-asleep already and didn’t even seem to acknowledge that I was drying him off. I wrapped a towel around my waist before dragging his sagging body to my bed. Moments later, I had him all tucked in and quickly dried myself off with the towel. I tossed it away and crawled into bed next to him,

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careful not to touch him in case he found that to be intrusive. I couldn’t have been more wrong. “Why are you all the way over there?” Terry asked quietly, not even opening his eyes as he reached for me. I bit back a yelp as he dragged me the few feet to him and snuggled his larger body around mine. “See, this is better.” “Yeah, it is,” I sighed and wiggled back against him so I was even closer. It had been almost nine hundred years since I’d cuddled in bed with someone, and I’d honestly forgotten how wonderful it was. “How did you meet Jake?” he asked gently after a few minutes of quiet. My eyes fluttered open and I blinked a couple times to wake myself up completely before responding. “I thought you were sleeping.” I chuckled, hiding the fact that he startled me. “Soon, but I thought we should break up some of the vast amounts of talking we need to do.” It was fair and made sense. “I’m the son of an elder, Elder Anubis. Even though technically everyone on the Council is equal, he’s really like their leader. They all seem to defer to him on any decisions. So it’s considered an honor to be the firstborn child of such a great man.” “And a lot of pressure,” he countered. He was right and I nodded my agreement, feeling Terry’s head bob up and down along with mine since his chin was resting on the top of my head. “He was grooming me to take over for him one day. The laws about being on the Council are tricky, but he’ll always be an elder like the president is always Mr. President even after he’s not in office anymore. But most of the seats on the Council are by bloodlines. So it makes sense that the firstborn would take over one day.” “But you didn’t want you?” “Gods no.” I snickered, shaking my head. “That would have been a fate worse than death for me. I hate politics and all that crap. I wasn’t made to shake babies and kiss hands.” My mouth filled with bile at the thought.

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“You got that backwards. It’s kiss babies and shake hands.” “I know, but my way sounds funnier.” I giggled and pulled his arms around me tighter. Sometime later I’d have to look at the fact that he’d just made me giggle but right then I didn’t care. For the first time ever I was telling the story without feeling a big, gaping hole in my chest forming. “True that.” He pinched my butt and then rubbed the sting away. I felt a wave of pleasure go through my body. Great, now I was hard again! “Keep in mind this is Ireland over a thousand years ago. The first hundred years of my life I was the diligent son, going with him on any Council business, studying hard as he wanted. But I was miserable. Partially because my father made sure I was exposed to humans as much as possible so I would find my mate. My female mate. “And here I knew I was gay for the longest time. But if the great Anubis wanted me to be straight, then I wouldn’t entertain those thoughts of hot and sweaty men touching me everywhere.” “Yeah, because repressing being gay normally ends well.” He chuckled and kissed my hair as he kept trailing his fingers over my hip and butt. The skin on his fingers was slightly rough and felt amazing against my own flesh. “For me it led to a major explosion. I don’t even remember what set me off, but it was trivial. I just had so much angst built up that I couldn’t seem to handle one more issue. I told my father I’d had it, that I hated politics, would not spend my life training to be on the Council, and I wanted to kiss a man and touch his dick.” “Holy shit!” Terry gasped, shaking as if trying to hold back his laughter. I guess it was kind of funny although it hadn’t been at the time. “How did that go over?” “He just looked at me for a moment and replied, ‘Fuck as many men as you want. Fuck them all in every position you want, Shadow. I don’t care the sex of who you bed or who your mate will be. Just be

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happy, my son. But we will discuss taking over on the Council for me when you cool off.’” “Wow. Most parents wouldn’t be that cool nowadays, and way back then, shit. You could have gotten stoned for being queer.” He held me to him even more tightly as if trying to protect me. “Yeah.” I agreed and it was the truth. I’d actually seen someone get just that treatment when I was a young boy. “So I was equal parts confused and fucking giddy that he didn’t care that I was gay. I packed a bag and hopped on my horse and took off to the closest big village, which was where Belfast is now. Back then there weren’t large cities.” “The things you must have seen living so long,” he whispered with a tone of awe. “After what happened to Jake and my friends, I pretty much just became a spectator in the world.” There was an awkward pause before Terry gently prodded me. “So you rode to Belfast.” “Yes, I rented a room at the inn and found the seediest tavern there where I figured no one would pay any attention to who went home with whom. But then I had no fucking clue what to do. Instead of trying to make a move on anyone, I sat there night after night and got tanked, cursing my inexperience. I was so chicken to do anything that at the rate I was going, I would have been a virgin forever. “Then one night I was stumbling back to the inn, having drunk enough ale to kill a human, when I found a mangled body on the side of the road. I raced over to him and found he was still alive. I carried him back to my room and called for a doctor. Then I got word that the doctor wouldn’t come because they thought the man to be possessed. I wasn’t sure what that meant and didn’t really care right then, so I did the only thing I could. “I teleported us back to my father’s castle so he could heal this man. My father and the Council very adamantly state that we are to stay out of human affairs as much as possible because it’s always

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risky we’ll be discovered. But he was a softy for an injured party or the underdog. So he healed the guy, and I carried him back to my room for him to rest as he fully recovered.” “And that was Jake?” Terry asked hesitantly, as if not sure he wanted to know the answer. “Yes, Jacob O’Leary. Long story short, his father had caught him making out with a farmhand and beat the piss and shit out of him. He whipped Jake with a blessed whip from the local priest, thinking it would drive out the demon possessing Jake and making him do sick things like want men. The kicker is? Jake’s old man used to rape him I found out later.” I could feel my eyes starting to burn from the memories. “Holy shit,” Terry gasped, shivering with disgust as he held me tight. “Right? Sick fuck. I wanted to kill him the moment I found out, but Jake asked me not to.” I paused, wishing I still had because any monster that could rape his own son would do it to someone else, too. “Anyways, my father healed him mostly but not enough where it would be considered a miracle and raise questions. So I still had to play nursemaid. “The first time he opened his eyes and looked at me, I wanted to giggle with glee he was so gorgeous, even all beat up. And then when he got this funny heated look in his eyes, it did things to my body I’d never experienced before. My stomach felt tight and my palms were clammy. Sure, I knew what it meant, I’d read enough about sex to know what the signs of attraction were, but it had never happened to me before. “That first night he was awake he gave me a simple kiss to thank me and made room for me in the bed. He said he felt bad about kicking me out of my own bed and there was enough room for both of us. I accepted and we kissed all night long. I think he knew I was scared and had never been with a man, so he was going slow with me.” I paused, lost in my own thoughts.

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“Where are you drifting off to?” Terry asked softly as he moved his hands up my chest to cover my hands with both of his. “I’m just wondering if finding him was worth the pain I went through later. How different would my life have been if I’d kept walking that night or had left the tavern earlier and missed him completely? Would something else have happened to make me this broken man?” “And how many people would have died from the vampires you killed if you hadn’t gotten into hunting them? How many more would have been turned into monsters like I was if you hadn’t been fighting all these years to stop them?” “Cheap shot,” I grumbled and started to pull away. “No, not a cheap shot,” he said firmly, moving me right back against him and holding me tightly. I probably could have gotten away but one or both of us would have been hurt by it. I slumped back against him in defeat. “You’re entitled to your questions, Shadow. Hell, you’re more than entitled to grieve for the way your life turned out and what could have been. I just want you to remember that the choices you made and the way everything played out led to you saving thousands of lives over the years. And that shouldn’t be forgotten.” “Okay,” I whispered with a nod. The waterworks were ready to start again, and I couldn’t handle that right then. I blinked rapidly and moved one of my hands from beneath Terry’s to rub my eyes. “Nap time now. I’m all talked out for a while.” “I know, my mate. I know,” he said gently, his hands running over my body in a gesture of comfort. I could get used to having someone to comfort me, love me. And that scared the ever-loving fucking shit out of me.

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Chapter 5 “But everything got ruined and Uncle Shadow promised that this Christmas would be perfect,” someone whispered with a slight whine. What the hell was I dreaming about? “I know it got trashed, pumpkin. But think of it this way, now you get to do it all over again. Most kids have to wait a whole year to get a tree and decorate it, not to mention pick out more presents. It was sad that it got ruined, but you get to do it all over again. I’m sure your dads will do it bigger and better this time, too.” Wait, huh? This was the weirdest dream— “Thanks, Uncle Terry.” Jade giggled. Jade? Oh fuck! I leaped out of bed, almost tripping from the blankets that were wrapped around my legs. I managed to kick them off and stand up, my eyes darting around the room until their gaze landed on Terry and Jade sitting on the floor by the door with their legs crossed. I moved in a flash to lift her up into my arms and away from Terry. “Uncle Shadow, you’re nakie!” she exclaimed, trying to squirm out of my grasp. I used my magic to throw on pajamas. Whoops! “Honey, you weren’t supposed to come up here, remember?” I asked gently, setting her back on her feet. I glanced at Terry, who looked like I kicked him in the nuts. “I know Uncle Terry won’t hurt you, but until your dads get a chance to talk with him and meet him, he’s still a stranger to them.” He nodded his understanding but still looked hurt. “Dad said Uncle Horse let him out because he wasn’t sick anymore.” Oh, well that changed things. “And he said I could come talk to you because you promised this would be the best Christmas

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ever and our tree and presents got destroyed.” She crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip, giving me the most adorable pouty face. “I did promise that, but I think your Uncle Terry is right. We can do it much better this time. Maybe even get a real tree and lots more presents. That would be fun, right?” I gave her a big smile, but it didn’t seem to have the desired effect. “It’s only a few days before Christmas,” she whined. “All the good trees will be gone by now.” Her voice had become even more high-pitched than usual. “Jade, you should know that living in a house full of magic won’t let something like that stop us.” I reached over and tickled her tummy, smiling when she finally giggled. “Besides, now we have new family members that can help us. I mean, we have to get Uncle Terry, Ali, Egan, Zander, and Cadan presents, too. We wouldn’t want them to feel left out.” “No, that would be very mean,” she replied solemnly. “Will you and Uncle Terry take me shopping?” Her face went from serious to excited as her eyes widened at the prospect. I glanced over at Terry, who was nodding with a big smile on his face. Gods help me, but I was still nervous. Nervous about letting him around the twins or in public in general. But then again, he’d been a vampire for a while and never killed a human. I seriously doubted he’d start now, especially after what we had shared last night. “Go check with your parents while we get dressed and then we’ll go, okay?” “Thank you, Uncle Shadow!” she squealed, giving me a big, smacking kiss on the cheek before racing from the room. That left Terry and I alone with the obvious elephant in the room. “So you weren’t worried I was going to eat her, you thought Alexi and Chiquita would get pissed?” he asked hesitantly after a few moments of awkward silence. “Honestly I don’t know. I heard Jade and scented vampire as I was waking up. I think part of me knew it was you, but I went on

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instinct and went to get her out of here. But when I realized for sure it was you, then yes, it was about Alexi and Chiquita. I didn’t know Horse told everyone you were safe to be around.” “Okay, that’s fair. I can live with that,” he mumbled and went to stand. I grabbed his hand and pulled him right back down so he was sprawled partially in my lap. “Old habits die hard, Terry. I know you’re not like other vampires and my mate, but that doesn’t stop my worrying that you could be playing me. I’ve seen centuries of vamps toying with their prey before attacking. This is hard for both of us.” “I know,” he whispered before knocking me back to the ground, inserting his larger frame between my legs. “But I could have killed you a hundred times over since Horse let me out of the cage and I’ve not hurt anyone. I’m not playing you. This is real to me. Would you feel better if you converted me? Part of me is just too scared that it will go wrong. I know I want to have sex now because it’s you but I mean it’s becoming—” “Shh,” I cooed and pulled him into my arms and squeezed him gently. “I’m scared, too, but I’ve never known my father to be wrong. If he says this will work, then I trust that. I’m thrilled that you want to have sex and give me your virginity—not because you could be human again, but because you want me. I won’t push you though, Terry. We can wait.” “I don’t want to wait,” he sobbed, his body shaking from the force of it. “I want you to stop looking at me like I’m a monster. I want to stop being a monster! I want a life with you! I want to tell you everything, but it’s like we’re holding back until we fix this.” He started tearing off his clothes and then went to work on my bottoms. “Fuck me already. Make me worthy of you and this family.” “Oh, Terry,” I whispered and clasped his hands with my own, stilling them from the motions they were taking to pull off my pants. “We will, okay? Not right now though, not like this. Let’s go shopping with Jade and calm down, do something normal and

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uncomplicated. If you feel the same when we get home, I promise to make love to you all night.” “You swear it?” “I swear it.” He nodded against my neck and started sobbing again, mumbling, “I don’t want to be a monster anymore.” Over and over again. I could feel his whole body shaking as he started to rock back and forth. It broke my heart, but I still believed him that he wanted to have sex with me for all the right reasons. I just wanted him to relax first so it wasn’t this desperate plea or gnawing desire to be normal again. I wanted him to be seduced and loved on like everyone should have their first time. We got up and I used magic to clothe us. Also on the list was buying Terry a wardrobe. Right now he had only a black, long-sleeve shirt and jeans to wear. It wasn’t like he’d packed a bag before coming on the attack on our house. I phrase it that way because, from the bits and pieces I’d put together from what he’d said, I had a feeling he had come to help us, not the vamps. We headed down to the kitchen and walked right into the middle of a fight. Chiquita was standing by the stove, his face red, as he shouted at his mate. “Alexi, Shadow’s going to be there, too, okay? I love my brother, but he is the most distrusting, cautious bastard I know. If he says Terry’s okay and not like other vamps, then I believe him.” “I get that, Chiquita, I do, and Jade thinks Terry’s the coolest thing since sliced bread because he came up with the idea of getting more presents and basically having two Christmases. And I know Shadow’s a hard-core hard-ass. I just worry he’s thinking with his other head and the mating bond between them is clouding things. I’m a father. I don’t have to always be rational in my judgments!” Alexi was pacing angrily back and forth across the kitchen, gesturing with his hands as he talked.

