“Yer givin’ him how much gol-durned money?” Mama Vee gasped in shock when Sam casually made mention of the personal account made out for one Ian Ashford, Beepee’s new fake identity.

“Three hundred and sixty-three thousand, and a little change. It needs to look realistic—an even number would be sketchy,” Sam stated calmly, completely oblivious to Mama’s sticker shock.

“Baby, I think Mama Vee is more concerned with the high amount than she is with the actual number,” Blaze explained to Sam.

Sam blinked like an owl, then turned to Mama. “Oh. Well, it’s not like we’re really giving it to him. He needs it to be accepted, or they won’t ever let him into their inner sanctum. It’s how they work. It’s fiendishly clever, actually, and completely tax-free for them. I have no problem with organized religions, but ones like this that are nothing more than smoke screens for hate groups? That’s something I have a problem with. I’m pleased to put this money to good use. Besides…” Sam paused and grinned guiltily. “I may or may not have liberated the funds I’m using for our effort here from the online account of a known mobster. That was my giggle for the day.”

Mama laughed at that one, and I could tell that she immediately felt better. If the dragons had been using their own money, she’d have felt like our family needed to pitch in, whether they could afford it or not. But robbing a crook to infiltrate a hinky church group that had hurt her son? That was something she could get behind.

“Now, Beepee. Nate tells me that you’ve experience in programming? Do you have a degree in that, or is that self-taught?” Sam looked over his glasses at Beepee while tapping away on his laptop.

He didn’t wait for an answer before he continued, “I put that as your past job experience on the church’s online application for the discipleship program. Now, I borrowed some life history from Peter and myself and made you the victim of a dragon. Supposedly, you’re looking for help with spiritual healing, because a dragon burned your house down while your parents were in it when you were a teen, and you want to make sure that doesn’t happen to anyone else. With a backstory like that, you’ll be ripe for their church, and they’ll see you as a good hunter recruit. Can you pull that off? A zealous recruit with a fat bank account will be too good for them to pass up.”

Beepee nodded and stretched his neck as he leaned back in his chair. “I can do that. If they decide to make use of my technical skills, I’ll be happy to try and get you a backdoor into their systems, too, if that would help. It will depend on how closely they watch me.”

Sam looked over at Beepee, his mouth dropping open when Beepee spoke without a hint of an accent.

Beepee winked. “I can play up the redneck drawl when I want to, but I can drop it, too. And as for education, I went to Stanford, so yes, I can pull off any technical jobs you need while I’m in there—provided I find myself alone with one of their computers for five minutes.”

Blaze and Brick looked at my brother with new respect, but I just rolled my eyes. Seriously, did they really think that their accents meant that my family was stupid? It was half the reason they played them up, to be honest. People often underestimated the brains of those behind a well-used Southern drawl.

Sam grinned and passed a stack of identification cards and personal legal documents for Ian Ashford to my brother. “I can respect that. And being able to slip in and out of an accent is excellent when you need to switch identities. I’m surprised I never thought of that myself. Anyway, back to the matter at hand—here’s your Illinois driver’s license, your bank card, a few credit cards with varying credit limits, and a few references. The church accepted you as a disciple—I received the email confirmation and welcome message this morning. You’re expected there on Thursday, by the way, for initiation. It’s just a matter of which of our dragons will drop you off in Utah.”

“I can drive… or shift and run there. Either way is no problem,” Beepee insisted.

“Are you afraid to ride a dragon?” Sam asked bluntly. “Because it’s the best way. I don’t want you monitored at the airport, you don’t need to have a vehicle there, and there’s no way we want to risk you being seen in unicorn form. That’s all we need, for them to come after your kind next.”

“Why would he be afraid? I’ve been giving my brothers rides for years,” I said with a grin at Beepee, daring him to call my bluff.

My brother had a well-documented fear of heights, but would never admit it to these dragons. The first and last time I’d given him a ride, he’d passed out on my back. We’d teased him for months after that one.

“Watch it, mister. Just because yer about ta be a pappy yerself and have that big ol’ dragon fer a mate don’t mean ya get ta tease yer brother. Ya know how our Beepee is with the heights.” Mama wagged a warning finger at me while my brother sat up taller.

“It’s fine, Mama. Natty’s just funnin’. I’ll be fine. ‘Sides, Sam makes sense. Being in unicorn form is a risk I shouldn’t take. They’ll be watchin’ at the airports. I don’t wanna be confined in a plane, anyway.”

“I’ll take him,” Sana said quietly. “If he has any anxiety, I’ll be able to help him. Peter and I will head out with Beepee after dinner. That will give us ample time to reach that place by Thursday. As I recall from the map you showed us, it’s a long flight. Not quite as far as Colorado was, but still far enough away that it’s going to take some time to get there. Perhaps we should arrange a room for tomorrow to rest by day?”

Sam nodded, his fingers already flying over keys. “Perfect. I’ll set up reservations at a hotel in Nevada both ways for you guys, and Blaze and I will watch your little one while you’re gone.”

