Chapter One Hundred and Ninety One
"Kids! Stop running around in the rain!" Diana scolded from her spot under the huge umbrella sheltering Sebastian's portable grill from the tumultuous downpour. "You're gonna get sick!"
"No, we won't!" Nikki called, laughing as she chased my squealing grandnephew around the massive grounds through the mud and rain. "I'ma get you, Ralphie!"
"NO!" the child screeched, running like the little dynamo he was.
I watched them for a few seconds, then turned my attention on Tiffany and Woody who were clustered together with Jak and every single one of the werewolves from Derkshire.
Everyone had come back in the middle of setting up the cookout. It was a strange realization, knowing that large groups of werewolves and genie dragons were just sitting on the front porch and mingling with regular every day humans.
I eyed the laughing people who were eagerly chatting it up.
Despite being muffled under the heavy rain I could hear excited banter about the double wedding, food, clothes, and our future honeymoons. Agatha was talking to Tiffany about the struggles of motherhood and giving her tips. Woody was just as attentive as the blonde, holding her close with wide, unblinking green eyes.
I smiled, then turned my attention to Horst, who was sitting near the corner of the porch with Erika and Kip. All three of them were playing handheld games and looked surprisingly focused.
At least they're getting along, I mused, leaning back on my chair with a yawn. I blinked the watery sheen away and turned my attention on my fiance and my nephew, who were both flipping burgers underneath oversized beach umbrellas to shield the food from the rain.
"Whoa, are those water balloons?!" Nikki suddenly gushed, and I turned to see her staring at Richard and Leo, who were both shirtless and shoe-less and laden with colorful balloons filled with liquid. They looked ready to have a good time, clad only in those soaked jeans.
"Bet your sweet ass!" the former howled, trotting over. "You ready to have a fight, little girl?"
"Dick, I'm going to kill you if you get me wet," Sebastian dryly pointed out, but the bald man merely shook the water from his white-streaked black beard and grinned.
"If you don't want to get wet, keep your eyes open!" he called back. "I'm not gonna hold back."
Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Yeah, let me know how that argument goes over when I'm flaying your ass."
Richard merely snorted, then set all but one of his balloons down. He tossed the jiggling projectile a few times and I watched with raised brows as he turned his eyes on Jak, who was minding his own business with his boys and Feng-Feng and Rak and their four sons.
I sucked my lips into my mouth when he drew back as if he were about to pitch a baseball, and then with a snap of his wrist he threw the balloon and it blurred faster than I could see it.
All I heard was a loud splat and there were gasps and a vulgar curse.
"Who the fuck threw that?!" Jak bellowed, and I fought a laugh since the back of his head and his dark grey t-shirt were completely soaked through. His eyes landed on Richard, who grinned like a feral animal and made a 'bring it' motion with his fingers.
"Come on, you snarky bastard!" he mockingly hooted, puffing his chest. "Fight me!
"I'm gonna kill you, mon!" Jak bellowed, vanishing over the porch. I giggled when I saw him come back into view, dripping wet, running after Leo and Richard with an armful of water balloons and murder in his eyes. Nikki got involved and even Ralph threw a few balloons, but when he turned his attention on them they started laughing so hard they could barely run.
"Calm down, Jak, they're only children," Diana lazily called.
There was a pause.
"Fuck you, Sebastian!" Jak yelled back, and I shook my head, finally getting up.
"The fuck did I do? I didn't say shit!"
"Exactly!"
"Hey, be nice, there are in fact children present!" I called, and Sebastian turned to watch me as I trotted down the steps and hurriedly hobbled through the rain towards where he was cooking everything on the grill. "Hi, Babe, do you want help?"
"You can assist if you wish, Beloved," he said, flashing me a small grin. "Grab the sausages out of the bag and set them on the tray beside the grip for me so I can cook them. It's almost ready."