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“No, you don’t,” Terry agreed quietly. They both turned to look at us, Alexi stopping his pacing immediately. Guilt was written all over their faces. “We can take Jade tomorrow after Shadow turns me back human. I understand where you’re coming from, Alexi.” “Now I feel like a douche,” he groaned and slumped into one of the chairs. “I’m just so new at this parenting thing. I’m scared all the time that the twins could get hurt.” He rubbed his hands over his face and exhaled loudly in an effort to calm himself. “That’s true.” I chuckled, shaking my head. “You should have seen him at Target after the twins came to stay with us. He was almost panicked if one of them was out of his sight. Alexi was almost in a frenzy when we took Wade for booster car seats because he wasn’t with him. It didn’t matter that there were four elves watching him.” “I know, I know,” Alexi said as he held up his hands in surrender. He looked at Terry with sympathy. “I know you got a rotten hand in life and you’ve made the best of it, but these are my kids. I still freak when Horse and Bren take them to the movies if it makes you feel better.” “I understand completely, Alexi,” my mate replied with a soft smile. “I wouldn’t trust me with children either if I was in your shoes. We’ll take her tomorrow when I’m human and you can worry only the normal amount.” Alexi eyed Terry over for a few moments before smiling widely. “She got under your skin, didn’t she?” “Yeah, she’s about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. And damn, she’s fierce. She came to our room demanding to talk to Uncle Shadow because he wasn’t living up to his promise. Hell, I wanted to offer my head on a platter to her if it would make her happy.” Terry chuckled and rolled his eyes. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about boys when she’s old enough to date. I’d worry for the boys.” “Right?” Chiquita laughed, rubbing his mate’s back. “She’s got everyone in this house twisted around her little finger. They love her

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dearly and would do anything for her.” The threat was crystal clear without being overdramatic. “I had a chance to hurt her if I wanted to when she came to our room,” Terry said quietly, staring down at his feet and fidgeting with his hands. “I’ve had chances to hurt everyone in this house if I wanted. I don’t want to. I–I care for Shadow t–too much a–and want to b–be a part of this family. “Yes, I’ve fed from humans when I had absolutely no choice, but I’ve been a vamp for over three hundred years and never hurt a single human. If I started to get sick, I’d take little sips and they were never the wiser.” “I didn’t know you were a vamp for that long.” Holy shit! I felt my jaw drop. “I was turned in sixteen eighty-three while serving in His Majesty’s Royal Navy. I thought it would be the best shot at being able to have relations with men and not get found out. Officers were given their own cabin boys at times for long voyages. It was strictly forbidden to talk about it, but the young men were always willing and wanted to be a sailor as well. “It was the only way for a poor young man to get a commission one day. His teaching officer would buy it for him once he was old enough and trained. Things were different back then, of course. A boy was considered a man at fifteen. I refused to take a cabin boy that was so young and opted for a seventeen-year-old that caught my eye. That’s legal in most states nowadays.” My mate looked out the window after he had finished speaking, not seeming to want to make eye contact with anyone after he had just shared so much with a group of people he barely knew. “And then you became a vampire?” Chiquita asked. Terry’s gaze shifted back to Chiquita. “I will tell you all about it sometime after I’ve told my mate,” Terry answered with a shrug. “He should hear the story in private first.” “I understand.” My brother smiled at us and elbowed his mate.

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“Just don’t take her to the mall,” Alexi said with a sigh. “She tends to run off any time she sees anything shiny or sparkly. And that can lead to lots of trouble this time of year when everywhere is so crowded. Stick to a place where you can keep her in the cart. Target would be my preference since they have a posted security guard at the exits.” “You’re sure?” Terry asked, his face showing his shock at the prospect of being given so much trust. “Nope, but I can see you’re a good guy and loyal. Just because this family has had horrible experiences with vampires doesn’t mean all vampires are horrible. Besides, Shadow has to know if you’ve been playing us if he’s listening to your thoughts.” “You can—” “Yes,” I answered before he asked. “I’ve only done it a few times when you first woke up after the fight but not since we kissed. I know Horse was and that’s why he let you out.” “I don’t care if you listen, Shadow,” Terry said quietly as he reached out to cup my cheek and stared deeply into my eyes. I found myself getting lost in the chocolaty-brown color of his gaze. “Whatever it takes to make you see I’m not here to hurt you. I just didn’t know you could do it. That’s pretty cool.” “Shopping!” Jade squealed as she came racing into the room, successfully drawing all the attention to her. “I get to go all by myself with Uncle Shadow and Uncle Terry!” “Yes, you do, but you remember the rules, right?” Alexi asked firmly as he caught his daughter around the waist and lifted her into his arms. “No running off. No talking to strangers even if they’re nice to me. Don’t eat anything anyone besides Uncle Shadow or Uncle Terry gives me. Make sure everything stays in the cart until it’s paid for.” “Yeah, that last one was our fault.” Chiquita chuckled. “We said she could have something so she stuffed it in her jacket pocket. We’d forgotten about it until we got back home and she was playing with it

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and checked the receipt. She’s quite literal. She thought we meant she could have it right that second and not after we paid for it.” “Mistakes happen.” I shrugged. “At least you don’t have a pintsize klepto.” “That’s so much more comforting.” Alexi snickered. He kissed Jade and then handed her to Chiquita, who did the same. “Bring her back as I gave you to her.” I nodded and took her into my arms, noticing how big she was getting as she snuggled up against me. They hadn’t been probably fed before they came to us and now that we stuffed them silly they were filling out, but far from fat. “You have my word nothing will happen to her,” I said solemnly before focusing on my niece. “Besides coming home with lots of presents for everyone!” “Yeah!” She giggled. “Dad and Daddy gave me my own money.” She dug into her cute little purse and yanked out several hundreddollar bills. Whoa there, the girl was loaded. “Chiquita!” Alexi gasped and cuffed my brother upside the head before turning back to Jade. “Your dad was supposed to give you a little spending money. You are going to be with your Uncle Shadow, he’ll pay for everything.” Then he glanced to his mate. “Really? You give a five-year-old a thousand dollars? She’ll lose it!” He threw his hands up in the air in an exasperated gesture. “I will not!” she exclaimed, her hand extended to Terry. “I knew it was too much for me to carry. Someone might want to steal me for my money. I was going to ask Uncle Terry to hold it for me.” “Are you sure you’re only five?” Terry asked, his eyebrows scrunched together as he bit his lip to keep in the laugh. “Almost five. We turn five on New Year’s Eve. But we round up all the time,” she admitted sheepishly as if she’s been using a fake ID to lie about her age and not simply padding a few weeks. Too cute! “Well then, Miss Almost Five.” Terry chuckled and tapped her nose with his finger. Jade scrunched her face and laughed at Terry’s antics. “Hand over all your money, and I’ll keep it safe in my wallet.”

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“But won’t it get mixed up with your money?” she asked as if he couldn’t keep them separate. “I don’t have any money. Just a debit card that doesn’t have much on it either. I promise your cash is safe with me.” “Thanks, Uncle Terry,” she said after a moment, handing over her bills. She leaned over while still in my arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad Uncle Shadow found you. He was the last one, and I think he needs a mate the most of anyone here. He’s too serious and needs more hugs.” I couldn’t help but smile as she said that. “Oh I do, do I?” I snickered. I gave her a big bear hug until she squealed. “I thought that’s what I had you and Wade for?” “No, I mean hugs like Dad and Daddy give each other at night. They’re always hugging in bed when we wake them up.” Holy shit! Chiquita and Alexi turned bright red while Terry and I tried our best not to laugh. My body was shaking from the effort though. What did someone say to that? Personally, I went with simple. “Everyone could always use more hugs.” She nodded her agreement and we left. I grabbed the keys to the Hummer, the vehicle of choice when carting around the twins, and walked into the garage. A few minutes later, we had her strapped in her booster seat and were on our way. “It’s kind of funny.” I chuckled as I pulled onto the street. “We have such a vast variety of professions in this house with the mates, but now we have two sailors. Granted Shely just got out of the US Navy, but I still find it amusing.” “Was he ever stationed on a ship? I have a feeling what they sail now is very different than what I used to.” He gave me a wink, letting me know he understood my joke. “I don’t know. I’ve never really asked him,” I answered honestly. “Uncle Shadow, how did you get your name?” Jade asked from the backseat. “When Dad told us about naming himself and why he picked Chiquita, Wade and I decided to ask everyone else.”

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“Well, my daddy is a very important elf,” I explained, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. It wasn’t like I hid the story from anyone and Terry should know, too. “And when I was little, even younger than you, I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. I used to try and wear his clothes, followed him to meetings, and basically was his shadow. My mom used to call me that, teasing me. So when the time came to name myself, that’s what I picked.” “And here my kind thinks it’s a nickname because you’re undetectable like a shadow before you strike,” Terry mumbled so Jade didn’t hear him. But with my enhanced elf hearing, his words came in loud and clear. “Nope, I was a daddy’s boy growing up,” I said with a snicker. “I like that story, especially since Daddy said Great-Uncle Anubis is nice. I don’t like Uncle Idiot’s story. His family was mean.” I glanced back at her again and winced. She looked mad enough to spit nails. I bet if she could get her hands on Idiot’s brothers, they’d be begging for mercy. “I agree. His brothers were jerks. But we’re his family now and we love him. I don’t think he gets upset about his name.” “It’s confusing though because idiot is a bad word but then it’s okay when talking to Uncle Idiot.” Ahh, the world from the eyes of a five-year-old. “I’m sure you’re smart enough to keep everything straight. You seem really bright.” Terry came in to the rescue on that one. “My daddy was a teacher, and he says that Wade and I are doing third-grade work already. He’s very proud of that.” She was beaming at the praise. “As well he should be,” I confirmed right as we were pulling into the parking lot of Target. “So are we focusing mainly on presents or decorations?” “Presents,” she answered firmly. “I need to get Dad and Daddy gifts again. Last time Uncle Box helped me order them online, but I

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want to see everything and then pick something out this time. I think it’s more special that way.” “I think it is either way because you put thought into the gift,” Terry said with a shrug. I parked the Hummer and we got out, making sure we scooped Jade up. That was the best way to make sure she didn’t get out of our sight. I pulled out an abandoned cart from a parking space and Terry got her settled in. “That makes sense, too,” she conceded. “Do you know what you’re going to get Uncle Shadow? If you don’t have money, you can have some of mine.” “Pumpkin, you are the sweetest little thing,” he replied, blinking rapidly to keep back tears. Yeah, I was getting a little misty on that one, too. I mean, how selfless could a munchkin get? “I’ve got enough for his present, I promise.” “I don’t need anything, Terry. You’re the best present ever.” Wow! Could I get any cheesier? If I had heard someone else say that, I would have puked for sure. But it really was the truth. And while I wasn’t from the North Pole, I did have my own aspects of Christmas I hated. Namely, gift giving, or receiving mostly. “Don’t get too excited.” He chuckled as we entered the store. “I didn’t say it was going to be a big present.” “Good, I’m not the best with gifts,” I admitted quietly as I focused on pushing the cart through the front doors. “We don’t even normally celebrate Christmas but now with the twins…” I trailed off. “You had to,” Jade finished for me, giggling as if she got away with something. “We also need to get Uncle Terry lots of new clothes,” I said with a smile, obviously changing the topic. “Do you like pink, Uncle Terry?” she asked, her eyes wide with a big smile on her face that made her look as if she might burst with excitement. “I do,” he answered, swallowing loudly. I wanted to shout liar! “But only if it’s in moderation. Maybe one really bright pink shirt for

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special occasions. If I wear it too much, it doesn’t have the same appeal for me.” I smiled to myself, impressed that my mate really knew how to deal with kids. “That’s a good point. I like pink all the time though. It’s sad that everyone thinks it’s a girl color. People shouldn’t judge that way.” Wow. Who knew a five-year-old could be so smart? I exchanged a look with Terry that let me know he was thinking the same damn thing. Go, Jade!

