We ate all the food—apparently amazing sex gives you an insatiable appetite for other things as well—talked about all kinds of things, enjoyed quality baby cuddles, and the topic of my potential expiration date didn't come up once.
As a matter of fact, the girls forced me into conversations about the future, all of us getting pregnant together—even though they don't know Allie and Casey have a head start—the need for Havok and I to build a bigger cabin to accommodate a family, how our kids are all going to look like cousins because Havok could pass as a member of the Dragovihk bloodline and I share so many of those traits as well.
And my beautiful vampire sat with the silliest grin on his face the whole time, apparently setting aside his fear and embracing the here and now, the possibility of our future.
Then, when I slipped away to the bathroom for a minute, he followed me in and surprised me with a gorgeous blood diamond ring, one he had apparently forged himself when we were together before, with the intention of giving it to me on my birthday before we mated. I was so shocked by it, by its beauty and the craftsmanship he put into it, by the fact that he had held onto it for so long that I basically sobbed for a good twenty minutes before he even put it on my finger.
After that, we cleaned up and the girls took off to go shopping, Hank and Janet left to go see the Caldwell's about the next order from their ranch, and Karel went to do whatever he does when he goes on patrol. Which left me alone with my perfect mate and his dragon brothers to get into the deep shit that brought us here in the first place.
I take a sip of water, my nerves returning in full force, but when the setting sun catches the ring on my finger, I can't help but smile. I am just so fucking lucky.
"You like it?" Havok asks as he sits beside me, an anxious smile on his face. "I know you're not exactly traditional in terms of, well, most things, but I wanted to do something for you, give you a physical symbol of our love and what you mean to me. I know it's outdated at this point but—"
"Havok?"
He rolls his lips between his teeth as those ice blues settle on my face.
"I love it. My ring is gorgeous and thoughtful and it means even more because you made it. It's perfect."
My love's face breaks out into the most stunning smile. "Yeah?"
I nod. "Yes. I love it and I love you." Then I grab his goatee and bring him to me for a kiss. "And if you're lucky, I'll prove to you just how much I love it and love you later when we get home."
He growls and kisses me harder, but before we get too carried away, a throat clears from the other side of the table.
"I realize that newly mated couples generally go into isolation for a few days after the act but all things considered, I'd appreciate just a few moments of your time." Henrich grins as Andrej, Kai, and Milos sit across from us. "I would never stand in the way of mated bliss unless it were for a reason of the utmost importance."
Havok sighs, kisses me again then turns. "I'd be more inclined to believe you, had my light and I not been walked in on multiple times since she moved in with me."
Andrej's lip twitches.
His brow lifts.
A faint smirk graces his handsome face.
He thinks it's funny that they kept cock-blocking us.
Shithead.
"Though it is true, I don't believe it was anyone's intent to interrupt." Henrich shifts a little, uncomfortable and hesitant. "And what I found is pretty damn important."
Havok nods, settles back into his chair, and throws an arm over the back of mine, his cool fingers gently caressing my neck.
Right over his mate mark.
And that shit makes my pussy clench every damn time.
Jerk.
Totally unaware of my growing arousal, Henrich begins. "I shared my theory with these three after we discussed your gifts, little one, and it seems Andrej is the only one who fully agrees with me. Grace and I spent hours looking through our chronicles, the vampire chronicles, every book I have on shifters, and every other type of… we'll saymystical creatureon record, until we found what I was looking for."
"What other types are there?" My thumb is already between my teeth as I lean closer to Havok. This makes me super nervous for some reason, kind of like telling the other girls my age I could see lights and stories. It shouldn't because I know none of these men will reject me or make fun of me but this shit brings up old feelings I'd like to forget.
"Well," Henrich begins. "As you are well aware, there are shifters of a large variety, though very few left of each kind. Vampires, obviously. Witches, warlocks, sirens, demons. There are many species of what humans consider to be paranormal beings, but most have died out over time. Shifters of prey are very hard to find and their numbers are in the low hundreds, predators are even less. Most witches and warlocks don't make themselves known so it's hard to say how big of a population remains, and they typically gravitate toward warmer climates with fertile soil and heavy vegetation. According to what Grace and I discovered, the last of the sirens died about fifty years ago. No one has spotted a demon in about two hundred years. Most creatures of mysticism have died off in one way or another due to natural selection or forced circumstance."
I nod like my mind wasn't just blown.
It shouldn't be. I mean, I've spent so much time with shifters, and my mate is a vampire but it's still sort of crazy to think that all of these other creatures existed too.
