Page 118 of Labor of Love

“That is exactly the role I was trained for,” Laney said. “I love almost all activities, indoors and out.”

“That will make a lot of people very, very happy,” Marcus said. “As for how many live in the Manor, there are fifteen of us in total, including Elden, my brother Truett, and I. We’ve been engaged in our work and in building this place for so long that we simply crave someone to watch a movie with when everyone else is busy, or a partner to dance with up a moonlit path on our way to a picnic. We have a stocked game room with almost every type you could imagine, but most are still sealed because it’s rare that groups of us have time off together.”

“Am I the only companion here?”

“You are the second,” Marcus explained. “Christian came to us a little over a year ago, as a personal assistant to a visiting dignitary who did not hold the same belief about what Christian was supposed to be assisting with as Christian did. He sought help when his employer fired him for refusing to cross the boundaries he’d set. Like you, he’d trained as a companion, and he has been employed here ever sense. He’ll be thrilled to see you and to start planning some of the team activities a few us have asked about.”

“I’ve engaged in more than a few of those,” Laney said. “It’s hard, sometimes, when you have an odd number of people. I’m glad I’ll be able to help with that too.”

They paused at the washroom, the contents of Laney’s bag not even enough to fill the machine completely. It would be nice to get them clean and dry. While the clothes Marcus hadpurchased for him were warm, the material humans used was a bit coarser than he was accustomed to.

“Alright, we’ll let that do it’s thing and see what’s on tonight’s menu.”

“Really, anything you have laying around will be just fine, even a sandwich,” Laney said, not wanting him to go through anymore trouble after everything Marcus had already done for him.

Marcus chuckled at that, before pushing open swinging double doors and leading Laney into a huge, homey space where the scents were positively amazing. A large, circular wooden table filled the center of one half of the room, with seats big enough that two of him could have fit in one chair. The other half of the room contained ovens, two refrigerators, counters, cabinet space, and a giant sink. There were two dishwashers sitting side by side as well, and an island in the center of the space where steaming metal warming trays held savory smelling dishes.

“The table is a bit much, I know, since we only come together for meals during times of solstice and celebration,” Marcus explained “Still, it is nice having something that we can all fit at when we’re together.”

“Who cooked all of this?” Laney asked after Marcus had revealed all the options stretched out on the island, and looked on as Laney filled his plate with succulent meat, gravy, potatoes, two rolls, and several roasted carrots. “It smells delicious.”

“Elden’s uncle Grimsley is in charge of the kitchen and the staff is made up of other members of his family, and my brother, Truett, who finds being in here soothing when he’s grown frustrated with his work.”

“What does he do?”

“Why not let him explain,” Marcus said as he waved a slightly larger gargoyle over.

Unlike Marcus, whose hair was more blue than black, Truett’s hair was like a blanket of stars. Black as a night without the moon showing, yet speckled with silver, like little butterfly kisses over the long, long length of it. It stopped just below the waste of his pants, where Marcus’ was cut just below his shoulder blades. Laney could see the family resemblance in the rugged planes of their faces, the square jaws, and one fang that slightly protruded whenever they started to smile, even a little.

Truett’s eyes were more green than gray, an emerald hue lighting up in them when his gaze landed on Laney. Just as when Marcus’ first had, Laney felt his belly do a little flutter that he knew had nothing to do with the little life he carried inside of him, which wasn’t far enough along to be moving yet.

When the intensity grew, Laney lowered his gaze and shivered.

“And who is this?” Truett asked, pulling out a chair three spaces over and turning it around to straddle while Laney stuffed in a forkful of food to keep from staring at him.

“Our family’s newest companion: Laney,” Marcus declared. “Though I am hoping for a chance to show him around, introduce him to Elden and get him settled into his room so he can get some rest before people start asking if he’s available to go on a night flight with them. He’s had a long day.”

That last part, about the night flight, was said so pointedly that Laney didn’t need to look at Marcus’ face to know that he was directing that at his brother. The thing was, Laney wouldn’t have minded going on a flight, not in the slightest, as long as he had time for his meal to digest first. Sitting there, between the two of them, was like being wrapped in a giant hug, though neither was touching him.

Maybe that was what made him blurt it, or maybe it was the twinge of disappointment and flash of sadness in Truett’s eyes.Laney wiped a dribble of gravy from his lips and immediately pipped up.

“I’d love to go flying and see the village as well as more of Darkling Wood if it’s safe to fly over at night.”

When Truett perked up and the light in his eyes shimmered again, Laney was glad he’d spoken up. The car had been cozy, and left him feeling a bit sleepy and relaxed, but the food had awoken his senses, while the pulse of gratitude he felt from both Truett and Marcus left him thrilled that he’d made the offer. After what Marcus had done in rescuing him, it was the least he could do to brighten him and his brother’s night. Maybe it was a little selfish too, but he didn’t want the sensations that had started swirling around him to end. The best he could tell, it seemed like it was being caused by the two of them.

“It is very safe,” Truett said. “And we’d love to show you.”

“You should grab a plate and then tell him about your work, since he was asking about it when you came in,” Marcus said. “I’d just finished telling him about how you love to come into the kitchen to clear your head when you’re aggravated.”

“Which is often, and why I’m in here at least once a night, if not twice,” Truett said as he rose from the seat and headed to go grab a plate.

“He left out how he’s often in here at all hours of the day too, baking up a bunch of things for us to have to burn off on the sparring mats.”

“Ohh, I love baking,” Laney blurted. “I love nibbling everything too so I’m probably not the best person to bake with if you’re trying to make a bunch of things to put away.”

Truett’s laugh was deeper than Marcus’ as they chuckled together.

“That makes you the best person,” Truett said. “Especially for test batches. I can’t eat all of those myself, not without getting pinned the next time we take to the wrestling circle.”

---