Monday, December 25th, 2017, 7:00am
Rei's POV
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"
My eyes open blearily as Chase's voice. I hear his footsteps running down the hall and downstairs.
I groan and sit up even though I want to roll over and go back to sleep. I won't get anymore sleep: the twins are up and wanting to open presents (we brought them along with us from our house), and soon Killian and Zaine will be up and excited too.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand up, stretching with a yawn. I quickly go to the bathroom and run through my morning routine before I head out of my bedroom and into the hall, still wearing my pale aqua fuzzy-as-hell pajamas. Zaine and Killian are standing outside Clove's door, both of them knocking loudly.
"Hurry up, Strange!" Zaine shouts, his brass ring catching the light and reflecting it onto the wall. "It's Christmas!"
"And I'm tired!" Clove shouts back.
"And we don't care!" Killian replies. "Now get your lazy butt up!"
I walk over to them. "Lemme try," I say. The two boys step aside, watching me. I knock on the door loudly, "Strange, if I have to suffer with no sleep, I'm making you suffer with me!"
I hear Clove groan. "Fine. Only because us girls need to stick together."
"Are you saying you would abandon me if I got captured?" Killian asks, acting offended.
"Maybe," Clove replies as she opens the door. "Come on. I call dibs on the couch."
We all head downstairs. In the living room, we find the twins searching through the pile of gifts we stacked on the coffee table last night since there's no Christmas tree. We sort through the presents, making six smaller piles of each person's presents.
Once everyone has their pile of gifts, we all sit around the room. Killian and Zaine sit together on the love seat, Clove lies down on the couch, Chase and Rhea share one of the cushioned armchairs and I sit on the other.
"So who's first?" Rhea asks.
"Me!" Zaine says, grinning.
"How 'bout we take turns?" Clove suggests. "Like last year."
We all agree. The twins are the first to open a gift. Chase picks the one from Rhea, while Rhea chooses the one from Chase. From his twin, Chase got a set of toy race cars, while Rhea got a brown haired doll named Melody. I smile as they hug each other tightly in thanks.
Next is Zaine's turn and he picks the present from Clove, which turns out to be a white shirt with the words: My job is top secret. Even I don't know what I'm doing.
Zaine grins, "Perfect. Nice choice, Strange." He takes off his pajama shirt and puts on the new shirt, that grin never leaving his lips. "I love it. Thanks."
"You're welcome," Clove replies, lying on her stomach. "I knew you would, Spy-kid."
Killian opens next. He chooses the gift he got from me, a set of Pantera claws.
"You're welcome," Clove replies, lying on her stomach. "I knew you would, Spy-kid."
Killian opens next. He chooses the gift he got from me, a set of Pantera claws.
"Damn," he says softly, taking one out of the box I wrapped them in and sliding his fingers into the holes, looking at the blades. "Awesome. I know what I'm using next time we go on an attack."
"Glad you like them," I say, smiling.
Killian shoots me a grin. "I love them. Thanks, Reina."
"You're welcome."
Clove is up next. Opening the gift from Killian, she finds a set of 20 sharp throwing knives. She loves using throwing knives on attacks.
(Because they aren't werewolves, we found other ways to give them an edge in attacks. Most packs and covens aren't prepared to fight against weapons, only their own kind, meaning teeth and claws or magic. Clove uses knives, Killian likes knuckle dusters with knives attached and Zaine favors a spiked baseball bat (I think he's a little psychopathic). All of us know how to shoot a gun and pretty much never miss too. Weapons aren't used all the time, just for harder attacks.
Anyway, back to the gift opening.)
"Nice," Clove says. "I needed more too. Thanks bro."
Killian grins. "Now will you save me if I get captured?"
Clove pretends to think of a few seconds before nodding. "Of course. And besides, if we did abandon you, Changeling would give us heck then go after your sorry butt."
Chase nods, agreeing with Clove. Zaine grins and nods too, resting his head on Killian's shoulder.
Lastly, my turn and I choose the present I got from Zaine. Tearing off the snowflake wrapping paper, my jaw drops, seeing the image on the box. Bluetooth headphones with cat ears and lights.
"I take it you like 'em," Zaine says.
"I love them!" I reply. I set the box beside me and lunge at Zaine, wrapping my arms around him tightly. "Thank you!"
Zaine laughs and hugs me back. "You're welcome, Reina."
I release him and return to my seat, starting to open the headphone box. Once I get everything out of the box and quick glance over the instructions, I take the charger and plug in the headphones to let them charge.
We continue taking turns opening presents. It takes a while but soon everything is opened and wrapping paper is all over the floor.
Now, after cleaning up and throwing the wrapping paper away, Chase is playing with his new race cars and Rhea is dressing up her new doll Melody. Killian is looking over the Call of Duty game he got for the Xbox back at our house and Clove is tossing one of the throwing knives up and catching it again. I'm skimming through a book I got, Find You in the Dark by Nathan Ripley.
We're gonna head over to the pack house when Zaine is done having fun trying out the claws I got Killian, slashing them through the air and being careful to not hit anything or anyone
There's a knock on the door.
"Hello," Asher's voice sings to the tune of Adele's Hello. "It's me. I was wondering if you like to join us at the pack house. To play games and stuff. They say that Christmas is a time to spend with family. So why the heck haven't you already joined us?"
Zaine starts laughing and sings back. "Hello? Can you hear me? I'm in here dreaming about what I love to be. When we were wild and free. Imagining how it feels when the world falls at my feet. There's such a barrier between us. So now come on in."
