Page 118 of The Dragon Queen

"Andhowareyou?"Malikasks.

Hedoesn'twaitforStormtoletgoofme,insertinghimselfdirectlyintoourspaceandpressinghismouthtomine.Ashepullsback,hisceruleangazeassessesme,peeringintomysoul.

"I'mgood,"Itellhim,andit'sthetruth.

Honestly?I'veneverbeenbetterinmylife.Iliveinaliteralcastlewithmyfourdevastatinglyattractive,caring,wonderfulmates.Wehaveadditionalhomesallovertheworld,andwehavethechancetotravelatawhim.Wehaveanincredibledaughter,whoisthelightofmylife.

Andyes,I'vebeenstressedoutthepastfewdays,butI'velearnedtobegratefulforwhatIhave.Tostayinthepresent.Totrustinthefuture.Inmymates.Andinmyself.

Acceptingmyanswer,Malikpresseshislipstomytemple. "Youstillneedyourrest.Ifshe'suptonight,we'llhandleit."

2a.m.wake-upsaren'tmyfavoritepartofparenting,butit'sthekindofjobwhereyoudon'tgettopickandchoose--unless,ofcourse,youhavefourco-parentswithwhomtosharetheload.

Withasoftsmile,Inod. "Well,Iwon'tsaynotothat."

"Youreadyfortomorrow?"Stormasksquietly.

Mystomachdoesalittleflip,butIrefusetoletanxietyintrudeonmymentalspacerightnow. "AsreadyasIcanbe."Iglancearoundatmymates. "Youguys?"

"We'regood,"Rafepromisesme.

Myconnectionstoallfourofthemglowwithagreement,andI'msogratefultobesharingmylifewiththesemen.

Theseprincesofthedragonworld.

TheseKings.

Emotionriseswithinme,myloveforthemalmosttoomuchtobearsometimes,evenafteryearsofconstantcompanionship.They'vebeenthereformethroughthebirthofourchildandthetoughfirstyear.ThroughthedefeatoftheShadowKingandthebirthofaneworderthatwe'vehadtocraftwithourowntenhands,andnotasinglestepalongthewayhasbeeneasy.

Butit'sbeenso,soworthit.

"Whatcanwedoforyoutonight?"Jianyuasks,comingtostandbesideme.Hecanfeelthedepthoffeelingwellingupinsideme,justasIcanfeeltheansweringechoofloveanddevotionradiatingoffofhim.

"Icanfixyousomethingtoeat,"Rafeoffers,gesturingvaguelyatthesnackhe'dbeenpreparingforhimselfbeforeIreturned.Hetipshisheaddownthehall. "Runyouabath?"

Bothofthosesoundprettygreat.Butthey'renotwhatIwant.

Shakingmyhead,IleanbackintoMalik,allowingmybodytobecomeflushagainsthis.Electricblueheatflaresalongourbond,andhecloseshisarmsaroundme.Hehardensrapidlyagainstmylowerback,andIpulseinside.MygazeconnectswithJianyu's,andthere'sthatsizzlealongourlinkaswell.

"IthoughtIsaidwe'dwatchAlinatonightsoyoucouldrest,"Malikrumblesagainstmyear.

Iholdoutmyhand,andJianyucomestome,blanketingmyfrontwithhisheat.Stormdoesn'tmissabeatinjoiningus.Rafeabandonshissnackagain,andseriously,we'regoingtohavetofeedhimeventually.

Butnotnow.

"WhatifIdon'twanttorest?"Ibreathe,curlingonehandaroundJianyu'sneckandintertwiningtheotherwithRafe's.

"Youhaveabusydaytomorrow,"Jianyuremindsme,andhislipsarebarelyaninchfrommine.

Butthatbusydaytomorrowisthereasonwe'vehadsolittletimetospendtogetherthepastfewdays.Ineedrest,ofcourse.ButwhatIneedmostisamomentalonewithmymates.

IreelJianyuin,pressingbackintoMalik,strokingahanddownRafe'sfirmchest.Stormslipshisfingersbeneaththehemofmyshirt,justasJianyu'slipsmeetmine.

"Let'sleavetomorrowfortomorrow,"Iimplorebetweenkisses. "Ihaveplanstobevery,verybusytonight..."

IWAKEupthenextmorningtothesoundsofgiggling.Smiling,Ifluttermyeyesopen.Thedoortomyandmymates'bedroomisjustbarelyajar,andthroughitIcatchaglimpseofAlinaconspiringwithMalik.Myhearttwistsatthesightofthem.UnlikeRafe,Malikisn'tmuchforhorseplay,buthelistenstoourdaughterwithhiswholeheartandspeakstoherlikeshe'sanadult,andsheadoreshimforit.

Asateam,theyrunacrosstheroom,tacklingJianyu,whopretendstofalltohiskneeswithsuchconvincingtheatricsthatheshouldbeupforanOscar.Shakingmyhead,overwhelmedwithloveandaffection,Iburrowalittledeeperinthecovers.

---