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Chapter 6 We started in men’s clothes, just to pick up a few basics for Terry. Jade and I acted as his fashion coordinators, letting him know what we thought would look best. My vote would be naked all the time, but that wasn’t an acceptable practice anywhere but the bedroom…and the play room, but it could also include the house in general if the twins weren’t around. I really needed to think about something else before I got myself all worked up in a Target. But there was no way in hell I was going to say what I was thinking around my niece. Then we swung over by movies and Jade picked out the few she’d already gotten for gifts before they got ruined. I grabbed a few as well for the twins. I didn’t believe there was such a thing as too many cartoons for kids or adults. I picked up some books I knew my brothers would like. I was still getting to know all the mates, so that was a little harder. I had known my brothers for centuries and their mates only a few months. Plus, it wasn’t like I was the most social elf in the house. I didn’t want to go generic and boring, but I didn’t want to get it wrong either and have them look at me funny. Yeah, I hated gifts. “We should get some games we can all play,” Jade announced as we passed the electronics department. “Daddy won’t let us play the ones you have because they are bloody and not for kids. But if we got other ones, then we could all play.” “And you’d get more presents then, too,” Terry teased. She blushed and nodded, a cute smirk appearing on the corner of her mouth. Yeah, who did she think she was fooling?

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“But I do want all of us to play them, too,” she said quietly. “I saw this thing on TV about having a family game night. It sounded fun and we don’t do that.” Terry and I stared at each other for a moment and then I said the first thing that came to my mind. “I think that’s a great idea. I’d play.” “Really?” She gasped, her face lighting up and her eyes sparkling with joy. Hell, I’d play every night if she got that excited. It didn’t hurt their bedtime was eight at night either, which left plenty of time for other kinds of games. “Totally,” Terry agreed. We headed for some board games to start with. I figured Terry and I could give every couple a game and we’d take turns hosting a game night with the family. See? Problem solved. “I wish I could get Dad and Daddy something that would make them stop worrying all the time. Maybe they wish we were elves—” “Jade!” I gasped and turned her to face me. “Don’t you ever think that, okay? Your dads love you and Wade more than I’ve ever seen two parents love a child. They worry so much because they love you, not because they want you to be something else.” “I’m sorry, Uncle Shadow. I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she said as she sniffled and wiped her tiny hand across her nose. Her eyes were brimming with tears that were on the verge of spilling over. I snatched her up out of the cart and into my arms in a flash. “Oh, baby girl,” I whispered as I rubbed her back with gentle circling motions. “I’m not mad at all. There are lots of things to doubt in life.” And then I decided to go silly. “Will they keep making clothes in pink? Maybe it won’t get hot this summer and there will be no swimming? Will we run out of sugar so there won’t be any treats for Christmas?” “You’re being silly.” She giggled, wiping her eyes as her face split into a grin. “Yes, I am,” I agreed with a wink. “But of all the possible things to worry about in life, I don’t ever want you to worry that your parents don’t love you. Because they do. We all do. And I know they

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love you for who you are. They’re scared because they’re new parents. Normally you’d never see it if they got you guys when you were babies. But you were older when you came to them, so you hear everything.” “That makes sense. I don’t like it when they worry.” “I know.” And just like that I knew what I was getting them for Christmas. “I have an idea how to fix it though, okay?” “I knew you would. You’re Mr. Fix-It.” “I am?” I asked as I placed her back in the cart. I didn’t see that one coming. “Uncle Horse said so,” she answered with a nod. “He said he might be the leader, but you always have a solution to any problem.” “I didn’t know he felt that way.” “Men,” she sighed, and if I had to guess, I’d say she picked that up on TV somewhere because it looked as if she was doing an impression. “If only you all would talk about your feelings.” “Ewwww,” Terry groaned and shook his head while he scrunched his nose. “Feelings are icky.” “Like cooties,” I agreed. Jade threw back her head and laughed so hard I wondered if she might pee herself. I did not want to be the one to clean that up. Once the crisis was averted, we continued our shopping. It took two hours and two carts, but we ended up getting lots of the decorations that got ruined as well. We paid and walked outside into the brisk, cold air to load up the Hummer. “I need a favor,” I said to Terry as I handed him the keys. “Do you remember how to get back home?” “Yeah,” he drawled, raising an eyebrow at me. “Why?” “Can you get this all back there? Jade and I need to make a quick visit. I’ll text Chiquita and let him know.” “Fine, but you owe me,” he grumbled good-naturedly as he climbed into the driver’s seat and prepared to shut the door. But I stopped him, placing my hand on his.

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“I plan on repaying in carnal favors,” I growled before snagging a quick kiss from him. His eyes widened, and I smiled seductively at him. I told him the code to the gate and grabbed Jade’s hand. I glanced around to make sure no one could see us and ’ported to Ireland. “Is that a castle?” She gasped, squeezing my hand tighter. “It is. This is my family’s castle,” I explained as we approached the ornate front doors. I lifted Jade up onto my hip as three guards came out of nowhere to block the main door. They were wearing forest-green uniforms with gold buttons and had these funny flat, rectangular hats on. Their faces were the picture of ferocity. The castle itself was enchanted, so no one besides my parents could teleport in or out of it. “Yeah, they’re scary,” she whispered, burying her face into my neck. One of the guards heard and let out a small chuckle before catching himself. He tried to cover up his slip with a cough and then his stone-faced expression returned. “I need to see Elder Anubis,” I stated firmly. These were not guys to show weakness in front of. Council guards were badass, even if they were pint-size elves. “And you are?” the one who’d laughed asked, raising an eyebrow. “His son, Shadow.” I let out a small flare of power so they could feel the magical signature. Council guards were trained to be able to tell a lot by a person’s power. For one, it would let them know if I was friend or foe. But more importantly, they would be able to tell my power had the same taste to it as Anubis’s. “Master Shadow, it has been a long time,” the guard said with a smile as he used his magic to open the front door. It creaked loudly before coming to a stop. “Welcome home, your father is in his study.” He gestured with his arm for us to enter. “Thanks,” I replied with a nod and walked through the front door. “That was too cool, Uncle Shadow.” Jade giggled. “Are you like a prince?”

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“Something like that,” I answered, unsure of how to explain elven politics and hierarchy to a five-year-old. I jogged up the stairs and down the hall to my father’s study with Jade bouncing up and down in my arms. I didn’t want to leave Terry for too long in case everyone in the house wasn’t cool with a vampire arriving alone. I wouldn’t have been if it wasn’t my own mate. I knocked on the door, waiting until I heard my father call out to enter in his booming voice. “Father, I’d like you to meet my niece, Jade,” I announced as I entered and shut the door behind us. “Well, hello there, little lass,” my father said with a big smile that showed his pearly-white teeth, laying on his long-lost brogue quite thick. “Aren’t you just darling.” He stood up from his position behind his desk and took a few steps toward us. “Thank you, Great-Uncle Anubis,” she replied with a smile. I set her on her feet, and she walked across the plush rug with its intricate design over to my father with no fear, no hesitation from understanding how important he was in our world, and extended her hand. “Uncle Shadow says you’re a great man and he’s a prince.” “Did he now?” My father chuckled as he lifted Jade’s tiny hand to his lips to kiss it. “He is in a way.” He turned his gray-eyed gaze to me. “I didn’t know how to explain the elven system to a five-year-old who’s just been introduced to our world.” I shrugged. Could anyone really blame me? I mean, that would have been one hell of a conversation. “Fair enough.” “You lost your accent,” Jade whispered as she slowly stepped back away from my father and toward me. “A few millennia ago, my dear. I find that no one knows how to greet someone quite like the Irish, so I whip it out when meeting new friends.” I shook my head at my father’s words, stifling a chuckle.

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“It’s okay, Jade. He was just being silly,” I explained. She glanced at me with questions in her eyes. “We like silly,” she replied, relaxing a bit but still looking a little like a fish out of water. “Now that we’ve all agreed we like silly.” My father chuckled, shaking his head. “To what do I owe the honor of your temporary return home?” “I wanted to give Jade’s parents something for Christmas that I saw once when I was little. You gave an elf who had human children a green talisman—” “That would allow the child to teleport to their parents if they should ever wish,” my father finished for me, and I nodded. “Alexi and Chiquita just got the twins and they are a little extra panicked that something will happen to them. Jade said she thought that maybe they wished she was an elf, and I remembered the talisman.” “They do not really wish they were though, right?” My father looked horrified as he glanced down at Jade and then back up to me. “No, Uncle Anubis,” Jade answered, shaking her head. “Uncle Shadow told me they love us just the way we are. But I don’t like seeing them worry all the time because something might happen. It’s not like we wander off alone all the time or even are at someone’s day care. We’re always with them or one of the uncles. I just thought if we were elves, they wouldn’t be so scared for us.” She broke eye contact with my father and rubbed her foot back and forth over the carpet, looking almost shy. Well, that was new. “Is she truly only five?” Anubis asked me, shock written all over his face. “I know, right?” I snickered. “They’ll be five in a few weeks. But she’s five going on forty. I swear she is.” “Six comes after five, Uncle Shadow,” Jade said, her face scrunched in confusion. And then she gasped and grabbed my hand.

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“We didn’t get Great-Uncle Anubis or Crab presents. We forgot them!” Her voice was filled with anxiety. “We didn’t, sweetie.” I chuckled, giving her hand a squeeze to reassure her. “We didn’t finish yet. We had a lot to rebuy with the house getting trashed. It’s more than one shopping trip.” “I’m on your gift list?” My father’s jaw practically hit the ground he was so shocked. “Yeah, Father, you are,” I answered with a smile. “We never used to celebrate Christmas in the house and you know how I hate parties or seeing people. But things have changed this year. It’s time to put the past where it belongs and for me to start living again.” “I like this Terry if he’s gotten you to change your tune like this.” My father gave me a wink and waggled his eyebrows. Gross. “No, it wasn’t just him,” I said honestly. “It was all the mates, and the hope I’d find one. It was the twins and spending time with them, seeing the world again in the eyes of two people so young. But Terry is kind of pushing me over the edge. I feel better than I have in years, less angry all the time.” I gave my father a small smile after I said the words. “Thank the gods,” my father whispered, tears forming in his eyes. “Does that mean you’ll think about taking your place on the Council one day?” “No, I’m sorry, but no.” “I guess that was too much to hope for.” He chuckled although still sounding a little sad. “But I do want to talk to you about forming a subcommittee solely focused on protection and interparanormal relations.” “Really?” My father’s eyes looked as if they were about to bug out of his head. “Why?” “The vampires are getting stronger and grouping together,” I explained. “Over the past couple of years, Maze and I have noticed the nests are at least tripling in size. And they’re starting to go after

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mates. They almost took out a whole pack of wolves in Orlando last week. The werewolves didn’t even know that vamps existed.” “That is disturbing. We are one of the only supernatural species that can fight the vampires effectively.” He turned to look out the window, running his hand across the top of his head. “Agreed. I would be willing to lead the committee, but that’s as far as I’m willing to go in my involvement with the Council.” My tone was firm as I spoke. “I will call an emergency meeting and get back to you as soon as possible.” My father turned back to face me and had his serious face on, so I knew he was taking this news as gravely as I was. “Anubis!” my mother yelled from down the hallway. Hearing her voice startled me, and I felt my heart rate quicken. “Oh shit,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes. I loved my mother, but once she found me here, leaving again would be a problem. “Yes, I slept on the couch when she found out I saw you and didn’t bring her along or you home.” My father winced as the door opened, and my mother stood there staring at me for a moment. “Shadow,” she gasped as she raced into my arms faster than I had ever seen a human move. I had just enough time to open them for her. “Oh, my sweet boy.” “Mother,” I whispered, hugging her back. Her face was buried in my chest, so all I could see was her light brown hair, which shook along with her body as she cried softly against me. It had been too long since I’d seen my parents, and I never realized how much I’d missed them. Right down to the smell of my mother’s perfume. It was some flowery kind, but I had never smelled it on anyone but her. “I can’t stay long, but I won’t be a stranger anymore either.” I patted her reassuringly on the back. “Well, I’ll have to thank your vampire mate for that.” She chuckled with a sniffle as she moved her head so she could look up at me. “We’ve missed you, Son.” She moved away from me, her eyes