"Awesome." I bent over, damp hair sliding across the pink fabric of my shirt as I snagged the meat and set it on the metal sheet next to the grill with an exaggerated groan. "From the sound of things, Cassidy is chopping up some stuff for the burgers and a few of the Derkshires are helping to scrounge up some chips, salads, and drinks."
"Good," he grunted, hooking his arm around my neck and pulling me into a one-armed hug. "You want to join the water balloon fight?"
I grinned and patted his chest. "Nah, I'm good right here."
As I was saying it, the muscle-chub, Buck, came out with Green Mohawk man, Donny, and both of them were dragging open coolers full of what of looked like soda and beer.
"Where do you want these?" the big man demanded, speaking to Diana. "Oi! I'm getting wet!"
"To the left," she chimed, gesturing with her leg as she flipped a patty. "Right here."
"Got it," Buck grunted, easily carrying the cooler over with Donny right behind him.
"How long do we have before the meat's ready?" the lanky guy asked as he was setting his own cooler down, ruffling his spiky neon hair. Sebastian eyed the pile of burgers.
"About fifteen, twenty minutes," he growled, massaging the meat with his spatula. "On this end."
"Roughly the same over here," Diana hummed in a sing-song tone, and I smiled when the guys' eyes took on a happy gleam.
"Excellent," Buck tittered, belly jiggling as he headed towards the porch. "I'll be mingling with the others until then."
I heard a shriek from the other side of the yard and looked over to see Nikki riding on Richard's shoulders and pelting anyone who came near them with water balloons. Leo and Jak darted away, cursing up a blue streak with my squealing nephew between them.
"They sound like they're having fun," Sebastian noted, and I nodded, leaning into his warmth.
"They've needed this sort of fun for a while," I agreed, closing my eyes and just breathing in the relaxing air. "I'm glad. This is the life I'd love to experience every single night. All of us just having a good time and talking... no fighting, just playing or working."
He rubbed my arm.
For the longest time, all I heard was the sibilant hiss of frying meat and the warm winter rain.
"You're a good enough influence," he finally decided to say, "that it might just be a possibility. I can also admit that I'll likely become a homebody outside of work once we're married. I can be the man I should have been to my family... I won't leave them, or you, for months ever again."
I shook my head, fighting a smile, and helped him unload the grill onto the plates and slap more burger meat with bratwurst onto it. The sizzle and smoke filled the nighttime air and I was happy just watching to see when the burgers would be ready for everyone to eat.
I was so enthralled with my contentment that I almost didn't notice the knife.
I blinked, then gasped as he dragged it over his palm and turned the gaping injury across several of the patties. I snatched his shirt and watched, hating the sight of his blood raining from his perfect skin but also salivating because I could smell it, as well as the changes in the food.
I had to swallow after a second.
Sebastian's dark eyes flitted to look down at me and he smirked. "I can't have you missing out. Even if its only a few, I want you to be included."
"Isn't it too soon?" I asked, startled.
"You didn't eat more than a mouthful of food during Christmas," he reminded me, and I sighed, nodding in agreement. "You're safe as long as you have some in moderation. I don't want you needing a hospital visit to have your stomach pumped."
"Please don't say things like that where I can hear," Tobias groaned, walking over and digging a beer out of the cooler. He looked forlornly at the grill. "There's not even a little bacon?"
"Nope," Bash deadpanned, smacking the patties. "Just beef."
"Bah, I'll take it," my nephew grumped, then drew very close to my mate's face and stared into his eyes for much longer than he would normally permit. It was a challenge if ever I saw one, but it was also an examination of a different sort. Sebastian remained completely still and stared right back, unblinking, turning as he permitted the man to look his fill.
When it was over, the man reached up with a single hand and patted Sebastian's arm. "You take care of him or I'll cut your dick off and make you choke on it."
Sebastian's mouth quirked into something hinting at amusement. "How often are we going to have this conversation?"
