Chapter Nine
Blaze
"So, mates, eh?" Blaze said between meetings. Juniper had gone to retrieve the next group of people that needed to be calmed. Word of the second field spread quickly and the people were panicking. Blaze was glad to be there. Vale was great at rules and tradition, he was crap at making people feel calm during a crisis. Luckily for him, The Garden didn't see many crises. Unluckily, that also meant their people were ill-adept at handling them. But, the whole time, in the back of his mind had been Vale's casual declaration. Blaze knew Vale was his best friend, but they could have never been mates, you had to be able to stop fighting long enough. But, Landon was like their connecting link. Without him, they didn't work. Could it be that Blaze and Vale were just waiting for Landon to complete them this entire time?
"You weren't thinking the same thing?" Vale asked, never taking his eyes off the paper. He was adjusting a new ration schedule. Until they could grow the remaining flowers, everyone was taking less.
"I could hope. But it felt too good to be true. This wouldn't be the first time I hoped for something to help bring us together." Blaze's scar tingled, and he rubbed at it. The move caught Vale's attention, making him frown.
"The elixir could heal that," Vale murmured offhandedly as he looked back down at the chart.
"I don't know. It gives me a rugged charm. Besides, even the elixir has limits. It can keep me young, but it can't make me young. I guess I'll be older and wiser than you forever."
Vale made a scoffing sound. "I never judge a book by its cover."
"Though once judged, it's judged forever?"
Vale pondered his question and as Blaze waited, a thick, viscous dread settled in his stomach, like he'd swallowed a ball of something slimy and mad. His muscles tensed, and he searched the room for danger. "Landon," he gasped as Vale uttered the same name.
Something was wrong. Somewhere, he was in danger.
"Juniper! Where is Landon right now?" Vale hollered down the hallway.
Juniper appeared in the doorway with a group of scared merchants behind her. "He went to the market for something. I'm not supposed to say. It's a surprise."
They rushed toward the window, opening the door to the balcony. "Get on, I have a better sense of smell," Blaze said before he shifted. Vale slid on his back, squeezing his strong thighs around the ridge that ran down Blaze's spine. Would Landon know to shift? In his dragon form, not much that the townspeople had could hurt him. He forced that question out of his mind as he settled his thoughts, allowing only those sensations related to Landon to filter in. He heard the call, the same one that had brought him from his house in the states. But now, it was tinged with fear. Blaze swept his gaze over the streets below them and he smelled Landon at the same time he heard him.
"Down there!" Vale pointed to a collection of stands in the marketplace. Like open-faced shops, they had three walls and then a screen that they pulled down in the front during closing. That meant that if Landon got cornered in one, he'd have an angry mob between him and his escape.
Blaze roared, putting more than a little flame behind the noise. Some of the mob on the outer edge looked up, squealed and ran.
That didn't comfort him because, at the same time, he heard some of the people urging, "Hurry, they approach! Do it!"
"Stop them!" Blaze urged Vale. The King was silent on his back and Blaze could only imagine what the man's face looked like.
"I intend to, but first, I'm memorizing their faces." The danger in those words was not lost on him. Vale would make them pay for scaring their mate. He'd make them pay in a way that Blaze wouldn't have been able to. And if Landon was harmed? Blaze didn't want to imagine the things Vale could do to them.
Without warning, Vale leaped off Blaze's back. They were still over a hundred feet up but the man, fortified with daily elixir doses, landed on the ground with a thud that cracked the ground and left him unmarked. Blaze made himself like an arrow, shooting down where he shifted the moment before landing.
He hit the ground at a run and kept the momentum going through the scattering crowd into the shop where there were screaming and the sounds of fists hitting flesh. He spotted Landon first, huddled on the ground and bleeding from his forehead.
A roar tore from his mouth and when Blaze saw one of their people attempt to reach for Landon, Blaze snapped, grabbing the person by the back of their neck and hauling him off the ground. He threw the man's body into the crowd, toppling many of them over as he reached Landon. With Vale subduing the crowd that lacked the smarts to stop when their King arrived, Blaze concentrated on Landon.
When Blaze's hands touched the little dragon's arms, he flinched. Blaze's beast snarled. His mate should know no fear. From any hand. "It's okay, it's just me." What had he heard people calling him? "Pebble. It's okay, Pebble."