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going wide as she saw Jade. “You have a daughter?” She shot my father a murderous look. “No, this is my niece. Jade, this is my mother, Willimina. Mother, this is my niece, Jade, Chiquita and his mate’s daughter. She has a twin brother named Wade.” “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Jade,” she said with a smile as my mother shook Jade’s hand. “I love your jacket. It’s quite fetching.” “I love pink.” Jade giggled. “And sparklies.” I shook my head. Didn’t we all know that all too well? “Honey, we all do,” my mother play-whispered, leaning down close to Jade so she was speaking into the little girl’s ear. “I have a pink robe and fuzzy slippers I like to wear when I read, but don’t tell anyone.” “I promise.” Jade leaned in closer to my mother as if she realized she found a coconspirator. “Uncle Shadow made me a pink bed that’s the coolest thing ever. His mate, Uncle Terry, says he loves pink as long as it’s once in a while.” “He sounds like a nice man,” my mother said with a smile and shot me a glance. “I’d like to meet my son’s mate one day.” She stood up and put one of her hands on her hip. “Dinner? Tomorrow?” I immediately offered. “Tonight we have plans. Terry agreed to let me convert him back to human.” Oh yeah, did I blush the moment the words were out of my mouth. My parents both knew that meant sex. Crap. Luckily both my parents seemed to ignore that fact as the expressions on their faces didn’t change. “We’d be delighted.” My mother beamed as she let go of Jade’s hand and moved to stand next to my father. “You’ll clear your schedule.” Her tone left no room for any argument. “Of course, dear.” My father wasn’t stupid. He knew who was the boss in their relationship. “I’ll bring the talismans and news from the

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Council. Warn Chiquita because it requires some of his magic to work. The rest will come from someone else in the family.” “I’m the eldest. I’ll gladly donate some of mine,” I offered, not really sure how the talismans worked but willing to do anything I could to help my brother. “I have three millennia on you, Son. I’ll give the magic. It won’t even make a dent in mine. But it has to be part Chiquita for the twins to be able to always teleport back to them.” “Understood.” I smiled and gave him an appreciative nod. “Any requests for dinner tomorrow? One of the mates is a world-class Chef. The food that man creates is amazing.” My stomach gurgled at the thought of food. I guess I was hungry. “He makes the best cupcakes ever,” Jade added matter-of-factly. It was times like that it wasn’t hard to believe how young she was after all. “I could use a night off from Irish cuisine. Our new cook is fabulous, but she makes mostly local dishes she was raised on.” “I’ll let Ali know.” I chuckled. “Let’s get you both back home before Jade’s parents start to panic.” My father gave me an understanding look. “I’ll talk to the Council as soon as you’re home.” “Thank you, Father, Mother.” I gave them each a quick kiss on the cheek and they each took turns hugging Jade. “I still think it’s cool that you’re a prince, Uncle Shadow,” Jade said again as she looked around the grand study. “You even have a castle.” “I’ll explain later,” my father mumbled to my mother. She nodded and gave Jade a wink and a small wave. My father reached out and touched both of our shoulders and suddenly we were back in our kitchen. “That’s so cool,” Jade gasped as she looked around. Again, seeing things in the eyes of a five-year-old was always inspiring, making me appreciate small things. I hoped it never got old.

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Chapter 7 “Your mommy is really pretty, Uncle Shadow. And she likes pink.” Yeah, that was about all it took to win Jade over. “So you met Shadow’s mother?” Chiquita asked, arms crossed over his chest as he stared at me with a raised brow and a stern expression on his face. “I got your message, but Alexi’s having a panic attack.” I guess I had just randomly decided to take his daughter to Ireland. “I went to see my father so hopefully soon he won’t have any more of those ever again.” “Explain that,” Alexi demanded as he walked briskly into the kitchen with Wade on one hip. Wade squealed when he saw his twin and demanded to be let down. The moment his feet touched the floor, he pounced on his sister. “Jade told me that she wondered if you guys would be happier if the twins were elves.” I held up a hand to stop their objection. “I explained to her that you loved them as they were, but she wished you didn’t worry so much. It sparked something in my memory. When I was a child, I saw my father give an elf who had a mate that had human children when they met a talisman. When worn, it gave the kids the ability to teleport to their parents.” “Seriously?” Alexi’s eyes went wide. I nodded with a smile. “He’s making two. All they’d ever have to do if they were ever in trouble and separated from any of us is wish to return to Chiquita. It will hold some of his power, the rest my father is going to supply.” I gasped as I was tackled roughly from the side.

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“Thank you, brother,” Chiquita whispered as he peppered my face with kisses. “Alright, get off me.” I chuckled, which was kind of difficult since Chiquita had managed to knock some of the wind out of me. “You have to decide if you can spare some of your power. I know you’re still young, but my father didn’t seem to think it would be a concern. He can explain more when he comes for dinner tomorrow.” “Why is your brother practically humping your leg?” Terry growled from the doorway. Shit! I turned toward him, Chiquita taking a step back. My mate was pissed! He’d fully shifted into scary bloodsucker, complete with long fangs and claws. It was hard to see him transformed because it was a harsh reminder that my mate really was a vampire. I approached him slowly and quickly explained about going to see my father. “Fine, but I’m the only one who kisses you,” he said firmly as he pulled me into his arms, squeezing me tightly. I groaned as I felt his hard-on and rubbed my ass against it. He calmed down, returning to his human self. Crisis averted…again. “And if I’m meeting your parents tomorrow, while conscious, I want to be human.” “Why, Terry, are you propositioning me?” “Yes,” he hissed as he thrust against me. “I missed you.” We were definitely on the same page with that one. “I like a possessive man,” I purred. I gave everyone a quick wave before I was tossed over his large shoulder. “Okay, my nuts are attached, my mate.” “I’ll kiss them better in a minute.” He huffed as he raced out of the kitchen, down the hall, and up the stairs. I laughed all the way to our room. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt this giddy. He kicked the door closed once we were inside and tossed me on the bed. I glanced at the cage and winced. “I’ll get rid of that.”

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“Maybe you could, um, wait on that?” Terry was looking down at the floor as he toed off his shoes. “By the gods, why?” I couldn’t understand why he’d ever want to keep the remembrance around of being locked up. “You moan in your sleep a lot. I didn’t know it was bad dreams at the time, I thought they were very, very happy dreams. But I spent most of that night hard, jacking off, and having fantasies play out in my head about us. In the cage.” He smiled shyly at me. “Well, well, well.” I chuckled, nodding my agreement. “I can’t have my mate left wanting. It stays until all your fantasies are played out.” “That might be a while,” he growled and leaped on the bed. He caught himself before smashing me like a pancake with his larger frame. Then his mouth was on mine. “Fuck the foreplay,” I moaned as his lips seemed to permanently attach to my collarbone. I used my magic to get rid of the pesky clothes in the way. “Let me stretch you using my power so you don’t feel any pain.” “Okay, but next time we are having lots and lots of foreplay.” “Deal,” I agreed and got him prepared. Terry cried out, his eyes going wide with shock as he started to shake. I felt more than saw his cum splash all over my stomach. “Fuck, that’s hot.” “Fuck, that felt amazing,” he gasped and fell to the side of me. “I can’t feel my lower half.” Well, shiiiit! Did that mean we were done? Umm, what did I say now? “Okay, round two,” Terry growled and yanked me on top of him. Guess that answered my question! He slid his legs out from under me and spread them wide, lifting his hips. “Make me yours, Shadow.” Alright, this is where I admit I was a low-esteemed brat. I listened in on his thoughts. I couldn’t help worrying that he wanted sex because he’d be human.

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“Fuck, this human thing scares me. What if it goes wrong? He wouldn’t lead me into something dangerous. Oh, screw the worrying, I want him! I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want him.” That was enough for me. “Thank you, baby,” I whispered against his lips. He smiled at me, probably having no clue I was eavesdropping. I pushed his legs back to his chest and lined up my cock. I took a deep breath, trying to dispel my own lingering fears. Would this hurt him? “Do it, Shadow. I’m ready,” he said gently. I could do this. I pushed inside of him, both of us moaning when I bottomed out. “I didn’t think you’d fit.” “That’s why I wanted to make sure there was no pain. With my size and it being your first time, it might have been rough.” “Okay. Now shut up and fuck me.” “Bossy bottom,” I grumbled good-naturedly. I thrust slowly, giving him time to adjust to the invasion. “Oh fuck, that’s good. Right there, Shadow. Take my virgin ass. Does it feel good for you, too?” “Yes,” I hissed and pumped my hips faster. It seemed my mate was quite the dirty talker. I would never have guessed that, but it turned me on like never before. Terry kept up his rambling, spurring me on. When we both got close, he tilted his neck so I would bite him. But their blood was toxic to us. I didn’t know what to do, so I didn’t bite him, no matter how much I wanted to and the fact that my fangs had come out. “Coming!” he cried out seconds before shooting more of his seed all over me. His back arched and his eyes almost rolled up into his head. I couldn’t help but smile at my mission accomplished. I’d like to think he enjoyed it. I know I had. His ass massaged my cock, and I was blindsided by my own whirlwind orgasm. I roared out my release, pumping it deep inside of

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him. I was still shaking from the force of my climax as my mate shook with little aftershocks. “That was amazing,” I gasped as I fell on top of him, feeling happily sated. “Why thank you.” He chuckled, panting for more air as well. “It seems my mouth runs away from me when I’m having sex.” “I’m not complaining. It was hot to hear a virgin talk so dirty.” “What about now that I’m not—” he started to say and then cried out. I didn’t think it was from pleasure. I moved off of him, pulling out as I did. I gaped in horror as my mate fluttered around like a fish with convulsions. It took me a moment to snap out of it. I quickly used my magic to throw pajama bottoms on both of us. I leaped off the bed and ran to the door of my room, throwing it open the minute I hit it. “Help us!” I shouted as loud as I could. “Horse!” I didn’t recognize my own voice as I screamed it was so full of fear. Then I raced back to the bed and knelt by my mate. In all my years on this earth, I’d never dealt with someone having seizures. I had an idea then. I went back to the doorway to yell again. “I need Jade! Alexi, Chiquita, I beg you to bring Jade here!” “We’re coming, brother,” someone called out. I couldn’t distinguish their voices right then with everything else on my mind. I went back to the bed. What did I know about convulsions? Oh! They could bite off their tongue. I quickly grabbed a belt and placed it in Terry’s mouth. That’s all I had time to do before the Cavalry showed up. “Holy shit!” Horse gasped, skidding to a halt as my mate’s body violently came off the bed again. “You guys had sex, right?” “Yes,” I wailed. “And then two minutes afterward this started!” Chiquita came running into the room with Jade in his arms. I ignored everyone else and went to her. “Baby girl, I need your help.” “Anything, Uncle Shadow,” she said with wide eyes as she looked past me to my mate. “We have to help Uncle Terry.”

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“Yes, that’s why I need you to go see my father. You looked at the castle really well, right? Can you imagine those front doors in your head?” “Yes, they were pretty.” “Why can’t one of us just ’port to your father?” Chiquita asked with wide, scared eyes of his own. I didn’t have time for a political lesson, so I went with the shortest answer I could. “Elder homes are protected with an enchantment. No one besides them and their mates can teleport in or out of the house. Jade can get you to the front doors and the guards there. Tell them the elder’s son, Master Shadow, who was there earlier today, needs help for his mate. They’ll contact my father.” “They won’t hurt her, right?” Alexi asked, biting his lower lip. “I don’t think they’ll perceive a five-year-old as an invading army, Alexi!” Was that a bitch thing to say? Yes, but I figured everyone would cut me some slack. I was seriously freaking out right now. “I wouldn’t send her if I thought she’d get hurt.” “Right, okay,” he agreed with a nod. “Baby girl, I need you to think of the front of the castle and those doors as clearly as you can.” She nodded and closed her eyes. I sighed in relief when Chiquita did the same and seconds later they were gone. When they didn’t come right back, I knew they’d gotten to the right place. “Hold his leg down gently so he doesn’t hurt himself, but don’t use too much resistance or it could injure him,” Bren ordered as I got back to my bed. Horse was cradling my mate’s head in his lap while Button, Bren, and Cadan each took a limb. I nodded and did as he asked. “What do we do now?” I asked in desperation to anyone, everyone. “He’s going to vomit,” Horse said with a gasp, as if pulling back out of Terry’s mind. We had just enough time to get him to the edge of the bed to puke so he didn’t choke on his own vomit. I felt my

