Kingsley's tone was full of warning when she said, “Melanie.” Melanie frowned asking, “What? Lux was nice.” Kingsley sighed, “I’m not referring to Lux.” Melanie asked, “Who are you referring to then? There’s so many rude people….and we know so many of them.” Kingsley laughed.
Dylan said, “Hmm interesting, next question.” I linked him, “I swear to god if you ask her another question about who wants to fuck my mate, you’ll see heads explode.” Dylan replied, “That does make me want to ask.” I growled at him.
Dad simply said, “Dylan.” Dylan groaned, “Don’t any of you LSGAP carbon copies have some of your mother’s fun DNA to tap into? Is it just my son in law? I focused too much on him and ignored all of you. It’s my fault, I accept the blame.”
Melanie snickered, “They have plenty of their mom’s DNA. Max and Theo pull pranks all the time.” My wife turned to her friends and asked them, “Do you guys remember the time they put slime around the gym… Xander got so mad! He looked so hot in green slime though. I was kind of hoping they would post something on his socials with that reel… but they did not.” Phil shouted, “What?!”
Elise gasped and several people’s eyebrows hit the roof. EJ shouted, “It was you two?!” Melanie slapped a hand over hermouth while Kingsley laughed. Hastein was shaking with silent laughter. I teasingly shouted at my brothers, “We blamed Angela and let her get away with it!”
Theo smugly said, “Which is why it was the perfect crime.” I growled at him. Melanie said, “I’m so sorry. I thought they knew it was you guys…. and Xander, you did look good in green slime. If you have B roll of that somewhere… it would be a popular video… that might result in a death or five… but still.”
Dylan said, “Yeah Xander boy, think of how viral you could go.” Tristan groaned, “Why, Ladybug?” Melanie said, “I don’t know. He just looked good… and he has a lot of mean stalkers… with bad intentions. So, I kill them.”
“I don’t know how to explain that he looked hot. Xander… just did. He was also moderately annoyed and his eyes went golden… he’s so sexy. Si… can you believe his muscles look better in person? Because… I was unprepared.” Sierra snorted out a laugh.
Dylan said, “None of them need the ego boost you are giving your mate. They are spawns of LSGAP who know they are attractive.” Theo asked, “How did you know it was us, Melanie?” Dylan squealed, “What a great question! My presence here was not wasted on all the Conners boys. Can I get an amen?! Hallelujah!” No one said anything.
Melanie shouted, “Amen!” Dylan laughed, “Thank you, MelAshley.” My wife shrugged. Theo asked, “What’s the answer to my question?” All of Melanie’s friends were trying not to laugh. Melanie said, “I have the cameras in the gym tapped. Xander spent most of his time there…. So… I hacked in.”
“Honestly… at this point… that feels obvious. I didn’t like, watch it all the time… but I did watch it… because he was there… particularly when someone was coming after him. I just needed to see him… but when I saw the slime drop…I went back into the footage and saw it was you guys.”
Oden purred, “Mate is so cute when she’s protective and murdering people for us.” She really was. Dylan howled with laughter. Dad groaned, “Our feeds are hackable?” Melanie smiled deviously answering, “By me? Yes. Well Charles could too… but he wouldn’t care… and members of your family could… but they wouldn’t. Gunner… who said I could call him that… and Micah. Si… did you hear how calmly I said Gunner’s name?”
Sierra sighed, “Melanie, you squeaked his name.” Melanie whispered, “I’m being so chill about my mentor… that didn’t know he was my mentor.” Kingsley spit out her drink. All I was capable of doing was smiling. Several people looked at Uncle Gunner who grinned.
Dylan said, “I feel that has layers to unpack. I have questions in a different area. So, what I just learned is that I have to unlock Drunk MelAshley again. Darn the luck.” Sarcasm. Dylan continued, “How many cameras around this here territory have you hacked into?”
Kingsley snorted and muttered, “Most of them.” Melanie thought about it and was using her fingers to count. Oh lord. Eventually my mate said, “I’ve hacked into all of them at one point or another. The only ones I run recordings on are… in the gym.”
