Page 11 of Distinctly Daray (D’Vaire, #43)

V ictor pulled the door to the Sentinel Brotherhood open and was immediately spotted by the two men at the front desk.

“I don’t know how a man with a future full of threesomes can have such a horrible frown on his face,” Evergreen drawled. “What’s wrong?”

“You work with them,” Victor retorted. “Sentinels are the most irritating, stubborn people on the planet. I swear the only two worth talking to today are Phillip and Dudley.”

“They worry about overtaxing you,” Dudley said.

“Don’t you dare take their side,” Victor replied, trying not to grit his teeth or growl at the poor man.

It wasn’t his fault that Victor’s normal Monday morning had devolved into a thankfully brief argument with Daray sentinels who couldn’t understand why he’d made breakfast. Calmly explaining that the job he’d been hired to do required him to work five days a week had done nothing to dissuade the sentinels—mostly Alaric—from lecturing him on his priorities. Victor damn well knew he had to put Phillip and Keegan first. His relationship had nothing to do with his duties—not that anyone wanted to hear his opinion.

Thankfully, Victor also lived with the Arch Lich, and Chander was the voice of reason. He’d slammed his hand down and demanded all the Darays go the hell to work and leave Victor alone. But what had Victor stewing was the knowledge that nothing had been settled. Dinner would be a repeat of breakfast, and Victor was unsure how to convince his beloved family that he was fine with his schedule changing and he still had plenty of time to devote to his mates.

“I am not,” Dudley defended as he stood and tugged on the fabric of his uniform. “All I was attempting to do was explain their feelings.”

“Come on, let’s go get lunch before someone comes out here and Victor has to stab them,” Evergreen said. He tugged on his suit jacket and walked around the large desk. Victor leaned into Evergreen as the druid-necro looped their arms together. “Let’s go to the sandwich shop we like.”

Dudley held the door open for them, and they stepped into the hallway. Since many others in the giant Council Headquarters were also heading to their midday meal, there were plenty of people to weave through as they headed for the exit. None of them uttered a word to each other as they crossed the street and went into a cafe owned by Henry Gennevios. It was a lovely little place decorated in blues and greens.

They chose a booth tucked in a corner to give them a little privacy, and a server materialized to take both their drink and food orders. Victor had dined there often enough that he barely had to glance at the menu to decide which sandwich he wanted.

“Look, you know you only have one option,” Evergreen stated, his grayish-green gaze boring into Victor’s.

“My plan was to spend the afternoon making arrangements to fix my suite so it accommodates three men,” Victor explained. “Can I really threaten to quit if I’m also calling people to add another sink and order a bigger bed?”

“I’m so jealous that your king-size one is too small for all the action you’re going to get,” Evergreen remarked with a grin. “But yeah. Do it. The sentinels aren’t going to shut the fuck up until you back them into a corner.”

“Sentinels are reasonable people,” Dudley stated. “Perhaps there is another option besides threatening to quit.”

Evergreen’s expression was pure skepticism. “Okay, what’s the option?”

“I mentioned maybe one existed. I did not say I knew what that option was.”

“Sentinels,” Evergreen muttered. “Also, not that I want to distract from the issue, but I need to tell you how excited I am that your mates love your space. It’s so damn pretty and suits you perfectly. That means they do too. If I wasn’t gay, I’d hunt Fate down and kiss her right on the lips. Fuck it. Maybe I will anyway.”

“It was funny. I wasn’t nervous about showing them my room,” Victor confided. “I suppose I should’ve been considering how much I love it and how much work I’ve put into designing it through the years. Maybe something told me they’d like it too. Or maybe it was the way Keegan barreled right in and Phillip followed on his heels to explore. They were comfortable. That pleased me and my kitty.”

“So, when do your best friends get to meet them?” Evergreen asked.

Victor had to pause to allow their server to set their drinks on the table, but the moment the man left their table, he gave Evergreen his full attention. “I’m not sure yet. I’d love for you both to meet them, but they have a lot going on right now.”

“And you three have to prioritize your time together,” Dudley stated.

“I know that,” Evergreen said. “I’m not trying to get in the way of anything. All I’m saying is that I want to meet your guys.”

“I want them to meet you both too. They’re going to love you,” Victor replied.

“Not that I want to put a frown back on your face, but have you talked to the Antonovs about any of this yet?” Evergreen asked.

Victor sighed. “No. I wanted to enjoy it first. They aren’t going to like it. They pretend I’m not gay. Now I have two men in my life. That isn’t going to make any difference to my parents. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if their first response isn’t to ask me when they can arrange my marriage to a woman so I can add to the Antonov family tree.”

“They should not repudiate Fate,” Dudley remarked.

“Agreed, but to them being gay is worse than insulting Fate by sleeping with someone who isn’t your mate,” Victor responded. “I’d so much rather deal with annoying sentinels than argue with my parents about my future.”

“Honey, if they insist on it and refuse to take your feelings into account, you don’t have to stay in contact with them,” Evergreen insisted gently.