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heart sink into my feet as I watched him throw up pint after pint of blood. “He’s going to die!” I sobbed, collapsing onto my knees in defeat. I felt my whole body starting to shake as I knelt on the floor helplessly. “The hell he will,” my father growled from behind me. He moved to kneel on the bed next to Terry, determination in his features. Seconds later, my mother was wrapping her arms around me from behind. Anubis placed both hands on my mate’s temples and closed his eyes. “His body is dispelling the vampire blood. It might be wise to get more human blood to replenish him when this is over.” “The cooler!” Horse exclaimed and leaped off the bed. He was in and out of the cage in seconds, bringing back the chilled blood. “Can it go in him so cold?” “No,” Bren said firmly. “We’ve got to warm it up to body temperature and get an IV set up.” “I can do an IV for a transfusion, but I can’t tell you how to warm up blood,” Shely said from the doorway. When had they gotten here? Wow, I was really out of it. “I had basic medical in the Navy.” “Good.” Bren gave him a nod and then looked at Horse. “Can’t you do something magical to heat up all the blood to body temperature?” “I’ve never done it before,” Horse said, looking as if he was going to cry. “I might burn it.” “What if we boil it, like grab one of my thermometers from the kitchen and heat up the tub water until it’s the right temp?” Ali asked. Was everyone here? “Works for me,” Bren agreed. “Shadow, I need you to plaster yourself to your mate,” my father ordered as he opened his eyes. “He’s scared and freaking out that you left him to go through this alone. Talk to him.” I moved away from my mother and onto the bed, molding my body along his now that the vomiting had stopped. “I’m right here,

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my love. I didn’t leave you, I’ll never leave you. I just didn’t want to get in the way. I called for help because I can’t lose you, okay? Don’t you fucking leave me, Terry. You just started to unfreeze my dead heart. I can’t take any more loss in my life.” The words had come tumbling out of my mouth so fast I didn’t even know if he could understand me. “Yeah, Uncle Terry. We’d all be really sad if you left us,” Jade said loudly from Chiquita’s arms. Oh good, they got back. I gave her a warm smile and an air-kiss. Gods, I loved that kid. Wade, too, but Jade was a lot like me, and I couldn’t help being drawn to that. “Don’t you leave us, Son. My boy has waited hundreds of years for you. If you die, I’ll kick your ass all over Hades.” “Anubis!” my mother chastised. “That’s not going to help.” “It was worth a shot.” My father shrugged. “Okay, his body’s done dispelling all that made him a vampire and is starting to heal.” He lifted Terry’s upper lip and gasped. “My gods! His fangs are gone.” “You hear that, baby? You’re human again. Terry, you’ve got to fight, okay? As soon as you’re better, I’m going to claim you and make you immortal, but until then, I don’t know if you can die. So don’t!” “Got the thermometers,” Ali announced as he ran back into my room and directly into the bathroom. “I’ll go heat up the tub to the right temperature,” Champ called out as he darted after his mate. “Where did you get all those supplies?” Horse asked Shely as he dumped a bunch of medical equipment on the bed. “We kind of broke into a clinic,” he said sheepishly as his cheeks heated up. “It’s the one we donate to every year,” Idiot defended. “I figured that made up for a little breaking and entering.” He glanced at Bren and shrugged. “We’ll replace the stuff or leave money to. We were just kinda winging it.”

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“Like I give a shit,” Bren snorted. “All the laws I witness you guys breaking and this is the one you think I’m going to have issue with? Fuck that! This is Shadow’s mate we’re talking about.” “Thanks, Bren,” I said, letting all the emotion I was feeling show in my voice. “No kissing anyone but me,” Terry mumbled quietly. “Baby!” I gasped and practically shoved my father out of the way so I could move over my mate and see his face. “Terry, don’t leave me.” My voice came out as a whimper. “Not going anywhere,” he groaned. “Everything hurts. Still feel like I need to puke and I can’t move.” “You’re severely blood deprived, Son,” my father explained. “We’re going to put some more in you, but yes, I’d think being converted from vampire to human would hurt just a bit.” “You couldn’t have told me that?” I snarled at him. What the fuck? That would be something important to mention. “Did you think pixie dust was going to shoot out of his mouth and fingertips and poof, he’d be human again?” my father asked me incredulously. “I figured it would be some type of magical transformation! It didn’t hurt when we got baptized with our magic.” “It hurt becoming a vampire, too,” Terry mumbled. Well, I didn’t know that either! Seriously! Wasn’t there some kind of rule book for all this shit somewhere? Like Mating a Vampire for Dummies? “Hurts too much.” “Just fight a little longer, Terry, and you’ll feel all better. Okay?” Fine, so I wasn’t above fibbing…or flat-out lying. I had no clue how long it would hurt for. “No more fighting. Been fighting for centuries. Now fighting the ghost of a dead man, to be human, fit into a family that’s scared of me…” He trailed off, his voice sounding so weak. “Terry? Terry! No, Terry, come on!” I screamed as I shook him, completely panicked that I was watching my mate slip away right

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before my eyes. Then I realized everyone else was frozen in shock. “Help him! Fucking do something to save him!” But all they did was stare at me.

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Chapter 8 “No, we aren’t giving up yet,” I snarled and reached frantically for the bag of blood in Ali’s hand. “Right, we’ve got this,” Shely said loudly, finally snapping out of his shocked state, as he snatched it right back and hooked it up to my mate, quickly and skillfully inserting an IV. “How’s his heart rate?” Bren asked as he started pulling blankets out of the closet. I put my fingers on my mate’s pulse and bit back a howl of anguish. My stomach churned violently, and I felt a wave of nausea run through me. “Slowing down.” Dear gods, this couldn’t be happening. One night with him wasn’t enough. It just wasn’t! I loved him. “Okay, we’ve got to warm up his body. He’s got to be cold as fuck from losing that much blood.” I was shoved out of the way for a moment, and I didn’t even resist. I was freaking out about my sudden discovery. I loved him. I loved my mate. I loved Terry Christoff. I could love after all that happened. “Shadow!” Bren exclaimed and smacked me across the face. I had a feeling that this wasn’t the first time he’d called my name. “Get under the blankets with him and use your body heat to keep him warm. Completely naked is best but don’t screw with the IV.” “Got it.” I nodded and glanced at my father. He gave me a nod of encouragement as he held my mother to his side. They both looked so helpless, which would have been amusing under different circumstances, considering they were over four thousand years old. I bet there weren’t many times anymore that they felt useless.

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I got under the blankets and used my magic to remove our pants so we were flesh on flesh. “Don’t leave, Terry. I love you. I swear I do. I love you so much already, and I want all the time in the world with you so we can fall even deeper in love. I want to do mushy couply things. I have no idea what those are, of course, but I want to do all of them with you.” My words came out as strangled sobs, and I could feel my body shaking from the fear that I could lose him. “Liar,” he whispered. Oh thank fuck. “I’m not lying. I swear on my honor.” That was a big thing for an elf to swear like that. We didn’t take it lightly. “I love the man who fibbed and told Jade he liked pink just to make her smile. I love how you were understanding when Alexi was freaking out and being completely overprotective. I love that you moved past your fears so we could make love.” I paused before the last one because I then realized we were surrounded by people and they would hear me. But then I realized I didn’t care. “I love the man who came here amongst hundreds of vampires to help a family he didn’t even know.” “How did you know?” he mumbled, turning his head toward me but not yet opening his eyes. His face looked even paler than usual with a gross ashen tone and there was a thin layer of sweat glistening on his skin. “I pieced it together from what you said, babe. I figured you were going to fess up once you knew I trusted you.” “I need the second bag,” Shely called out. “His color’s getting better.” I glanced at his cheeks and saw that it was definitely getting better. He’d lost the sickly gray tone and now was simply really pale with a little color on his cheeks. “Please fight, Terry,” I begged. “I need you.” “Fine, but admit you wish I was Jake.” “I will do no such thing,” I growled as I moved so I was lying completely on top of him. I kissed his soft lips and shook my head.

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“You’re not Jake. You’re not a Jake replacement. You’re Terry, my mate, and I wouldn’t rather have anyone besides you.” “You still love him though,” he whispered as tears trailed down his cheeks from his gorgeous chocolate-brown eyes. “I loved Jake, maybe a small part of me will always because he was my first love. But I love you more. Jake and I loved each other because we were desperate to be loved. We were tired of being alone and feeling as if no one in the world wanted or understood us. That’s not the same thing that’s between us. I love you because of who you are, because I want to. Not because I’m lonely or think I have to.” “For a man who supposedly doesn’t know how to do tender, you sure always know the right thing to say,” Terry mumbled as he wrapped his IV-free arm around me gently. “I love you, too. But if I almost die every time we have sex, you’ll have to settle for blow jobs.” His tone was very serious. I stared at him a moment, my mouth gaping before I burst out laughing. “Deal.” “I hurt and I’m starving. Not thirsty like when I needed blood but actually hungry. Do you think it worked? Can I really eat again? Fuck, I’ve missed food.” “I’ll go make him some chicken broth for now,” Ali said. I glanced at him and gave him a smile, getting a watery one in return. “This house is never boring.” “You’re the Chef?” my mother asked. “Yes, ma’am,” he answered with a nod. She smiled brightly and moved to loop her arm with his. “I wonder if you’ve ever trained anyone before? We have a fabulous cook, but she constantly makes local Irish cuisine. I’m thinking if someone helped her that she might broaden her menus, and I wouldn’t have to go insane if I eat another potato.” “Really, Mother?” I shook my head in exasperation. I couldn’t get over the fact that she was doing this now.

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“You know I never let any opportunity go by.” She waved me off and rolled her eyes. “Besides, your mate is going to be fine obviously, and you probably want some alone time.” “Good point,” my father agreed. “Let’s give them some space.” He placed his hand on the small of my mother’s back and gently led my mother, still arm in arm with Ali, out the door. The rest of the people in the room followed suit. “I have to stay to switch out the blood when he needs it,” Shely said sheepishly. “But I’m going to go sit in the corner, and I don’t have you guys’ hearing.” “Thanks, brother,” I replied with a sigh. Everyone was being so helpful and considerate. It warmed my heart. “No kissing anyone but me.” Terry made his point by exaggeratedly pursing his lips. I giggled and brushed mine over his. I didn’t need to be told twice. “No one but my gorgeous mate ever again,” I confirmed with a sigh, laying my head on his chest, smiling widely as I heard his heart beating strong and at normal pace. The sound was the most soothing, comforting sound I’d heard in a long time. I felt my eyes drifting closed. My eyelids had become so heavy it was pretty much impossible to keep them open. “For the record, I love you, too, Shadow.” That was the last thing I heard before the stress of the night and exhaustion caught up with me. My mate was going to live. No one would hold a catnap against me. **** “Wake up, sleepyhead.” I groaned and batted away the hand that was shaking my shoulder. “Shadow, you have to wake up, my love.” “How are you feeling?” I asked with a yawn as I stretched, finally opening my eyes. My mate was looking down at me with so much love in his eyes it made my heart soar.

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“Fine, but twenty hours can heal a lot of things,” he said with a shrug “Huh?” I sat up with a start and looked around the room. It was still dark out. “I was out how long?” “It’s the next day, babe. You’ve been asleep twenty hours, and it’s almost time for dinner with your parents.” “I didn’t have the nightmares for once,” I gasped. I glanced at him and saw he looked great. “You’re human. It really worked.” “Yup, and I’ve been eating like a cow all day.” He chuckled. “Everyone’s been hovering and fretting that my stomach hasn’t been used really in centuries, so I’ve not graduated past scrambled eggs and toast. But that’s still better than I remember.” “It really worked,” I whispered in awe as I reached out to touch his cheek, gently rubbing my thumb over the side of his face. “You saved me,” Terry said gently, his eyes swimming with emotion. “It’s only fair since you saved me, too,” I tossed right back. “This was the first nightmare-free sleep I’ve had in about nine hundred years, Terry. You’re fixing me.” “That’s one way to put it.” He winced and covered my groin with his hand. “But the balls stay. You getting fixed is not the same as when they fix a dog.” “Deal.” I chuckled at his silliness and leaned in for a kiss. He gave me a quick one but shook his head when I tried to pull him in for more. “We don’t have time. Your parents are going to be here in like twenty minutes.” “Why did you let me sleep so long?” That was the part I couldn’t understand. “Babe, you obviously needed it,” he answered gently. “Besides, I was sleeping right by you most of the time, too. I’d get up and eat and climb right back into bed with you.”