"As many times as it takes," Tobias tartly retorted, raising his beer, but to be honest I'd never been so certain of the sincerity of a threat before. He reminded me of Kimberly and the way she'd acted towards William and even Jehan when I'd first introduced her. Sebastian nodded his agreement without hesitation.
"I'll take care of him," he allowed, "but you're going to have to sit down and talk with me at some point about your family's future as well."
"I know," Tobias grunted, and I glanced between them alertly. More burgers were flipped. I stayed quiet as my nephew observed his hands and how he handled the meat, attention drifting elsewhere. "Do you ever want to be just a normal man?"
Sebastian's hands instantly went shockingly still, mid-flip.
"No," he said in a very quiet, very gentle tone. "I don't."
I felt an itch between my shoulder blades at the tone he was using. I didn't even need to see his face to know that the question had caught him off guard.
"I mean, obviously you can't, but if there were a cure for lycanthropy, would you take it?" my nephew pressed, making me stare at him. "If it meant there were no more bastards trying to kill you, no more shifting into animals and, you know, the supernatural stuff?"
Sebastian twisted to stare at him as well.
Admittedly, those thoughts had crossed my mind over the years far more than a few times, but upon thinking about it myself now, I had no answer that felt correct. I, personally, should have wanted to go back, be normal, but somehow my lifestyle had... grown on me, oddly enough.
I was, for better or worse, immortal aside from things like illness and injury. I had already outlived my normal lifetime, I couldn't just go back and continue where I left off. I'd already had that opportunity once, had been given the choice to relive my life with my family.
"Would you ask a gay man if he wanted to change, be normal?" Sebastian finally growled, sounding insulted, but Tobias simply rolled his eyes.
"That's not the same thing," he droned, waving a hand. "You can't catch gay from being bitten."
Sebastian's glower turned into a smirk and there was something wicked there, something that made me want to bite my tongue. "I think that would depend on who does the biting."
"Ugh, babe!" I scolded, swatting his arm. "You're terrible!"
"I know, but that's why you crave me," he purred, bobbing his eyebrows. "I don't need to nibble on you since you're already as gay as they come."
"Oh my god, seriously, stop trying to make jokes, it hurts me in my soul," I groaned, but his booming belly laughter made everything a little bit better. We stood there in silence, the three of us, listening to the rainfall and the laughter and squeals and hissing food. Then, Sebastian turned and looked out at his house, at the pillars and beautiful grounds.
He slowly raised his eyes higher and looked up at the night sky, face cast in shadow.
"Sometimes," he uttered, irises flaring up and glittering amber. "When I was still new to this world... and then, with Jasper, I wanted to be anything but myself. To be like him would have made things easier, especially on me. To be human again would have... been a blessing."
"So, you wouldn't give up what you are?" Tobias asked, studying him. "Do you like yourself?"
"No, I don't," Sebastian said with a shocking amount of ease, but his face was stern as he lowly added, "but that is simply because I feel unworthy of having someone as good as Aerin by my side. I have blood on my hands. Scars on my body from countless scenarios. I am by no means perfect... but Aerin put it best."
My nephew raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"What I am doesn't dictate who I am," my man proudly reiterated, eyes darkening. "I would rather be a lycanthrope over a human being any day of the year... because it is only through things being how they are right now that we can all stand here, together. Me being the way I am is also why I can appreciate and adore Aerin's acceptance of my... wolfish tendencies."
He said it like it explained everything, said it like a challenge. But I understood, I knew what it was like to remember so much about someone who made it clear every day that you weren't perfect, that pieces of you were broken, that you were unattractive because of things out of your control... it was impossible to describe that level of residual emotion with just words.
Silence from Tobias, again. Just a knowing stare and more sipping of the alcohol.
"We'll talk more about werewolves later," he eventually murmured, glancing at me. "I'd like to sit down and have some serious conversations about the future and all its possibilities, but I feel like it can wait until after you two are happily married. We still have our own lives, after all."