That made Landon look up, his eyes taking their time to focus on his face. "Huh," he said, dazed. "I like it when you say it."
Behind them, Vale had stopped the near riot. There was a line of men, all on their knees with their hands clasped together in front of them. Vale had the stand owner on his feet and was asking him for a detailed account of what had happened.
"Is he telling the truth?" Blaze asked Landon as he clutched him tightly against his chest.
Landon lifted his head to listen. He had a cut on his forehead and his lip was red. Had he been punched? Someone in his own home, his utopia, had harmed his mate?
"Which one of them hurt you?" Blaze asked, trying to soften the growl in his tone. It wasn't for Landon anyway.
Landon just shook his head. He wasn't pointing fingers.
That was fine, Vale was getting the whole story from the shop owner. I believe Vale's words were, "Tell me what happened or lose your livelihood." That had loosened the man's tongue considerably so that when he finished, Vale knew who was to blame and who had allowed themselves to be whipped up in the frenzy.
"I've heard enough," Vale commanded. "I'm docking all those who participated in this mob a single ration of elixir. Those who laid hands on the diamond dragon, on my guest, will receive a month in the graveyard. Starting now."
Landon winced as the crowd reacted. Some of the men on their knees burst into tears while members of the crowd, a group that now numbered so high everyone on the island must have been there, gasped or made other noises of outrage.
Vale turned to his people. In moments like this, Blaze wondered how he appeared taller, broader. Perhaps it was simply a King thing. Or a Vale thing. He thought it was probably the second. "Do you defy me?" he asked his people. "Is there one among you fit for challenge? One among you who thinks they could do a better job?"
Their eyes fell as they submitted to their King. Blaze hated this, the bowing, scraping, false obedience. Fear had its place in leading a group of people but fear alone did not make for loyal subjects. Except now, the victim was Landon. He still shook in Blaze's arms. He shook and yet refused to name anyone.
"Take him to my chambers and remain there," Vale commanded to Blaze using the same voice he'd used to order his people around. Only because of the trembling man in his arms did Blaze keep his mouth closed and begin carrying him up the path to the castle. He didn't worry about Vale being overrun by unhappy townspeople. With the elixir Vale took, the fight hadn't been fair from the beginning.
When the crowd was far behind them, Blaze noticed Landon mumbling into his chest. His lips brushed and ticked over Blaze's bare chest.
"I ruined everything."
Blaze stopped and pried Landon back, so he could see into his face. "Why do you believe so?"
"I should have known that public opinion was changing. I'm literally the only new thing here. Of course, the people are going to think I am responsible."
"Not true. I'm new. I haven't been back here for much longer than you've been alive."
Landon's lips turned up in a small smile. "Cradle robber."
"I wasn't aware you still slept in a cradle," Blaze replied, relieved that his mate was smiling again. "Do I have to tell you not to go back to the marketplace alone?"
Blaze regretted his words when Landon's smile fell. "No, you don't need to tell me. I won't go back to the marketplace."
***
An hour later, Blaze had gotten Landon out of the bath and was taking great enjoyment in drying off every part of his body. The mood in the room was hesitant but light. Blaze was trying to do all he could to forget what Vale was likely doing at that moment and it seemed that Landon was doing the same.
When the door opened, and Vale stormed inside, it felt like the atmosphere grew a million times tenser. He paced around the space like a caged animal shooting glares at both of them. Was he jealous that he wasn't with them? That he hadn't gotten to share the moment?
That was a little unfair since it was Vale who had sent them to his room in the first place.
"Is everything taken care of?" Blaze asked.
Vale froze mid-step to glare at him. "Don't look at me like that," he snapped.
Fire began to burn in Blaze's limbs. He always felt this way before a fight, like he could literally feel his temper beginning to burn. "Like what? You did what was right for our mate. If not, even he is safe in our kingdom then what type of place do we call home?" He did think that Vale used fear and strength too much but now wasn't the time.
Except, judging from the sneer on his face, Vale wanted this to be the time. He needed the fight.
He'd looked like this during their last huge fight too. That one had separated them for years.
"The people deserve more from you, more from their King," Blaze had told him in Vale's study. He'd been King for so many years, neither of them could remember a time when Vale's father had ruled, rest his soul.