Victor closed his eyes and nodded. He wasn’t sure why it was so hard for him to cut ties with his birth family. Perhaps it was rooted in his guilt. He’d answered an ad to clean a house and wound up with a family who loved him unconditionally. Victor was far more blessed than most, and he knew it. The Antonovs had never tried to understand him, but they had instilled in him a sense of duty. Which was why he still talked to them and traveled home occasionally, despite how often they made him feel small and sad.

“I know,” Victor eventually replied.

“Do you?” Evergreen demanded. “Because they’re awful to you, and you keep letting them treat you terribly.”

“Do not piss Victor off; he has already dealt with stubborn sentinels today,” Dudley warned.

Evergreen patted Dudley’s arm. “You’re right. I’m supposed to be helping, not adding to your stress, Victor. But seriously. Think about it if they react how you think they will. Your mates won’t understand their point of view.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I have no intention of explaining it to either of them right now. Phillip and Keegan have enough to focus on; they don’t need to deal with my parents.”

“Okay, let’s talk about something fun,” Evergreen insisted. “How big is your bed going to be? Have you decided on a shape? May I suggest a giant dick…or would it make more sense to draw three of them right next to each other?”

Victor laughed. “How would I find sheets in that shape?”

“Hello, you can sew,” Evergreen replied.

With a roll of his eyes, Victor sipped his tea and set aside the Antonovs. He would deal with them eventually, but they weren’t his priority. It was the men he truly considered his family he had to fix things with that evening, and thankfully, they were stubborn but never hurtful.

∞∞∞

Delighted that his classes were done for the day, Keegan waited until VK Valerius was out of sight, then tore down the hall toward Phillip’s dorm. Keegan barely paused as he turned a corner and skidded to a halt with a grin on his face. He pounded on the door, and it whipped open to reveal a sexy sentinel with shock in his dark gray eyes.

“Everything okay?” Phillip asked.

“Yeah, sorry, I’m excited to see you, and I can’t wait to hang out with you and Victor.”

“No apology is necessary.”

Keegan tugged his lips inward to keep from apologizing again, which made Phillip laugh.

“Not a word, Sunshine; let’s go visit our Victor.”

The moment Phillip yanked his cloak out of nowhere, pulled it over his head, and shimmered away, Keegan followed him to just outside the door of the Daray condo.

“How is your dragon today?” Keegan asked as Phillip knocked.

“We reduced my potions this morning,” Phillip answered, tugging off his cloak and whipping it away with the tiny bit of magic sentinels had but fallen knights lacked. “But I had to take one this afternoon, so I wound up taking nearly the same amount as yesterday.”

“Hey, any little improvement with the potions is good, right?”

“Absolutely.”

The door opened to reveal the Lich Sentinel. “Please come in.”

Without waiting for a response, Alaric turned and walked away. Phillip waved a hand toward Keegan, so he stepped across the threshold, and his sentinel mate followed him into the Daray household. Keegan headed straight for the pretty Russian Blue shifter but frowned when he noted the way Victor’s brows were knitted together.

A moment later, it registered that no one was speaking as men carried serving dishes and got comfortable around the large round table where they took their meals.

“Are we late?” Keegan asked as he approached Victor.

“No, you’re early,” Victor responded immediately and smiled at him and Phillip. It didn’t quite reach the eyes he’d accented with shadow nearly the same pretty green as his irises. “Go ahead and grab a seat.”

“With Phillip in the middle,” Keegan said. “Are you sure we can’t help with anything?”

“Um, you can grab something to drink,” Victor replied.

“Or I could get something for them,” Ducarius insisted. “What would you like?”

“Beer? Is that okay? I can get it,” Keegan insisted.

Victor sighed as Ducarius stalked to the fridge and yanked beers out for Keegan and—he supposed—Phillip, though his mate hadn’t answered the Skeleton Lord’s question. Not understanding the tension, Keegan sat next to Phillip and thanked Ducarius. After everyone was settled, dishes were passed around and Keegan added fragrant chicken, steaming rice, and vegetables to his plate.

“Victor, talk to these idiots,” Chander ordered.

“Fine,” Victor said. “We aren’t going to keep arguing about this. I work five days a week. Since I have two mates in my life now, it makes sense for my schedule to match theirs. That means Monday is now a workday. Get used to it or I’ll quit.”

Phillip turned to Victor. “Why would you lie to them? They can sense it.”

“Because they’re morons and the only way to get through to them is to threaten to go nuclear,” Chander retorted. “And since Phillip can’t help but shatter the illusion, I’ll make everyone a promise. I fired Victor once. Keep pestering him and I’ll do it again.”

Several people gasped, and Keegan froze in place. He had no clue what was happening, but he was shocked to learn Victor had lost his job in the past. What was going on in the Daray household?

“Chand, that’s not nice,” Baxter said, aghast. “You fired Victor because of a misunderstanding, and we forgave you. So did he. But you have no reason to be so mean to him now.”

“I hope you let him find somewhere to live instead of kicking him out immediately,” Benton commented as he tossed his napkin onto the table and crossed his arms.

