Page 46 of Emerald Waves (Primordial Protectors #2)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Emerson

“Caro, hurry, come quick!” Calling through our mate bond probably would’ve been easier, but a panicked excitement had sat in, and words came out first.

“What is it?” He came running into our room and I pointed at the nest. “Is he?”

“Yes. Call Odem, we promised he could be here for it. Call all the brothers. Get my bestie too, please.”

Caro laughed. “This could take some time for Cade to fully emerge, my love, but I’ll reach out to everyone.”

I sat beside our egg and whispered words of encouragement. “Come on, little Cade, you can do it. Daddy and Papa are so excited to finally meet you.”

“And Uncle Odem too!” He announced as he claimed a seat beside the nest. “You’ve got this, sweet boy.”

One by one, the Denarius brothers filled the room. Caro sat beside me while the others formed a circle around us, Alex being front and center across from Caro and me. Each whispered encouraging words to our sweet boy, quietly cheering each time a new piece of egg fell to the blankets.

“I see you,” I smiled to the beautiful emerald eye that matched his Papa’s as it peeked out through the cracks. “Come out, come out and hug Daddy and Papa.” Cade’s giggles trickled out and filled the room with smiles.

“Silly boy,” Caro said as another chip fell.

So badly I wanted to reach out and finish the job for him so he could hurry up and get here. But I knew that wasn’t the way the process was meant to unfold. The dragonet had to free themselves and in their own time. But the excitement at finally meeting our son sure made it hard not to help.

A tiny claw slid through a crack, the eye we’d previously seen in awe as it watched the opening widen.

“You have quite the audience, dear nephew,” a smiling Ionus told him.

“Ooh, ooh,” Cade chirped.

“Maybe he’s part monkey,” Odem teased. “Are you a monkey boy, Cade?” More giggles erupted and another piece fell.

Quint, the quietest brother, was in awe. “This is by far the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed.” With each mate and offspring, the remaining brothers became more anxious waiting for their mates. “Thank you, for letting me, for letting us,” he gestured to the group, “be a part of this.”

Pride filled me at our choice to include the family in this monumental event.

I understood why Alex and Ionus hadn’t, being the first to not only go through this, but with having four do it at one time it was a lot to handle.

There was much uncertainty given the eons the brothers had waited, and initially it was better to be safe and limit the amount of bodies around the new dragonets until the comfort level with the process was there.

For Caro and me, we wanted to share this with them and I’m glad we did.

“We wouldn’t have it any other way, brother,” Caro assured him. “Oh, there’s another eye. I see two beautifully faceted emerald eyes.”

“Are you playing peek-a-boo with us, Cade?” Caro teased him. “Peek-a-boo, we want to see you.” Caro mimicked covering his eyes then removing one hand at a time. Cade’s happiness flowed through our connection and soon more chips fell.

“Dear Goddess,” Alex exclaimed. “Look at his gorgeous scales.”

Just as Cade’s egg was shaded, so was his dragonet form. Greens and teals and soon our boy burst forth, shell flying everywhere as he dove straight for his Papa. Tears streamed down Caro’s cheeks as he tightly held our baby boy.

“Welcome to the light, sweet boy,” I rubbed his head. “You will never be without love.”

Our happy little bundle of joy made grabby hands for Daddy next.

No dry eyes were to be found in this family as one by one our sweet boy met his family.

Tiny wings fluttered away as he giggled and nuzzled each smiling face.

Blessings were chanted and soon the dragonet shifted into his human baby form, though those bright emerald eyes shone through clear as day.

“I’ll get his bottle made.” Uncle Odem hopped up and ran downstairs as our little one started fussing. We weren’t at full blown screaming, yet, but little huffs of hunger were expressed. Through our connection he let us know what he needed, though he was too young to verbalize it yet.

Hungy.

Uncle Odem is getting your food, sweet boy.

Papa?

I’m right here.

Uncle Alex currently held our bundle of joy, though it was clear he wanted his Papa.

Hold.

Odem came in with the bottle right as Cade got his Papa back. As soon as Papa put the bottle to his lips, Cade started sucking.

Mate…

I know, my love. Our boy is enamored with you.

He loves you too, Daddy.

That much I know, but this bond between the two of you is beyond words and a beautiful sight to behold.

I just can’t believe he’s really here.

I reached over and wiped the tears from Caro’s face before they dampened our son.

Me too. The two of you are my world, my reason for waking up in the morning, my reason for continuing on. You were the light at the end of the dark tunnel and now with Cade, my world is brighter than it’s ever been.

With both of us in tears, through our smiles shone though, our brothers hugged us and shared more well wishes before they parted.

“Call me,” Odem shook his hand like a cell phone to his ear. Goddess I adored that smart ass.

“Thank you, Odem, for everything.”

“We’re brothers, Emerson, family, and in the Denarius clan family comes first. Love you guys. Peace out.”

Of course he turned a sweet moment into a funny one. My dear brother used humor to mask his pain, that I could see. I only wish I knew what troubled him.

Daddy and Papa snuggled Cade in the nest one last time.

Tonight, would be the first night since Christmas we’d sleep in our own bed, with Cade safely tucked into his bassinet along my side of the bed.

The nest had become our cozy nook, but now it was time for Cade’s parents to share their bed once again.