"They deserve equality? That isn't a monarchy, Blaze, that's a democracy. Do I open my position to a vote? Who will run? You?"
The sneer and amusement in his voice had only further fueled Blaze's temper. "You know that isn't what I'm saying. But this power can't just be for you. You don't just stay young; the elixir makes you more powerful. It isn't fair to your people."
"What isn't fair is having an adviser who only advises me to distribute my authority. I am not the only one who receives extra rations. Others are awarded them for good service, for--"
"Being friends with you," Blaze had snapped. "How is that fair?"
Vale had scowled and stood, ready to leave the room since that was the only thing that worked between them when they got like this. "I don't see you complaining," he'd murmured.
Blaze had lost all reason. He hadn't been able to see anything past his anger and when he grabbed the knife and moved to block Vale's way, he hadn't even felt it when the knife slid down his face, slicing his skin open.
"There, now I have something that marks me as my own. I don't need your elixir, Vale. Not if it isn't available for all." The blood had pooled and slipped into his mouth and Vale's eyes had been wide with at first shock and then worry.
"What are you doing?" He rushed to his cabinet and pulled out a freshly picked emerald rose blossom. "You need this now before it scars."
He stretched out his hand, the shimmering elixir in the cup that he held out to Blaze. When Blaze batted the cup away, it clattered to the ground, the precious, life-giving elixir spilled over the ground and a tree immediately sprouted to life in the spot.
"What have you...? How dare you! I should cancel your next ration, divide it up among the people who care about this kingdom."
Blaze pushed past Vale, staining his top with blood in the process. "You should do that. In fact, give away this ration and the one after that and the one after that! I will never accept elixir from you again."
"Fine," Vale had replied, clearly not believing a word Blaze had said.
"I won't because I won't be here," Blaze added and that finally got the worried expression on Vale that Blaze had been hoping for. "This isn't working, it can't work."
"Stop, Blaze, don't say something you don't mean," Vale replied. Tears had filled his eyes for a second before he blinked them away.
Blaze had been terrified about what he was saying. He'd never stepped foot off his home, what was he saying? In his heart, he knew it was the right thing. If he stayed, he'd end up hating Vale and that would really kill him.
"I know what I'm saying, Vale. Will you change your ways? Make the elixir available to all?"
Vale shook his head no.
"Then I'm leaving. Don't have me followed and don't think of me. I won't be thinking of you."
"So that's it?" Vale had screamed after him. "You're off to live free among the humans?" At least Blaze had had the blood-soaked cloth over his face to help mask his tortured expression.
"You're saying the right words," Vale said, bringing Blaze back to the present. "But do you mean them? Or are they just for show?"
"Like I'm trying to impress him? You think I need to?" They stood toe to toe now. He felt pulled tight and imagined Vale felt the same. A pin dropping might be enough to make them both snap. They didn't hear a pin drop, they heard Landon's soft cough and then whine of pain.
The anger whooshed out of him all at once. He spun and with Vale by his side, went to Landon who sat on the mattress with his head down, staring at his hands.
"Did you kill them?" he asked Vale with a wince.
Vale dropped to his knees, so he could look up into Landon's face while Blaze stayed a step away, one hand gripping one of the columns of the bed.
"I have to protect you, Landon. I'm making the announcement that you are my mate and at that point, any harm to you will come with a penalty of death. They had no way of knowing this time and a month in the dungeon will help them remember how to treat our guests."
"But how will they eat? And what about Avia?"
"There is a feeding system in place, I'm not a monster. And I checked on Avia when I was down there. She's still in a deep sleep. It must be magic though since she hasn't lost any weight. She won't bother them, and they are too terrified of her to put a toe out of line. It's a win-win."
Vale would see it that way.
"Landon, you didn't make them hurt you," Blaze added gently.
Vale straightened and looked from Landon to Blaze and back. "Mate, you are worried about them?"
Blaze's entire body took notice of the term Vale used to address Landon. His dick stirred, growing harder with every passing moment.
"Don't call me that," Landon mumbled barely loud enough for them to hear.
"I will because that is what you are," Vale replied obstinately.
"He's been through a lot today," Blaze said.
