Page 66 of Inheritance
“What?” I asked curiously. Both of them were sitting out a few feet in front of me, on two massive chairs that were like giant pillows. It was sort of funny seeing their massive frames in them.
“Colt suggested we go to Earth for our extended honeymoon,” Drayven scoffed.
Immediately, I perked up, curious. It hadn’t been more than six months before my mates had gotten a ring on me—a gorgeous ruby stone with pink diamonds around it that always caught my gaze. I hadn’t known it was possible to have an intimate proposal for eight, but between the rose petals and the star-like lights that Luce had managed to have floating around our garden…it had been perfect. I also wouldn’t admit it, but I may have cried a bit. Just a tiny bit—I wasn’t the only one, either, for the record!
“I love that idea,” I pointed out. “We need to go somewhere cool! This is literally years in the making because of how busy we have been.”
“It’s dangerous,” Drayven scowled.
“He’s not wrong!” Jace called out from the balcony edge he was looking over, turning and tilting his head, “Our intel from Earth says that apparently, humans can be very vicious.”
I narrowed my eyes, “I am a freakin’ Reaper, I know what humans can be like.”
“And so you know they are dangerous,” Drayven acted like we were agreeing.
“I think we should go wherever beauty wants,” Adrien pointed out, and Damien shook his head from where he was lounging between the two of us, his eyes on the sky above.
“Here is your drink,” Nico appeared holding two drinks from the bar that was right downstairs. We probably could have had it brought up, but Nico totally fed off the energy from big vibrant parties, mostly because there was always a sexual undercurrent, but I think he also just found it fun to experience and people watch. One thing I was learning about all my mates was that none of them had enough fun in their lives.
“Thanks,” I offered him a kiss as Finias grumbled, making Nico chuckle.
When we had first all moved in together…there had been some rough times, I wouldn’t lie. It didn’t have to do with my relationship with each man, so much as their relationships with one another.
First, there was a ton of tension between Luce and the other guys. To his credit, Luce had gone out of his way to play nice, and eventually, it had melded into a real friendship, so much so that sometimes, he would hang with the guys and take day trips when they went to go check something out in one of the territories. I think the man had spent so long in his castle and then sleeping that he was just having a blast exploring.
Then there were the more expected disputes. Like how pissed Colt got about how messy Nico could be. To be fair, it wasn’t really messy—he just could be a bit chaotic. He had started to get into sketching in his free time, and he had paper and charcoal pencils spread around the living room and office, not bothering to organize his mess. Those were a bit lighter and more amusing.
What wasn’t amusing? Well at least to the people involved…how pissed Finias and Jace got about anyone being morning people. Now, while my bed was massive enough to fit around ten people, usually only four or five slept in my bed at one time. Partly because of their schedules, but also because some people were blanket hogs…Luce. Luce was a fucking blanket hog.
But the bed situation and scheduling led to some really amusing situations. I sometimes sat in the living room with coffee just to watch the morning parade and back and forth. Drayven was literally always up early with Colt, Damien, and Adrien, something that wasn’t surprising in the least. Nico was a night owl, much like Luce, so they usually didn’t wake up until the late afternoon, which meant they missed any of the drama that occurred. But Finias and Jace? Not morning people. The second had always been like that, apparently, and constantly growled at people before coffee…Finias was a bit different.
Apparently, he had never slept in before. The first time he had, when we weren’t constantly in survival mode or avoiding his parents’ abuse, his sleeping schedule adjusted to him not waking up before eleven, and if he had to…watch out. Unless you were me, of course. I knew exactly how to wake him up, and you can imagine what a good mood he was in after being woken by me slipping into bed naked with him. Those were some of my favorite mornings.
Other mornings, he usually threatened to kill at least two of the other men.
“The parade is starting,” Jace called out, knowing this was almost everyone’s favorite part because there were so many citizens that took part in it, especially since they were all carrying lanterns containing a gorgeous fire that changed color—a fire that Luce helped with, which meant he would be back any moment. Even though he no longer had the powers bestowed upon the ruler of this realm, he still had the light within him in which he was born with. Being labeled aburning one, seemed quite literal now once I saw how he could create this unique fire with the light if he streamed all of it into the tip of his finger.
Everyone went to the edge of the balcony, but I stayed where I was, soaking in the contentment of how far we had come. I had thought I hadn’t had a real place I fit in, and I hadn’t…so I’d made my own. I looked towards the balcony next to ours and waved to where some of our parents were sitting. My dad raised a hand, and my mother offered me a smile. I was still getting used to them, but there were a few things I had learned I couldn’t deny.
First, it was obvious they loved one another. My mother might be a bit broken, but it was clear that she loved my dad, and he had always been obsessed over her. They hadn’t gotten remarried, but I knew they lived together—we had even been over there for dinner as I eased into my relationship with her.
This brought me to the second element—it was clear she wanted a relationship with me. She wasn’t pushing or prying. She was patiently waiting for me to come to her, and I had found over the years that we continued to spend more and more time together. I hadn’t fully forgiven her for leaving us, but I knew that people made mistakes, and she seemed to be thrilled to be part of my life in any way…I would admit that it did help with my mommy issues just a bit.
I didn’t need or want her approval, but her presence was a good reminder that people could change.
When I felt magic wrap around me, I tilted my head up and smiled, finding Luce looking down at me with so much love and affection, it had me snuggling against him.
“It turned out beautiful,” I pointed out.
“I know it's one of your favorite parts.” He pressed a kiss to the shell of my ear. It was true, our house was actually very colorful, and it was such a nice change from how I had grown up.
“Is that why our house is always filled with that type of fire?” I teased.
“Yes,” he nodded and grinned, “Plus, I know it fucks with Adrien’s shadows because it’s so much brighter than normal fire.”Bastard.
“I love you,” I said softly. We had, of course, said it a million times before. In fact, I told all my mates that—like a ton, especially after realizing how precious our time together was, but each time was so damned special.
“I love you, Little Temptress.”
