Page 2 of A Very Denarius Christmas

Can you find a store with a fake Christmas tree to purchase? Preferably, pre-lit.

Boys took out another one?

Indeed. I don’t wish to end the life of another.

I’ll take care of it.

Hopefully, he’ll find an open store.

When I returned home, Odem had the boys with an ear to the ground, listening to the rumbling growth beneath the surface.

“Feel what it feels, hear what it hears,” he whispered to them.

This wasn’t their element, and they were likely only mimicking him because it was fun. But as they got older they’d become more in tune with it, and it would all click one day. He had them calm and I’d not disrupt that, so I proceeded to tiptoe by. Well, as much as a nearly seven-foot man could.

“No tree?” Alex asked as I’d returned empty handed.

I sighed. “I just couldn’t do it. Mattias is picking up a fake one for us. It’s best that way until the boys have learned to harness their gifts.”

“True. A fake one doesn’t have the same feel, though you made the right decision.”

“Where are Luna and Griffin?”

“Last I saw they were entertaining Gramps and Great-gramps.” Luna had those men wrapped around her tiny talons. “She is such an empath.”

“Aye, Raven says she’s a healer.” We were truly blessed, fireballs and all. Griffin was the epitome of me. A strong, alpha leader with a gift for storms. Found that out the hard way when he flooded the living room putting out the first tree fire. Good call but poorly executed, given he couldn’t turn off thewaterworks once they started. Had I not been there, the house would’ve likely floated right down the mountainside.

“I lined up the used fire extinguishers in the garage.” A fresh load to deliver to the company in town that managed the tanks to refill would happen next week. I swear, we were putting that man’s kids through college buying all these tanks.

“Thanks, my love,” I wrapped my arms around his waist, “Think we can steal a few minutes away from prying eyes?”

“Eyes, yes, ears, no,” Gramps called from the other room.

“Bloody dragon hearing.” That got them rolling, which in turn had the little ones giggling, though they hadn’t a clue why. “Maybe later.”

“Maybe, if you’re lucky,” Alex winked. “let’s bake some more cookies for the kids to decorate.”

I was so lucky to have found Alex. He hadn’t a clue he was a dragon, or even that we existed, and yet here we were, just over a year later, madly in love and with our home overflowing with friends and family. My once lonely existence was long gone.

Thank the Goddess for that.

Merry tunes played throughout the house, piped in through the Bluetooth surround sound. For centuries, my brothers and I hadn’t acknowledged the Christian holiday. There wasn’t any reason to when the five of us really had nothing to celebrate. With deep pockets, having made wise investments over the years, we bought what we wanted when we wanted so an exchange of gifts seemed frivolous. Now with the little ones around, our perspectives had changed, and it was all about them and their happiness. The adults chose not to exchange gifts. Instead, we opted to only buy for the dragonets, which there would soon to be five of.

With Caro and I both finding our mates, the dynamic amongst the five brothers had shifted and for the better. I only hoped that soon Mattias, Odem and Quint would find their forevers. Ourhearts had waited for so long and we’d given up hope that they were out there long ago. Maybe that’s why the goddess brought Alex and Emerson to us now. She waited until we had no longer made it our sole focus.

Sneaky female.

But there was nothing better than a home full of love, laughter and family. Of which we now had plenty, given Alex’s relatives, the Drakemyre’s, being here. How many more relatives would we find in our search to unite clans?

Thoughts for another day. Today was a happy day, tomorrow even happier. After that, we can figure out our next steps toward capturing and rehabilitating the Gorynych. I felt for those they’d condemned and cast aside and hoped for the best outcome, that they’d found loving mates on their own.

But until then, we’d enjoy time with our loved ones.

“Ooohhh, cookies,” Odem grabbed a hot one. That was one good thing about his gift, nothing burned him.

“Where are the twins?” Of course that would be Odem’s first question

“In the playroom with the others. Want me to get them?” Alex asked.