Page 45

Story: Cullen

“Everybody around here can do that, did you know?” Arielle rolled her eyes. “Where we were, where we grew up—me and Seb and some of the others—you couldn’t. Only mates and brothers, sometimes, I mean. It got bigger, huh, Seb?”

Sebastian nodded. “Yes. The closer we got to being able to come here, I think, the more we learned to talk to each other with our minds, but it’s neat to know that you can do it.” Sebastian pursed his lips. “Can you do it with us?”

“I have no idea.”

CAN YOU HEAR ME?Arielle’s mental voice was like a sledgehammer. Just bashing him right between the eyeballs.

He swayed for a second, lights flashing. “Yes.”

Seth shook his head. “Arielle, easy.”

“Sorry, I was just?—”

Two gigantic dragons pushed into the door at about the same time, the house shaking with it.

Arielle looked at Sebastian, who looked back at her and then looked at the big dragons. Then, for the first time, Arielle really, genuinely smiled. “These are our uncles.”

Sebastian nodded. “Tyson and Zeke.”

This seemed sort of important. “Nice to meet you both.”

“Good to meet you.” Big and red-headed smiled at the kids. “Guys, can you please go get Elliot? He went off exploring, and things are getting loud, and he’s getting worried.”

“No problem.” The two teenagers disappeared like smoke, and Seth just cracked up.

“The kids called, huh?”

“They did. They were worried.” The silver fox with rainbow facets for eyes—rainbows! If he wasn’t mated he’d be all over that—laughed. “And you know their Uncle Seth is gentle.”

Tyson nodded. “Sweet and kind.”

“He would never hurt a fly.” Zeke rolled his eyes.

“Ari has a very well-developed sense of defense when it comes to her family.” Tyson had red hair, which was a surprise, given everyone else was silvery. He could see where Arielle got it from.

“Are you Arielle’s father?” he asked, and Tyson shook his head with a snort.

“Oh no. No, I was not responsible for that. I am, however, her uncle, and she is the child of my soul.”

“As Sebby is mine.” He got a smile. “Zeke. Pleased.”

“Same. Orion. It’s been a day. I’m making cinnamon rolls and bread, and soup for Cosmo. Seth here is making brownies. Do you have any requests?”

Tyson’s lips curved in a smile, and holy goddess, these dragons were devastating. He might be mated; he wasn’t dead.

“I don’t suppose you know how to make empanadas.”

“Bien sur, mon amie. Or rather, por supuesto, mi amigo. I knew a manchachicoj from Argentina who made empanadas that would make the angels cry. Sweet or savory or both?”

Zeke raised an eyebrow. “Both? Please. So, about this Glade the kids mentioned.”

“Mmmhmm.” He measured out flour and sugar.

There was only so much information he was going to give up about his homeland. Not that he didn’t trust them. Of course he did. Except he didn’t.

He hadn’t even told most of this to Cullen.

Why would he share with strangers?