Alex stood up and took the beer from my hand. “I’ve held it against you most of our life. I know you love to dance. And I was afraid that one moment in our many dreams would stick with you and when I bared my soul to you on the dance floor you’d break me again.” Alex laughed. “Funny thing is, you break me into a thousand pieces and put me back together everyday. Not bad breaks like heart break or hurt feelings. But those ones that make me want to savor every second with you because you’ve already been taken from me every day of my life but you always come back. Always Nox. Even when I leave you you find a way to pull me back in. And now…” Alex held out the hand with the tattoo of cancer running the gambit of his wrist to me. “I’ve married you in probably the most strictest of ways possible. I get that normal married is just paperwork to you so I’m your… mate. Forever.”
“My Alex,” I said softly.
“Always and forever Nox. Dance with me?”
I looked up at him. “You don’t like dancing Alex. I’m not going to make you.”
Alex laughed. “I’m asking you pretty boy.”
I stood up and took Alex’s hand. “The music isn’t right.”
“I don’t care. It’s just us babe. We can dance how ever we want.”
I hugged Alex. I wrapped my arms around his neck and Alex pulled me close by my hips. “Baby. I love you,” Alex whispered. “I’m a bad boyfriend.”
“You aren’t my boyfriend anymore, and you are hardly bad,” I said as we danced small circles in the sand. It was your typical teenage slow dance. Just us being close and staring into each other’s eyes. “I love you. I can’t live without you. You’re my Alex. You have all these cute nick names for me and all I want to do is say your name.” I bit my bottom lip and looked down at his. “My life is in those four little letters. I don’t need a fancy house, or tons of clothes. I just need you and the kids and everyone to be happy.”
Alex laughed. “But you have a fancy house. You want to build a fancy building. I like dressing you up or down or taking them off.” Alex smirked. “I’ll buy you whatever you want. I know you don’t need it. But it’s yours. I’m yours.”
We kissed. It was soft and tender as we shuffled in the small circle to music of our own making.
The party raged on behind us, the sun was down and we were in our own little world. Just the two of us.

As I walked out of the room I’d been hiding in I pulled on a smile and took a deep breath to steal myself against the onslaught of people. The living space was full of people. More people than there had been when I’d left. The place was decorated too. Alex had pulled out all the stops. The ceiling was full of light blue balloon and those tin plated ones that were made into shapes. I didn’t know what else to call them. Mylar was the word that stuck in my head provided by a simple look from Alex he smirked at me from across the room.
I waggled a finger at him and beckoned him to come closer but he was in a deep conversation with someone. In a bit pretty boy.
I nodded and turned to look around to see if I could find some solitude somewhere. My brother wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “You alright?” Rider asked.
“Right as rain,” I said.
Rider chuckled. “I never understood that phrase. I love the rain.”
“Me too.”
“So you are okay then?”
“Doing alright. I’d be better if my better half was with me. There are too many people here for my liking.”
“It’s a party Nox.”
“I know. Dance with me?” I asked my brother.
“There’s no music playing.”
I laughed. “I can fix that.”
I walked over to the false wall and pressed the button and the wall slid down. Dorian’s entertainment center revealed itself – I guess it was mine now – ours. I connected my phone to the bluetooth quickly and easily and selected a long playlist full of random danceable songs and hit shuffle. The music played softly inside, but outside was a different story. The speakers around the veranda were loud and I grabbed my brother’s hand and he laughed as he hurried ahead of me to make sure it was clear, and then he started dancing. I was glad my brother wasn’t shy.
I closed my eyes and lost my soul to the music. Or maybe my soul found me in the music. Either way Rider and I danced. It wasn’t long before there were others with us. Cass dragged Quinn out with her and the elder daughter looked uncomfortable. So I took her in front of me. “Stand on my feet.” I took her hands and she looked at me afraid. “Come on.”
I moved my ten year old daughter around the outdoor dance floor with ease and by the time the next song came on she was dancing with the three of us over her own volition. Hunter clung to one leg and Drake the other and I moved with them with the same ease. Cass was too busy doing her own thing to much care what her siblings were doing.
I watched them dance their hearts out. Laker and Matt joined us though they were dancing together – very inseparable. It made me smile. Ryan dragged Isabelle out on the dance floor. I wondered where Ant was.
I caught Alex standing in the door watching and wiggled my finger at him again. This time he shook his head. And I danced my way over to him and held my hand out. “Dance with me.”
Alex shook his head again. “I’ll just watch you.”
I pouted. “Dance with me.”
There was a general stare down as Alex defied his urge to make the pout go away. I frowned and wondered what I’d done to make him hate dancing. And I knew I had. I didn’t remember, but Alex did.
And I saw the image in his head. I blinked away the memory – his memory.
I’d been dancing. Alex had come to the dream like usual. There was no music so he’d made some and flailed about the room. It was meant to be cute and not his natural talent I saw it in the moment, but my younger self hadn’t. I had made a comment and Alex had been hurt by my words. I hadn’t had a chance to apologize before the black blur ripped me away form him.
Again I had scarred my precious blue eyed boy and he wouldn’t dance with me. I could only nod. I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” I said then walked back out to the dance floor with a fake smile and tried to get back into the music. But the feeling had fled with the notion that I hurt Alex time and time again and I always left him.
I couldn’t look in his direction so I manoeuvred myself so I couldn’t see him, no one but Alex noticed. But I felt his eyes burning holes in the back of my head. I didn’t want to see the anger or disappointment.
A slow song came on and the dance floor broke off into pairs. I walked away down into the sand and away from the party. The sun was setting and I sat down in the sand heedless of the problems it would present later when I got up, but at that moment I didn’t care. I felt like shit. I could no longer fake the happy smile. I needed a few minutes alone to process everything.
The crunch of sand behind me and the soft citrus scent meant that Alex had followed me. “Why did you apologize earlier?”
“I made fun of your dancing. I saw your memory. You shared it.”
“I didn’t Nox. I didn’t want you to see it. I never wanted to let you see the bad parts. I never told you about that moment.”
“I’d never seen it before until just then.”
“I was thinking about it, but I wasn’t sending it to you.”
“I’m sorry I saw it then, but I can’t unsee it.”
“That’s not my point Nox. You’ve been hearing things haven’t you?”
I looked back over my shoulder at Alex and he was standing there with a beer in his hand and red Solo cup he was sipping at. He sat down next to me handing me the beer. “I think we are sharing some of our powers. There are so many fucking things wrong with that place. I had to leave. It’s why the party. I figured the chaos would make it feel better. But I was wrong.”
“It only made it worse.” I gave Alex a half smile. “What are you seeing exactly?”
“Nothing different but I fucking swear that chair over there doesn’t belong there.” Alex pointed to one chair, and then pointed to an empty spot a bit down the beach. “Like I know it goes there, but I can’t tell you why.”
“That’s what I feel and see all the time. Maybe you are right and we are sharing some of our powers. I have been hearing things. It’s not helping my mood any.”
“I’ll teach you how to filter and shut it out. I can’t do anything about this sight though can I?”
I shook my head. “If you aren’t seeing how they are out of place, only getting that feeling no. Other than put it back in it’s place.”
Alex groaned. “I’m gonna become as anal as you are? Fuck me!” He winked and I leaned against his shoulder and smiled before I took a long drag of the ice cold beer he’d handed me. “As long as I don’t spontaneously start throwing fireballs I think I can manage.”
“I’m sorry I really am.”
“I know Nox. And I know you didn’t mean to make it hurt. And I’m sorry it bothers me so much to dance. I’d love to be the one out there with all your attention.”
“But you won’t join me.”
Alex shrugged. “Let’s just watch the sunset.” I nodded in agreement and we did that – in silence.

