Page 40

Story: Cullen

Fuck.

“Come on, then.” Hawk grabbed Cosmo up and began to run with Corbin and Cullen right behind.

Cullen pinned him with a look. “Come on, bring the baby.”

And out they ran, down the stairs and out the door, so he ran with them.

Suddenly he was not in the house.

He was not in the house, and he was naked and there was snow on the ground, and he had Elliot.

Oh, dear.

Orion pondered what to do, and finally, he swung Elliot around to his shoulders. “Hold on, Elliot. Can you do that for me?”

“Da!”

That had to be good enough. Orion shifted into his unicorn form, choosing the smaller of the options, the one that the tapestry weavers all made look like a cross between a goat and Shetland pony. He was far more attractive than that, naturally, but human art perspective hadn’t evolved at that point…

Elliot clung to his mane like a burr, and he clattered down the rise from the house, following the brothers and Hawk to what looked like another cluster of bizarre, amalgamated houses. Hawk was still roaring, calling to…well, he guessed other dragons, judging from who was spilling out of the houses and arriving by air.

“We need the midwife!” Cullen shouted. “And Abe! Please.”

“What happened?” A brawny gray-haired dragon ran out of the upper house.

“He fell and hit his head.”

“I’ll go get the midwife.” The guy ran a few feet, then sprang into the air, his dragon form huge and intimidating and wild.

Another half-dozen male dragons came running, a bunch of children of all ages trailing behind.

“Abe. Help!” Cullen begged.

“Sebby! Get blankets. Get some water on, Samuel. Bring him to the house, Hawk.” Abe took off back toward the cabin-like home at the top of the little villagey-type collection of homes.

“Is that a unicorn?”

Cullen rounded on him, eyes wide. “Uh. Yes. Yes, it is. He’ll need something to wear when we get to the house.”

“I’ll get some of Justin’s clothes.”

They all ran inside, and he shifted down, catching Elliot before he could fall to the floor.

“Da!” Elliot wailed.

“Hello, Elliot.” A smaller silver-haired dragon came to hold out his arms. “Will you come with Uncle Seth? We’ll make hot cocoa for your da to have when he wakes up, hmm?”

“Da.” Elliot nodded, then lunged at Seth, who caught him when Orion lost his grip from surprise.

“Here. You might need these. Bit cold.” That was another huge, silvery hot dragon. Damn. This was a good-looking bunch.

“Thanks.”

“So a unicorn, huh?”

Orion stuck out his hand. “Orion.”

“Samuel. Bad circumstances, but good to meet you.”