“I know how amazing you are,” Nix said sweetly. “The best goalie in the PAHL and the NHL.”
“Hey!” Aries turned on him. “Zany is awesome!”
“Standing right here,” Gem said dryly.
“Right,” Nix said. He was honestly at a loss where to go from here. He didn’t want to get in trouble with his Daddy. And Gem was going to be the most talented goalie in the entire PAHL one day. He just needed to find the same confidence that he used to have.
“Just score a goal on your man,” Gem said as he bumped past him.
“But, Daddy!” Aries was saying in the background. “I score goals! It’s like my entire job. You throw people around. How are you going to win?”
His little brother just didn’t know when to stop. Nix skated over to yank Aries away from Vin so they could start the game. He had no doubt that once they started, Aries would have his head in the game. No matter how friendly this game was supposed to go, Nix had a rather good idea that it was going to turn into the best type of chaos.
Gem and Evan went to their respective nets as Vin skated to face him and Aries.
Aries looked a little worried as he got into position with his stick close to the puck. Vin smirked as he copied Aries’s stance.
Nix skated back a few steps to allow Aries and Vin to go head-to-head.
“Ready, boy?” Vin taunted.
Aries sighed. “Okay, Daddy. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.”
Vin’s eyes twinkled as he snorted. “I think I’ll take my chance. Now, ready, set, go!”
Aries immediately went for the puck, but Vin beat him to it by one second.
Vin knocked the puck past Aries and Nix before skating around them fast. Like way faster than Nix had ever seen himmove. And Nix didn’t miss many of the games Aries and Vin played.
“Hey!” Aries yelled.
Nix was too busy trying to scramble to catch up to the wily vampire.
Vin was racing to the net that Gem was guarding. He moved the puck from side to side, heading straight for where Gem crouched in preparation. Vin took his shot. Gem’s right arm came up, saving them from Vin scoring a goal, then batted the puck right in front of Nix.
Nix halted his momentum then headed in the opposite direction. He skated forward as he spotted Aries getting into position on his right side. This was familiar. This was right. They’d played together so many times that Nix knew where Aries would end up.
Pulling his stick back, Nix aimed to pass to Aries but before he could connect with the black rubber disk, Vin’s stick snuck from around him and that asshole stole the damn puck!
Nix spun, nearly tripping over his feet as Vin skated back toward the net. “Fuck!” he spat as he went to chase after Vin again.
Gem saved them from Vin scoring again and the battle was on.
He couldn’t help releasing a happy yip as he caught the puck on the end of his stick. This was amazing! The best Christmas Eve ever!
* * * * *
Nix
“So, this is your thing,” Gem said from his seat on the couch.
Nix brought the mug of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows—Aries’s whining had totally gotten them extra—to his mouth with his bound wrists with a smile.
“You know.” Gem made a humming sound. “It makes sense actually.”
Nix wasn’t sure whether to be offended or not. “Does it?”
“It’s probably the only way to make you sit still,” Gem responded with a knowing look.