I was sitting in the room where Dorian left me in the dark. I didn’t care if I was being anti-social. Really wasn’t in the head space to deal with people. But that didn’t mean people didn’t find me. And that they did. My father was standing in the doorway watching me.
“Funny how no one is really looking for you, but we seem to be able to find you. That little gloomy cloud floating over your head. I thought this was supposed to be a happy moment.”
“It is,” I said softly.
“Why don’t you look happy?”
“I just found out you and Dorian could lose everything for being here.”
He came in and shut the door behind him. “Ah. Dorian said his good-bye’s then.”
“Something like that.”
Kai sat across from me on the couch. “I know I don’t rate high on your family list, but you are my son.”
“I know that, Dad. But Dorian …”
“I know what he is, son. He’s what I couldn’t be – not then, and not now. But I want to know my grand kids. The other kids don’t need me. They don’t even want me in their lives.” He sighed. “Last night I did the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
“Dad…”
“No, Nox. I didn’t do it for you. And I didn’t do it for the bushel of kids you have. I did it for me.” He laughed. “I’m getting old. The hunt isn’t what it used to be. Hell I find that I like your tactics, your friends, the way it makes me feel when I see a family reunited with a member they thought dead.”
“No son, I did it for me. I told Emilio I loved him. Told him he was the best friend in the world and I told him good-bye. Because of you, I found a woman I want to spend my life with. I have a cause worthy of fighting for, and a son I desperately want to get to know. And his wonderful family who all make it so easy to love him.”
Kai laughed. “I tried to stay away. I don’t have the will power Dorian has.”
“Did you tell Dorian?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“That’s why he has the will power.”
“He’s not leaving you because of me Nox. He’s not I swear it.”
“But he doesn’t feel guilty for doing it because of you,” I growled out.
“Nox he loves you.”
“I know,” I said. “And he wants me to love you as much as I love him.”
“I don’t need your love Nox. Nor Dorian’s pity.”
I sighed and walked over to the door vacating my warm chair in favor of the waning sun. “I can love you both you know. I do love you both. I’m sorry if I make it hard. But eighteen years of hatred is hard to get past. I’m trying.”
Kai laughed. “I know. There was a time you would have growled at me for even stepping foot in your sacred space. Margo and I have moved in together, she’s moving her practice outside of the AU building, but it’ll take some time.”
“If she can hold off on that,” I said turning towards my father. “I think I can help her out – give her neutral ground to work from – no dragon territory, no wolf, no vampire – safe and secure from all magics. The Venatori might hate me for it, but I don’t care what they think.”
“They know that,” Kai said. “Dorian told you of the kill order?”
I nodded. “Yeah. He told me to stay away from New York. But I won’t.”
“He knows that. But he has to try. He loves you. And I’m glad he does.”
“We should get back to the gathering.”
Kai stayed seated. “I’m going to stay here a while. I’d like to revel in my son’s wake.”
“What?”
He chuckled. “You’ve been in here long enough your residual power lingers. It tickles my skin and reminds me I’m not just an old man.”
“You aren’t old,” I said as I opened the door. The party was in full swing, though I didn’t think it was even close to 8pm yet.