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“I should have been helping you,” I grumbled, chastising myself for sleeping instead of doing my job as a mate. “I should have been enjoying your first day human.” “Technically it is still the first day,” he replied with a bright smile. Then he switched to a frown when he saw I wasn’t snapping out of it. He waved his finger in my face. “No, no cranky. I’ve never met parents before. I’m freaking out, and they’re going to be here soon. I met your dad while unconscious and both of them while vomiting blood. I need you happy and keeping me calm. Otherwise I swear, no sex until after the New Year.” “I’m sorry, baby,” I sighed and hugged him to me. “You’re right. I’m just reeling and racing to catch up. And a little freaked I slept that long. Normally I can’t get more than four hours without nightmares waking me up. It’s a lot of change in a little time.” “Fine, you get a free pass then. But I’m human. We’re good. We found and love each other. There’s so much to be happy about that there’s no pouting allowed.” “Right, you love me because I turned you human,” I mumbled and pulled away from him. “Don’t do that!” he snarled and pinned me down to the bed. “That’s not what I said or even meant. I loved you enough to risk trying to go back human. Did I want it? Yes, but I’m not sure I would have taken the chance it wouldn’t work unless you were here. It was the only way we could truly be together, and I love you so much that the hope made me risk everything.” He searched my face intently as if looking for a sign that I doubted his words. “You’re right,” I whimpered, snuggling against him. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just want to go back to sleep and cry. I should be doing a jig of delight.” “Oh, babe,” Terry whispered and kissed my temple. “I wasn’t the only one who went through something last night. You made love to me and then almost watched me die. That’s like going to heaven and then directly to hell. Cut yourself some slack. Your body even knew

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that you needed to catch up on decades of sleep. That’s a lot swirling in one brain.” I nodded and sighed in relief that he understood…even if I didn’t. “Now go shower your stinky ass because your parents are going to be here soon and if you make me greet them alone, I will beat you.” “Deal.” I chuckled. He moved off of me and I started to get up, pausing to look at him. “I meant every word last night, Terry. I love you.” “I love you, too, Shadow.” He smiled so wide that I thought it might split his cheeks. I gave him one right back and practically skipped to the shower, my heart feeling light as a feather. I took the quickest one known to man but still got in all the nooks and crannies because I planned on doing wicked, wicked things with my mate later. I dried off and came back into the bedroom, buck ass naked. “So you were saying you had some fantasies about the cage? Any chance one was the warden and the prisoner?” He cleared his throat audibly, and I felt his eyes on me as I bent over to pull jeans out of my bottom dresser drawer. “As a matter of fact one was.” “Tell me,” I ordered, shooting him a look of lust. “I’m a hooker who got busted one too many times and the warden wants a piece of that action, determined to make me his personal bitch.” I gaped at him until he started to squirm on the bed. “I love you, you kinky fucker!” “Really? Not too much?” His eyes darted to mine, and I could see the apprehension. I gestured to my hard, leaking cock. “No, I think it’s just about right.” “I want to suck you,” he whimpered. “It felt so good when you did it to me.”

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“Warden will make you tonight when we’re alone,” I purred and then quickly got dressed, putting on a red button-up shirt and some jeans. I went commando just to tease him, and I knew it worked when I heard him groan. I smiled wickedly to myself. “Let’s eat, I’m starved.” “I’ll bet.” He chuckled as I took his hand. We left our room and headed toward the kitchen just in time. I heard Jade’s squeal and knew someone was getting presents. I’d just pushed open the door to the kitchen when I ended up with an armful of Wade. “Your parents got us the coolest presents, Uncle Shadow!” He was trying to jump around in my arms, which made it difficult to hold on to him. I laughed and set him on his feet, and he continued his bouncing around down there. “Like what?” He grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the huge pile of presents by the terrace doors. The pile was so large it was difficult to see the window behind it, and that window was pretty big itself. The packages were all wrapped in shiny paper of various colors. There was green, red, silver, gold, and even some purple ones thrown into the mix. As a finishing touch, they were all tied up neatly with white ribbons. “Wow! You guys made a haul.” “They’re not just for them,” my mother said with a smile. “There’s mating gifts in there as well for everyone. We had decades of presents to make up for.” “Thank you, Mother.” I chuckled and went to hug her. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and then I looped my arm over her shoulder. “Willimina, I’d like you to meet my mate, Terry Christoff. Terry, this is my mother.” “It’s a pleasure, ma’am,” he said formally and bowed deeply. Then my smooth mate took my mother’s hand and kissed it. “Oh my.” She breathed and glanced at me. “Gorgeous and wellmannered. You have to keep him.” “I plan on it. Terry is a few hundred years old and served in His Majesty’s Royal Navy.”

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“Well, who doesn’t love a man in uniform?” My mother giggled, shaking her head. “I do! I do!” Idiot exclaimed, bouncing around before jumping on his mate’s back. Shely almost fell forward from the unexpected attack. “I’ve got my own sailor right here.” “Alright, you imp.” Shely snickered and yanked Idiot off of him. “It’s been interesting learning everyone’s names,” my mother said with an odd look. “There are a few families of your brothers who I’d like to hang from their toes.” “Interesting visual, my dear.” Anubis chuckled, stepping forward and shaking my then Terry’s hands. “Glad you made it.” “Thank you, sir.” “Dad or Father works just fine, Son.” Terry’s eyes went wide, and I couldn’t help smiling. “You’re family, and we’re proud to call you our boy’s mate.” “Thanks, Dad,” Terry replied, his eyes getting a little misty. “My own parents weren’t happy to be my parents. They thought I was sick in the head. They bought me a commission in the Navy hoping I’d get killed and they wouldn’t have to deal with me.” “Now I want to spit on their graves,” my mother growled. Everyone stared at her, but I knew full well how fierce my mother could be when someone fucked with the people she loved. “Uncle Shadow, Uncle Shadow!” Jade called out as she grabbed my arm and pulled. “Uncle Anubis made my tawismens pink!” Okay, I knew she meant talisman but couldn’t say it right. But how cute was she? “Of course he did.” I chuckled. “My father’s the best at listening and giving people what they want. That’s why he’s really important.” “Daddy said he was a god,” she said with a nod of agreement. “Well, not really.” My father chuckled. “Ancient humans worshipped me as one, but I was just a spoiled brat.”

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“Okay, dinner’s ready. Everyone take your seats,” Ali announced as he opened the oven and a steam wafted out. The room smelled absolutely delicious and my stomach rumbled not so quietly. “Non-Irish food,” my mother cooed as my dad led her to one of the chairs. I was suddenly glad that we’d decided to make extra for the table. Originally we’d thought twenty-six but ended up adding an extension leaf so we could get thirty in. Who would have thought a few months ago that we would ever need such a giant table? “What has the master made for us?” “I went with a little of all my favorites so we could do family style and hopefully make everyone happy. Plus, that way you can tell me what you like and I can teach your cook.” “We need to get him a bigger present,” my mother told my father firmly as she watched Ali bring the food in. “To start we have fresh lobster tails someone teleported to Maine to get,” Ali said as he brought over a massive tray of the biggest lobsters I’d ever seen. I felt my mouth starting to water. He glanced over at Champ. “Thank you, honey.” “I’d do anything to help your feeding of me, my love.” Everyone had a good laugh at that. Next Daran was helping out and brought over another platter. “This is Peking duck with a plum sauce.” Cadan carried over more food. Wow, everyone was helping out. I sat across from my father and next to Terry as we all took seats, Chiquita and Alexi getting the twins in their booster seats. “Next we have Chilean sea bass and braised pork chops with a mango compote.” “Those are my favorite,” Champ said as he rubbed his hands together in glee. “And for the munchkins, I have my baked mac and cheese, wrapped cocktail weenies, and grilled zucchini,” Ali finished with a grand bow as Benjii brought over more dishes of delicious-smelling food. Our huge table was now covered in a bunch of different plates

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and platters, and it all looked so good I pretty much had no idea where to start. My mother speaking interrupted my internal dilemma. “They like zucchini?” my mother asked incredulously. “They actually love veggies as long as they are still crunchy or grilled. Well, besides mashed potatoes.” Alexi shrugged as he took those plates from Benjii. “We figured we’d give them a list of five veggies they never had to eat since they were so good with the others.” “Oh? And what’s on the list, Jade?” my father asked her directly. “Brussels sprouts,” she answered, squishing up her nose in disgust and shuddering slightly. “Peas, asparagus, spinach, and beans.” “Which beans?” He raised an eyebrow as if knowing the answer. “All of them,” Chiquita snorted. “They kinda tricked us on that one, but we gave them points for creativity.” “I agree with your list except for the spinach. Fresh spinach on a salad is wonderful when in season.” My mother gave Jade a warm smile and snagged the mac and cheese. “Really, Mother?” I chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “I love the stuff. It’s one of the greatest food creations,” she admitted with a blush as she spooned some onto her plate. “I agree, Aunt Willimina.” Jade giggled. “And I promise to try your salad.” “I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Terry moaned enthusiastically next to me. I turned and gave him a questioning look. I got a forkful of food, which I quickly opened for. “This duck is the best thing I’ve had in centuries. Gods, I’ve missed food.” He threw his head back with bliss. “Anything you think you’ll miss about being a vampire?” my father asked hesitantly. If I was honest, it was a question I would probably have asked soon, too. “I’m not sure,” he answered honestly, biting his lower lip. “I did like the speed and strength. I mean, it was like having superpowers, but it wasn’t worth the obvious negatives.” He took another bite of the

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duck and then nodded. “The fangs. I hate what they were used for, but I think they made me look wicked cool.” He let out a muffled laugh around a mouthful of food. “Oh I like you.” My mother chuckled, shaking her head goodnaturedly. “You’re not afraid to tell the truth. Something we all agree on in this family.” “In other words, we’re completely and totally blunt,” I agreed with a nod. “Like I didn’t figure that one out already,” my mate said with a snicker. He might as well have said no shit. “Does everyone have their meal, because I need to discuss something serious with my son, and knowing Shadow, I should just tell everyone right away.” Shit. My father was going to bring up the Council stuff. I hadn’t even told anyone yet…well, besides Jade, who was there at the time. “Wait, before you do,” I said quickly. “I wanted to do something while we’re all here and mine’s happier.” “Go ahead, my boy.” My father was beaming with pride, knowing full well what I had planned. I cleared my throat nervously and pushed my chair out. I got down on one knee as I’d always planned when I thought about asking my mate the most important question of our lives. “Terry Christoff, will you do me the immense honor and privilege of allowing me to claim you? To make two halves of one soul combine and bind us together for all eternity to love and cherish each other?” Gods, I really hoped he said yes.

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Chapter 9 “How long have you been planning that speech?” Terry asked, tears brimming in his eyes. “Since he was old enough to know what a mate was,” my mother whispered with a sniffle. “You have no idea how many drafts he went through. When he learned he would have a mate, someone just for him, he set about figuring the most perfect way to ask.” She wiped the corner of her eye with her napkin. “Yeah, you’re not tender.” Terry chuckled, cupping my cheek. “Yes, of course I will.” The whole table erupted into applause and shouts. The last of us was about to be officially mated. Who the fuck would have guessed that one? I was up and straddling his lap in a flash, giving him the most sensual kiss I could whip up considering we had an audience that included a couple little ones. “I think all the mates will vote later to see if that was the best way to asked to be claimed,” Bren said with an evil smile as he stabbed a piece of fish with his fork. “Mine was good, but that just takes the cake.” There were several nods of agreement I saw out of the corner of my eye, and I was glad I wasn’t looking at them. How embarrassing. “We’ll have the ceremony right after dinner!” my father announced excitedly. I swallowed nervously. “Seriously? You’re his parents,” Horse said before he could stop himself.

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“Right, the North Pole elves don’t do it the olden way,” my father replied. I slid back to my seat and took Terry’s hand. This could go bad really quickly. “The original way was to have family present, with their backs turned for the coupling and a sacred blanket covering the couple.” “We’re going to have sex in front of your parents?” Terry just about squeaked, his eyes bugging out of his head slightly. “You don’t have to include us,” my mother answered. Ouch. That was a perfectly played guilt trip. “We could promise to plug our ears and stand across the room with our backs to you.” She sighed and twirled her fork on her plate. “It’s our equivalent of exchanging wedding vows.” “What if I rig audio for you in the next room?” Box asked hesitantly as if not sure he would get bit for throwing his two cents in. My parents exchanged a glance and both nodded, wide smiles on their faces. “Baby?” I asked Terry, crossing my fingers under the table. “That’s a fair compromise,” he conceded with a nod. “I can do that.” “But you still have to use the sacred family blanket,” my mother said firmly and went back to her food. “Don’t worry. It gets washed after it’s used.” Terry and I shared a look that clearly said ewww. Whatever, we could make them happy. Hell, I was thrilled with any prospect that didn’t have them in the room! “Now that we have that settled,” my father said loudly, clearing his throat. “I don’t know if Shadow talked to you all about a discussion we had when he stopped by with Jade.” “I was kinda busy,” I mumbled. “I also didn’t plan on sleeping almost a full day.” “I didn’t tell anyone, Uncle Shadow,” Jade said proudly. “I thought it was a secret.”

