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ChapterEight

Cullen headed to the basement, leaving Orion and Hawk playing video games. Cosmo was making a baby blanket, and Corbin was napping with Elliot.

He felt like he needed to look at his hoard. He had all sorts of…stuff that had to do with magic and illusion. Cards. Magic wands. Silly magician hats. Tarot cards and talking boards. Illusion boxes.

He loved every piece.

Cullen hummed, stroking an old scarf that had been a magician’s prop in the early twentieth century. Silk held up so well as long as it didn’t shatter thanks to chemicals or moth eating.

He wandered through the stacks of things and the little glass cases, but then he stopped, blinking.

A glorious unicorn automaton from maybe the Georgian era sat in a glass case directly in front of him. Oh. Oh, that was so beautiful it brought tears to his eyes.

Orion! Is this yours?He let Orion see it through his eyes.

Ah, Geordie. How nice to see him. Where are you?

In the basement with my hoard. It’s very climate-controlled. Will he be safe down here?

For the time being, yes. Let me follow you down there?

Here I am.Cullen dropped a mental pin, wondering if Orion would be able to follow it.

Sure enough, maybe five minutes later, Orion wandered down to him, studying Cullen’s hoard as he went. “This is amazing, Cullen.”

“Thank you. The automaton is… It’s art, love.”

“I told you, I wasn’t much for ceramic unicorns from the Goodwill.”

“True.” He chuckled, leaning on Orion when his mate put an arm around him. “I love it. Shall we see what else is here with us from your stuff?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Orion kissed his neck, which made his nipples tighten and his cock rise a little. Nothing urgent, just a deep, pleasurable ripple.

“What else should I look for?”

“Oh, I have tapestries galore—for some reason, unicorns seem to inspire needlework and fiber artists of all kinds. It’s actually quite flattering.”

Cullen chuckled, but he could see it. There was something about unicorns that screamed immortalize me in silk.

“I also have some amazing jewels, some coins from Scotland. Some bestiaries with fascinating illustrations. I have quite a few odds and ends. I’ve been collecting for quite a while.” Orion nuzzled him again, breath huffing on his neck. “I mean, I’m not a dragon… I don’t do a hoard, but I can see that Basil’s been working hard at moving me in here.”

“Where were you before?”

“I have a place in New Mexico—it’s not much, just a place on the border. I had been on the West Coast for quite a while, but it was getting very busy. I dislike crowds.”

Cullen could see that. He did too, as a rule. “Did you ever go to one of the big cities, like LA?”

“I did.”

“Did you happen to go see any magic shows?”

He did love a magic show. He respected the hell out of those performers, to be honest.

They didn’t have real magic to help.

“I did. Vegas is especially good for them. I love how humans search for magic in the humblest of ways.” Orion gave him a gentle grin.

“Me too! That’s why I have this hoard. I love illusions…”