"If you're thinking about becoming a werewolf," I said, and his eyes snapped to me, startled, "you'll have to think about it carefully, because if Ralph, Agatha, Nikki, or even Erika don't want to... if they want to stay human... you will one hundred percent, without a doubt, outlive them."
His face changed and I could see wheels turning as he nodded. "Good point. I'll keep that in mind. For now, I'm gonna head off and check on the wife. Call us when the burgers are done."
"You get first dibs," Sebastian chuckled, then patted my butt. "Beloved, could you head inside and start grabbing plates, dressings, and some forks?"
"Sure," I said, beaming. "Happy to help!"
I hugged him once, then hunched my shoulders and headed out into the rain, bare feet squishing numbly against the wet grass as I quickly waddled my way over to the stairs and climbed them, dodging a stray water balloon as I went.
"Hey, Aerin!" Tiffany called, and I paused before the door, leaning back to look at her; she was grinning, leaning against Woody, and both of them had their hands together, fingers curled together to make the shape of a heart at me. "We love you!"
I chuckled and crooned, "I love you, too!"
Woody beamed, white teeth flashing beneath glittery green, but my eyes drifted beyond them to the spot where Erika, Kip, and Horst had been hanging around. It was empty. The three of them were no longer on the porch, and a quick glance did me no good. I shrugged and went inside, shuffling my way down the halls towards the kitchen.
"You look grumpy," Erika's voice murmured just as I was about to walk in. I stopped and raised an eyebrow, listening. "Why are you sulking? It was only one round! We can beat it."
"It's not that," Horst glumly said. "I'm not bummed about losing the fight against that asshole."
I peered into the kitchen to see Cassidy moving around. The debris around the hole in the wall had been removed and a wide majority of the furniture around it had been repositioned. There was cautionary tape around the exposed area and a tarp stretching from floor to ceiling.
The three of them were seated on the floor in the corner, lazing about.
"Then why are you making that face?" Kip sneered. "You look like you're constipated."
"Shut up!" Horst complained, rubbing his eyes. "For your information, I'm just tired."
"Tired?" Erika asked, looking up with her head cocked curiously. "Are you on a day schedule?"
"Yeah," he sourly muttered, sharp ears drooping as he stabbed at his screen; he reached in front of him and snagged a handful of popcorn from a bowl I hadn't noticed, stuffing it into his mouth with loud crunching. "Not to mention I hate missing my scheduled naps."
"Naps?" Kip barked, laughing harshly; his smile was mocking. "What are you, five?"
"Do you want your emo face kicked in?" the hybrid snapped, jutting his lower jaw out. He held his head up higher, puffing his skinny chest out. "Adults need naps more than infants, believe it or not. Life is stressful enough even without being a supernatural freak like my awesome ass."
"True," Cassidy agreed, and I saw her swivel to stare at me inconspicuously. I tensed, eyes growing wide, sucking on my lips when she smirked and rolled her eyes. She went back to what she was doing without exposing me, thank God. "He has a point. Our metabolisms are insanely fast. Not only do we need to eat at least twelve times per day, we need to sleep often and regularly. When there's no threat to be had, you'll find that all of us take regular naps."
"You do?" Erika asked, wide-eyed with wonder. "So, is it a planned thing?"
"Oftentimes, yes," Cassidy said, then made a shooing motion. "Go back to what you were doing, I only broke into your conversation since the mockery about napping was a little uneducated."
"Yeah, uneducated," Horst teased, sticking his tongue out, to which Kip irritably gave the finger.
"Next time you're sleepy and wanna nap, say so," Erika chirped, bouncing. "We'll join you."
"But you kick," Horst complained, and she rolled her eyes. "Every time you fell asleep on me in the hospital you kicked me constantly!"