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“Thanks, sweetie, but it wasn’t. I think it’s great that you don’t gab everything you hear though.” She beamed at the compliment and Wade rolled his eyes. I couldn’t help but smile at that. “I heard it. She told all her stuffed animals,” he tattled with a giggle. “They don’t tell anyone!” “Okay, guys. Jade, that was fine. You can tell your stuffed animals anything you ever need to that you don’t think you can keep inside.” “Thanks, Uncle Shadow.” She seemed pleased at the idea and went back to stuffing her face with mac and cheese. “Anyways.” My father chuckled. “Shadow informed me that he wanted to discuss the vampire problem with me as representative of the Council.” He looked over at Maze. “Do you agree that the nests are getting larger?” “Yeah, a lot larger. Even the small ones have tripled in size, some way more than that. And they seem to be mainstreaming more. We took out a nest a couple of months ago and then saw a news report that some city’s mayor disappeared. It’s like they’re trying to get into better positions.” “I didn’t even think about that,” I admitted. “Well, I spoke with the Council, and they agreed with your proposition of a committee for protection and alliances with other paranormals. People can’t be in the dark on the dangers anymore. If we band together, then we can survive.” He sighed and suddenly looked much older as he looked at me. “I know you never forgave me for what—” “What happened to Jake wasn’t your fault, Father,” I said firmly, interrupting his current thought. “I was young and angry, and the only person I’d ever loved in that way had been murdered. All of our friends had been.”

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“Guys, why don’t you take your plates and go watch SpongeBob while you eat,” Alexi said gently to the twins. “We’ll call you when dessert is ready.” “You want to talk about grown-up stuff,” Wade accused as he climbed down from his booster seat. He seemed torn between wanting to be included in the conversation and getting to watch SpongeBob. “There are some things you both are too young to hear,” Chiquita agreed. The twins behaved remarkably. They didn’t put up a fuss and seemed more excited they could watch cartoons while eating. We waited until they were gone before continuing. “I think it’s time you told us the whole story,” Terry said to me gently, taking my hand in his. I took a deep breath before beginning. “I met a human when I was young, not even a hundred. He was abused and I rescued him. I’d just accepted I was gay and we were both lonely.” I quickly glazed over the longer story I had told Terry. “Jake was a wonderful man. After I helped him, he wanted to help others. We got a house on the outskirts of the village by my parents’ castle, and he started picking up strays like us. They were our closest friends.” I left out the detail that sometimes we took them to our bed, but I would tell that to Terry later when we were alone. “We’d been together for almost five years. Jake and I used to fight about the fact that he wasn’t my mate. No matter how many times I told him that who I mated wasn’t up to me, he wouldn’t believe me. We got into a huge fight about it and I left to cool off. “I realized it wasn’t so much whether or not we were mates but that he was aging and I never would. He was scared I wouldn’t stay with him because he would die one day. So I went to the next, larger town over and bought him a promise ring showing my commitment to him.” “You never told us that part,” my mother whispered, tears streaming down her face.

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“It’s not an accepted practice among elves, and you guys stick to the olden ways.” I shrugged and swallowed down the lump in my throat before starting the next part. “I came back home and they were all dead, slaughtered. That’s not even a strong enough word. There were bits and pieces everywhere and Jake’s head was in the middle of our bed. On the wall, written in his blood, was a message to my father. You thought you got us all, Anubis.” “Sweet hell, Shadow,” Terry whispered and wrapped his muscular arms around me. His closeness was comforting after having to relive so many painful memories. “You need to understand Shadow and Maze are not the first elves to hunt vampires. There was a team of us centuries before Shadow was even born that scoured the earth for them. We thought we hunted them to extinction. We were wrong.” My father wiped a single tear from his cheek. “I swear we thought we did. I would never have let your friends live away from the safety of the castle—” He went silent, seeming at a loss for words from the pain he was feeling. “I know, Father. I know,” I said gently, reaching out to him. He grasped my hand tightly for a moment before letting go so he could hold my mother, who was also looking very upset. It was time to finish the story. “I stormed into my father’s house, grabbed his arm, and ’ported us back to my bedroom. I screamed and swore at him, letting all my rage out and told him I never wanted to see him again. Then I blacked out from grief. “I awoke in my old room in the castle with my mother watching over me. She told me that my father had my friends buried in our family graveyard in their own mausoleum. I told her my life here was over, packed a bag, and left, never looking back. I learned whatever I could about vampires and have been fighting them ever since. It was the only way I could think to avenge my friends’ deaths. Jake’s death.” “I’ve never forgiven myself for what happened or not being able to handle your leaving better,” my father admitted with a sigh as he

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glanced at his plate. “A real father should have been able to get through to his son when he was needed most.” “That wasn’t when I needed you most, Father,” I whispered as I reached across the table again and took his hand. “During the fight, protecting my family was when I needed you more than ever. Last night with Terry, that was when I needed you the most. You didn’t even hesitate or give me shit about being out of touch for nine centuries. That was when I needed help. I don’t think anyone could have gotten through to me after what happened.” “Hell, we didn’t even fucking know about it!” Horse shouted as he shoved away from the table and stormed off. “Fuck,” I groaned and thumped my head on the table. When I lifted it up, I realized Horse wasn’t the only one that was pissed. “You all hate me now, don’t you?” “No, hate’s not the word I’d use,” Idiot said quietly, shaking his head. “Hurt. I’m pretty sure we’re all hurt you never shared something so big with us. We thought you were from the North Pole, Shadow. It’s like looking at you for the first time.” “What does it matter where I’m from or my past?” I asked, jumping to my feet so fast that the chair fell back to the floor. “I never told you I was from the North Pole. I never lied to any of you. You assumed I was and I didn’t tell you differently. I wanted that life behind me. It hurt too much. I blamed my father for not telling me there were real monsters. I lost my first love and all my friends brutally. This is the first time I’ve ever talked about it.” “We don’t give a flying fart that you’re an elder’s son or not from the North Pole,” Horse shouted as he stormed back into the kitchen. “It’s that family doesn’t hide from each other like this! We had no clue you were as old as you were, fine, we let that slide because you didn’t want to lead. Then you and Maze hunt vampires. Fine, it’s noble and we were ignorant about it all. “Now it’s come home and we fought by your side, brother. We didn’t teleport away when we’ve had no training, no fighting

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experience, and leave you. We stayed at your side, Shadow. Don’t you get we would do anything for you?” His eyes were overflowing with tears as he slammed his hands on the table, causing some of the dishes to clang together noisily. “We could have helped you!” “No, brother, you couldn’t have,” I whispered as I moved around the table. “I buried it so long ago that the pain and anger stayed, but I’ve not even thought about it until I realized Terry looks just like Jake. I locked it away in my mind as if it happened to someone else and froze out my heart. That’s why I always have the nightmares and rarely sleep. The memories were always trying to come back out and be dealt with.” Horse shook his head angrily, his jaws clenched. “Anything else you’re keeping from us?” He growled as he grabbed the front of my shirt roughly. “This keeping secrets shit ends now, Shadow. If you got any other confessions, this is the time.” “I like to dress in drag.” I shrugged. There were several gasps around the table. “Really?” Horse asked, his eyes wide. “No.” I snickered, shaking my head. It was just too easy, and it broke the tension in the room. “You guys know I like cartoons, but I never told any of you that I have every Disney movie ever made on VHS, DVD, and now when they come out, on Blu-ray.” “No wonder the twins love you so much.” Alexi chuckled. “You still dreamed of a happily ever after even as you put up a wall around your heart.” “Yeah, I guess I did,” I admitted. It made perfect sense. I just hadn’t made the connection. I glanced back to Horse. “We good?” “Yeah, you fucktard,” he growled and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. I hugged him back and then we went back to our seats. I felt everyone watching me, but I did my best to ignore their searching looks. “Anyone need to take a shot at me later in the gym?” I asked as I went back to my lobster tail.

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“No, but I’d like you to teach me how to use a gun,” Egan admitted with a shrug. “Even if I’ll always have twins duty, which I’m cool with, I would feel better if I knew how to use one.” “Bren and Shely are much better at that than I am. I’m more into hand-to-hand fighting, swords, and throwing knives.” I assumed everyone else was done being pissed at me and looked to my father, who was shaking his head at our antics. “So the Council approved the committee. How many people?” “They want you to lead it, that was made crystal clear,” he answered with a smile. “Most remember you from when you were preparing to take my place one day. They understand you know how to navigate the system.” “Fair enough.” “The Captain of the elders’ guard will be on it and his second. We’ve put out word to the leaders of each paranormal community that we’d like one representative from them. Maze, of course, and we left the rest up to your discretion.” “By order of you.” I chuckled. “Of course,” he replied without even batting an eyelash. My father was a force of nature most times, especially when dealing with the other elders. “I want Horse as my second, Bren and Shely on the committee as well.” “Not Maze as your second?” my father asked, mouth agape. “No,” I answered and turned to my best friend. “I love you and I’d want no one else at my back in a fight. But you’re young and the elders and committee will look down at us if I choose a pup as my second. Plus, I want you to head training and you couldn’t be my second and do that. Seconds are like vice presidents.” “I don’t do politics,” he said, wrinkling up his nose as if he had just smelled something nasty. “I like the fighting part, thanks. I’ll help train whomever you want, brother.”

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“Thanks.” Maze was so easygoing on most things I knew he’d never cause issue with my decision. “I feel like I’m watching a tennis match and now I’m the ball,” Bren mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. “Why me and Shely?” “Really? You didn’t think I’d ask you?” I asked, shocked. They had matching confused looks and shook their heads. I started with Bren. “You understand how to navigate and sometimes circumvent the law. You take orders when you need to and lead equally well. Last night everyone, myself included, was freaking out, but you kept a level head. That’s rare.” I glanced over at my other brother-in-law. “Same with you plus you’ve been an officer in a major military. The elders’ guard is set up similarly and your knowledge of battle tactics will come in handy. Both of you are human and just found out about our world. You give a perspective most elves don’t have, especially old-school elves.” “That’s fair.” My mother chuckled between more bites of mac and cheese. “We’re so stuck in our ways some fresh blood will be a good addition.” “Exactly,” I said with a smile. “And Horse is a great leader of chaos and he always sees the big picture. While I know how to handle the Council, he’s much better at dealing with people than I am.” “How long have you been thinking over your choices?” my father asked with a raised brow. “I haven’t.” I snickered, shaking my head. “I don’t have to think about it. I know them well and have seen them in action.” “So you don’t know me well enough yet?” Terry asked, finally joining the conversation. “Of course you’re going to be on it with me,” I answered, glancing at him with an incredulous look. He looked equal parts confused and hurt. “I’m not a mind reader, Shadow. How did I know you meant to include me?”

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“A mate always appreciates being asked,” my mother mumbled, knowing full well I could hear. I felt my face redden a bit. “I’m sorry, my love,” I whispered as I moved over to straddle his lap. I swear, at the rate dinner was going I should just stay there. “Anything I do from now on includes you. We’re an inseparable team. You go to shower and I’m there holding the soap for you.” That got a smirk from him. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask but assumed. I’m a jerk, a big horrid meanie. I was wrong. I love you.” I smiled up at him sweetly. “At least he grovels well. You should be taking notes, Anubis.” “Of course, my love,” my father told my mother. Oh geez. “Will you join me on the Council committee to take over the world and kill monsters?” I asked my mate as I batted my eyelashes at him. “Take over the world, huh?” Terry chuckled. “Absolutely. I’m all about world domination and ruling,” I said evenly and then burst out laughing. It had just been too ridiculous of a statement for me to keep a straight face. “I’d love to.” I mashed my mouth down to his, completely ignoring all the eyes in the room. At least the twins were off watching SpongeBob. I wrapped my arms around his thick neck and molested his mouth, as was my right as his mate. I waved people off when I heard several throats clearing. “What?” I snarled when someone pulled me back from my mate. “I had my back to my parents, they could see us kissing.” “Dude, you were also humping him,” Maze groaned, rolling his eyes. “Can you blame me? He’s fine.” My cheeks still heated up as I slid back into my chair. Whoops! I couldn’t look at my parents for the rest of dinner. Most of the table discussed basic things, rebuilding the media room, Christmas, the Ball coming up. Horse and Bren were whispering to each other, and I caught Idiot and Shely doing the same. Zander had already come to terms with what Maze did.

