Peri tilted her head sideways as she examined him. “Serapha told you not to get a rash?”
Titus nodded, then frowned. “I know why we should be patient. But I don’t understand why we’d get a rash unless we ran around like a bunch of wild animals and rolled in some weird plant.”
Lucian chuckled as he sat down beside them. “It’s always a good idea to avoid rolling around in weird plants.”
Torion shook his head. “I told him that’s not what she meant. But he was insisting to the others, especially that little blonde crazy kid, not to explore and to avoid plants.”
Peri had to bite her tongue to keep from saying, “That blonde crazy kid is going to be your mate one day. Have fun with that.” Then it hit her, like a wrecking ball to the face. She and Lucian had to take care of these children. Not just protect them but figure out a way to provide for their needs in a realm not made for humans. Her eyes widened as she looked at her mate. The butthead was grinning like a damn clown.
“I do not do kids,”Peri reminded him.“It’s a hard no.”
“Apparently, you do now.”He smirked.“This will be good practice.”
“Nope,” she accidentally said out loud, then glanced at the kids. They were staring at her and Lucian expectantly.
“Why do you look scared?” Torion asked. “You’re friends with Serapha, so the draheim won’t hurt us.”
“Aunt Peri is terrified of kids.” Titus looked down as he ran a finger along Hope’s little cheek.
“I am not terrified of kids, Tripod.” Peri lifted her chin as she plopped down in the most undignified way. “I just don’t like them.”
Thia, still smiling like the little psycho she was, released Slate and stood up. She helped the boy she’d apparently deemed her responsibility to stand, then took his hand and walked over to Lucian. She pointed to Peri’s mate and told Slate, “Sit.” Slate toddled over, climbed up into Lucian’s lap, and looked up at him, a grin spreading across his handsome little face.
“Bloody hell, she’s got him trained,” Peri muttered.
Thia looked at Peri, walked over to her, then turned her little body around and plopped her butt right in Peri’s lap. She wiggled as if to get more comfortable, then leaned back, laying her head against Peri’s chest, and sighed.
“Are you comfortable, little psycho?” Peri asked dryly.
Thia wiggled again. “Hell yeah.”
Torion chuckled as Titus tried to cover his laughter. Slate clapped his hands, his eyes shimmering with delight. “Hell, hell, hell,” he sang, bobbing his head.
Peri looked at Lucian, who was smiling even bigger. “Bloody hell,” she groaned.
“That’s what he said.” Lucian winked as he clapped along with Slate.
Peri then looked over at Serapha, who’d been silently watching, as she often did. “Celise was going to send us to H-E-L-L,” she spelled out. “I managed to keep her from doing it.”
Serapha made a sound that was the equivalent of a laugh. “Having regrets?”
“Surviving that place would be a breeze compared to our current predicament. Just wait.” Peri held up a hand to the draheim. “When this one”—she pointed to Thia—“is trying to chew on your tail because she thinks it’s a giant fruit roll-up, you won’t be so damn amused.”
“You’re here for a reason, Peri,” the draheim said. “The Great Luna was not asleep when you faced Celise. She knew it before it happened. She has put you in charge of these little lives for a reason. And I, for one, think that makes you quite special. It may be the biggest challenge you have faced in all your years.”
“You sound like my mate,” Peri grumbled.
Serapha settled her large head on the ground, facing the children. “Then you have been blessed with a very wise mate.”
“I’ve been trying to tell you that since we met,”Lucian said through the bond, still playing with Slate, which was cute as hell.
“No, it’s not,” she blurted out.
“No what’s not?” Serapha’s big eyes watched Peri closely.
“See, they’re already making me crazy. Five minutes with the crumb catchers, and I’m already talking to myself.”
“Aunt Peri.” Titus finally looked up from Hope. “You’ve been crazy long before we even existed.”