Sage left to go help Mia, she didn’t bring Jace with her but Naya was playing with Drake. They paired off well. “Did you not invite Jace?” I asked.
Alex laughed. “Mia sent him to get a cake. She and Naya came in Dee’s car. Apparently Sage doesn’t drive?”
“No. He has a fundamental fear with cars in general. The fact he rode in one at all is usually a feat of accomplishment for him.”
“I get why the two of you are so close, but Mia? Doesn’t make sense.”
I chuckled. “Mia liked us because we were off limits at first. She was always a rebel.”
“But neither of you ever hooked up with her for real.”
“Sage can’t touch people, and I like boys. Mia knew before I did that a girl didn’t make me happy. But I was never her gay best friend. Sure she dressed me up, taught me make up. But I also taught her how to throw a punch and to shoot a gun.”
“I never had friends like that,” Alex lamented.
“You had me,” I said. “I know I was a poor substitute for real world friends.”
Alex interrupted, “Shut up Nox.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek. “You weren’t a poor substitute for anything. I relished the fact you couldn’t remember the things I told you. I hated that you didn’t know I was real, but I told you everything, and never once did you judge me.”
“So why do you think I’ll judge you now if you tell me things?” I said and sat up pulling out of his arms. Alex shifted so that he had a leg on either side of me and wrapped himself around my back. I leaned back into him and he sighed with contentment.
“It’s hard in the real world to get over that fear.”
“So tell me in the dream.”
“I want you to ask,” he said simply.
I shuddered at the fear of another fight and I simply said, “I’ll try.”
We left the touchy conversation alone for now. I was pretty sure I’d never get over the fear, but I’d try. Alex cradled me like I was hurt, and maybe I was. I was never right.
“Nox,” Alex whispered.
And I sighed pulling out of Alex’s arms. “I can’t sit here. I need to do something.”
Alex stood up and offered me his hands and I took them. “Sand first.”
I looked down at my shoes and legs and tried not to panic even as I was already pulling the sand from my body. Alex set an empty box on the decking. “For your trinkets.” He grinned at me and I smiled at him.
“You aren’t allowed in the kitchen. Mingle with your family and friends,” he said. “No cooking.” He pointed at me with the look that said I’d be in for it if he found me cooking. I was on vacation and he meant it. But wasn’t he?
My father and Margo were here. Adrian and Leah too. Dorian and Marco and Dorian was pulling Marco away from the kitchen too which made me smile when the chef met my gaze. They both hugged me tight. “We missed you,” Marco said.
Dorian didn’t meet my eyes though. “What’s wrong?”
Marco rolled his eyes as he put his arm around me and dragged me away from his husband. “First, Congratulations are in order,” he said in a heavy Italian accent. “And second, if Dorian or Kai are caught here they could be exiled.”
“So why are they here?” I asked and turned immediately. “Because they love you.”
“Thank you for coming Marco I appreciate it I do, but don’t let Dorian lose everything.”
Marco chuckled to himself, “No such sympathy for your father.”
I glanced in my biological father’s direction and sighed. “I don’t want to see him lose everything either but…”
Marco nodded. “It’s alright son, I understand. Dorian wanted to see you. See the children.”
“I will give him a hug and tell him the same thing, but you two need to go as soon as he’s seen the kids.”
Marco frowned. “Nox…”
“I’m serious.”
He sighed. “As serious as your guardian.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Now go say hi to the kids.”
I left my favorite teacher to go find his husband. Dorian stood in the doorway staring out at the beach in a far corner of the house. “I remember the night you almost drowned out there.”
“Me too,” I said.
“You’ve come a long way.”
“So have you,” I added.
He didn’t look at me as I stood next to him. “I was so afraid that day. You’d been happy moments before the water dragged you across the sand. I’m surprised that the crashing of the waves doesn’t scare you.”
I shrugged. “I only remember the sand scratching at my face, my skin as I was pulled out to sea.”
“If you hadn’t been Cesari you wouldn’t be here talking to me about your fear.”
“But I am.” I sighed. “Dorian, you need to go.”
He nodded. “I know. But I had to give you this.”
He turned with a small box in his hand. “It was my mothers. She should have given it to Eli or Sahara, but neither of them cared for the human sentimentalities like she did.”
“That’s why she had you.” I grinned at him.
“I won’t have children to give it to. I won’t bring a child into the Venatori…” he thrust the gift in my hand. “Nox, the Venatori want you dead. Not exiled – dead. The house is yours. It’s been yours since Marco and I decided that we weren’t having children. The Venatori don’t know you have it. Stay here, live a happy life. Don’t come back to New York.” He met my gaze. “Please, don’t come back.” He begged but he walked away after he quickly hugged me.
Dorian was walking out the door. I called out his name, but he didn’t turn, though he did stop. “I love you. Thank you for everything.”
He nodded and walked away. I felt the tears sliding down my cheeks as I opened the box. Etched in the top of the box was the simple words. “Something old. Something blue. Something borrowed.”
Inside was a blue stone heart – the color of Alex’s eyes and I picked it up and felt the cool stone in the palm of my hand. It was attached to a delicate silver chain. I hung it around my neck. It was the last time I’d probably see Dorian. My heart was breaking.