Now I laughed. Tristan grumbled, “I couldn’t have just walked into that gym. Or dad or mom. No, no, no. We always sent Jase to go get Alexander.” Dylan asked Melanie, “How did you and your band of merry men get away from us all the time?”
I felt Melanie’s delight in the bond while all of Melanie’s friends looked at each other with knowing looks. Kingsley kissed Hastein then pulled back. My cousin’s mate winked offering, “Best of luck, H.” Hastein asked, “With what?”
Melanie asked Dylan, “Do you want to see how we did it?” Dylan answered “Obviously.” Oden purred, “Mate is going to run from us.” Happy Birthday indeed. Melanie squealed and clappedher hands, “Come on guys! You have to give us a five minute head start.”
Hastein said, “I sense a challenge.” EJ answered, “I think you’re right.” I asked, “A head start for what?” Melanie ran over and kissed my cheek then said, “To try and catch us. No using bonds! That’s cheating. Best birthday ever!” My wife ran out of the house.
Dad groaned, “Dylan, why?” Dylan said, “You’re welcome, this is going to be fun. It will also be enlightening to certain people who are adept at catching others. I’m looking at you Creepy Ninja Assassins. Watch and learn, it’s what you do.” All of Melanie’s friends left after her.
Dylan was counting down the actual seconds on his watch. He was making a ‘come on’ motion with his hand. Eventually Dylan smiled shouting, “And go! The game is afoot! Chase the birthday girl and her friends.” He took off outside.
I popped to the front yard. I linked Fowler, “Where is the holoport you’ve seen to Nashville?” Fowler answered, “It’s at the edge of the territory on the east side.” I headed in that direction with EJ and Elise. I heard a laugh then Paige and Addison disappeared through said portal.
Elise tried to go through but couldn’t. I wondered if I could, but I couldn’t either. Corbin laughed at us. I whirled around to face him. My cousin commented, “If Melanie had created that I bet you could get through, but that’s a holoport a Witch spelled. One that wasn’t sure if she liked you at the time.”
Elise sighed, “That’s a really good point. Paige would’ve made sure none of us could get through.” Corbin chuckled, “She simply wouldn’t have included you. She doesn’t have to make sure you can’t get through.” True.
Tristan yelled, “Get down here, you little tree hopper!” Oden told me, “Freya does not like that mate hangs out in tress.” I busted up laughing then heard Melanie laugh and the treesrustled. Tristan cursed, “Son of a bitch.” I popped to him with Corbin just in time to see Melanie throw up a peace sign and fall backwards through a holoport at the edge of the border with Blue Moon.
Dylan squealed, “There are holoports all over.” Melanie yelled, “SUCKERS!” EJ groaned, “She came through the portal we were just at.” Dylan announced, “I love it. I realize I’m also chasing my own tail here, but to see the Conners family also chasing their tails makes us little people happy.”
Dad yelled, “Of course it does!” Dylan said, “Don’t think I don’t notice the CPCNA also trying to catch his mate and failing.” Elise asked, “CPCNA?” Dylan smiled, “Crown Prince Creepy Ninja Assassin. Oh look, all my Creepy Ninja Assassins are running around trying to catch them.”
Blade chimed in, “Not all.” Dylan studied him while I laughed. Blade could catch them because anticipating moves was something Blade and Serion did very well. Hastein yelled, “Blade, help me catch your future Queen.”
Blade laughed, “Not say out loud. Now Fairy like wolf Duchess knows.” I asked, “That’s what you call my mate?” Blade nodded. Hastein groaned, “Oh come on! Alexander, why is your mate so smart?” I pointed at Drake and Sam.
Sam snorted, “Hey, it’s my mate that’s the genius. It’s definitely his fault.” Drake snorted, “I’ll accept that.” I pointed out, “You’d be able to figure this out Drake, because you think like Melanie does.” Drake replied, “Melanie is smarter than me, but I do have a better plan than you do.”