Peter’s eyes moved to Blaze, who shrugged. “We already have two, what’s one more? Besides, it’s not like Nana won’t be around anyway, if we need help with Larry.”

“Laurus,” Sana corrected with a narrowed gaze. “We’ve been over that whole nickname thing, Blaze. Larry isn’t happening.”

Blaze grinned. “We’ll see. I mean, if you plan on the poor kid going to school one day, you might consider a more playground-friendly name, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Please,” Cory said with a grin. “You named your son Tidus and dare tease our friends over Laurus? Tidy won’t be thanking you either, in a few years’ time. At least Sophia will be okay in that department.”

Sam shot both men a glare, then turned to Sana. “Laurus will be in good hands, along with Tidus, don’t worry. And thank you for helping.” He turned to Peter. “I texted you confirmation for the reservation—just use that card I gave you to pay for it. I want it charged to the shell corporation I set up, not linked back to us.”

“Alright then, do we need ta go over anythin’ else? Cuz I’m gonna take my boy and feed him right good afore he goes off on this here mission.” Mama was already standing. Pappy and Beepee silently rose at her side.

“I think we’re good,” Sam said, holding a fist out to Beepee. “Thank you for doing this; just be careful in there. Remember, trust no one.”

“Words to live by,” Beepee said with a grin as he bumped his fist against Sam’s. “You guys just relax and plan your assault. I’ll get you in there, one way or another. I’ll be in touch with Blaze as I go.”

I rubbed my chest, heartburn signalling that I needed to fill my empty stomach. The delicious scent of roasted chicken was wafting in from the kitchen, telling me that dinner was about ready.

Cory smiled at me. His eyes never missed a thing. “Brick, I think your mate is hungry. Let’s cut this meeting short. We’ll let Mama Vee have her goodbye dinner with her son while we go dig into whatever Emery and Vivian are cooking in there.”

“Chicken and vegetables,” Emery said from the doorway. “There’s plenty if you’d like to join us, Mama Vee.”

“Oh, no, baby. Thanks, though. I’ve got us a nice possum stew in the slow cooker, perfect for putting some meat on my baby’s bones afore he takes off tonight to go join up with them church people.”

Beepee and I shared a secret grin at the stricken looks on the dragons’ faces. Mama’s “possum” stew was really made of beef, but she liked to tease. Sometimes it was lizard gumbo, or rat jambalaya, but really, it was always beef stew.

After my family left, we all wandered into the large dining area for dinner. Sana immediately made his way over to where his son Laurus and Sam’s twins were all sitting in little bouncy seats, while Cora sat in her high chair eating dry cheerios.

The three German Shepherds sat around the babies protectively. Sam’s nana had been watching over them while we had our meeting, and immediately got up for a hug when Sam walked over to see his twins.

I watched as the men fussed over their little ones—Cory with his little princess, Blaze and Sam with their twins, Sana and Peter with their tiny bundle of joy. Soon, that would be Brick and me. The idea was both amazing and scary as hell at the same time.

Brick came up behind me, his arms encircling my waist as he leaned down to kiss my neck, speaking softly into my ear as though he’d heard my thoughts. “That’s going to be us soon, angel boy. I hope our child has your curly hair and sweet smile.”

I leaned against him, soaking up the comfort of his embrace. “I don’t know. I’d kind of like it if they have your eyes, though.”

“My eyes and your smile? A good blend. But the curls are a must.” He was nuzzling my hair while he spoke, and I couldn’t help but grin. I loved it when he touched me so sweetly. He was so big and powerful, but he was still capable of such tenderness.

“Sorry, but I have no control over that… although I’m pretty sure that you’re going to love whatever our child ends up with, right?” I turned my head so I could rest it on his shoulder. There was no safer place on Earth than in his arms.

Our conversation was cut short by Vivian. She called for us to come to the table. We headed over and got seated, then dug in. I was nearly through with my meal when the conversation turned to my family. Blaze make a crack about how to find unicorns in the dark on a moonless night.

“You may not see the fuckers hiding there in the dark, but all you have to do is move downwind. You’ll smell them long before you reach them,” Blaze joked while the others laughed—all except for my Brick, who was politely refraining for my sake. At least, I hoped he was.

Even gentle Sana snorted. “You don’t need to be downwind—you just need to be within a hundred yards.”

While they laughed, I looked around in shock. Did they not realize that this was my family they were joking about? I stood up and threw my napkin down, shrugging off Brick’s hand.

I looked around the table at my new friends, wanting to say something in reproof, but the words stuck in my throat. Instead, I turned and ran from the room, hot tears streaking down my face.

Maybe Mama was right—maybe I was the exception, and there were no good dragons. What I heard made me doubt the trust I’d put in all of them.

If these people were supposed to be my kin, then I never wanted to shift again. I’d rather be a normal boy than be a dragon, if my draconian heritage meant I had to talk down to others.

They could say what they wanted to and think what they wanted to, but I’d been raised better than that. If they couldn’t respect my family, then they couldn’t respect me, either. I wouldn’t share their dinner table, if it came down to that.