Hunter and I chatted and watched people; he was five and people looked at me like I was enabling a child who could walk all by himself. I thought I heard people say something even as I looked at them, but their mouths never moved. Things were a little fucked up. Hunter was giggling over some dog playing in the crashing waves. “Do you want to get down and play?”
The look of horror he gave me when I asked made me grin. “Okay then, I’ll hold you. You think you can hold on while I run back?”
“A piggy back ride?”
“As long as you don’t choke me.” I grinned at my son and his bright eyes.
He nodded. “I promise.”
Hunter clambered on to my back and I started to jog back to the beach house from the far end of the beach. That got more looks and a few stray comments too. But again I wasn’t sure I was actually hearing them – they were like echos and whispers of something else.
We neared the house and I slowed down, not really wanting to join the fray of my family. Of the impromptu party Alex was planning. And I knew Alex; this wasn’t showing me off, this was staking a claim. And not just to the beach bunnies on the veranda, but the world – to my friends. I could feel more magical energy in the beach house then when I left. Alex was throwing us a wedding reception. He couldn’t have planned it in advance – he hadn’t known we were coming. Except that Alex might have – for all I knew he had implanted the suggestion in my head and was just waiting for the right excuse to tell me.
I wasn’t angry, though for all the masks I wore that was not one I was prepared to wear on what was supposed to be a vacation.
Hunter let go and fell into the sand and darted for the patio rocks. He looked around with those big brown eyes and he smiled when I was the only one watching and the earth patterns around him sucked every last piece of sand from his skin and shoes and collected in his hand. With a simple weave of fire and then water to cool it a shimmering piece of glass lay in his hand. It looked like we were going to have a fine collection of glass shards by the end of the trip.
I sighed and walked up to the stone steps myself and sat down to stare out into the water. The beach was busy, the sand was dotted with umbrellas and towels and loads of families.
“You okay?” A happy voice asked from behind me.
I didn’t turn around to see my best friend, he came and sat down next to me and pressed his leg against mine and leaned against me. I missed Sage. He was a life line in my life. “I’m sorry about Dee.”
“It’s not her fault,” I said. “But I don’t think Alex will see it that way.”
Sage rested his head against my shoulder. “She’s in the hospital. Having a mental break down. The baby is not doing well.”
“Can I help?” I asked.
“Nothing you can do unless you can make the voices stop,” he said calmly though I knew Sage was anything but calm right then. “It was just me at first,now it’s everything. She is mad on second then crying the next. Gleeful than all out raging at me.”
“Did you ask her Dad about her history? Does mental break down run in the family.”
“He’s cryptic about it all. Said he thought he fixed it. Said some name I can’t even remember that sounded like something out of a fairy-tale cured her of the voices.”
“Phobeter? I asked cautiously.
“That’s the name, how’d you know it.”
I sighed. “That’s the name of the demon that tortured me my whole life.”
Sage gasped, “That’s what happened to you? When Dee… Wait, is that connected?”
I shrugged. “We can have Alex take a look at her dream self and see what he thinks, but my gut says her Dad made a deal with a demon and now the demon is dead. He fed on fear. If Dee is an empath and from the sounds of it she is, then she’d be the perfect siphon.”
“How can this help?” Sage begged.
“Teach her how to shield her ability. She should have learned at an early age, but she was like you, lost the parent that could teach her.”
“You think her Mom was an empath.”
“It’s hereditary.”
“So, my kids could be like me?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but they have you, Sage. And you are the best god damned technopath I know. You’ll be a great father and a great teacher.”
He shoved me with his hip at the sentimental talk. “Thanks. Do you think you and Alex could help her?”
“We’ll get your wife the help she needs. Alex might take some convincing.”
“Convincing to do what?” Alex asked behind me. “If I didn’t know any better Morgan I’d think you were cozying up to my boy to steal him.”
Sage grinned and looked back at Alex. “I can’t steal him. He’s so lost down the Alex rabbit hole I could never reach him.” But his smile faded. “I need help with Dee. Nox thinks the demon that had him was shielding her some how and now that its dead she’s feeling everyone again.”
“She’s an untaught empath.”
Alex sucked in a breath through his teeth. “I’ll do what I can when we get back home, but right now I gotta take care of my own.”
Alex sat down behind me and wrapped an arm around me as he leaned back against the railing. “Nox, you gonna be okay?”
I nodded, “Always with you, lover.” I leaned back and kissed him. His arms wrapped around me and we sat in the awkward position while looking out at the water.

