Page 27

Chapter 27

Rowan rubbed his leg, the pain there hardly noticeable in the spring sunshine. Thank the Gods for the changing seasons. Winter had passed in a blink, the sky clearing, the air warming, and things were…normal. He hmmed, a little smile touching him. No sisters in danger. No wraith hovering over his shoulder. No pressure to bury his past in work. Yeah. It was normal. And it was overwhelming. But slowly, Rowan had adjusted. Now he craved that mundane peace every day.

He absorbed the rays like he was solar powered, hammering away at the brand-new Broderick nook that sprouted off Ivy’s greenhouse. His poor familiar still hadn’t grown used to the indoors. They had even tried bringing him in again after the stag begged and begged. After having to buy Ivy a new couch after that chaotic romp, Rowan decided to build him his own place to keep him warm at night, one with windows for a ceiling and walls.

Rowan wacked another nail in place as a shadow passed over him. Hands slid over his shoulders, the familiar scent of pine pricking his nose. He lowered his hammer. “You’re blocking my light.”

“No. I’m saving your life.” Callum’s tail wrapped around his waist. “Didn’t you tell me the sun is not good for your kind? Your lovely pale flesh is in danger. Thank the Goddess I found you in time before you cooked yourself.”

Rowan smirked. “I”m wearing sunscreen.”

“I am your sunscreen!” Callum stretched his arms wide, his broad shoulders blotting out the daylight. “Wear me!”

Rowan playfully gave him a shove. “Come on now. I’ve been waiting months for the warm weather. Let me enjoy it.”

“But I can’t let my Witch-boy boil!” Callum’s bazillion pounds of muscle collapsed against him, pressing his back against the Broderick nook.

“Cal, you’re crushing me!” Rowan half cackled, half wheezed. He gave the satyr’s back a hardy slap only to have his arms pinned over his head.

“Once again I saved you!” Callum crowed, their chests pressed together. “A hero of the ages! Write a song for me, Rowan! Teach it to our children!” He laughed that wonderful vibrant laugh that made Rowan melt. And melt he did as soon as that wonderful, scarred mouth made its way across his collar bone.

Callum’s smiles came easy now, his nightmares and panic attacks less frequently. And Rowan couldn’t be prouder of him. After the mountain began to thaw, Ivy and Rowan had piled into her SUV and made the drive to his abandoned apartment in San Francisco, an invisible Callum in the backseat. Despite his nervousness the entire trip, the satyr was determined to help Rowan move what little he had in there.

“You’ll need strong shoulders for such things,” he insisted despite the cracks in his tone. Callum had remained dim the entire move, which made it complicated to explain to passers-by how boxes were floating down the stairs. Still, the fact that he came unasked made Rowan love him even more.

The last of Rowan’s things were moved to Big Bear. His lease was officially broken. And his new job as healer for the witches of the city had begun. Now he was home, truly home, in a grand old house with his wackadoodle family, and a big, gorgeous satyr that loved him with all his heart.

Callum flicked his tongue up Rowan’s neck. “I like how this heat feels on you. Taking you with nothing but the sunlight on your flesh sounds delectable.”

“Um, you’re aware we have an audience, right?” Rowan jerked his chin towards Broderick. The stag was sitting across from them. He tilted his head as if to say, “Don’t mind me,” his ears wiggling.

“He approves of our love,” Callum simply replied before slanting his mouth over Rowan’s in a toe-curling kiss. Broderick, the springtime, and his own name went forgotten as Callum’s hands slipped down the front of his jeans to give his cock a hard stroke. Rowan’s hips jerked, fists tightening under the satyr’s hold on his wrists.

“Guess you want to play carpenter?” Rowan moaned.

“Depends on how you play such a game.”

“Well, first we’ll get hammered. Then I’ll nail you.” Rowan snickered at Callum’s glare. “Get it? Cause I”m holding a hammer? Eh?”

