Page 7 of A Very Denarius Christmas

This dragon does not pull sleighs.

Not yet, but as soon as we can get a sleigh made that’ll be big enough to fit our family, plus Caro, Emerson and their impending babe, I am going to use all of my vast and very creative means of persuasion to compel you to harness up and take us on a wild adventure.

Caro is as well suited to pulling the sleigh as I am.

True, but I doubt you’d want me using my powers of persuasion on him.

Pfft!

Uh-huh, that had shut him up.

I’m coming to realize that pfft in that tone roughly translates to yes, Alex, you are absolutely right and I’m so sorry I attempted to say no to you.

Oh, is that what it sounds like to you?

Absolutely. One thousand percent. Complete with the aforementioned apology.

He laughed out loud and shook his head, love and a warning that he would find some way to retaliate, shimmering in his gaze when he locked eyes with me.

“For the benefit of the rest of the room you have to share what made my grumpy brother laugh like that,” Odem said from his spot behind the twins, where he was pushing almost as many buttons as they were.

Smirking at Ionus before I answered the question, I made sure he knew from just that look, that we were totally in game-on mode and there would be no wiggling his way out my beautifully snowy, sleigh plan.

“I was just mentioning to my wonderful, thoughtful, loving mate, that it would be fun for the entire family, especially the little ones, if we were to have a sleigh built big enough that a particular dragon could pull it while tons of merry caroling took place.”

“Whoa, seriously? I’d totally be down for sleigh rides.”

“And I’m sure the dragonets’ fabulous uncle Odem wouldn’t mind wearing harness bells while taking a turn pulling the sleigh for them too,” Ionus said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Now this was truly getting good.

“Well played, brother, well played,” Odem said, and in typical Odem fashion, served Ionus the match-point when he replied. “I’d love to. Who knows, in time there might be enough dragonets for two sleighs and sleigh races. How much fun would that be?”

He grinned the whole time he said it, and I could see my mate’s resolve crumble right before my eyes and those of everyone else in the room.

“I will look into sleigh design and manufacturing in the morning,” he said, prompting a round of cheers, whistling, and clapping from everyone in the room, which just got the kids more wound up, their joyful squeals adding to the fun.

The wonderful, glorious sound chased the last shred of my blues away, while reminding me that while I might have lost one family, I had a new one now, and a lifetime of wonderful, magical memories to make with them.

Chapter Five

Ionus

My naughty, naughty mate would pay for that. Ideas of just how that debt would best be repaid percolated in mymischievous brain. Imagine me, Ionus, leader of the Primordial Protectors pulling a sleigh.

As if.

Pfft.

Yes indeed, dragon, pfft.

Our noble Griffin waddled over to Emerson’s chair and carefully, quite impressively really, slid in it beside him. He lay his ear against my mate’s very pregnant besties’ belly and stilled for a moment while the rest of us watched on wide-eyed and with bated breath.

“Him’s hungry.”

Mate, did Griffin just…

He did indeed.