Alex shoved me out of his lap. “Say start at 8, invite all your friends,” Alex said then walked into our bedroom leaving me staring after him with two pretty girls doing the same.
“He knows how to make an exit,” Anne Marie said.
I could only nod. “I guess I’ll see you tonight,” I said following Alex inside. He was sitting on the bed grinning madly at me. “A party?”
“You need a distraction,” he said putting on his shoes. “I’m going to the liquor store to go buy more booze. And I’ll stop at the bakery and deli down town while I’m there see if they can whip us up some food so you don’t have to cook.”
“Alex…”
My love was on his feet and standing in front of me. He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me close. “Nox,” he mimicked me.
I rolled my eyes. “This is supposed to be a family vacation, not a party.”
“Nox. You need to relax and chill out – what better way than with a bunch of strangers invading your space.” He grinned at me then from the look on my face it fell. “I know it’s not really your thing, but let me show you off.” Alex leaned back with a bright grin. “I mean look at what I got.”
The admiration made me blush and Alex laughed softly. “God I love making you blush.” He pulled me close and kissed me softly. “Almost as much as I like making you come,” he said before pulling away and walking out the door.
“Alex,” I said but he didn’t stop. I followed him hurriedly, “Alex.”
He stopped by the front door and winked at me. “I’ll be back.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
And he walked out the door to go find things for this party of ours.
There was lots of giggle through the back door. Alex had left the other way and now my family was coming home. Rider was carrying Hunter and he squirmed out of his uncle’s arms and ran towards me wrapping himself around my legs. “Daddy, you are up.”
“Yeah.” I handed Rider his bracelet. “I don’t need this anymore.”
“You still look like shit.”
“I probably will but I need to be me. And I’m not me with that.” I grinned at my brother and picked up my son.
Ant came in with the rest of the group trailing. “Your boy is a mini you, Nox. The sand set him off until I told him the same thing I told you.”
“Just magick it away?”
Ant nodded. Hunter held out a piece of glass in his hand. “Can you add it to your collection?”
I nodded. “I can. It’s pretty.”
Hunter beamed and I smiled back at him pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Alex went to the store to get stuff for the party he’s apparently hosting here.”
Isabelle walked through the large double doors in a bikini and looking not pregnant at all which was helpful but my heart skipped a beat. Ant laughed, “Under normal circumstances I’d tell you off for that sort of reaction.”
I looked at him and blinked my confusion. “Most people don’t panic when they see a pretty girl wearing nothing unless they like them.”
“I like Isabelle.”
“She doesn’t make you hot and bothered though.” Ant chuckled. “Like a normal hot blooded boy.”
“She is a she and I kinda sort of like boys and I’m taken.”
Isabelle laughed and wrapped her arms around me and Hunter. “I like that the first thing out of your mouth is she’s a she, like you have never liked women.”
Ant laughed. “He’s never liked women like he likes Alex. I know I’ve only known him for five years, but in those five years he has never openly stared at a woman and gotten a hard on. Have I seen him get busy with a girl – yes. In the moment yes, but she could be ugly as dirt to the rest of us – all he cares about is willing.”
I shrugged. “He’s right. Girls don’t do it for me. But it’s easier to get laid when you bat for the right team.”
Isabelle sighed and rolled her eyes. “Is that what you are going to teach your kids. That sex is just sex and shouldn’t be between two people who love each other?”
“Did you love the guy who you slept with the first time?” I asked.
“I thought I did at the time.”
“Love is fleeting when you are young. Sex is a physical reaction to a stimulus. You love who you love but sex is an enjoyable outlet as long as you protect yourself and others,” I said.
“And that’s what you want your kids to hear? You have four teenage boys living with you and you want them fucking their brains out?”
I shrugged. “As long as they are safe and don’t get anyone pregnant.”
Ant pulled Isabelle away from me. “Nox grew up in a world where marriage isn’t a thing Izz. He’s not traditional. Look at him. Really Izz. Does he look like he’s going to have your moral standards?”
She sighed. “But he’s worried about my reproductive organs.”
“No. Isabelle I’m not. I don’t care about your reproductive organs. I care about your fucking life. And the life of the children you possess inside you. I won’t worry about your life if you think it means so little to me,” I said and walked away with Hunter in my arms.
He wrapped his little hands around my chin and made me look at him. “Daddy, she’ll be okay. She’s with us.”
“You mean after all this?”
He nodded and I accepted that but it didn’t alleviate my fears but if she would be with us then that was good. And it means she made it through the birth of the twins. “You’re gonna have two new siblings.”
“New brothers,” Hunter said.
I sighed. “You know you make waiting hard.”
Hunter giggled as we stepped down on to the sandy beach and I shuddered. We went for a walk – me and sand phobic mini me.

Everyone was out on the sand and I stood on the stone patio and watched them with a numb feeling from the rune. I wondered if it made Hunter feel bad, or Cass, or any of the kids.
“You worry too much,” a voice said from beside me and I smiled.
“Kinda who I am.” I sat down in Alex’s lap and leaned back up against him. “I’m sorry.”
Alex wrapped his arms around me. “Can you worry about things later?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know Alex. I don’t really know. I want to but I don’t like this thing.” I shook my wrist.
“I know. But I needed you to calm down. And Rider was right he didn’t need it.”
“Did he say how it made him feel?” I asked.
Alex pressed a kiss to my neck and I leaned my head to the side so he could have full access. “I don’t think he likes it either. But none of the other kids are complaining. Hey, babe?”
“Hmmm?” I asked.
“Why are my marks staying so long?”
“Cause I want them too.”
“You want my marks on your neck?” Alex asked.
I nodded. “I love it, Alex. I love having your mark on me. The tattoo, the hickies. I’d tattoo your name on me if I thought it would make you happy.”
Alex laughed. “I’d love to see my name someplace on your body but Nox, really I have my mark on you, you wear my ring, you wear a watch I bought you, you wear the clothes I buy you. I have more than enough to claim you. I don’t need to see my name.”
I grinned. “What if I made a bracelet with your name on it.”
“I could deal with that. Make it part of our rune collection.”
“Something like that.” I hummed contently in Alex’s arms. “How long was I asleep?”
“Only a couple hours. Long enough for us to all get situated. Rider is staying with Fae and Drake in one room. Quinn said she’d stay with Cass. And Hunter is staying with Matt and Laker so we can have a few nights alone just us. There are a surprising amount of rooms here. Ant and Isabelle are sharing a room so I expect we’ll either hear a lot of humping going on or yelling – not the good kind.”
I laughed. “Really hope they are on the other side of the house.” I was happy in Alex’s arms. I relaxed against him and he held me as we watched the kids playing in the sand. I shuddered at the thought.
Alex chuckled. “There are outdoor showers.”
“Magic works better,” I said.
“Why aren’t you out there with them?”
Alex held me tighter. “I was waiting for you to wake up. And I’m perfectly happy here laying in the sun. Though I do have this giant shade now, so I’m not exactly getting any.”
“Would you like me to move?”
“Not on your life,” he said pulling me tighter against him if that were even possible. “We’ll figure something out Nox. So don’t worry about any of it okay. Isabelle is fine. We don’t have to worry until after her twenty second birthday according to Ant, and he’s watched this happen for a long time. So lets trust him.”
I sighed. “Okay. But can I take this off. I feel broken with it on.”
Alex reached for my arm and pulled it closer to pull Rider’s bracelet off my wrist. I sank deeper into sadness but I was okay with that, I curled up with Alex and absorbed the love and warmth of him. Everything would be alright. That much I had to believe.
“Hey Nox.” A voice said pulling me from my thoughts. I looked up to find a pretty blonde in a bright pink bikini standing at the edge of the patio looking in. “It’s been a while. Haven’t seen any of you this summer.”
I laughed. “We’ve been busy.”
“I don’t see your friends, did they all leave you or something?” she giggled.
“Anne Marie this is Alex my husband. And we are on a family vacation. Besides Sage and his wife are expecting, and Jace and Mia well live in Brooklyn now so I don’t see them as often as I used to.” Not to mention Jace is the reason Alex and I hadn’t met five years ago and Dee carried a demon that tried to possess me. My friends had fucking wonderful taste in people. But I loved them still, just might not get to see them as often.
“Your husband. And you didn’t invite us to the wedding?” She pouted.
“It was a small affair. Nothing flashy or fancy. Just us and our witnesses,” I said.
“You should throw a party here then.” Anne Marie looked at her friend. I thought her name was Sydney, but I didn’t know her well enough. “His parties are so epic.”
I rolled my eyes. “They weren’t my parties. They were Dorian’s. I don’t have that kinda money.”
“I do,” Alex said.
I turned to look at him. “You want to have a party?”
“Why not, invite the whole beach, let me show off my pretty boy to the world. What could go wrong?”

