Page 29 of D’Vaire or Nothing (D’Vaire #44)

T hursday rolled around, and Brinley wasn’t happy about it. Since arriving, he’d reveled in how lucky he was to be at D’Vaire. In addition to spending nearly every waking hour with Heathcliff, Brinley was getting to know the other people under the enormous roof. The meals were delicious.

The vibe of the household was calm and peaceful, and Brinley had been happily seduced into every aspect of the High Draconis Court of D’Vaire.

There had even been an evening matebond ceremony the previous night thanks to another D’Vaire, who was an elf, meeting their other half at Deck of Cards.

It’d been a charming experience, and Brinley had shed a few happy tears.

But nothing had conquered his heart as easily as the phoenix watching him with guarded silver eyes as Brinley stuffed his belongings into a bag.

In less than an hour, Brinley needed to be at work.

He was on the schedule for the next couple of days, and it was the grand opening of the resort.

Hearts bar would likely be crammed with people.

Usually, a thought like that filled Brinley with joy.

More people meant being busy, and hopefully tips would roll in so he could add to his savings.

But nothing about his life was the same as it had been less than a week ago.

Brinley didn’t want to leave Heathcliff.

His spirit was already flagging at the thought of how little he’d see the shifter until his next day off, which was Tuesday.

Tears threatened, and Brinley swallowed to dislodge the lump in his throat. Fate was supposed to bring him a mate, but no one had warned him that his other half would capture his soul so fast.

Heathcliff walked to him and lifted Brinley’s chin with his finger. “Are you okay?”

Shaking his head, Brinley collided with Heathcliff and hugged him tight. The phoenix grunted in surprise, but his arms came around Brinley. His wide palms coasted over Brinley’s faded T-shirt, and Brinley softly wept as Heathcliff dropped kisses on his head.

“This is stupid,” Brinley complained, his voice gruff. “We’re adults. We have lives. I shouldn’t be so sad because I have to work. It’s just that I’m going to be so busy and tired. What if I don’t see you until Tuesday?”

“What’s wrong with teleporting here after work?”

Brinley shifted so their eyes met, and he exhaled slowly as the light caught Heathcliff’s gaze and a flash of blue swept through the silver.

Heathcliff hid none of his emotions, and there was a wealth of feeling in them.

The warmth in Heathcliff’s gaze told Brinley he wasn’t alone in losing his heart.

“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about what happens now,” Brinley said. “I have work. You do whatever it is you do all day. Do you have a job? Or do you wait until someone needs a fancy fire Duke? I have no idea how royalty works.”

Heathcliff chuckled. “I’m at the beck and call of the High Kings, but mostly my services are used to protect the Coven of Warlocks if any of them leave the estate.

Or if Kieran needs to travel somewhere. The rest of the time, I do work.

As I told you, Kieran is a game designer.

Shortly after I moved in, he told me that my blunt honesty could be an asset and suggested I try to work at the company he chose for quality assurance.

Although I didn’t know shit about video games, I liked it.

Every day I test video games and put together detailed bug reports so they can fix things before the consumer has to deal with them. ”

“So, you’ve been on vacation this week?”

“Mates come first. I took a couple of days off so I could be with you while you were here. I’m back at work on Monday. My boss refused to consider letting me return any earlier. Kieran picked a great company.”

Brinley pulled himself together, but panic raced through him. “So, you work days finding errors and I’m at a bar at night. When the fuck are we going to see each other, Heath?”

“Relax, I can pick my hours. We’ll work it out.

Do you think I’m willing to allow anything to get in the way of our relationship?

” Heathcliff asked. “It hasn’t even been a week, but nothing is more important than you.

I thought I wasn’t ready for Fate to match me.

But I was wrong. I’ve been waiting for you.

Not just anyone, but you. My feisty fire mage.

My beast and I want to share our lives with you. ”

Brinley reached up to cup Heathcliff’s face in his hands.

“It’s wild, and I hated growing up in a house with people who followed their instincts without giving their actions any thought.

I told myself I’d squash any of my impetuous urges, but I can’t resist you.

No, I’ll be honest. I don’t fucking want to resist you.

Maybe I’ve been putting off making decisions about my life because I needed Fate to bring you to me.

All I know is that I don’t want anything to come between us.

Not a job. Different homes. My fear of fucking up and making an ass of myself in front of all your fancy family members. None of that shit.”

“You haven’t made an ass of yourself. I want the same things as you, Brinley.

Move in here. Give up the apartment. It’ll save you money.

I don’t want to get in the way of your dreams. If you want to work, go to school, or spend every day rolling in the dirt with the animals outside, I’ll support you. ”

“I guess I need to figure out my path.”

“I guess you do.”

“Heath?” Brinley asked, then gently brought their lips together in a sweet kiss.

“Yeah, baby?”

“I want to live at D’Vaire.”

“It’s hard for me to imagine anyone coming to this house and meeting my family and deciding it’s not for them.”

“You’re right,” Brinley said, brushing his thumbs over Heathcliff’s cheekbones. “Your family is incredible. They’ve treated me like I belong here from the second I arrived. I expected to feel awkward. Well, I did when I met the superuses, but that’s because I wound myself up. Not my finest moment.”

“You need to move on. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“Okay, but I was mean to you, and I don’t like that.”

Heathcliff rolled his eyes dramatically. “You weren’t mean to me. Are you moving in or not?”

Closing his eyes to fully absorb the massive changes happening in his life at a record pace, Brinley smiled. Things were moving fast, but he had never felt more centered. Fate had brought him Heathcliff, and that was a treasure Brinley was prepared to fully embrace.