"Aww, poor goat puppy," Kip crooned, making a sardonic baby face. "Why don't you go take a nap, huh? If you can't stay up to play games, go get a baby bottle and suck your thumb--"
"Unless you want my fingers jammed up your ass for a better, precise grip while I'm throwing you headfirst into the wall," Horst growled, eyes turning yellow, "you'll shut up. You make it sound like I'm whining."
Kip shrugged. "Well, to be fair, you are whining. I don't see the problem."
Horst just rolled his eyes and pulled his handheld gaming console towards himself. "Shut up and play the damn game. I'll be fine after I eat a bit. Yeah, I'm tired, but did you hear me complaining until she asked why I looked grumpy? Nope. So get off my ass already."
"Got a point there, at least," Kip nodded, then smirked. "By the way, did you like your present?"
Horst's lips puckered like he'd swallowed a lemon, eyes flaring almost white.
"We are not talking about that," he seethed, jabbing at the buttons on his controller.
"Why?" Kip gasped, mocking. "Didn't you like it?"
"Bitch, keep talking and I'll strangle you with that fucking flea collar you gave me!" Horst barked, baring shockingly long and sharp teeth. Erika raised her head and gave Kip a blank stare.
"A flea collar?" she deadpanned, blinking disapprovingly. "Really? You got him a flea collar?"
"Why not?" Kip defensively inquired. "Have you seen his legs? The fur on his body's as long as the hair on his head, all over!"
"He's got no hair on his upper torso!" she snapped, incensed, before a blush crept up her freckled face and she hastily added, "well, aside from on his stomach and ears--but the fur there is soft and thin like it is on a cat's! You're just being mean, Kip!"
"I thought it was a good gift," he said simply, shrugging. "Its hilarious."
"It's not," Horst growled, dumping a handful of popcorn onto Kip's lap.
The kid instantly scrambled to brush the kernels off.
"Yeah, that's not funny either," he grumbled. "I hate the smell of popcorn."
"Who's whining now?"
I rolled my eyes and decided to make my entrance.
Tossing my hair back, I hobbled in and moved toward the cabinets to snag some plates.
"Oh, Grannyuncle!" Erika squeaked, eyes brightening. "Hi!"
"Hello, sweetie," I greeted, and she preened, delighted by the pet name. "I'm only stopping in for a second to grab some plates. Food should be done here shortly."
Cassidy opened her mouth to say something, then paused and frowned.
"I'll be right back," she said, putting the knife down. "My wife is calling me."
"She is?" I asked, listening, but I heard nothing. "I'll take your word for it."
"Mm," she hummed noncommittally, and I opened the cabinet as she wandered out. I reached up for the plates, standing on the tips of my toes, but I frowned since the bottom shelf was totally empty. I immediately stepped back and spotted the plates on the top shelf.
"What the hell, man?" I groaned, face-palming. "Fuck. I hate being short."
"Everything okay?" Horst ask, craning his neck to look back at me.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, standing on my tip toes and trying to reach. The cabinet was the type that hung from the ceiling above a flat counter top, and the result was that the plates were all high above my diminutive reach. "Fuck."
I looked around for a chair, but all of them had been taken outside, leaving the kitchen empty.
I sagged, rubbing the bridge of my nose. Erika sighed and got up from her spot.
"Here, hold this," she said, handing me her gaming console, but, when she tried to reach the plates, she also failed. She frowned, brows furrowing, then jumped. "Okay... I'm dumb."
"No offense," I said, "but I think we're both way too short for this." I held out her game. "Take this back. I think I can get them."
"Why don't we just ask the boys?" Erika muttered, glaring at them, but Horst frowned.
"I'm not tall enough to reach them, either," he said flatly. "Believe me, I've tried."
"I could," Kip drawled, not looking up, "but only if I stand on my toes, and since I won't be able to get a good grip there's a chance I might drop them on accident. I have poor motor control."
"Explains why you constantly get your ass kicked and why you suck at combos," Horst muttered; Kip lightly kicked him in the shoulder. "Oi! Watch those feet of yours!"
Only a sassy middle finger met the warning.
