“Did I tell you what Mama told me last night? I think I may have forgotten after Brock kept me up fighting that tooth coming in.” Nathan was down on the floor in the main living area, fighting to pin a diaper onto our squirming son.

Brock never wanted to be kept still for longer than a simple diaper change—he was the most energetic baby I’d ever met, and I loved him for it with all my heart.

“No, angel, I don’t believe you did,” I said with a patient smile, watching those golden curls bounce as my mate bent to blow a raspberry onto Brock’s pudgy belly. While Brock’s magical laugh filled the air, Nathan looked up at me and bit his lip.

“Brock’s going to be a big brother—we’re having another baby.” Nathan’s eyes were alight with joy. Fatherhood suited my angel boy. He stood Brock up, letting the child wrap his chubby fists around his index fingers.

Brock swayed in place for a moment, then let go of Nathan’s fingers and took a wobbly step toward me, then another, and another, until he was within arm’s reach of where I sat on the couch.

Nathan was bouncing up and down behind him like a cheerleader. “Go, Brock! Yay, baby! That’s it! Go to Papa! Look at our big boy walking, Papa!”

Brock’s face rounded into an “uh-oh” expression, and he looked like he was about to go down onto his padded butt, until I reached out and scooped him up, settling him on my lap while reaching an arm out for my angel boy to join us.

“I did see that big boy walking, Da. Papa’s proud of his Brock.” I spoke to my son in the same way I would to anyone, trying my best not to babytalk at this delightful child of ours.

I’d been good about it so far, but now that I was being given the gift of another one? I wasn’t sure how much longer I’d be able to resist.

“Now, angel boy, tell me again about how our son is going to be the best big brother ever, and how Papa gets to see Da swell with his seed again and glow like the noonday sun. I want to hear that part, I think.”

Nathan flushed and lifted himself up to plant a kiss on my cheek. “We’ll save the seed-swelling part of the story for bedtime, Daddy. Right now, let’s get back out to our son’s birthday party before Mama Vee sends in a search party. I’ve already heard my name a dozen times in the past five minutes.”

I stood and shifted Brock to my hip, my free hand catching my angel boy’s as we walked out onto the porch together. We stood there for a moment, taking in the scene in front of us. One of our German Shepherds came over to stand beside us.

Nana’s large purple dragon was flying in lazy circles over the meadow where dozens of unicorns frolicked and played, their golden horns reflecting the sunlight as they moved. I smiled at the other two large dogs moving among them peacefully.

Closer to the house, Pappy was in unicorn form. He was with two other unicorns, and although I couldn’t tell for certain, I was fairly sure they were Stanley and Beepee.

The three of them walked in a wide circle, trailed by two other unicorns I couldn’t identify. Princess Cora rode on Beepee’s back. The normally rambunctious girl sat astride like the queen she’d been born to become, her long golden ringlets falling down her back only adding to her regal bearing.

Stanley and the other two carried Blaze’s twins and Sana’s son, Laurus. Sophia had her Papa’s auburn hair. It bounced around her face like flames in the afternoon sun as she giggled and chattered at Cora in her high-pitched, toddler voice. Tidus and Laurus both were quietly hanging on with wide eyes. Those boys weren’t as wild as the girls… yet.

“Thar he is! Gimme my granbaby, G’Mama needs her some sugar,” Mama Vee declared as she sauntered over with her hands held out for Brock. “Pappy’s been waitin’ ta give ‘im a ride. Y’all said he had ta wait ‘til he was one, and now he is, so let’s do this thang!”

Nathan looked unhappy, but gave a tense nod. I handed Brock over to Mama Vee. It was adorable to see how loving and overprotective he was of our son.

He knew his parents wouldn’t let anything happen to any child, let alone their precious Natty boy’s baby, but he’d still been firm about waiting until Brock was older.

And even then, he’d demanded that Mama Vee ride along at his side at first, just in case something were to happen.

The minute Mama turned to walk away with Brock on her hip, I began the mental countdown and waited for my angel boy to start mumbling.

Five.

“Hmm.”

Four.

“Maybe I should just…”

Three.

“I mean… don’t you think that…”

Two.

“Surely it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra…”

One.

“Screw it. He’s my kid, I’m going in.”

I smiled and kissed the top of his head, inhaling the pure scent of warm sunshine in his curls before he dashed off protectively after Brock. Mama Vee, Pappy, and Nathan worked as a family to help Brock on his first unicorn ride.

Once Nathan was busy bossing his thoroughly amused mama around, I wandered over to where my brothers from other mothers, as Annie Lee called us, were standing off the side watching over everyone.

I silently took my place next to Cory. Sana stood at his other side, and Brick beside him. We four former warriors and men-at-arms now stood watching as our young rode unicorns and our large mixed community of dragons and unicorns intermingled and enjoyed the day.

Our trio of beloved German Shepherds watched protectively over the little ones from the other side of the yard, their tails wagging happily whenever someone stopped to sneak them a piece of meat or scratch behind their ears. Yes, this was a good life we’d made here.

As if reading my thoughts, Blaze broke the silence. “What the fuck happened to us, you guys? If you’d have told me two years ago that I’d be standing here watching our kids ride fucking unicorns of all things, I’d have knocked you out.”