The boys had everyone packed in record speed. Faelen was the only one who was dragging his feet. Well so was Isabelle. “I’m not family.”
I smiled at the witch woman who was carrying our child. “No, but the bun in your oven says otherwise, and the vampire who’s taking us agrees.”
“Anthony doesn’t know a god-damned thing.”
I grinned at her. “Isabelle, he apologized. Give him a break.”
She looked around and when she saw that we were alone she leaned into me and pulled me down to listen to her five foot something self. “I only do it because he’s too sweet.”
I burst out laughing. “I’d never have said that about him, but you’re evil.”
“Until these twins are born…”
“Wait, what?”
Isabelle grinned. “Didn’t I tell you? Between your boy, your weird ass heritage, magic, and the fact that predestined facts are in your favor.”
“In my favor?” I frowned. “You are telling me, you are having not one, but two improbable children?”
“It’s in your favor Nox.” Isabelle smiled brightly. She didn’t understand. I felt the entirety of my world shattering. The probability of my kids killing Isabelle before they were born just quadrupled. I sank to the floor unable to catch my breath.
There was a crash down the hall that alerted my attention but I was unable to do anything about it. “What the fuck happened?” Alex said as he knelt down beside me trying to pull me into his lap.
Ant was there too I saw his dark sneakers peaking out from underneath my curled form. “What did you tell him Izz?”
“I just told him I was having twins.”
I felt the glee in Alex’s body, but Ant growled out, “Fuck! That will do it.”
“Why would twins make Nox go into a panic?” Alex asked.
“He ever tell you how improbable it was that he was alive and so was his human mother?” Ant asked.
“Probably,” Alex said, I could hear him rolling his eyes.
“It’s like point zero one percent chance that both human mother and child survive the birth of a half-Venatori child. One hundred percent of children who do are Magnus.”
“He’s not Venatori,” Isabelle said quickly. “He’s not anything we know of.”
Ant sighed. “Look at it from his point of view. He grew up knowing he shouldn’t be born. The birth rate of human mothers and werewolf fathers is not nearly so bad, but the odds are not in their favor. Women who are impregnated with vampire semen and manage to conceive 100% of the time have dead babies – either in miscarriage, or in still births. Human women with male dragons don’t fair so well either. The odds don’t look good Izz.” Ant took a deep breath. “And Izz, you are coming up on your twenty-second birthday. You have never in any life lived much past twenty-two.”
My heart pushed into overdrive – it almost hurt it was beating so hard. I couldn’t catch my breath as the dread seized my body. “Jesus fucking Christ Ant, you had to fucking say that,” Alex growled angrily.
Alex pushed a thought heavily into my body and my mind, Calm. Rest. Sleep. It was a mantra that soon pushed me into a slumber and I opened my eyes in the dream world. Except this time I didn’t wake up by a tree, I woke up in the middle of the fucking ocean on a small island with no one around except my blue eyed boy.
I was standing in a tuft of grass like Alex was sure I was going to melt down any moment, but his constant Calm. Rest. Sleep. echoed in my head. I didn’t know how he could divide his attention. “Alex?”
“I needed your body to reset.”
I smiled and nodded. “I know.” I couldn’t panic in the dream. Alex was keeping it so. Again I didn’t know how but he kept me from what was going on outside like a shield.
“It’s hard.” He grinned at me. “Nox. You have to let it go. Right now. The whole place can feel it.”
“Feel what?”
“Your fear,” Alex said. “Ant will figure something out. He doesn’t want to lose Isabelle. You’ll figure it out so don’t panic. Please, babe, just come back to me.”
“I’ve not gone anywhere,” I started to say and then I was gone, away far away – washed away by a tidal wave of my emotions. Alex’s growl echoed in my head as I churned in the lost cause.
I tried to swim, but the current kept sucking me under. And when I managed to find air, another wave would crash upon me and I would swallow the ocean again and drown in the depths of my own soul.
And then there was a light and a sound, and a pop and then I stood in my world – by my tree under the strange sun lit starry sky, staring at the blue ribbon wrapped around a flowering tree.
The next thing I knew I was blinking my eyes open staring at a strange ceiling with the ocean crashing just outside the double doors that were wide open on to the veranda. I could smell the fresh salt water and feel the warmth in the air across my skin. There was a distinct coolness on my wrist, in addition to my control charm. It was one of the kids bracelets – I wondered whose. But I felt better. Not like myself, but better. The thought of Isabelle dying tripped across the emotions, but it didn’t make me falter. I hated this thing, but right now it was allowing me time with my family. I would take it.
I stepped through the open doors on to the veranda and watched the scenes outside the beach house that I remembered as a child. I hoped I hadn’t slept long.

We laid on the floor for a while before I had a notion. A simple realization that we’d forgotten something in our haste to get naked. Alex pressed a kiss to my neck, “Stop panicking. We’re married.”