Vale turned to face him. "So, this is how our mating will be? My two mates conspiring and joining against me?"
While Blaze knew in the reasonable part of him that Vale was allowing his anger and fear to control his emotions, Blaze couldn't stop himself from doing the same exact thing. Instead of keeping a level head as he should, he rose to the occasion, literally and metaphorically.
They nearly touched, both their chests puffed out. They probably looked ridiculous strutting like two cocks trying to prove they were the strongest. "We won't have a mating if you keep acting like this!"
"Don't you dare threaten me!"
That hadn't been what he'd meant to do, but he could see how it would sound that way. Like always, his words were coming out not as he intended them, but he was too angry to pause and explain. He didn't know what he was doing there anyway. They had been ridiculous to think they were mates, at least, to think they were functional mates.
"Can you two stop fighting for one second?" Landon hollered, jumping to his feet and pausing Blaze's plans to storm out. "What do you even have to be upset about? You both swooped in and saved the damsel in distress. While I was hiding in the corner of the shop, you both go to look dashing and brave. And now, because I wanted to make a stupid loaf of bread, your kingdom is in chaos! I'm just making everything worse!"
Seeing the situation from Landon's point of view gave Blaze clarity he didn't have before. Suddenly, he didn't know what they were arguing about either. Yes, it had been unfair of Vale to throw his power around as he had, but it had been for a good cause, to secure their mate.
"I'm sorry, Landon," Blaze said.
"I am too," Vale said after him. He pulled Landon toward him and though their mate was hesitant to relax into the hug at first, he did. Both Vale and Landon closed their eyes during the embrace and though he wasn't touching either of them, Blaze felt like he could feel it as well. Vale held Landon away from him, his eyes roaming his body.
"Is he harmed?" Vale asked Blaze.
"Excuse me, shouldn't you ask me that question?"
"I would but you'd just talk down your injuries so those responsible don't get in trouble."
Landon closed his mouth. Vale wasn't wrong in that respect.
"He'll be okay," Blaze replied. "His forehead is the worst of it. The rest are where from when Landon went to ground—"
"Like a coward," Landon groaned.
"Like a smart man overrun in a foreign land," Blaze told him. He hooked his fingers under Landon's chin, bringing his face around to look at him. His skin burned where he touched the other man. "Look, this guy over here sometimes has crazy ideas, but us being mates isn't one of them. It may be insane, but it's real. We're real."
"You feel real to me," Vale whispered into Blaze's ear as he slid into place behind him. Blaze didn't groan but only just barely. He had been trying to remain a firm foundation for Landon and here Vale was reducing him to a dripping puddle. "Do you want to feel how real he is to me?" Vale asked Landon over Blaze's shoulder.
Blaze jut his ass back a tad, just enough so that it would make contact with Vale's groin. The hard length he found there probed insistently between his cheeks. How long since he'd felt that feeling? His hand whipped back and held on securely to Vale's hip. He squeezed the flesh under his palm, bringing Vale to that line where pleasure meets pain. If his Vale was anything like he used to be, then he loved to ride that line, to the point of obscuring it.
Vale's lips went down to his neck, sucking, kissing and licking. Blaze craned his head to the side, offering more space for Vale to devour. Blaze lifted his eyelids, Landon hadn't joined in touching them, but he hadn't moved away either. His eyes were on Vale and Blaze, unblinking. His mouth parted open slightly and his breaths came in thick heavy pulls. He was turned on. Blaze looked down at his crotch. Very turned on.
"You can touch yourself," Blaze told him softly. "See, like this." He shifted to the side so that Vale's thick erection was visible to Landon and Blaze began to massage the throbbing dick over his clothes.
"Yes," Vale hissed. "Like that."
Hesitantly, Landon's hand went to his crotch. He started slowly, more petting the area than he was stroking. Blaze had to remind himself that Landon was still so inexperienced. Less than Blaze and Vale, who claimed celibacy apart from each other, but who had hundreds of years of practice with each other. That had been a worry now eased. Vale's body hadn't changed so much, and Blaze still knew how to play him like a piano.
He was making music now. He let out soft, vibrating notes that washed over Blaze. Wails as pure as birdsong filled his ears and all at once Blaze knew one thing. They were all wearing too many clothes.
