Page 17 of Cullen

Orion poured wine, and the door to the main house opened, Cosmo’s belly breezing in, followed by Cosmo, Elliot, and a very grumpy-looking Hawk.

He grinned and held up the basket. “Mom sent a gift.”

“I get the honey,” Cosmo said. “Since you get the wine.” He pouted. “Hi, I’m Cosmo.”

“Hello. I’m Orion. And this is the stump.”

“Me’s Elliot!” Elliot stomped over to look up at Orion. “You’re sparkles.”

“I am. I hear you like noodles. Do you like sauce like this?” Orion lifted Elliot, then gave him a tiny spoonful of sauce.

“Yums.”

“But leave some plain bread for him, please, Corbin.”

“Of course.” Corbin softened up some butter in the microwave and then spread some on bread he’d cut off for Elliot.

“So, you’re a unicorn?” Cosmo asked, beaming at Orion.

“I am, yes.”

“I see?” Elliot asked.

“Not right now, kiddo. I’m still making noodles. In fact, I need to take these out and put new ones in.” Orion handed Elliot to Hawk so he could pull the strainer out of the pasta pot, dump the pasta into a bowl, and then put more noodles down.

“I hep?” Elliot’s eyes were huge, and the little one was so eager, so ready to help.

“Come help me with the tomatoes for the salad, my little gargoyle. I have the little ones and they need washing.”

Cosmo gave him a grateful smile.Thank you.

You know I would die before I allowed a single hair on his head to be harmed.Cullen winked back at his brother.

So would I,Orion sent to him.

Tears stung his eyes, which made him blink and grit his teeth. So emotional, and it wasn’t like him at all.Thank you.

“Okay, bread and salad-doers. Twelve minutes to dinner.” Orion leaned on the counter. “This is a hel-ck of a setup you guys have here. Super magical.”

“Magiiiiiiiiiic,” Elliot cried. “Shows me, Cullen.”

So Cullen made a tomato look like an orange.

Elliot squealed, and Orion grinned. “Elliot. Look.” Orion turned in a circle, and when he looked at them again, his eyes were brown, and he had an enormous black moustache. “Boo.”

“Hairy!” Elliot clapped. “Like you, Unc!”

“Your unc and I have a lot in common,” Orion murmured, dropping the illusion. The look he gave Cullen almost set him, and the kitchen, on fire. Goddess.

Cosmo glanced back and forth between them, his smile just beaming. His brother loved love.

Hawk snorted. “You are very suspicious.”

“Nope. I am just me. And I really am here because of a beaver.” Orion met his gaze with an apologetic glance. “Who I have to go meet in Pagosa in three days. Want to come with?”

“Oh, I don’t think—” Hawk started.

“That might be—” Corbin said.

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