Page 10 of The Ruby Dragon’s Unconventional Mate (Oro Escondido #3)

Chapter

Ten

L ars! Brother, I need you!

Lars was up and flying in seconds, not even bothering to dress, his brother’s cry like a bolt of lightning. Two minutes. Dakota?

He’s hurting. Bleeding. The midwife is on her way. The twins are screaming.

He landed with a thud and shifted as he hurried in, Simon tossing him a robe. He threw it on and headed into the twins’ bedroom. “Hey, little ones.”

“Da!” Ari wailed, and Lars went right to the cribs.

“Hey, sweet girls. It’s all right. Da will be okay. Uncle Lars is here to help.”

Simon had raced back to help with Dakota, presumably, and he grabbed the twins, one on each hip as he crooned to them.

Lars? What is it? Byran’s mental voice was strong and alert.

Dakota’s having trouble. The twins are in hysterics.

I’ll come help any way I can.

Lachlan…

He’ll be fine. Bryant’s voice faded out, and he had a feeling his alpha was flying to him. Just like he had to Bryant when Lachlan fell.

Mari sobbed, inconsolable. “Da! Da! Da!”

“Shh. You’re just fine. Your da is just fine.”

“I brought some bottles of juice.” Simon put a tray down on the table just inside the door. “And some little cookies.”

“Thanks, Simon. Go be with Logan.”

“I will.”

“Oh, I think Bryant is on his way. Can I tell him to let himself in?”

“Absolutely.” Simon glanced at him, offered him a quick smile. “He’s welcome?”

Lars nodded, knowing he was blushing. “He is. He loves Logan dearly, you know that.”

“I think he has a fondness for you too.” Simon winked, then headed out. “I need to take some towels.”

“Let’s go meet Bryant, hmm? Come on, wees. We’ll each grab a juice.” Sucking would soothe these two, even if they weren’t bottle-fed anymore.

“Da?”

“Da’s having the new babies. We’re going to have a slumber party together. We’re going to make a big bed in the living room and snuggle and watch cartoons!” And Dakota was going to be fine, dammit.

“Papa.” That was Ari, wanting Logan. Lord.

He smiled and bounced. “Is helping Da.”

A knock sounded, and he went to answer the door, thanking the heavens that Bryant had brought sweats, apparently, because he was dressed.

“Did someone say party? I know how to make pancakes.”

“Cakies?”

“Oh, do you two like pancakes?” Thank you. They’re panicked. Dakota’s having trouble.

“Cakies!” Ari bounced, and her juice went flying, but Bryant caught it.

“Sometimes, we just need cakies and movies and pillows.” Bryant beamed, but he gave Lars a searching look.

The midwife is here. Simon and Logan are with him . “I think that sounds like so much fun!”

Okay. Okay, good. Lachlan wondered if it would be okay to drive over with Jarrel and bring some fun stuff and some clothes for me. He won’t stay long, but it might be a nice thing for the kids.

Please. He’s welcome here, and I don’t even have clothes on. He needed for Dakota to be all right, for these girls, for Logan.

I know. Bryant looked at the gap in his robe, up at the top of his chest. Pointedly. “Okay, let’s go, kitchen warriors. To the kitchen! March!”

“Mars!” the girls cheered. “MARS!”

Oh, that was well done. So, Lars followed along, carrying two kids and one juice, the other still clutched in Bryant’s hand. The kids had little chairs in there he could corral them in. Or the Pack ’N Play.

The girls sat together, watching them as they had their bottles.

“Thank you for coming.”

“I heard you fly.” Bryant started peeking in cabinets. “I wanted to help. And not just because you helped us, but that’s part of it, right? It’s what we do.”

“Yes. It’s our calling.” He took a quick hug. “I’m glad you’re here. This is unexpected.”

Bryant held him for a moment, making the little ones giggle. Then he smacked a kiss on each of their faces, his included.

Ari smooched him back while Mari giggled.

“Such sweet girls. I’m so glad I can spend the night with you.”

Bryant was charming his brother’s kids like there was no tomorrow. For a guy who said he had no experience with kids, it was pretty amazing.

Of course, he’d known them from the very beginning, the very day they were born. That made for some grand memories, he supposed. He chuckled. Surely he wasn’t jealous.

No. But he was seeing a side of Bryant he hadn’t before, and it was eye-opening. So he had to just take it all in.

If they were going to be friends, if they were going to be colleagues—they had to re-learn each other. He liked that Bryant was willing to throw himself into helping, and that he’d heard Lars’s worry.

Bryant began to make pancake batter, and by the time the first set was done, Lachlan was landing outside on the patio, having decided not to drive.

“Hey, you two. Look! It’s Bryant’s twin. They’re twins too.”

The girls stared at Lachlan, then at each other.

About the time Lars began to worry, Ari held her hands up to Lachlan to be held.

Lachlan came to her and picked her up, smiling down at her. “Hello, little one. What is your name?”

“Ari! Dis Mari!” She waved toward her sister. “Da have baby.”

