Page 38 of Mistletoe and Mayhem
Thayer made a face. “Gross.”
Elijah snickered, shaking his head at the protest. Thayer was at the age where anything lovey dovey was gross, and if he caught Elijah and Alistair kissing, he acted like he was dying. It was entertaining to say the very least, and sometimes Alistair pulled Elijah into a kiss just to see Thayer’s theatrics.
It was the way Elijah shivered that told Alistair it was time to go back inside. He’d be buying his mate a new coat as soon as the kids went back to their mother’s. Elijah deserved to have fun, but he shouldn’t have to suffer to accomplish it.
Elijah leaned into him, his smile full of love and devotion. “I’m alright. I promise.”
“You’ll be better inside. Who wants hot cocoa?” The last part was asked a little louder so the kids could hear. They both threw their hands into the air.
“Me! Me!”
It was a quick and easy way to get them inside, and Alistair didn’t feel bad doing it. But before they could head in, Thayer stopped them by running ahead and throwing his hands out, blocking the path.
“Wait! We don’t know who’s taller yet!”
Elijah nodded seriously. “That was our original intention coming out here. We’ll make it quick, then go have something warm to drink.”
Together, they kneeled, giving the kids the ability to clamber up their backs and onto their shoulders. Once he was sureThayer was steady, he stood, straightening to his full height with a smug smirk.
He must have momentarily forgotten that Elijah had hunched for so long to keep his head down that he didn’t often straighten to his full height. They were working on that, but it still surprised him when Elijah straightened fully.
Maybe he was being kind to himself by saying there was only two inches between them…
Hazel shot a smug grin at her brother, her own back straight as an arrow to add more height. “We win.”
Thayer stuck his tongue out at her, crossing his arms with a grumpy pout. Rolling his eyes, Alistair summoned some magic, lifting him off the ground a few inches to hover there. It was cheating, but no one seemed to mind, and they all laughed at his attempt to even the odds.
That was sexy,Elijah told him as they stripped off their coats inside.I love watching you use your magic.
Alistair winked at him, sneaking a kiss while the kids weren’t watching. He’d needed to regularly exercise his magic after the bands came off, the time cut off did some damage, and he needed to recuperate, but he knew Elijah loved to watch him practice and didn’t judge him for not immediately having the same strength he used to. He needed that constant reassurance sometimes when he got frustrated with himself.
Pushing that thought away, he focused on what he had now. He’d been terrified at one point that he’d never get to have moments like this again. Terrified enough to take the bands and cut himself off from his magic, just to get his kids back. Now, thanks to Elijah, he had his family back and his magic, and he couldn’t ask for anything else.
“Are the cookies done cooling?” Thayer asked, peeking at them on the cooling rack while Alistair warmed a pot on the stove for hot cocoa.
“Well, let’s see,” Elijah replied, washing his hands first before coming to join him and carefully picking up a cookie. He offered it to Thayer, who held his breath as he placed it in his palm.
“It’s not hot anymore!” he cheered. “That means we can decorate them, right? I want to bring some to Mommy!”
Elijah nodded, smiling. “That’s a good idea. Let’s get the decorations pulled out while your dad is making cocoa. Hazel, do you want to help?”
They looked around with a frown. Where was his daughter?
“Hazel?”
A giggle caught their attention from the living room and they all crept out together, poking their heads out to see what was happening. His heart melted at what he found.
Unlike his son, who showed off whatever magic he’d learned the second he learned it, Hazel had always been a little shy with it. She let her brother hog the stage, only doing what was expected of her in her classes and keeping her head down. However, while she was alone, she apparently had a lot more control than she let on. She stood by the cat tree, using her magic to make feathers they’d brought inside a few weeks prior dance in the air so Helios could bat at them. Her control of them was amazing. It wasn’t just swirling wind, which was expected at her age. She made the feathers jump just out of reach of Helios’s paw, tickling his ears and belly with just enough magic to control them. It was intricate magic, the kind of magic Isaac could do, and it took his breath away.
Thayer, oblivious to the quiet moment, scurried into the room, demanding his sister teach him the spell. She looked startled for a moment, she hadn’t expected to be caught, but with an encouraging smile from Elijah and Alistair, she set aside her shyness to help her brother.
Watching the two of them do magic, surrounded by sparkling lights and the smell of green earth and citrus, with soft musicplaying in the background, was exactly what he’d hoped for this holiday season. And when Elijah leaned against his side, watching the twins practice with a happy sigh, he had to close his eyes for a moment to pull himself together.
He never thought he’d be this happy. He had his kids back, the love of his life by his side, and the connection to his family and the spirits thrummed happily in his chest, keeping him grounded and connected in a way he’d never thought he’d get back. He couldn’t ask for a better holiday.
Chapter Two
The kids were picked up by their mother a few hours later. She was still a little awkward around Alistair, but she was surprised and delighted when the kids handed her decorated cookies and drawings that they’d made the past few days while staying with Elijah and Alistair. Elijah had made sure to suggest it, figuring she’d be missing her kids and would appreciate knowing they were thinking of her. She offered him and Alistair a true smile as she gathered their things, and when she left, there was no awkwardness in the air to speak of. A little heartache, Alistair hated to see his kids go, but they’d be back on the weekend. In the meantime, they had a party to get to.