“I know you’re jokingly referring to the way we used to think, but I’d be careful with that fucking unicorns talk, Blaze.” Cory smirked. “Emery gets downright mean if he hears a hint of what he’d labeled interspecies bigotry toward our unicorn friends. Although I must say, now that we’ve gotten to know them, I wonder what it would have been like if we’d given their ancestors a chance. Novis could have been such a different place…”

Sana snorted. “You mean we’ve gotten to know their stench, is the reality!” He immediately held up his hands. “Just kidding. Honestly? I’m starting to wonder if the whole stench thing wasn’t all in our heads.”

“Hey, now.” I chuckled and shook my head. “Don’t forget, that’s my family you guys are talking about out there. Besides, you guys are the ones who drank the unicorn version of toenail clippings—on more than one occasion, might I add.”

“Horn shavings,” Blaze corrected with a glare in my direction. He absently rubbed his stomach as if suddenly feeling a little queasy.

I shrugged. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, my friend.” Sana started to snicker, but I flashed him a smirk. “You’re not clean, shortstack. You drank the ‘shine at my wedding. What do you think their secret ingredient is?”

Blaze really began to look green at that point, and was almost groaning.

Peter came running over and wrapped his arms around Sana from behind, groping him in front of us. Sana yelped, then laughed and planted his elbow into Peter’s ribs. Peter released him and dodged to the side, and Sana caught his hand as he spun around.

The two of them were always play fighting, and I had to wonder if it was more than friendly rivalry—after seeing that crotch grab, I was more inclined to believe my hunch was right.

“Hey,” Peter said as he squeezed Sana’s fist and struggled for dominance. “What’s with the insider’s club over here? You guys need to come join the party.” He spun Sana around and smacked him on the ass. Sana laughed, his eyes flashing with playful arousal, and allowed Peter to cart him off.

Emery and Sam passed them on their way over to find their mates. Emery, who was so pregnant he couldn’t see past his belly now, almost tripped in a gopher hole.

Cory jumped into action, rescuing his accident-prone mate while Sam merely rolled his eyes with a grin and adjusted his glasses. When his hand was free, he cradled the sling over his chest and patted the back of the baby inside it.

“Blaze, are you alright?” Sam’s eyebrows furrowed with concern as he looked at his mate. “Did you eat any of that potato salad? I warned you not to, remember? It’s full of mayonnaise and it’s been sitting out in the sun for hours now. People just don’t realize how they court salmonella with things like that…”

His rambling was cut off abruptly when Blaze grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

I ignored the two lovebirds and walked over to sit down on a bench near where my angel boy played with our son and the other unicorn young. They’d given up on the unicorn ride when Brock couldn’t sit still.

Nathan’s curls glinted in the sun, and his skin was clear and glowing. He sat on the grass within a circle of his family members, rolling balls to the little ones. A few large unicorns sat around them protectively, and once again I was moved by the strong sense of family this clan had.

Nathan glanced my way and stood to excuse himself, allowing Annie Lee and her new baby to sit down to take his place. She and Stanley had been overjoyed to become parents last month, and their little girl, Carnie, was almost as well loved among the clan as our Brock. Almost.

I looked up as my angel boy came over and straddled my lap, leaning in for a soft kiss while I gently rested my hands on his hips. He pulled back after a moment and cupped my cheek in his palm.

“What are you thinking about, Daddy? Sitting here all serious and reflective like that, looking all broody and sexy… I just had to come over and join you.”

I leaned into his touch. “I was just thinking that this is finally what peace looks like, huh? It’s not exactly where or when I’d have pictured it being, or who I’d have imagined experiencing it with, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I love our family—every last one of them, horns and all.”

My angel boy laughed and started to answer when Mama Vee hollered over at us, “Enough o’ that bizness, Natty boy! That’s how come ya keep gittin’ knocked up! Don’t ya know better by now?”

Nathan surprised a laugh out of me when he turned his head and yelled back, “Yeah, I know. But how else am I supposed to give you a bunch of granbabies to spoil?”

“Fair ‘nuff. Carry on.” Mama Vee laughed.

When Nathan turned back, I cupped his head with one hand, threading my fingers through those precious curls as I stole another kiss.

“A bunch of granbabies, huh? Is that your plan, angel boy? To be pregnant every time you turn around until I’m old and gray?”

Nathan shrugged and winked at me. “Dragons have long life spans, and you’re already going gray, so why not? Besides, it’s so much fun making them, right?”

I laughed and touched my forehead to his. “Damn straight it is, and I’ll make as many babies with you as you want to give me. I love you, angel boy. Forever.”

“And I love you, Daddy. Forever.” He smiled sweetly and brushed his lips against mine for another kiss. The melody of our heartsong joined the noise of the family that surrounded us, and it filled me with hope for the future.

There were still adventures to be had, but my goals in life had changed. We’d found peace, love, and happiness, and I would give my everything to make sure that never changed. Life was much different now than it had been back in Novis—but different didn’t mean inferior.

With my heartsong by my side, my brothers-at-arms in my life, and a loving family who supported us, what I had was better than ever. We’d lost the world we’d known, but we’d done the best with what we had, and made paces toward a better, brighter future.

Love forever. Love for always.

After thousands and thousands of years, we’d finally found our way.