“Yes, I’m moving into this fabulous room so I can be with you. Do you pay rent or anything? Can I help with expenses?”

“Brinley, our High Kings provide everything. They even put an obnoxious amount of money in my bank account. Thankfully, my salary is generous, so I can use my money on the rare occasions when I shop. You’ve mentioned school.

What’s wrong with starting with some classes?

The High Arcanists here at D’Vaire can help you with testing and choosing the correct courses. ”

Brinley bit his lip and rested his forehead on Heathcliff’s sturdy shoulder.

“School is a dream for me. But I don’t know what I want to study.

Plus, I’ve had to keep a roof over my head, and I thought it’d be nice to save enough to go to school without having to work.

But honestly, maybe I was procrastinating because I don’t have a plan for my life. ”

“You’re twenty years old; you don’t need one,” Heathcliff stated pragmatically.

“There are basic courses everyone needs. Start with those and explore your options. Give yourself the chance to figure out what suits you. Dream a little, Brinley. This is a sanctuary full of people that will support you and aid you however we can. And you have me now. I’ll help you however the fuck I can. ”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Nothing, really. Except you only have to work at a job if you love it. You don’t have to worry about expenses. I have more money than I could spend in my immortal lifetime, and as a resident of D’Vaire, the High Kings will add an equally obnoxious amount in your account.”

“I’m not here because I want their money.”

Raising a dark eyebrow, Heathcliff pressed their mouths together in a lingering kiss.

“Good luck convincing them to keep their money to themselves. Those kinds of complaints fall on deaf ears around here. They wouldn’t even let me apply for sanctuary somewhere else.

I was informed that they were keeping me, and that was it.

Not that I have any issue with that. This is my home.

I didn’t know I was searching for a place like D’Vaire, but it’s where I belong. ”

“I want to belong here too,” Brinley whispered as he clung to Heathcliff.

“You do belong here at my side. My phoenix and I both want to share everything with you. We’ve moved fast, but I’m not scared of a future with you. I never expected to be overwhelmed with emotion, but Fate knows what she’s doing.”

“She really does. Heath?”

“Yeah?”

“I need you to know that my move to D’Vaire is about you.

Yes, I adore this place. Your family is awesome, and I want to be friends with everybody.

But I’m here because you’re the other half of my soul.

My fire burns a little brighter. Despite the danger of that, I’ve never felt more in control of my element.

You give me that. You and your fiery beast. Flame to flame.

We’re meant to be. I guess what I’m saying is I really like you.

Adore you. I want an eternity with you.”

“I—”

Brinley laid his fingers over Heathcliff’s mouth. Fear made his arm tremble, but Brinley pushed it away. It wasn’t welcome. His heart was already won by the Brynewielm Duke, and he refused to be scared of his feelings or the speed at which they were building the foundation of their relationship.

“I hate to interrupt to you, and I’m sorry, but I need to be fully honest with you.

That’s what we like, you and me. We don’t play games, and we say what we think or feel.

So here it is, Heathcliff. I fucking love you.

Both sides of you. Your gorgeous elven self with this luscious purple skin and that shrieking fiery beast I really need to ride again soon. ”

Heathcliff narrowed his eyes and pulled Brinley’s hand from his face. “You could’ve let me say it first.”

“You still haven’t said it,” Brinley replied with a laugh.

“I love you too. But the words aren’t enough. I want promises. Most of all, my beast and I want to bite you. Will you have a mating ceremony here in the memorial garden with me?”

Brinley wept again, but this time it was pure joy. He was so overcome with happiness he needed a moment to find words. But he refused to keep Heathcliff waiting, so he nodded vigorously and hugged him tightly.

“We’ll have to figure out when it’ll work for everyone,” Heathcliff murmured.

“I want the entire extended family here to celebrate with us. They moved everything to attend the ceremony this week, so I don’t want to inconvenience them again.

They are usually free on the weekends, but I know that’s when you make the most money at the bar.

Hopefully you can get a Saturday off at some point.

Speaking of which, I don’t want to rush you out of here, but you’re going to be late if you don’t head home to get changed into your uniform soon. ”

“I don’t want to keep you or your phoenix waiting,” Brinley whispered as he clung to his other half.

It was just a job, and Brinley wanted to stop keeping his life in a holding pattern.

Without expenses, he’d run out of excuses.

He needed to figure out his path, and he desperately wanted to study tons of subjects.

Books and magic were a close second to the beautiful caring man in his arms. “I’m going to quit.

They’ll get my two-week notice tonight. We can be mated after that, okay?

You come first, and I need you to understand that. ”

“Only quit if that’s what you want.”

“I want to go to school.”

“Good, you’re intelligent and this world could use more sorcerers with a brain.”

Brinley laughed. “Agreed.”

“But you really need to get your ass out of here.”

“Can we start planning our matebond ceremony once I get home from work?”

Heathcliff bobbed his head. “Think about what kind of cake you want. That’ll be the Grand Warlock’s first question. Especially since the last ceremony didn’t have one, and he’s going to pout about that for months.”

“Okay, but at the top of my list is what position I’m going to be in when you sink your fangs into my neck. I need your purple dick deep inside me so I can get my second hoop.”

Brinley was kissed savagely, and he would’ve grinned if his mouth weren’t already busy.

Instead, he touched his tongue to Heathcliff’s and reveled in the passion so easily stoked between them.

It was incredible and frightening to think of the vast changes in his life and the ones yet to come, but Brinley was ready.

And although he could stand on his own two feet to face anything, he was thrilled to know he’d tackle his challenges with Heathcliff at his side.