I sat up and smirked. “I know that.” I sighed, “I don’t want to get you sick.”
Alex guffawed, “Sweetheart, you haven’t had sex with any girl for over six months. A guy since Dan? And I know you got tested a while back.”

“And Nox, you can’t die. So I’ll ease your mind and get that blood test but I’m clean. Pretty sure you are the only one I’ve had sex with in a while.”

I waved my hand and cleaned us both up and it poofed away with a puff of smoke. Alex rolled his eyes. I smiled at him. “You don’t have to do anything, but you’ll have to remind me till I get used to it. It’s not a reflection of you just my habits.”

Alex grinned. “I know.”

It was another few minutes before we were both getting dressed and heading out the door Jae and Vin were standing outside. Vin took my chin and craned my neck to the side. “Alex did a number on your neck.”

I nodded proudly. “He’s biter.”

I took Alex’s hand and we headed to the bedroom. He leaned against my shoulder and laughed in a whisper, “That was some start to our vacation.”

“I need a nap now.”

Alex chuckled. “Me too.”

I woke again in the middle of a puppy pile. Somehow Cass managed to crawl on top of both Alex and I – draped across our legs like some rag doll tossed aside. Hunter was curled up in his normal position between Alex and I with one arm wrapped around Alex and his head pressed against my chest. Rider was curled next to me with Laker and Matt beside him. Drake lay on top of all three of them. Quinn slept at the bottom of the bed, I wasn’t exactly sure how she didn’t get kicked with the five us being near or at 6 feet. She met my eyes and I smiled. I held my arm out so she could join us at the head of the bed.

She looked scared. I knew how frightening this world was and I wished I could help her. But there was no hesitation as Quinn squeezed in between me and Rider and laid her head on my chest. Rider mumbled, “Hey Quinn,” as he rolled over and wrapped his arm around her, his hand draped over her hip and hanging above my own.

Her eyes were wide and she looked trapped. “He likes to cuddle,” I whispered.
“He’s too hot.”

I lifted my brother’s arm from her waist and he pulled it away from us. “He understands. He’s a wolf.” That was when I realized Fae was missing. I sat up looking around the dimly light room to find he was lying on the floor holding Matt’s hand. I laid back down and asked my half awake brother, “Why is Faelen on the floor?”

Rider shrugged. “I think he fell. He was curled up with Matt and Lake.”
“We need a bigger bed,” I declared softly.

Rider just smiled.

Quinn sighed, “Does everyone do this all the time?”

I smiled and pulled her closer. “Most of us have wolf blood, and before we knew that it was just liking to touch, but now we understand why.”

“So everyone knows you and Dad were …” She blushed as she touched my neck, “Ya know.”

I interrupted, “Having sex.”

Her blush grew brighter. “And everyone is still okay being in your bed?”

I shrugged. “Alex and I will behave ourselves. Just like Lake and Matt will. All part of pack rules that we all sorta know.”

Alex growled, “It’s common decency. Just like it’s common decency to talk someplace else.”

I stuck my tongue at Alex and grinned. “We need a bigger bed.”

“If we had a smaller one, do you think it could be just you and me?” Alex asked.
“How about a designated family bed, and a bed that is just ours?” I said. I had plans – big ones for that matter. But Alex could be angry if I started them now.
Alex sighed, “What kinda plans?” There was a wink to his sigh and a playfulness in his mind. I knew where he was going with it but it wasn’t those kinda plans. And Alex’s mood fell slightly as he caught my plans.

“But those plans are later plans. We got a vacation to go on,” I said the last part louder than I had most of our conversation and three teenage heads popped up.

Lake looked at me, “Beach?”

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

Alex lead me into one of the empty rooms. The door was barely closed before he had me pressed up against it and his hands were working at removing my clothes. I pulled his shirt from his jeans and his hands grabbed my wrists and pushed them over my head. “Stay.” My breath caught in my throat and I froze as Alex’s hands worked my jeans button and shoved them past my hips.

He took a long look at me and smirked. “Not going to help?”

“You told me to stay,” I breathed out slowly.

His fingers ran down my jawline. “Such a good boy.” I couldn’t help the shy smile across my lips. Alex’s hands fell to the edge of my t-shirt and he thrust it over my head, catching on my nose and shoulders pressed against the wall.
Alex left it there kissed me hard. His body was pressed against mine fully clothed, the rough fabric of his jeans rubbing against my cock made me groan. “Needy, aren’t you?”

I nodded unable to make words form through in my throat. Alex pressed his lips to mine again and shoved me to my knees. My hands fell to the top of my head and I still couldn’t see for my t-shirt around my head.

I could hear Alex undoing his belt and zipper. I licked my lips at the sound of cloth moving. I let more of my senses go and I could smell Alex so close yet so far away. The air shifted and he kicked my knees apart which wasn’t very easy to spread with my legs still trapped in my jeans. But I was hard and felt the edge of Alex’s jeans rub against my cock. He did it on purpose as he moved closer. The tip of his cock brushed the tip of my nose as it hung in front of him. I licked my lips and Alex groaned. “Don’t make me wait pretty boy.”

I didn’t. I wrapped my lips around his cock. My hands were still over my head and I couldn’t see. Alex’s finger grabbed my hair through the t-shirt and he tipped my head up. His cock slipped out of my mouth with a resounding pop.

“You are so fucking hot.” Alex leaned down and kissed me hard, his tongue diving deep into my mouth. I groaned into his mouth and he swallowed it down. I whined when Alex pulled away. I wished I could see his face. His beautiful body.

Like he read my mind, and he probably had, Alex pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it across the room. He shed his clothes and was standing in front of me naked and I got to see him for real with the new tattoo with his others on his skin.