"I got this," I sighed, pushing my sleeves up. Bracing my arms on the tile counter, I carefully pushed up like I was trying to climb out of a swimming pool and set my knee atop the counter. "There, you see!" I said, looking down at my worried-faced niece. "I can get the plates."
"I don't think that's such a good idea," Erika said as I handed the first dish down to her. "Your legs are still kinda healing and you shouldn't be bending them too much."
"It'll be fine," I said, and one by one I got down all the dishes. My mission went off without a hitch until I was preparing to get dismount.
"What the hell are you doin'?!"
I turned. Fucang Wu Tao was standing in the doorway and was staring at me in horror.
"Getting plates," I said, not understanding his expression.
"Get down!" he said. "That's dangerous, that it is!"
"I'll be fine," I said, but I did move to get down like he asked, and I was doing just fine, too, until he rounded the table at a near run and skittered up to me. He moved so close to the counter that my escape route became utterly blocked. I peered over my shoulder at him and scowled.
"I can't get down with you standing there," I said, leaning to flatten my palms on the counter.
"If ya needed the plates so bad, ya just had to ask," he said, hands coming up to grab me by the arms.
"Hey, let go, I-"
"Let me help," he pleaded, and then something weird happened.
One minute I was trying to get down on my own, and the next he was lifting me up by my elbows. Startled, I jerked away from him, but he didn't let go and I was yanked backward into his chest. I reacted on reflex when I felt myself fall, so I threw my center of gravity forward, and-
Chonk.
"Aerin!" Erika squeaked when I snatched the counter; blood-where had that come from?-slid over my left eye, so I frowned and put my hand to my head. Fucang moved away with a gasp when the red liquid smeared over my fingers.
"What just happened?" I asked, and then I felt dizzy.
"You hit the cabinet, that you did!" the dragon man fretted, looking flustered. "I told ya that was a bad idea!"
"Couldn't you... see that I'd be fine?" I asked, dizzy, but his face darkened.
"I don't have the gift of Sight to the extent that me folks or me brothers do," he muttered, clenching his jaw in frustration. "I excel in other areas, but foresight? Nah, I'm rubbish at it."
"Oh," I mumbled, clutching my head. "Please go get Sebastian... I..."
Something passed across my eyes, sparking, and I flinched as an old vision crept up.
Eyes...
Eyes.
Dark eyes. Smiling eyes, handing me a silver pocket knife, pushing it close.
"What the hell is this?" I scoffed, amazed as I looked at it. "A pocket knife? Really?"
"Honey, you best believe its a pocket knife!" Lara said, giving me that sassy look with her brows raised, as if I'd just asked the stupidest question on Earth. "You're way too cute to be wanderin' around at night without some form of protection."
"I have pepper spray," I protested, laughing at her glare. "I don't need a knife."
"It's an early birthday present so stick it in your pocket before it ends up in your ass," she warned, and I cackled, doing exactly as she suggested. She smirked, smug. "Good boy."
"Yeah, yeah," I sighed, waving her off. "Cheap ass knife--"
"Bitch, that thing's made of silver!" she scoffed. "It was expensive as fuck---"
"Aerin?"
"Ooh, silver... but doesn't that mean its--"
"Aerin!"
I twitched, the sight of the cabinet coming into view as I swayed, blinking past the ringing in my ears. The vision parted like mist, allowing me to see what was real. I turned to see Sebastian looking at me from the doorway, concerned and angry. I tried to wave at him.
Stupid move: I woozily lost my balance and tipped backwards.
Hello. I'm Aerin. Have I mentioned that my idiocy causes trouble?
I twisted on instinct, to catch myself with my hands, only to see that Fucang was rudely being shoved aside and then Sebastian was right there. I slammed chest-first into him and our mouths clacked together. Pain burst like a tiny sun right along my lower lip.
Ow," I whimpered, lips still mashed against his. Bash's arms tightened around me briefly, and then he let go and started running his hands over my arms.