“You are lucky I love you.” Callum said before taking his mouth again.

“Is this what you meant by erecting a nook?” Ivy peered at them from over from the elevated deck with a wicked grin.

“What the hell, Ives!” Quickly Rowan untangled himself, stepping away only to realize his pants were undone and his hard on was way too obvious. He pulled Callum against him but when the satyr nipped Rowan’s ear, his erection only grew more present. “How long have you been there?”

“Too long for my tastes,” Ivy replied. “I was just going to tell you something. I didn’t know my brother and his mate were doing squat thrusts in the cabbage patch, but here we are.”

“Witchling! Are we tormenting our brothers? I must join!” Finn’s head popped up beside hers. “Greetings Callum! Look what I have!” He lifted his hand, a pinecone clenched between his claws then bounced it off Callum’s rump.

“Dammit, brother!” Callum snarled.

“I heard there was torment!” And there was Aster appearing on Ivy’s other side.

Her cheeks were plump, her eyes bright and shiny. A crown of wildflowers was woven in her shiny hair as she gave the two an impish smile. Ever since her unintentional kidnapping, she was more herself, even venturing outside, but never past the barrier of the wards. And while she still hadn’t used her magic, she seemed less frightened of the idea. Baby steps are better than no steps, Rowan thought. She’s going to be okay.

“Tell me, Brother, are cocks out?” Finn asked.

“They could have been without your interruption!” Callum replied.

Ivy grabbed Finn’s arm before he tossed another pinecone. “I wanted to give the heads up that Auntie Lia and Auntie Rosie are-”

“Don’t mind us, darlings!” Dahlia announced with a tip of her huge sunhat. Rowan quickly zipped his fly as the dynamic duo tramped past, Rosemary setting potted herbs in the half-finished greenhouse while Dahlia unfolded deck chairs. “It will be like we’re not even here.”

Unfortunately, his new life had a very distinct lack of privacy unless they were hiding in the “West Wing” as Aster had dubbed it. She said it was in homage to Rowan’s favorite Disney movie. He didn’t have the heart to tell her their wing faced east.

“Well look at this adorable canoodling!” Rosemary beamed. “I’m just pleased as punch to see you two getting on so well!”

“Of course, they’re getting on, Love. They’re mated.” Dahlia replied, giving Rosemary a little peck.

“What are you two doing here?” Rowan asked.

“We heard about this new addition and felt decorating was in order.” Dahlia placed red plastic flamingos around the greenhouse, little vampire fangs sprouting from their beaks. “Familiars should relax in style as well. You should see the adorable bungalow we decorated for Maximus.”

“We have an old futon mattress and plenty of blankets in the truck for your stag,” Rosemary added. “Oh! And rain chains! So many rain chains to hang! It will be beautiful!” Broderick pranced in a little circle, bobbing his head in excitement. Well, at least one of them enjoyed the interruption. “Shouldn’t you just ask the house for the addition, Rowan dear? It would be so much quicker.”

“I wanted a project,” Rowan replied.

“His project is already getting him burned by the sun.” Callum poked his shoulder.

“You know, he is looking a little pink, Auntie Lia,” Aster said. “I think he needs to reapply.”

“Good point, Aster sweetling!” Dahlia dug into her massive scarlet purse and out came a giant bottle of SPF fifty. Before Rowan could protest, she squirted it onto his arm and rubbed it in.

Rowan shot a look to the deck above as Ivy and Aster batted their eyes. “I love my sisters!” he snapped. “I love them sooooo much! I’m sooooo happy to be living with them!”

“I believe it”s time for our exit?” Callum whispered into his ear.

“Please.” Rowan groaned.

“Indeed,” Callum scooped Rowan up, flopping him over his shoulder. “I’m taking my Witch-boy inside to rest his skin and ride his cock. Farewell!”