“That was a whirlwind day.” My head was still reeling after the influx of guests.

Raven and her coven performed a blessing that was beyond moving.

Gifts covered the dining room table. It was the most amazing time.

Even Larkin stopped by with well wishes and hugs for his Grandson.

I loved that he called himself that. I wanted Cade to have it all, grandparent included.

“True dat!”

“Hmm, maybe hanging around Uncle Odem isn’t in your Papa’s best interests,” I smiled as I said the words to Cade while bouncing him on my hip. “Now he’s talking like a wanna be cool kid.”

“Hey, I am a cool kid.”

“Hey, you’re a, wait, how old are you exactly?” I shook my head. “Never mind, we’ll stick with a thousand. You’re a thousand-year-old dragon. Papa’s silly.”

Cade’s eyes bobbed back and forth between Caro and I. His smile widened as ours did, clearly feeding from our emotions.

“Damn,” Caro strutted across the room, turning here and there, posing for the non-existent camera. “I look good for my age.”

“Lordy, lordy, lordy,” I rolled my eyes, “Cade, your Papa has lost his mind.”

“What,” Caro sidled up to me. “You don’t think I’m hot?” He breathed the word out along with a plume of smoke.

“You know I do, and when you’re silly it makes you even hotter.” I threw in a little smoke effect of my own. “I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to see what everyone brought for Cade. Shall we?”

With a flourish of hands, hands the size of my head mind you, my silly mate announced, “After you, kind sir.”

Who knew Caro had a funny bone in him? So many wonderful, new facets to my adoring mate had broken through his gruff exterior over the months, and I freaking loved it.

“Well,” we’d just opened the last package. “We have enough diapers and wipes to last a lifetime.” I had a feeling that wasn’t how this worked, but Caro’s point came across. “I wonder why there weren’t many cute little outfits included.”

I thought about that for a minute then realized something. “If Cade, Goddess help us all, is anything like the twins, he’ll be burning holes in them right and left.”

“Huh, hadn’t thought of that. Plus, Alex and Ionus’ dragonets keep sprouting dragon parts at random times. I thought they weren’t supposed to shift until their teens?”

“I think we need to consider that protector offspring may differ from the norm. Take Cade, for instance. It was like he already knew who everyone was and wanted to put their voices to the images in his head. One by one he went to our brothers to be held. I’m curious to see what his affinity is.”

“Same, Em. I have a feeling that the Goddess herself has her pulse on the Denarius Clan. Big things are coming our way. I can feel it in my bones.”

Fingers crossed her plan came with a positive outcome.

“How is it you not only get knocked up with one egg but that right from the first day Cade sleeps through the night?” My very exhausted best friend groused over the cup of coffee I’d just made for him.

“I’d have given a kidney for the twins to sleep through at least one night, let alone what, two months of them now? ”

I shrugged, smug as hell that our son was near angelic. “My bad?” Jesus, Caro and Odem were rubbing off on me. I mean, who says that? My bad? What does it even mean? “Caro has a theory that the Goddess if gifting our children with different affinities and gifts for what lays ahead.”

“Hmm, that’s interesting. Griffin is a strong protector, and Luna has a gentle calmness about her, almost as though she can see what ails you, and heals it. Too bad she can’t figure out the twins. If they send one more of her tutu’s up in flames, I’m gonna lose my shit.”

“Ha-ha, poor girl, and the only one too. Maybe whichever brother is next will bring her some feminine playmates.”

“Fingers crossed. But the twins, don’t get me wrong, I love all four of my children more than life itself, but with my little firebugs I’m just not sure what to think. Odem swears they’ll soon learn to control it, but why are they so wild?”

“Balance,” Caro replied as he came into the kitchen.

“It’s all about balance. In war there will always be those who carefully plan their next move and others who dive right in.

Neither method is right or wrong, but they’re created to balance each other out.

While those who have no fear distract the enemy, those who plan their attacks move in for the kill. See, balance.”

“Holy shit, I never thought of it that way! It totally makes sense that with us having four there would need to be balance.” Alex sighed and glanced upward. “But Goddess, could you take it down a notch, or twenty, with Kane and Hunter? Please?”

Our laughter was quickly silenced when in came Ionus, followed by Odem, Mattias and Quint. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your company, sirs?” Caro asked them.

“Didn’t Larkin reach out to you?” Ionus asked us. “He sent a text in the group chat stating he was on his way over and to meet him here.”

“That’s odd.” I dug my phone out. “Shoot, he did, but I had it on silent.”

“Mine was in the office,” Caro left to grab his. “Yes, he did. I wonder what’s going on.”

Caro and I cleaned up the kitchen while the uncles played pass around the baby until Larkin arrived.

“Afternoon, all. I wish I were here to visit with the family, but I’m on official police business today.” Mattias handed Cade back to me. “I’m here to report that the prisoners have escaped.”

“What? How is that even possible?” Ionus demanded. “Those cells were built to hold dragons.”

“I believe we had an insider. It appears Marge has gone missing too.”

Gone missing or was she our… “She’s the insider,” I blurted.

“Well, we don’t want to jump to any conclusions,” Larkin chimed in, always thinking the best but I knew.

“No. This time I’m siding with my gut. Marge is our snake.”