"Are you okay?" he roughly demanded, pulling back and looking at the blood on my head. "Oh... hang on, Beloved."
I winced and rubbed my lower lip as he licked the gash on my forehead, the telltale sting of my wound beginning to close burning across my broken flesh. My lip wasn't bleeding, but ow.
"That hurt," I complained. "Those falling kisses aren't nearly as sexy as they look on television."
Sebastian coughed, shaking for a second as his lips twitched against my forehead. He eventually gave in and snickered before kissing me on the cut. "You're right. You gave me a heart attack."
I made a face. "You're a werewolf. You can't get heart attacks."
"When I saw you about to break your neck falling off the kitchen counter I came pretty close,"he said dryly, pulling back to give me a flat stare. "Don't scare me like that."
I burrowed into his neck, where it was nice and warm and smelled good.
"I've survived rabid vampires and creepy psychos and angry werewolves," I mumbled. "Falling off the counter won't kill me, it'll be the embarrassment."
Sebastian's shoulders shook with laughter and I shivered at the warm breath ghosting across my ear as he nibbled on it, teeth scraping my lobe in a sensual way. "I'll try to make sure to be there to catch you every time. I'd hate for the embarrassment to get you."
"Mm, my hero." I raised my face from his neck. "Will you lick my lips?"
He stared at them, licking his own in thought. "You're not bleeding."
I pointed at my mouth. "Teeth met lip. It was very painful. It's still throbbing. You don't want your poor boyfriend to suffer because he fell off the counter, do you?"
"Hm," he drawled, rubbing his thumb over my bottom lip. "I'm not sure if licking will do much, but I could kiss it to make it better."
I grinned. "That works, too."
"Ewwww, stop," Horst groaned, face-palming when he smooched me. "Get a room, you two!"
"With pleasure," Sebastian chuckled, sweeping me off my feet. "Come along, Aerin."
"But, the burgers," I protested, but he was having none of it, pushing right past a bewildered Fucang who eyed the two of us as we passed.
"Agatha took over the grill for me," he murmured, carrying me down the halls and into the nearest bathroom. "We can spare a few moments to ourselves."
I was surprised when he set me down and cornered me, smelling of rain and earth and want, backing me up against the wall with that look in his eyes, irises drowning in bright wolfish gold.
"Are you okay?" I asked, startled by the way he came close, pinning me... dominating me?
He hunched down, hands on either side of my head, lips brushing my jugular.
"You look good in pink," he growled against my neck, leaving harsh nips, bright marks that would no doubt last a while. I laughed, tilting my head back against the wall.
"Yeah, I like the color, too, but lately I've been wearing it for you," I explained, lovingly, one hand curling in the front of his shirt, the other sliding up under the fabric in back, palm pressing warm against his spine. His response was to turn his head, nudging aside the fabric of my hoodie so he could bite down, hard, on the curve between my throat and shoulder.
A low sound of pain escaped my lips as the sharp points of fangs broke the skin. I felt the blood rushing from my head as a perfect imprint of teeth was left behind, solid and just so slightly bloodied. I could smell the sweetness of my own life in the air, could taste the trace of it on his tongue when he drew back up to kiss me, hard, more a fight than anything remotely romantic.
He growled, then pulled back, looking at my forehead.
A thumb traced my healed flesh.
"No more," he muttered, kissing the spot he'd healed. "No more, Aerin."
I understood his behavior, but I bit back words when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, the bite marks on my throat looking halfway between a mauling and a set of extremely intense hickeys. One of them showed above the edge of my collar, not healing quite yet, and I found myself surprised once again as Sebastian reached out to run fingertips possessively over it, tracing the mark in its entirety before pulling the edge of the hoodie up to cover it.
He tugged lightly at the fabric before he pulled away, giving me that smirk again.
"I love you," he murmured, hugging me tightly. "Be more careful, am I clear?"
