Page 98

Story: Cullen

Yarrow’s head tilted. “Aren’t you part horse? Isn’t there some sort of whinnying situation you could attempt?”

Orion was fairly sure that he had gritted his teeth more in the last six months than he had in his entire life. “He’s little; he’s a baby, that’s all. He just needs to be fed and loved. And he’ll learn.”

Cullen roared again, and somewhere in that roar, he was fairly sure he heard some more complaining about socks.

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

“Actually, yes, I’m pretty good at it.”

“Great. Have Cosmo find you needles and yarns. I need socks, little socks. By the time the baby comes, I just need little socks in all sorts of colors for little feet.”

“Are you sure that it’s not going to have hooves?”

He stared at Yarrow as Cullen roared again. “Right. Socks. Knitting. On it, boss. I got this.”

Much better. He handed over Tisi and followed Cullen to their house and up to the big bed.

Cullen flopped. Wings flapping, tail swishing, and it was really, really,reallypretty. “How come you never went dragony for me before? You’re really cute.”

Cute?

“Gorgeous.”

Better.

“Seriously. You’re beautiful.” He walked right up to that snapping muzzle and stroked the ridge above one of Cullen’s eyes. “I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful. One day soon, maybe on our honeymoon, we should go for a long run. You can fly. We could just have a ball together.”

Do you think she’s too early?

“No. No, I really don’t. But if you’re worried, we can go to the Glade. We can let the dads help.” They would. They would do anything for their grandchild. He knew that for a fact.

No. If you think it will be okay, it will be okay. You healed someone who’d been bitten by a vampire.

I did, huh? Can we get you cleaned up?

Sure. Um. If I can shift back. I’m trying.

Well, then I’ll get a cloth. Or a couple of wet towels…

Cullen snorted, blowing out little rainbows, and Orion chuckled, heading to the bathroom.He gathered up the stuff to clean Cullen up, and his mate was a man again by the time he came back.

So he looked at the birthline. “I think you’re going to have to have lasagna after the birth, baby. Good thing Yarrow is knitting.”

“What?” Cullen rose up to try to peer at the birthline.

“Well, she’s coming right along. Let me get Cosmo. He’s done this?—”

Cosmo!That mental bellow was enough to make his eyes bleed.

Cosmo came running up the stairs. “The kids are all having a slumber party with Yarrow and Corbin. Hawk is willing to run up and down the stairs. What can I do?”

“She’s coming.” Orion waved at the birthline.

Cosmo blinked at it. “Wow! Towels. Clean sheets. I’ll get Hawk to get the baby blankets we’d gotten for the shower. I’m still working on the quilt. Now!” Cosmo’s eyes unfocused, clearly so he could talk to Hawk. Then he was bustling over to Cullen and piling up pillows and moving stuff around. “Okay, Cullen, it’s time to push.”

“Already?” Cullen breathed in deep, then let it out as Orion got back with towels. “Hold my hand, mate?”

“Of course, love.” He sat on the bed to support his mate, letting Cullen grab and squeeze his hand. Hard. Wow.