“Yes, I heard. My brother told me. I brought a bag with some things for you two. Shall we see them after the pancakes?”

Bryant was smiling at his brother, looking so pleased that he was here.

“Cakies.”

We have our first son. Dakota is doing well.

Oh, thank the goddess. His knees buckled. “We have one little boy so far.”

“Yay!” Bryant put pancakes on a plate. “I’ll let you divvy those up, Uncle Lars.”

A knock sounded at the door, and Lachlan took Ari with him to let in Jake, Gwenyth, Grant, and Samuel. Jake sniffed. “Pancakes?”

“Yes. Do we need enough for Bea and her family?”

“She’s watching the wards. I’m on call. We all wanted to be together.” Jake nodded to Bryant.

Samuel stared at Lars. “Dakota?”

“One little boy so far. He’s well.”

Bryant grinned. “Well, I’ll make plenty.” He winked at Lars, who bit back a chuckle.

“Grant! Dis Lachy! Hims good.”

Grant frowned at Lachlan. “We was sleepin’…”

“Oh, were you all asleep?” Lars moved to kiss Grant’s nose. “But Uncle Dakota is having his babies, love.”

Grant sighed. “Mores babies? Why?”

“More friends. More family. More love,” he answered, taking Grant to snuggle. “We made a pillow fort for our slumber party. Want to come lie down?”

“Yes.” Grant’s lip quivered.

“Then come on.”

“I’ll take over plating,” Lachlan said.

Samuel followed with the baby. “When did they come?”

“Bryant was here before I got the girls down here. Lachlan was ten minutes behind. Poor Logan was so scared.” He settled Grant on one of the huge floor pillows, covering him with a blanket and patting his back.

Grant hiccupped, but then he was asleep, his body going lax. He did everything with such enthusiasm. Even sleep.

“Wow. Well, I guess they were returning the favor.”

“I think so.” He leaned against Samuel. “We’re both trying to find a new path, you know?”

“Hmmm.” Samuel pursed his lips, studying him a moment. “Okay. Well, be careful.”

“I am, but he’s here, you know? They both are.” He smiled at Samuel. “Thank you for being my fierce defender.”

“Hey, you’re my bestie.” Samuel put the baby down too, corralling her in with pillows on her blanket but not so close she could get under one. She slept on, just out of it.

“Same with you.” He hugged Samuel hard. “I love you, crazy dragon.”

“I love you, earth papa. Now, those pancakes smell good…”

“You two go eat.” Jake came in holding a plate. “I have mine, and I’ll watch them.”

“They’re sound asleep.” He handed over the remote with a smile.

“Yeah. Grant was a wee bit grumpy. Bryant said he’d make extra stuff to warm up later. He’s a pancake-making machine.”

“I’m going to get some for myself, and?—”

Baby two. Another boy.

Are they healthy? Is Kota okay? Is he done?

I think he’s done. I hope he is. Logan sounded a little panicked actually.

Do you need anything?

No. No. We’re okay. Simon has it. Can you just keep the girls busy?

Bryant is making pancakes.

Oh, wow.

Yeah. Tell Kota I love him.

I will. I’ll be down to show them off as soon as I can.

I believe you. He grinned, heading in with Samuel. “We have two boys.”

“Cool!” Bryant flipped another pancake, and Lachlan had both the girls now, his wings partially spread now as he danced around the kitchen.

They were curled into Lachlan’s arms, their expressions blissful and focused.

Someone’s in love, he teased Bryant.

I think so too. He’s just — He’s been afraid he would scare kids. So this is such a good thing for him. Thank you.

Those babies aren’t scared. They are absolutely overjoyed. “The pancakes smell amazing.”

“Thanks, love. Get you a plate, and I’ll give you some warm ones. The girls each gnawed one, and are now waiting on bacons.”

“I knew I smelled bacon…”

“Do you two like bacon?”

“BACS!” they roared together.

“I guess so,” Bryant murmured. “They’re such little dragons.”

“Dwaaaaagons.” Ari chomped her wee teeth.

“Anyway, it’s in the oven,” Bryant said.

Lachlan chuckled. “There will be lots.”

“What can I do to help?” He grabbed plates from the cabinet and put them on the counter.

“You can make up a plate for you and Samuel, and one for Lach if you don’t mind. He’ll need to eat to keep up his energy, and he’s really busy right now becoming a wing guardian uncle…” Bryant winked at him and Samuel, and if he had a moustache, he’d be twirling it.

Lars cracked up. “I’m on it.”

Lachlan seemed overjoyed, the twins even happier to have someone’s complete attention, to be cradled in Lachlan’s arms and wings. They clearly felt safe with him, and Lachlan’s smile shone with happiness, his platinum scales glinting.

He seems really happy.

He does. Is. This was a good idea. Bryant’s gaze seemed satisfied, more settled than he’d seen it since Lachlan had been attacked.

He was a wealth of good ideas. He almost said that out loud, but then he remembered that he hadn’t been the one with the idea to bring Lachlan here. He wasn’t sure if that credit went to Lachlan or Bryant, to be honest.