“That’s perfect timing then, because Corbin is here for a snack. He wants tomatoes and honey-cheese bread.”
Ty raised a dark eyebrow, with a beautiful red just the same color as his hair. “Has someone sent for more honey? We’re going to have to resupply if Corbin is going to take some with him.”
Corbin’s cheek heated. “Oh, if there’s not enough, please, I just?—”
Myk snorted. “Don’t be silly. Of course there’s enough, all right? Those babies are craving honey, and they are at least part dragon. They need their dragon honey.”
Corbin hooked arms with Myk and Ty. “Hawk insists that they’ll come out more dragon just because he’s their uncle.”
“So tell me about their father.” Myk led him inside. The children, playing happily outside, were kept in the circle of the courtyard by the watchful eyes of a handful of older children.
“Evander is amazing. He is a Lord of the Hunt. Very fertile, obviously.” He patted his belly. “Very strong. He survived the vampire attack. He fought the disease off; he won.”
“How fascinating is that? And kind of terrifying.” Myk glanced at him, squeezed his arm, and Corbin thought he felt the dragon’s hand shake. “You’re sure he fought it off?”
Poor Myk. He’d lost two brothers and their mates. He’d found them beheaded in the house that Corbin lived in now, and then the vampires had taken him—him, a child, two brand-new infants. And tortured them. Thank the Goddess Tyson had come for them.
“I am a hundred percent sure. He’s had no signs in over a year; he’s been in sunshine. His teeth are fine; he eats normal food like a regular fae person. Well, he’s the Lord of the Hunt, so he’s not a vegetarian, you understand.”
Tyson snorted. “Myk has been known to eat an entire pound of bacon at a sitting. Just because he grows plants doesn’t mean that he doesn’t eat meat.”
“Corbin knows that,” Myk teased. “He and his brothers are the ones who procure us the right kind of bacon, aren’t they? I wonder if they ever ponder why you order so much food.”
“If they do, they never question. Money’s funny that way, isn’t it? I imagine they think we’re donating it to charity or supplying a restaurant or something.” It didn’t really matter to him.
“Maybe they think you run a weird cult compound. Not unusual in Southern Colorado or Northern New Mexico.” Tyson winked when Corbin pinched his ribs.
“Maybe. Hell, maybe I do, and I justthinkI’m a dragon.”
Myk hooted. “I’ve seen you fly.”
Corbin put on a stage whisper. “But that could just be the peyote causing a shared delusion.”
“Oh. Right. Shared delusion.” Myk shook his head. “You’re in a really good mood for somebody who’s pregnant.”
“Hey, what can I say, not all of us believe in being pregnant like you.” Corbin knew Myk had had a few tough pregnancies, but he still teased. Tyson didn’t seem to be upset, so he figured it was safe.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Myk led him into the kitchens where there was always such amazing smells.
The Rocky Mountain clutch had several houses, but Tyson and his two brothers, Brand and Drake, shared this big one with their mates. And this was where all the garden stuff came to be processed.
It also had the most amazing library. Devon and Ollie, who were Brand and Eagan’s mates respectively, loved books, and, in the human realm, had had a giant bookstore.
The simple fact was, Corbin loved all of his dragon friends in all their wondrous variations, and he was sad that Evander was only going to get to meet them through a window into this world, literally.
“Uh-oh, what is that face for?” Devon, who was Brand’s very human, until he wasn’t, mate, came over to him smiling, putting a hand on his arm.
“I was just sad that my mate is never going to get to come here. I think he would really be interested in everything going on, and he would love it here.”
“Yeah, that sucks.” Devon winked at them. “I guess it’s not fair that Orion gets to do that, huh?”
See? Devon got it. “Oh, he has his challenges. So it’s working out, but I would love for Ev to be able to run with you guys when you fly. It’s amazing. Really something to see.”
“Well, think of how Evander can’t watch you fly while he runs. I mean, we all make sacrifices, right? At least we have each other.” Devon did make a lot of sense, and what if Corbin was creating drama where there didn’t need to be any?
“True. I’m gonna bring him out to meet you guys through the doorway, if nothing else, just so you can say hi. He’s amazing. He really is.” And Corbin was stupidly in love.
“Yes, and we can’t wait to see the babies. I bet you make amazing babies. Do you think they’ll be green?”
