Page 8 of A Very Denarius Christmas

With each passing day our dragonets showed greater gifts than we could have ever dreamed of. One day they would surely surpass their elders, though I’ll never admit that aloud.

An audible grumble filled the silence as we all looked on.

Was that Emerson’s belly?

That was Emerson and Caro’s son.

We knew Griffin was destined to be a very protective alpha, given the way he continually pulled Luna from the path of the twin’s destruction. Now it appeared our son had another gift, one of speaking with dragonets in utero.

Griffin hopped down, picked up his new toy truck, and returned to being a child. I left the room to retrieve the gifts from Caro and Emerson that Caro had dropped off earlier. As I entered the room, the kids’ eyes widened as they spotted the gifts, and all hell broke loose. Again.

“Alright, if you want your presents from Uncle Caro and Uncle Emerson you need to sit by the tree and be quiet.” Alex warned the twins to keep their fire under control and as soon as the four of them were in place, as calmly as our offspring could be on Christmas day, Caro rose and handed them each their presents.

“What do you say” I prodded them. Muffled, interesting yet adorable versions oftank-ews were muttered as they destroyed the wrapping paper. Goddess, even when naughty they were my everything and so much more.

They played with their new toys and zoomed around the room. Caro, being the next to have his first egg, likely kept the noisy toys out of their shopping cart, having given them stuffies, dolls, and cars, for fear of retribution come next Christmas. I’d remember that, as well as that Odem and Mattias’ future offspring were due drumkits for their birthdays and holidays.

Fire trucks with sounds and a piano. Really? As my loving mate would say, game-on, brothers.

Then Emerson uttered the one single word that silenced the room.

“Wet.”

Alex ran to his side, Emerson uttered apology after apology for ruining the chair until Caro scooped him up and ran him home. Alex immediately called Raven to notify her that Emerson was in labor. Odem followed behind them to lend a hand however he could, with Alex hot on his heels, though my mate paused in the hall just outside the living room, and glanced back at me.

“Go, I’ll be over shortly.”

Thanks, mate. Love you.

Love you too. Go help bring the newest Denarius into the world.

And on Christmas day. What a blessing!

Yes, no better day for the Goddess to bless our family than this one.

I took the chair Emerson was sitting in outside to clean it, and when I came back in, the first thing I heard were all too familiar words.

“Fire extinguishers are behind the chair,” Gramps said, though I’m not sure who to.

Angus came flying around the corner. “Have you seen the twins?” Ah, now I know.

“No, aren’t they with Gramps?” Goddess, help us all.

The scent of fire and brimstone assaulted my senses. Either they were setting the house on fire or Satan himself was paying us a visit and the latter was highly possible given this family.

Luna’s shriek rang out, and I bolted into the family room. Gramps was currently putting out the flames burning the fringe of her new tutu. She was livid. Red faced, and not from being burned, arms tightly crossed over her chest. Never had I been more thankful they were dragons or our girl could’ve been seriously injured.

“You,” her tiny finger pointed as it moved between Kane and Hunter. “Bad boys. I tell Santa.”

Kane and Hunter’s bottom lips quivered and in came the rain. Literally. Fire may be their first element but given I’m their father, they’ve got a bit of storm in them as well. Not as intensely as mine yet, thankfully.

“Boys, you’re flooding the house.” More like a light sprinkle but at least the fire was out. “Why did you do that to your sister?”

“Ax’dent, Papa,” Hunter sniffled. “Sowry.”

“Sowry,” Kane mimicked.

I had a whole new appreciation for Odem and how well he handled them. Exasperated, I threw my arms in the air and said the first thing that came to mind. “Time out corner. Now.” Punishing your children on Christmas Day felt all kinds of wrong, but I was at my wits end with these two and they hadn’t even celebrated their first birthdays.