"I didn't necessarily hurt myself," I pointed out.
"I heard and smelled it, his decision was a mistake," Sebastian allowed, then frowned, "but if you truly can't reach something, don't do anything that might put you in a position to overexert yourself or stress your legs. You need time to heal and time to work on fixing your skin."
"All right," I sighed, patting his arm. "Let's get out there and go eat."
He nodded and led the way out, only to come face to face with Jiao. I jumped, startled, since he was floating in the air with his legs folded Indian style, hair hanging across his eye as he studied us with his hands behind his head. He sort of reminded me of Peter Pan with his abilities... if Peter Pan were Thai with an undercut and an obvious sense of style, that is.
"You guys are too damned cute," he hummed, setting his legs down on the floor and standing like a normal person instead of doing the creepy floaty thing. "Soon to be newlyweds, eh? Can't keep your hands off of each other until the wedding, can you?"
"Not in the slightest," Sebastian said, steering me around him. "We're busy at present."
"I know," Jiao said kindly, easily keeping pace with his long legs and loping stride as we headed back out onto the porch to see Richard lying flat with Ralph climbing all over him. Jak was talking with Leo and Nikki, and everywhere I looked people were eating burgers and chips.
A few had some sausages, and while all of it smelled divine....
"Isn't it cute," Tiffany whispered directly behind me. "Dick's become a jungle gym!"
I coughed to hide my laughter, but she had a point: the grouchy guy was lying flat belly-side down on the wooden porch, head pillowed on his burly arms, eyes closed as my grandnephew patted his shaven scalp and poked and tugged and bounced, preoccupied by him.
He didn't so much as bat an eyelash. Not even a twitch when his ears were pulled.
Not a shiver when the scars across his back and side were traced with curious fingers.
If anything, he seemed to be close to falling asleep.
"This is a first," Sebastian said blankly, his voice rumbling. "I've never seen him like this."
"My father let me climb all over him just like this when I was small," Richard grumped, not opening his eyes as Ralph silently drew little pictures across his wet skin with little fingers. "Its calming for children who are full of energy, not to mention I don't have to do squat."
"You're tolerant of children?" Diana asked, but Richard gave her a look. "I apologize, it simply caught me off guard."
"I'm gonna have kids of my own someday, with Kyle," Richard growled, defensive. "I might as well start getting used to things like this."
Sebastian shrugged and wandered off, trotting out into the rain and blurring over to the grill. He set the plates down, then snagged some patties and whipped them into a few burgers before trotting back over with two plates in hand. His hair dripped water as he held my plate out.
As an afterthought, he carefully cut his hand again and doused the buns in blood.
I made a face.
"It always makes my heart skip when you do that," I muttered, eyeing his healing palm.
"Sorry," Sebastian murmured, nudging me with his leg. "Eat."
My expression softened when his nostrils flared stubbornly and I leaned in to nuzzle him.
"Thank you," I murmured, burying my face in his shirt for a long time. "You're the best."
"I know. Now eat."
I chuckled, but took my seat and dug in, savoring every single bite. All around me, the sounds of cheerfulness and laughter filled the air, but my thoughts drifted elsewhere while I ate.
"Babe?" I asked, and he turned his eyes on me. "Do you think Miss Clifford will come to our wedding? Or do you think she's gone for good?"
He thought about it for a second, leaning against the white railing keeping the porch enclosed. Rain hissed behind him, thrushing pleasantly across the trees and grass. Wind stirred my hair as I watched him chew, rushing gently across my thighs and knees, like a whisper of sensation.
"I don't know," he eventually admitted. "If she comes, she comes. If not... well..."
He trailed off with a shrug and I nodded, thinking about all the stuff we had to do the next night. It would be the thirtieth. The night before our wedding. I still had to try on the wedding gown to make sure it fit properly... but it wouldn't really matter to me what I wore.
As long as we were together, officially, I would be a happy person.