Page 42 of Mistletoe and Mayhem
“I’m alright.”
And he was. Part-time parenting wasn’t ever what he wanted but being able to see his kids at all was a gift. He’d be grateful, even if he missed them.
“This party probably isn’t child appropriate anyway,” Elijah murmured. “I’ve heard rumors about Taron’s gifts, and apparently, things get a little hectic when he hands them out.”
Frowning, Alistair turned to look at him fully. “What kind of gifts?”
Elijah shook his head. “No one will tell me. They said I need to experience it myself to fully understand. I honestly can’t get a good read on their tones. Some sound excited, while others sound like they're dreading the event. I’m not sure what to expect.”
“Chaos and mayhem, probably,” Alistair answered with a shrug.
Maverick snorted from across the table, raising his glass in agreement. “You can say that again. I burned mine last year.”
Taron, who must have heard him, gasped in outrage. “You what?! You said you lost it!”
“I lied,” Maverick said honestly, and Isaac snickered at the boredom in his tone.
For a while, he listened to the back and forth with amusement, enjoying the chaos Taron always seemed to create but eventually he needed a break. He stepped into the hall, leaning against the wall with a sigh.
“Feeling okay?” Elijah asked.
He wasn’t surprised his mate had followed him and immediately opened his arms to draw him closer. “Yeah, I’m good. Just a long day.” He leaned his temple against Elijah’s, closing his eyes for a moment. The spell that had tormented him was gone, and he was on the mend, but he still got overwhelmed with too much activity and tired faster than he was used to. His therapist told him it was because his mind was on high alert, protective instincts charged to look out for his mate, and eventually he’d get over that. It’d just take time. And this time, he was determined to be patient.
Elijah hummed a noise of agreement, pressing a kiss to the underside of Alistair’s jaw. “One day at a time.”
“One day at a time,” Alistair agreed.
Being wrapped around Elijah helped steady him, and a little of Elijah’s magic did the rest. After a few minutes, he felt better and ready to return to the chaos.
Straightening, Elijah followed his train of thought, nodding. “Taron said the gift exchange was after dinner, then there will be games. If you need to take another break, just tell me. Wecan even step outside if you want. The cool air might be refresh–oomph!”
Without warning, Alistair grabbed Elijah’s hand, spinning him around so he crashed against Alistair’s chest. Elijah looked startled, and Alistair kissed the expression away, tangling his tongue with Elijah’s until the telepath was a little weak in the knees and leaning heavily against him.
When they pulled apart, Elijah looked dazed. “What… What was that for?”
“Do I need a reason to kiss my mate?”
Blinking, Elijah shook his head slowly. “No, I suppose not, but– Alistair!”
He could admit groping Elijah’s ass was probably a little mean, they had hours still before they could head home, but Alistair felt the need to remind his mate what was in store for him. He didn’t want him to forget about their plans.
“I-I haven’t forgotten,” Elijah stammered, then gasped again when Alistair ground their hips together. “I wouldn’t mind a teaser, though.”
A wicked grin spread across Alistair’s face, and he swapped places with Elijah, pressing him up against the wall. “I think I can accommodate that,” he growled playfully.
Neither paid attention to the mistletoe appearing over their head, or the way it refused to go away, too distracted with each other.
Chapter Four
Their absence didn’t go unnoticed, and Elijah felt his cheeks burn at the whistles and catcalls when they re-entered the room. He’d originally stepped out to help Alistair settle, but he had an inability to resist his mate when he started kissing him. Even after six months of love and attention, he still felt touch starved some days, and Alistair’s easy affection always made him feel better.
During their time away, the party had moved back to the living room, dragging chairs in from the dining room so everyone had a place to sit. The sun had gone down while they were enjoying their meal, and the tree by the window seemed to glow not only with lights but with magical energy, like it was soaking in the love and happiness in the room. Elijah was pleased when Alistair sat them near it, taking the chair near his brother and Maverick, who were the only ones not waggling their eyebrows at them.
“Is that everyone?” Avery asked. He was standing near the overflowing pile of presents, Ozen at his side ready to assist him in handing things out.
Taron looked around, then squawked in protest when he realized one of his mates was missing. “Zeph! Get your gorgeous ass in here! It’s gift time!”
He seemed to learn from his prank because the pixies didn’t reappear, which was good. The room was crowded and many people would have gotten covered in glitter if Kian had included that word as well.
