For now, we gave them this moment to cling to each other, blink and giggle before they shook their heads, dislodging the final fragment of their shells with a happy squeal.
“Yes,” Odem declared, casting his phone aside so he could hug them.
We wrapped our wings around him and the girls, holding them, nuzzling the trio with our nose. Our happy mate, who’d waited so long to become a father, cuddled our cooing, giggly girls to his chest while Rory took pictures of the four of us together. When he placed them in my wings so I could cradle them at last, they peered up at me, wings and tiny clawed paws waving as they enjoyed the freedom of being able to stretch them. I couldn’t imagine how cramped those shells had grown, especially over the past week as they’d prepared for this moment. I just knew they were going to love being able to sprawl out in their nest with all the space that awaited them.
Rubbing noses with Ruby, whose eyes were the same pale shade of green as her sister’s, I listened to her hiss and gurgle, especially when I pressed my nose to her belly.
“Someone’s ticklish,” Odem declared.
They both are.I said when I repeated the action with Opal and she let out a squeal. Slowly, reluctantly, I lowered them so their Papa could carry them from the nest, my dragon receding, love and gratitude flowing between us as I thanked him, once again, for protecting me and getting me here safely. Without him, this moment would not have been taking place. Rory handed me my robe before helping Upalo finish gathering the biggest chunks of shell, the way I’d been doing while they’d been hatching. They stripped the top layer of blankets from the nest when they were finished, while I sat in the rocking chair with my girls in my arms.
“Thank the Goddess for your safe arrival,” I cooed as I studied them.
“If it wasn’t for their coloring, I don’t believe I’d be able to tell them apart,” Odem declared.
“Same,” I said, cheeks damp with tears. “Look at those little toe claws.”
“I see them, and the adorable crescent shaped moons on the bottoms of their feet,” Odem said.
“Moons?”
I cocked my head, studying first the bottom of Opal’s foot, then the bottom of Ruby’s. On the bottom of Ruby’s left one were opal scales in the shape of a crescent moon, while on the bottom of Opal’s right one, were ruby scales in the same shape.
“Whoa,” I muttered, wondering if they had any significance.
Emerson might know, or Raven, who I knew would need to be called to examine the girls now that they’d hatched. There would be plenty of time for that, once they’d been bathed and fed, not that I’d put it off any longer than that. I’d grown to respect our High Priestess and her place within our clan.
“Rory, Upalo, are you ready to properly meet your nieces?” I asked.
“More than ready,” Upalo said, while Rory nodded, a sheen of tears in his eyes, much like the ones that wouldn’t stop dripping from mine.
Joy.
I could smell the emotion in the room, different from my mate’s sunshine scent. It reminded me of crisp, fresh air, something I couldn’t wait for our girls to experience. As I eased Opal into my brother’s arms and Ruby into Rory’s, helping him adjust his arms the same way Alex had helped me the first time I held Luna, I couldn’t help but feel like we would be doing this again soon, only in reverse, as he handed me a wiggling little dragonet niece or nephew to meet for the first time, and the scent of joy doubled.
Blessed Goddess, thank you for all that you’ve done for me and my family.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Odem
“Girls, what are you up to in there?” Giggles and the flutter of tiny wings came from behind the nursery door. Daddy was in there with them, so I wasn’t worried, just teasing them. But there was no denying the happiness they gave me, fiery mishaps ahead and all. Only when I opened the door, it wasn’t Daddy who was in there. “Rory? Larkin? Where’s Ronan?”
“Right here behind you.” When I turned, my mouth hit the floor. “You can pick your jaw up, Mate.”
“You look smoking hot,” I pulled him against me, nuzzling his neck. “Do we have time?”
“No, we do not. It’s been far too long since I got to break out with the goods.” He was dressed to the nines, heals and all.
“We’re only going to Ionus’ for dinner.” But damnit if I didn’t want to lick every inch of him right now.
“Meh,” Ronan shrugged. “I’ll take what I can get.”
Yeah, I knew what I wanted to get.
Wipe that smirk of your face, dirty dragon.
You’ll be singing my praises later when this dirty dragon shows you a few new tricks.