"Hello from the other side," Rhea sings loudly.
I hear Asher laugh as he opens the door, stepping inside.
Raiden comes in after him, smiling. "Hey guys. Merry Christmas."
"Feliz Navidad," Killian replies, grinning.
"Joyeux Nöel," Zaine adds.
"Now, why haven't you meanies not joined us already?" Asher asks, pouting.
Chase and Rhea both point at the black haired warlock, which prompts all of us to look at him.
"What?" Zaine says. "The claws are fun to use." A knife flies past Zaine's head, close enough to rustle his hair and freezing midair as Clove uses her power to keep it from embedding itself into the wall. "Geez Strange, give a little warning next time you wanna use me for aiming practice."
"What?" Clove says innocently, using her power to make the throwing knife fly back to her hand. "My knives are fun to use."
"Hit him and I'll hit you," Killian says, throwing Clove a glare but knowing she's good enough at throwing to not hit anything she doesn't intend to.
"What's happening?" Asher asks in a stage whisper to me.
"Just a daily occurrence," I reply. "We would've come over earlier but Zaine wanted to try out the Pantera claws I got for Killian."
"And why claws for a gift?" Raiden asks.
"'Cause he likes using knuckle dusters on attacks," Clove says. "I like throwing knives and the shape shifting psychopath over there likes spiked baseball bats."
Zaine grins. "They're easy to use. All you have to do is swing."
"Psychopath," I sing jokingly.
Zaine sticks his tongue out at me. "Takes one to know one, Reina."
I grin and nod. "Come on, let's go. I wanna have fun beating Raiden in The Game Of Life again."
"I still think you cheated," Raiden says, shooting me a playful glare.
"I did not," I reply. "You're just mad that you couldn't win. At all."
Raiden huffs. "I let you win."
"Sure you did bro," I say sarcastically. "Sure you did."
Asher chuckles. "Let's go, losers."
"I take offence to that!" Killian says dramatically. "I'm gay and therefore not at loser. The rest of you straight people are."
"I'm not a loser!" Chase says indignantly.
"No one's a loser except Raiden at board games, now let's go already!" Clove huffs.
We all laugh and start getting our coats and boots on. Zaine sets the pantera claws back into the box I had wrapped them in and Clove puts the knife in her hand away with the others.
Chase brings some of his cars and Rhea brings her doll with us to the pack house. We find the place a lot emptier than usual. Most people, including Scott and Dean, will be at a relative's house for Christmas. Dad and Carrie are here at the pack house, in the game room setting up a game of cribbage on one of the tables. Both of them look over as we walk into the room.
"About time you got here," Dad says with a smile. "We were beginning to think you six wouldn't show up so we sent Raiden and Asher to find you."
"We would've come over sooner," I reply. "Changeling over here was playing with one of Killian's gifts."
"Well, it's good that you're here now," Carrie says.
"So what game should we play first?" Raiden asks.
"Hey, I found Monopoly Cheaters Edition!" Killian says happily.
I look over and see him and Zaine looking through the games cabinet along the wall.
Clove's expression brightens and she grins. "You're going down, Flash."
"And so are you, Strange," Zaine chimes in.
"I won last time," Killian says.
"But you won't win this time," Clove retorts.
"Oh god," I mutter softly.
"What is it?" Asher whispers to me.
"Those three go all out in that game," I reply quietly. I watch as Clove gives Raiden a quick kiss before joining the two warlocks in setting up the game. "Tricks and that. Flash enhances his speed to quick swipe money from the bank, Clove uses her telekinesis and Zaine has quick, nimble fingers. It's a little chaotic."
Asher smirks, understanding what I mean. "I bet."
"Reina." Chase taps my arm to get my attention, Rhea standing beside him. "Can we play life?"
"Sure," I reply, knowing he means The Game of Life. "Asher, Raiden, what are you two playing?"
"What do you think?" Raiden replies, grinning. "I'm taking you on in Game of Life."
"And I'll join in cheating monopoly," Asher adds, shooting a grin towards Clove, Killian and Zaine.
Zaine notices Asher's look and grins back, a challenging glint in his eyes.
I chuckle. "Have fun."
Asher grins and plants a quick, light kiss on my cheek before heading over to the monopoly table. I smile and shake my head, my fingers coming up to lightly brush the place his lips met my skin.
I turn towards Raiden and the twins, who are getting The Game of Life set up. When I know the three older Royals can't see my eyes, I use my power to form a temporary mind-link between Asher and I.
Flash steals from the bank when no one is looking, I say. Strange tries to rearrange the houses on the board and Changeling is the wild card, he tries something different every time. He's quick and stealthy though so expect something with skills based on that.
Thanks Rei, Asher replies, sending me a mental grin. Have fun with Denny.
I will, I say, sending him a grin of my own. Good luck... Ceniza.
Ash in Spanish? Really? Asher chuckles.
Yep, I reply. I like it, so it's sticking. You should be happy, I don't give nicknames to just anyone.
Well, I'm happy I'm not 'just anyone' to you, Asher says. I hope you see me better than I was before.
I hesitate slightly, before replying, I do see you better.
I can tell that Asher smiles. Good.
"Ready, Rei?" Raiden says, drawing me back to reality.
I grin and nod. "Ready to lose?"
Raiden scoffs. "You're going down, sis."
"You're both gonna lose," Chase pipes up.
Raiden and I look at each other and laugh.
I grin. "Game on."