“Ay.”
“I am so happy,” Oracle smiled. “I bought that house for you and your babies. It is isolated on Loch Ness so Brian will be close to his business. However, if you would rather have a different house, please tell me, and Maximus will take care of it.”
Shocked, Reif exclaimed, “No, no, this is too much!”
“Ay, Oracle, thank ye for yer gesture butyedid nae wrong my mate,” said Brian.
“I well know that,” Oracle replied. “But please hear me out. In this paranormal world of ours, I have seen and heard of so many horrible acts of cruelty committed by both humans and other paranormals. Why it happens, I cannot say, but my husband and sons have spent their whole lives fighting it, trying to right the wrongs others have done. At times I envy them, because their lives are enriched so much by the simple act of giving. And although my job as an oracle is rewarding, still, I am only a messenger bearing gifts from the Fates.
“When I heard what Eris had done and, what the vampires tried to do to your precious babies, I saw an opportunity to step into my husband’s and sons’ shoes to right the wrong…at least a small part of it…that had been done to Reif. I know nothing can ever make up for the pain and suffering you, your father, and the rest of the sea dragons have experienced for the last thousand years, but I am hoping that by giving your babies a place where they can grow up, safe and secure from harm, it might help a small bit. So you see, it would give me the greatest of pleasure if you would accept my gift.”
Reif exchanged glances with Brian and, when he saw a short nod, turned to Oracle and said in a voice filled with emotion, “Thank you on behalf of Nessie, myself, and our babies.”
“You are welcome,” Oracle said. “I understand Ian has proclaimed all your babies healthy.”
“Yes, he has,” replied Reif.
“That is certainly good news and, to make sure everything goes well during the next three months, my husband has asked a friend to be Ian’s successor as the babies’ doctor until they are a month old and have completed their first shift. Dr. Juan Luna will arrive tomorrow and Ian can brief him then,” Oracle said.
Tears came to Reif’s eyes when he heard another doctor would be taking over after Ian left for California. He hadn’t mentioned anything to Nessie, but he’d been afraid that if something happened to the young sea dragons, medical care might be impossible to find. Now that fear was gone. Looking at his mate, Reif grinned through his tears, seeing Nessie was relieved, too.
“Oracle, we dinna know what to say. All I can tell ye is knowing a doctor will be there to help with our babies if they need one has taken a big worry off us,” Brian said.
“Maximus will be pleased,” Oracle said. “Now, would you like to see your new home? I have a car waiting to take you there. The house comes furnished; however, it doesn’t have a nursery so if you’ll open the small white envelope…”
Shuffling the stuff in his hand until he found it, then passing it to Nessie, Reif said, “Here, you open this one.”
“It’s a check,” Nessie said, astonished.
“It’s for you two, to use for anything you want, including making the house a real home for them,” Oracle smiled. “Now, ready to go?”
Nodding, Reif murmured, “Thank you so much Oracle. I…we can never thank you enough for all this. It’s truly amazing, right Nessie?”
“Ay,” Brian said, surreptitiously wiping a few tears away.
“You are very welcome. Now, let’s go see your new house,” said Oracle.
“What about our babies? I don’t want to leave them alone,” Reif said.
“Goodness, no. Ian and Colton will watch over them if that is okay with you.”
“Uhmm, sure, if it’s fine with them,” replied Reif.
“Not a problem,” Ian said.
“Oracle,” Kieran called, bouncing on his toes, “I thinkmacushlaand I should go too since we’re designing the nursery.”
“Ay, guid point,” Brian said.
“Is there enough room in the car for Logan and Kieran?” asked Reif.
“More than enough,” Oracle assured Reif.
“Then let’s go,” Reif said, standing and tugging Nessie up, and then extending a hand to Oracle, to help her up, too.
~/~/~/~/~
Reif stood on the small stone balcony off the master bedroom, looking at the large green lawn with granite steps leading to the edge of Loch Ness.Just perfect.The house had plenty of land, insuring privacy for his babies when they learned how to fly. Picturing the trouble five little flying sea dragons could get into had Reif chuckling to himself.