Alex nodded his head for me to stand up and I followed his instruction as gracefully as possible with my jeans around my thighs. The next nod from Alex was to lose my pants. It was a simple command and I followed with ease except for the ache in my arms from holding my arms above my head.

I closed my eyes as I stood naked before Alex for the first real time since the runes showed up. They weren’t like the ones I drew. They were more solid and had less meaning. But there was some resemblances I was noticing. Alex’s fingers traced along his and I shuddered almost violently with pleasure from both his touch and the feeling coming from his rune. It pulled on strings tied to my libido so fucking strong I almost came from the touch. Alex smirked as he traced another one. The others weren’t as phenomenal but Alex traced each one. “Do they feel me touching them?”

“I don’t think so. Ant might, but no one but you has a connection like this.”
Alex stood in front of me and smiled softly at me as he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “Put up a veil. This is just for you and me.”

I threw up a veil as instructed and nodded when it wrapped us in a cone of silence to the outside world. Alex pulled me against him and I was so close. I groaned as Alex ground against me.

The rest was us on the floor. There was no bed this room and that really didn’t matter. Alex straddled me and leaned down to kiss me hard and frantic. He angled himself so I’d penetrate him. I almost lost it then. “I’ll come if you do that.”

He kissed me hard then trailed his tongue down my jawline and over to my ear and whispered, “I know.”

I almost yelled his name as he pushed down on top of me but I bit back my words. Alex bit my neck harder and sucked the same spot making me buck underneath him. “Don’t hold back, baby. I want every sound.”

He pushed hard down and rocked on top of me and I didn’t hold back. I wasn’t wrong I came hard but Alex kept moving and riding my orgasm. My safe word was riding the edge of my mind, too much too sensitive. Alex was in my head and he shifted to the side so I slipped out of him and Alex pushed my legs apart and pushed inside me. I groaned as he pushed deeper. I growled out his name.

Alex leaned down and kissed me softly as he moved inside long slow strokes.
Every movement addled my brain. Alex’s lips against my neck were soft, his teeth left marks, and his tongue soothed it as he worked every aspect of my body. His movements became erratic and he became more vocal.

I checked the shield and pulled it tighter down. Alex pushed into me harder. My back arched and I pushed against Alex as his name slipped through my throat with a hoarse growl. I was pretty sure that Alex was echoing mine in his own shout.

He collapsed against me sweat drenched and kissed my neck. I squirmed at his touch. My entire body was raw with power and emotion and feelings. Alex was my everything.

Alex chuckled. Ditto.

We’d interrogate Valence later. I’d let Cari have some fun first. It seemed to produce results, but I pushed all that away. I had a to make it up to Alex. I was a dick and I felt horrible about being a broken mess. I wasn’t feeling much at the moment as the protective spell still coursed through my veins. It had saved my people, but I didn’t have the power to burn it off. I needed to recharge – food and sleep. But it left me feeling decidedly numb.

Ryan followed me to my room, muttered he’d get it all settled and text me He didn’t want to be obtrusive about his success or failure while he knew I had family things to deal with. I didn’t even know if Alex was still mad at me. It was late and I checked on each of the kids as I walked past their rooms to mine. Or I tried to; none of them where there.

My heart skipped a beat as I thought of the places they could be but as I pushed open the door to my room everyone was snoozing on our bed. Alex sat on the edge of the bed running his fingers over Hunter’s cheek. He looked up when I walked in with a frown. I didn’t like that look.

My love leaned down and whispered, “Sleep,” in Hunter’s ear and then came towards me and nodded towards the door. He wanted to talk – which was good – so did I.

“Was there a nightmare?” I asked when Alex shut the door and we started walking towards the kitchen. Food was always welcomed by either of us.

He shook his head, “No, but we need to work on his shields, they’re weak.”
I nodded “Are we okay?”

He stopped our forward progress and pressed me against the wall. His lips pressed against mine and his whole body seemed to collapse against me. My arms snaked around his waist and pulled him closer. If we’d been anywhere else the clothes could have come off. But we were standing in the hall and while there was a certain amount of thrill in the act of getting caught, we didn’t need to get caught by the innocent souls down the hall.

Alex broke away breathless pulled himself away completely with a smirk. “We’re good. But we are going to fight.”

I nodded. “I know. But it’s been a stressful few months.”

“It has,” Alex agreed as he held out his hand for me to take his.

I took it with a deep breath wishing it was more. “Which is why I had Ryan make plans for all of us to go on a family vacation.”

“I know.”

I shook my head, “I mean right now. Soon as the sun is up we go.”

“Can you do that?”

I snickered, “If I’m King, why not?”

Alex chuckled as he pressed me against the wall again. “I’ll King you…” he said before pressing his lips against my neck and then sucking and biting hard. He had no need to mark me but he loved it so. And I loved the feel of his mouth on my neck. Even with the numbing from the rune still on my skin I felt more alive with Alex’s hands on me. His mouth. I wanted skin. I need him in away I never thought possible. He was like air and I was gasping for it.

A throat cleared down the hall and Alex smirked against my skin before he turned to look at the offending person. I didn’t move. Didn’t even open my eyes. I couldn’t even if I wanted to.

Seraph’s voice was quiet in the recess of my head. “He looks drunk.”
Alex laughed, “He’s fine – perfectly sober, just off in his head.”
“He does that a lot.”

“You have no idea. Did you need something?”

“Ryan tells me we are going to a beach, am I required to look the part?”

He looked at me and ran his fingernails down my jaw line with a gentle pressure, not quite scratching but it left me wanting. “He’ll have to get back to you. But I’m gonna say no, you can dress however you want. It’s our vacation, you can be on light duty at the beach.”

Alex looked at me and smiled, “Come on pretty boy. I have something for you.”