“I didn’t say he’d be moving out,” Chander snapped. “This is his home, and he’s a Daray. There are plenty of jobs Victor can do if he wants. He’s intelligent, thoughtful, creative, and talented. Do you really think he has to wake up every morning and deal with your shit? No, he doesn’t. So, stop pestering him and let him make his own decisions. If he wants to work Monday through Friday, stop bitching about it. He runs the fucking household. You listen to him, not the other way around.”

“We shouldn’t have this discussion while Keegan and Phillip are here,” Brynnius remarked softly. “Victor wants to spend time with his mates.”

“Nice try,” Teverild said. “You’re trying to postpone it so you can keep fighting about how you think Victor is overworking himself. You guys do this shit constantly. I know it hurts your sentinel egos to hear it, but you don’t always get to have things your way.”

“Wow, Cass, what did you do to Teverild?” Arvandus asked.

“This is why Alaric complains about fallen knights,” Cassius muttered. “I didn’t do anything to Tev. He isn’t mad at me. He’s pissed at everyone else.”

“Babe, don’t rewrite history,” Teverild told his other half. “I’m annoyed with you too. You’re just as intent on irritating Victor by making his decisions for him as everyone else.”

Cassius’s mouth dropped open. A heartbeat later, he snapped his jaw shut. “I agree with Chand and Tev. Either leave Victor alone or we fire him.”

“Alaric, you better agree too or Chand’s going to make you sleep on the couch,” Eduard suggested.

“You can be his cuddle buddy because I doubt Hex is happy with you either,” Teverild pointed out.

The ruler of the demons, Imperator Hexaniys Xattanas-Daray, fixed a flat blue stare on Eduard. “Teverild is correct. This is absurd. Victor can make his own choices, and he is far wiser about his fatigue or lack thereof than anyone else in this condo.”

“All I have asked is for Victor to consider his priorities, and cleaning and cooking for us should not be one of them,” Alaric stated.

With what Keegan could only describe as an adorable grunt, one of the two goblins Chander had summoned for his mate used a spell to create a piece of pizza. To the stunned disbelief of everyone, the goblin—fittingly named Pizza—teleported to the table surface and threw the slice in his hand. It landed with a splat on the Lich Sentinel’s dark gray T-shirt.

Chander immediately responded with a loud guffaw as Alaric frowned deeply and peeled the greasy slice off his shirt. Keegan didn’t want to laugh, but when Phillip snickered next to him, he lost his ability to keep his cool. He’d arrived that night unsure how he’d ever relax around the many titled Darays, but his tension was quickly bleeding away.

They were normal people with issues, just like everyone else. Some of them also happened to be chosen by Fate. Keegan wanted to be part of the household someday, so he had to calm down.

“Pizza, that was unkind,” Alaric told the goblin. Pizza’s little earrings jingled as the goblin went into a series of chirps and growls. He crossed his tiny arms, and Keegan idly wondered if his scaly black skin was smooth or rough to the touch. Pizza’s other half, Rogue, teleported to his side and added his own commentary. Keegan wasn’t sure how Alaric withstood the two angry pewter gazes of the goblins for so long, but he eventually lifted his hands and shushed them gently. “Okay. Victor, I apologize. You know what is best for you and your mates. But please remember that we understand if you need to cut your hours, either temporarily or permanently.”

“I know that, Alaric,” Victor replied. “Apology accepted. Now, can we go back to being a happy family and not arguing over silly stuff, please?”

There was a chorus of affirmative responses from suddenly sheepish sentinels.

“One question,” Phillip said. “Why was Victor fired the first time?”

“Because Chand thought I was having sex with Alaric,” Victor responded dryly.

Keegan’s eyes bugged.

“But Alaric is a sentinel. He is incapable of cheating,” Phillip said.

“And Victor would never go after someone else’s man,” Chander added. “I know. I was an idiot. They won’t let me apologize anymore, otherwise I would.”

“I’ll explain the whole thing to you and Keegan privately if you want, otherwise Chand will break the rules and sneak in a sorry or two,” Victor teased. It was a relief to Keegan that he wasn’t the lone person offering occasionally overzealous apologies. “But basically, he was sent some fake photos that showed Alaric and I in a compromising position. He fired me and kicked Alaric out. Thankfully, he has wonderful friends, and the Reverent Knights proved to him that the photos were indeed faked. It was all the work of his dreadful former elders.”

“They really were dreadful,” Baxter added.

“Speaking of pictures, I’m bummed no one got one of Alaric’s face when that pizza landed on his shirt,” Teverild remarked with a chuckle.

“No worries, we can have Dra’Kaedan lift the memory and give us a picture,” Chander assured the honorary sentinel who’d been born an elf.

“Good, I suggest we hang it in a prominent spot in the living room,” Vellerynd suggested.

“I’ll pick out a beautiful frame,” Victor promised.

“And I thought fallen knights were the only bane of my existence,” Alaric muttered.

“Surprise,” Vellerynd responded, then burst into laughter.

Keegan wasn’t sure if it was kind or not, but he chuckled right along with everyone else. Being around the Darays grew easier with every passing minute.