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“Okay, we’re in,” Horse announced when we were all done eating. “I’m going to retire early,” Bren added. “I’ve been thinking about it already, considering how much trouble you guys get into.” “That was when we were finding our mates,” Button countered. “We have them now and they’re all safe.” “Yeah right.” Bren snickered. “The witches hate you guys, so I doubt we’ve heard the last from them. There’s problems with the werecats now because of Bryl, and now with this committee I can’t keep working full-time. I’ve taken all my sick days and several unpaid vacation days to help out.” Horse frowned and looked as if he was going to say something, but Bren cut him off with a quick kiss. “I set out to be a cop to help people. I don’t have to deal with the politics and crap that comes with being on the police force this way and can still save lives. Probably more this way even if no one will ever know about it.” He smiled, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “We’re in.” “I am as well,” Shely said, his arm wrapped around Idiot’s shoulders. “And Idiot’s going to be our administrative assistant.” “But I’m only taking lunch with you.” Idiot waggled his eyebrows at his mate suggestively. Nice to know being mated almost a few months didn’t squash the mating lust. “Wonderful.” My father clapped his hands together with a smile. “I’ll inform the Council in the morning. Now, we have a ritual to perform.” “Last chance to bail out,” I whispered to Terry as we all stood. “Nope. I don’t care if we’d have to have sex on live television. You’re claiming me.” Okay then! I slid my hand in his as we walked to the play room. Yeah, I was glad my parents weren’t going to see this either. “I’m going to pop home and get the sacred blanket,” my mother announced and vanished. While she was human, my father had long

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since given her a talisman that allowed her to teleport whenever she wanted. Yeah, he was that powerful. We were in the media room, which was adjacent to the play room. Box went inside to set up the audio for my parents. “And a small present,” my father said as he closed his eyes. He started repeating, “as it was, as it was.” I was just about to ask what that meant when I saw the damaged wall of the media room start reforming. Holy shit! “Wow. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have power that strong,” Horse whispered in quiet awe from next to me, probably afraid he’d break my father’s concentration. “Growing up around it was a trip,” I admitted with a nod. Next the windows appeared, exactly as they had been before, the window dressings and all. The skylights came next. And for the finale, my father made the stage for the tree that Benjii had built. Then the tree and all the presents, just as they had been before the attack. “My gods,” Button gasped from behind us. “The magic he must have.” I couldn’t help a small smirk of pride that they were all so impressed with my father. Yeah, my dad was Anubis. Wicked. “Is he showing off again?” my mother asked as she reappeared. “How were you able to teleport on your own?” Button asked, his eyes lighting up. That man loved to learn, that was for sure. “Anubis made me a talisman like the twins, but I can use his power to teleport anywhere, anytime I want.” She held out her left hand to show everyone her bracelet. It was a thick, gold band with a circular emerald set in it. I knew that on the inside of the bracelet there was also an engraving written in our native tongue. “It was for our second millennia anniversary.” “Well, of course, platinum had to have been centuries ago,” Champ joked. Smart-ass.

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“Now you don’t have to scrounge up the rest of your decorations and gifts considering Christmas Eve is tomorrow,” my father said with a smile when he was done. “Thank you, Father. That was amazing.” “I love an audience.” He chuckled. “Plus I feel great. I had too much power accumulating without any outlet for it.” “Your nuclear reactor needed to take a dump,” Button agreed. “Well, I can’t say I’ve ever heard it put that colorfully, but yes. At my age, I recharge very quickly and sometimes the extra buildup is taxing.” “Can’t you just give it to someone?” I asked since elves could donate power to each other like when we were injured. “Or go clean some oil spill up?” “That would draw too much attention, and I don’t give my power overage to just anyone. Not everyone could handle it. Now that we’re speaking again, I will come find you next time and give you a jolt. You can use it when you’re fighting.” I thought about that a moment. A power surge always sounded good before a fight, but I liked my idea, too. “What about cleaning up the Chicago River a little at a time? Or even Lake Michigan?” “Always the forever compromiser.” He chuckled. “It’s a deal.” “I just love the city I’ve called home for so long. I mean, Ireland will always be my birthplace and have a piece of my heart, but Chicago is an entirely different animal. I want it to thrive.” “That’s a wonderful idea,” my mother agreed. “And I hear the shopping here is to die for.” “If you’re brave, we’ll take you the day after Christmas for all the sales at the outdoor mall near us. That’s the busiest shopping day of the year and only the truly strong survive.” Champ winked at my mother. “I accept your challenge, young man. But I must warn you, I am much more than a pretty face who can shop.”

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“Really?” he asked, rubbing his hands together in glee. “Are you Wonder Woman?” “No, but you might have seen a few of my paintings over the years under other, male names,” she answered with a wink. “I only turn to retail therapy when I find I’m stuck on a piece.” “We have a painter, a glassblower, and a pottery maker in this family. I think you’re going to fit in well.” Horse chuckled before extending his hand to Anubis. “Thank you. I know you’re family, but a good leader always accepts help when it’s needed.” “Smart lad,” my father agreed with a nod before turning to us. “Shall we?” “Here, you’ll need this.” My mother handed us the sacred blanket with tears in her eyes. Box came back out just then and handed them both a set of headphones. He blinked several times at the fixed media room and we all pointed to my father. “Cool!” He turned and walked back into the play room. Gods, I loved my odd brothers. “Ready?” I asked Terry. “Yeah, let’s go get hitched.” I laughed and hugged him. Then we walked into the play room hand in hand. Ready to take the next step in our lives together. He wasn’t what I would have asked for, or ever have hoped for. But that’s what made being with Terry so great…He was perfect for me, and I would never have known without fate. And I would spend the rest of our lives making sure he knew that I thought he was fucking perfect in every way.

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Epilogue: Maze “Where are we?” I asked from behind the blindfold after I was teleported out of our house. “It’s Christmas Eve. We’re going to a strip club, of course.” “Really?” I was shocked. That didn’t sound like something Zander would want to do on a holiday. “No, you twit!” he exclaimed and cuffed me gently upside the head. “We’re going to get your present.” “Then why are Button and Cadan here? All I asked for was you naked with a bow somewhere suggestive.” I really didn’t think I’d get it if we had company. “You get that later,” he purred in my ear, causing me to shiver. Okay, I could wait and play his silly games…for now. We walked for a few minutes before my curiosity almost boiled over. Then I gagged when I smelled shit. And I mean that literally. “What the fuck? Is my present a pig?” “No.” He snickered and pulled off my blindfold. “Eek!” I screamed like Jade would have if scared, and darted behind my mate. I peeked out from behind Zander at the evil in front of me. “That’s not a present. That’s my version of hell.” “We have reindeer brought in to the petting zoo every holiday season,” Cadan explained gently. “They are the most docile creatures or we wouldn’t have them here. I swear they won’t hurt you, Maze.” “I don’t wanna.” I pouted like a three-year-old, even stomping my foot.

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“For me?” Zander asked, turning around so he was facing me. Those two words melted my resolve. “Fine, but if I’m doing it for you, it seems more like a present for you,” I grumbled as I moved around him. Cadan handed me some dried plant thing. I looked at him with a raised brow. “It’s reindeer moss. They love it.” Oh, of course. “Eww, gross,” I whined as I took it and moved towards the beasts. One immediately noticed me even though it was pretty late and probably past their bedtimes. He took a step towards me, and I instinctively took one back. His, however, were much bigger, and he caught up with me before I could get out of the holding pen. My heart was thumping in my chest. I should have just ’ported out of there, but panic doesn’t always allow me to think clearly. I just kept remembering that the Discovery Channel said not to run from predators because they like to chase. I don’t care what anyone else says, reindeer were predators in my book! “He’s going to eat me,” I hissed at Cadan as the beast’s large muzzle went for my arm. “Open your hand and let him eat his food!” Zander ordered, and I did it immediately. I couldn’t watch the monster chomp on my hand, so I played ostrich…I closed my eyes instead. And then I giggled. Its lips tickled and then its slimy tongue licked me. My eyes shot back open, and I was staring right at the reindeer, who was looking back at me with its shiny, dark eyes. “Touch his muzzle and listen to his thoughts,” Button said gently. “We can hear animals?” I never knew that one. “Yes.” He snickered and I could just imagine him shaking his head at me. “They’ll come out really jumbled, but you can hear them.” I nodded and slowly moved to touch the deer just over his nostrils. I gasped as I could see images and his thoughts. “Won’t hurt you. Like you. More please. Like what the girl gave me.” I didn’t know

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what that meant until I saw the memory from the reindeer’s head. A little girl, about Jade’s age, had visited earlier and fed the reindeer some of her cotton candy when no one was looking. “Sorry, don’t have any of that,” I said softly as I rubbed his muzzle. Was that even the right word? It wasn’t a snout. Whatever, his extended face. “But I can get you more moss.” “Thank you.” Yeeeaaahh, that wasn’t creepy as all fuck. I was talking with a reindeer. Isn’t this the part where I got locked up? I reached behind me and grabbed the bag of the stuff Cadan must have been holding out to me. I fed some more to the reindeer, laughing when he tickled me again with his lips. “Laughing good. Not scared anymore.” Wow, animals could really feel fear. Cool. “I had a lot of bad experiences with reindeer. My mate wants me to get over them.” I shrugged, trying not to feel like the freak talking to an animal. But at least I didn’t think he was a beast anymore. He was too gentle, nothing like the reindeer I’d been around as a kid. “They were mean to me when I was little. They’d catch my clothes on their antlers and wear me like a decoration no matter how much I screamed.” “Animals like people. Some mean. Not all. I nice.” “Yes, you’re very nice,” I agreed with a smile. I fed him a little more, glancing at Cadan to see if I was giving him too much. “They won’t eat until they’re sick like some animals. They graze all the time like cows. The kids feed them all day long, you won’t hurt them,” he explained. “Cool.” “Come meet mate. She pretty.” Well, I’d have to agree to disagree with him on that, but I was glad my new reindeer friend was happy with his mate. He turned and walked back over to the group with a casual saunter, and I followed hesitantly. My buddy rubbed his nose against another reindeer, and I assumed that was his mate. I didn’t think he’d get frisky with another reindeer right in front of her.

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“Hey, pretty girl,” I said softly as I handed her some of the moss. She eyed me over for a second and then ate it right out of my hand. “We have son,” she told me and tilted her muzzle to another reindeer. How cool was that? Whoever ran the company that provided the reindeer kept the family together! I liked that. I’d have to ask Cadan about them and see if we could donate. Even if they were just animals, I never thought it was right when families got split up. “He’s very handsome and strong. You must be proud.” “We are. He good boy,” she confirmed. I fed her a little more before giving some to the son. “You nice. Not scared of us anymore.” “No, not scared anymore,” I agreed with a smile. This was a great gift, and I loved my mate for it. “You guys are too nice to be frightened of.” We stayed a while longer, until they ate all the moss I had. Then I said good-bye, giving each of them a quick hug. I turned back to my mate with a big smile on my face. “There’s no room in such a good heart for any hate or fear,” he said tenderly as he held his arms open for me. I walked right into them, hugging him right back. “I love you,” I whispered as I snuggled against him. “I love you, too, Maze. I’m glad this worked out.” “Me, too. You get points for creativity.” I giggled. “Does this mean I can give you your present now?” “Sure.” He chuckled. I grabbed Button and Cadan’s hands and ’ported us back home. I figured since they’d been a part of this, they could see Zander’s gift as well. When we were in the garage, I stepped away from them and walked over to the covered car. I pulled back the cloth to reveal a brand-new red Ferrari. “Holy shit!” Zander gasped, his eyes wide with shock. “You got me a fucking Ferrari?” “Yup. Your car is falling apart, and I know you like going fast, so I thought it was a good car for you.”

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“You got me a fucking Ferrari!” he parroted. “Yup,” I confirmed again. “We’re sooo having sex on and in it,” he purred and pulled me into his arms, pinning me against the side of the car. “That’s our cue to leave.” Cadan chuckled as he took Button’s hand. “Thanks for tonight, both of you. I appreciate it.” I let my emotions show in what I was saying. “That’s what family’s for, little brother,” Button replied as they gave us a wave. “Now where were we?” Zander growled when we were alone. I climbed up on the hood of the car, spreading my legs wide as I magically took off our clothes. “Right about here?” “I’m taking you?” he asked, raising a brow. “Yeah, I think you weigh too much to lie on the hood and not dent it.” I giggled. “We can open the trunk later and bend you into it while I pound into you.” “Merry Christmas to me,” he moaned and moved between my legs. Yeah, that sounded about right. Merry Christmas to all of us.

THE END WWW.JOYEEFLYNN.COM

AUTHOR’S NOTE I ran out of books to have Shadow’s epiphany regarding Christmas. His epilogue and the New Year’s Eve Ball ending of the series will be up on my website New Year’s Eve 2011.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joyee Flynn grew up in Chicago living in the same house all her life until she left for college. Though she has a great life, she loves to get lost in fantasy that only books could bring. Her wide interest in reading was reflected in her writings. Currently Joyee lives with her dog, Marius, named after a vampire from Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire series. She dreams of one day living out in Montana, enough land to have a few horses, and find a couple of cowboys of her own. A lover of men, Joyee’s all about them in any form in her books. Vampire, werewolf, military, doesn’t matter at all as long as they are hot, hard, and sex fiends!

Also by Joyee Flynn Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 1: Screw Santa Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 2: Hell’s Bells Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 3: Stupid Mistletoe Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 4: Holy Stockings Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 5: Down with the Tunes Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 6: Frosty Melt Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 7: Shove Your Tree Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 8: Stripe My Pole Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 9: Bite My Cookies Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 10: Flush the Twinkles Siren Classic ManLove: Who Needs Christmas? 11: Hanging Antlers

For all other titles, please visit www.bookstrand.com/joyee-flynn

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com