“Cal!” Rowan covered his face. “You know what? Fine. Sounds good. Let”s go rest my skin and…uh…ride my cock.” Callum carried him around the house, towards the back entrance of the West Wing. “I really need to teach you the art of subtlety.”

Callum gave his backside a swat. “And never see your beautiful blush again?”

The door opened without a command, the house having gotten sick of Callum kicking it in constantly, and Callum carted Rowan into their wing. Gone were the hunting trophies and heavy, unwelcoming furniture, and in came Rowan’s colorful curtains, and Callum’s branches and baubles. The oil portrait of Thaddeus was moved to the attic, replaced with the satyr and elf painting Aster had done. Rowan allowed it, finding it less embarrassing when it was in their private quarters.

Callum flopped Rowan in front of the fireplace, their sex tree sitting where the leather settee once was. That was where they spent their nights, despite the many bedrooms upstairs. Rowan had made it more hospitable with his mattress, mountains of blankets and throw pillows while Callum hung his mobiles of glass bits, shiny metal things, and the necklaces he’d pilfered from the shop from above. The perfect cozy nest or ‘Forest-core chic’, as Rowan called it.

Callum draped himself over Rowan, careful not to crush him this time. “There, you’re safe from the sun and your skin is at rest.”

“A hero for the ages.” Rowan smiled.

“Indeed.” Callum tapped his lower lip. “Now, what was the other thing I was supposed to do?”

Rowan tugged at his loincloth. “Ride my cock?”

“Oh yes! How could I forget?”

He wrapped himself around him, leaning in for a kiss when a heavy rumbling shook the floor. Windows rattled, the chandelier overhead flickering and swinging.

“What in the seven hells?!” Callum caged Rowan with his arms protectively.

Rowan blinked, about to scream earthquake but this was lasting way too long. Soon the shaking rolled to a heavy thunder over the roof, moving higher and higher. He nudged Callum off him, tugging him to his hooves. “Come on!”

They rushed into the main house, the ceiling over the grand stairs stretching in a vortex, walls forming. Floors sealing the chamber away from view. But the construction sounds continued.

“Holy shit,” Rowan laughed. “I think I know what’s happening.”

He tugged Callum to the deck where his family clustered, staring slack jawed. An immense tower built itself board by board between Ivy’s house and Rowan”s wing. It stretched into the sky, beautiful and proud, a round balcony resembling a ship”s crow’s nest circling its peak. Its three stories each touting a sparkling stained-glass window, each a unique design. The house crowned it’s masterpiece with a peaked, shingled roof then stilled, as if taking a deep breath.

Ivy smiled. “Well, looks like the house has plans again.”

“For who? Who is supposed to live there?” Aster asked. All eyes fell on her, and she smirked. “That’s not for me.” She shook her head. “How could that be for me?! I’m not dating anyone! Hell, I can’t even get up there!”

“Well, the house works in mysterious ways, Azzie.” Ivy slung her arm around her baby sister’s shoulders. “Come on. Let”s see if we can get inside.” Everyone hurried inside, leaving Callum and Rowan out of the deck to study the majestic structure.

Callum hugged Rowan’s shoulders, chin resting on his head. “It must know something we don’t know.”

“We can figure it out if we looked at Aster’s sketchbook,” Rowan chuckled. He gave Callum’s hands a squeeze “Want to help them look for a door?”

Callum grinned. He lifted Rowan off his feet twirling him around before dipping him back. “I think I’d prefer my earlier plans of taking you with nothing but the sun on your skin. What say you, my good little Witch-boy?”

“I say thank Hecate I reapplied my sunscreen.”

Callum kissed him as he carried him off, determined to find them a private place in the sun.

I’m not alone. I’m never going to be alone again, and neither is Cal. This was all Rowan had ever wanted, what he had wanted all along. Happiness. Love. A past left in the past where it belonged. Nothing but brightness waited ahead of them now that they had each other. Mates. I love the sound of that word. And with that thought, Rowan Bennett finally accepted his fate.