Family

Dee made it just in time to take out her pie from the oven with the last bit of cooking wrapping up, Iris and Dee pushed me out of my kitchen. “Go play with the boys.” Dee said as she pushed Dev out after me. Rosie had arrived as well as Carla and were helping out. Dev’s bandmates were sliding down the stairs on cardboard boxes with Drake, Darin and Nikki. Nick was slung over his boy toy. Sam was quiet and not quite Venatori – I was pretty sure he was wicca. How Nick met him I didn’t know. Sandra was the only teenage girl and she had graduated from tapping away at her phone to staring at Matt, Sage and Adam as they played video games. I didn’t blame her, they were all damn fine male specimen, but one of them was mine. Dev wrapped his arm around my waist and sent a thought my way, she’s only looking, pretty boy. deadshot is ours 100%. It only helped a little but she was 16, I remembered that age fondly.

Berverly, Dev’s mom, and Dee’s Dad, Bradley, were having a cigarette outside on the front door. You’d think with Dev’s Dad dying of lung cancer they’d ya know not smoke but to each his own. Dev gave me a look that said he agreeed with me but he wouldn’t say anything either. They had been friends for a long time – since their children had been dating for several years. They didn’t understand our relationship much better than any of the rest of them, except maybe Danny and Rosie, they seemed pretty unphased by all of it.

David and Gerald, Matt’s dad, were talking with Darwynn in the dinning area where it was semi quieter. Sage and Adam were still playing video games, but Nate and Matt were playing along with them. Fae was curled up next to Matt, my shy little wolf.

He saw me and Dev in the dining area and unfurled from his spot and earned a ‘hey get out of the way’ from the four boys playing video games. Dev snaked his arm around my waist and we waited for the little wolf to come to us. He pressed his body against mine and Dev enclosed his arm around him. He was held between both of us. Darwynn walked over to us with a grin. “He needs more pack.”

Dev shook his head. “No. There are too many people here. He’s got worse anxiety than Nox when he doesn’t know people. Everyone here is family.”

Danny rolled in the front door closing it behind Beveryly and Bradley. “It started snowing!” he shouted as he dusted the white flakes off his coat and hung it up in the closet. He dodge Jimmy and Drake on their way down the stairs and grinned. “Maybe we can take them all sledding later.” He said to me. He leaned in and asked, “Those three with the kids are human right?”

I nodded but Dev laughed. “They’ve been living with me for too long. They know all about the supernatural world and magic man here forgets all the time at our place.”

“That’s one way to get your exiled.” Danny grinned as he ran a finger over the tattoo on my forhead.

Dee stuck her head out the kitchen door, “Dinner’s ready.” She stood firmly in the doorway. “But first, I’d like to thank everyone for coming. You are all family. Some are missing but they are here in spirit. Nox did all the cooking, I did all the baking since our pretty boy doesn’t bake otherwise I don’t think he’d let me in his kitchen. So hopefully you’ll all come on in buffet style and come out here and eat.” She leveled a gaze at Sage. “And Mr. Hackers over there, no video games while we eat.”

Sage blushed but he turned off the game. The other three shouted, “Hey!” all at the same time.

Adam made a whip cracking sound which made Sage blush deepen. He looked to his brother and said, “Hey, at least I’m getting some.”

Adam laughed. “I think you are getting more than your fair share. Three times more than any of us.”

Sage was bright red but he stuck his tongue out at his brother and stook to his full 6’3″ and walked over to me and Dev blushing all the way while he planted very long and wet kisses on our mouths. Me, then Dev. He kissed Fae on top of the head before he moved to Dee standing in front of the door and he pressed her against the door and into the kitchen with a long hot kiss.

Both Dev and I were watching. Everyone else was politely turning away. I spoke up, “Alright, let’s eat. Don’t mind the two necking birds in the kitchen.”

Darwynn was opening the back door letting a cold breeze in, “I think we need to cool it down in here.”

Dee yipped as a cold breeze blew past her bare legs. “Close those doors, or you’ll find your lion ass outside on it.”

Darwynn chuckled. “I’d like to see you try little missie.”

Dee grinned and looked at me, “Hey Nox.”

“Don’t get me involved in this.” I interrupted.

She side stepped towards me while everyone else was busy in line getting their plates in the kitchen we were relatively alone in the dinning area. “Oh come on.” She ran a finger down my jawline. “You wouldn’t throw him out for me.” Her finger ran down my neck and over my collarbone and farther, she was using her ability to invoke even more lust in me.

Dev grabbed her hand before it hit my waist line. “Play fair, Dee. We are already weak when it comes to you.” He leaned in and whispered to her, “He’s the alpha lion, he’s family, we aren’t throwing him out.”

Dee pouted, “I was only playing.”

“Don’t make Nox choose sides in jest.” His voice was full of command.

Dee kissed Dev softly on the cheek. “I was only playing.” She pouted.

Dev grinned, “I know babe. Just careful.”

Darwynn put his arms around Dev and Dee. “Even if your boy threw me out, he and I still would be friends. He’s pussy wiped more than any guy I’ve ever seen, and two of you have dicks.”

“Hey.” Dev said. “I don’t know who should be more offended.”

Dee grinned and hooked her arm in Darwynns, “Come my little kitty, let’s eat.”

Dev and I waited until more people were in the livingroom than in the kitchen before we went in there ourselves.

Beverly was the last one in the kitchen, the living room was full of chatter and eating. There wasn’t enough table space so it was make yourself comfortable and eat anywhere. The only requirements were the kids ate at the table which meant that Dev’s band mates were right there with them. They were like big kids so why not.

She watched Dev and I as we bumped shoulders in the kitchen while we put food on our plate. Dev took a big spoon of the green salad thing his mother made and dropped a big helping on his plate. He proceeded with a second scoop smaller than before and dropped it on my plate. “Eat it. You’ll like it?”

“It’s very good.” Beverly said as she took a roll from the pile we’d bought from the bakery that morning. “It’s one of Dev’s favorites.”

“I can see that. I hope you plan on helping me work those carbs off.”

“Of course.” He grinned at me, “but not in front of my mother.”

“Not unless she likes to watch,” I joked and Dev paled.

“Not even funny pretty boy.” He hip checked me as he went past to get at the meat skipping the vegetables entirely, but he grabbed a large helping of candied yams.

Beverly nodded towards my plate, “Are you vegetarian?”

“No.” I grinned.

Dev laughed. “No his body is a temple, Mom. The three of us worship at it all the time.”

I rolled my eyes, “You said not in front of your mother.”

She laughed. “I’m used to him and Dee, darling. You can’t embarass me. Besides he’s just like his father, always saying the most inappropriate thing.”

“Mom!” Dev yelled, “Don’t say that.”

“Why not?” she asked innocently.

Dev looked at me. “Behave, pretty boy. Or I will let those carbs sit.”

I pouted.

The three of us joined the rest of the family in the living room. I looked around and saw all the happy faces chowing down on my food. Everyone was busy eating or busy talking. Dev leaned in, “This is what family is lover. Our family.”