He grew his claws out, letting his beast out just enough, and used them to slice down Vale's outfit. He did the same to Landon who didn't bother catching them on their way off his body. "Get on the bed," Blaze grunted and while he hadn't specified, both complied.
He crawled onto the mattress as well and simply sat on his knees at the foot of the bed staring at the two men that fate had given him. On their backs staring up at him as well, they couldn't be more different, Landon wiggled, unable to stay still or keep his body from moving in his search for release while Vale lay perfectly still, a single hand squeezing the base of his cock with an expression that clearly ordered Blaze to come get some.
Blaze kept his eyes on Landon as he bent over Vale, slipping his dick in his mouth and massaging him with his tongue. Witnessing Landon's arousal at watching another man getting his cock sucked was nearly as amazing as having his mouth full of his King. His flavor, scent, very being excited Blaze to the point of insanity. So much so that it had scared him into leaving. He'd told Vale it was because of the elixir, but in reality, Blaze's feelings for Vale had been too intense. He'd thought then that it wasn't normal, that clearly, something was wrong because no person should have such effortless control over another. He'd ran and stayed away until he couldn't. Now, he was right back in the same position, only worse, since this time, he felt wholly and utterly controlled by two men. They could break his heart if they wanted, and Blaze vowed then to never give either of them a reason.
He lifted his face and rotated. This time, keeping his eyes on Vale as he swallowed Landon's dick. Vale's gaze burned. It was as if Blaze could feel it wrapped around his erection, giving him pleasure in the exact same way he gave it to Landon. Blaze didn't want Landon to come though so he pulled off, which made Landon whine loudly. "Tsk, tsk, Pebble," Blaze chastised. "No patience."
Landon launched up, wrapping his arms around Blaze as if grappling for control. Blaze swallowed his initial surprise before grappling with the man. Landon was trying to pin him, and he assumed it was so that he could hold Blaze down and use his mouth. He grabbed both of Landon's arms, twisting them back, so as to not cause pain, but to immobilize him. Slick sweaty skin wrapped against slick sweat skin and their soft grunts of exertion filled the room. Vale had gotten up, amused by their wrestling and now waited for the victor. In a move that Blaze had learned hundreds of years before Landon was born, he gathered his knees together with on leg while hooking his leg and rotating Landon's body. He landed on his knees on the bed at which point Blaze grabbed hold of his hips and wrenched the man up, bouncing his ass against Blaze's dick.
"There," he said arrogantly. "Now you are in position."
Landon breathed heavily, worn out from the wrestling. He bucked once against Blaze's dick. "I could have…beat you," Landon replied while still panting. "Show me that leg move?" he asked over his shoulder.
Blaze would show him anything if he asked on his knees with rosy red cheeks. "Sure. Later," he added, just in case, it wasn't obvious.
Above them, Vale chuckled. "Yes, later." He scooted in front of Landon and caressed his cheek. "We have other plans now." He kept his hand lovingly on Landon's cheek as he slid his dick forward. It pressed against Landon's lips before slipping in, making them both moan.
While listening to the sweet sounds of his mate giving head to his other mate, Blaze poured lubricant into his hands and began to massage Landon's lower body. He probed the tight hole with thick fingers, first one, then the other. His slick caress ran over the swell of Landon's ass, down the valley of flesh to where Landon's cock and balls hung, begging to be touched. "I don't want you to touch this when we fuck you. Concentrate on me, on how I feel. Concentrate on Vale and the expert way he fills your mouth. Let your pleasure come to you, Landon, don't chase it."
Landon could only whimper his agreement.
Blaze looked down at his masterpiece and thought perhaps he had overdone it on the lube. Landon's ass glistened, begging to be smacked. His skin shone, but his hole was ready. Swiping his dick with the leftover lube, he pressed it into place, wanting to go slow for Landon but needing to be inside of his mate.
Landon pulled his mouth off Vale's dick to say, "I had this dream."
Blaze pushed, lodging his head inside and making Landon go very still. His channel was too tight, making forward progression more difficult. "Watch Vale's face, baby. Look at those green eyes. Like a forest, ancient and powerful."
As he obeyed, his body relaxed, and Blaze could slide in a little more. "That's it, you are doing so good. Do you like the way Vale feels? I know because I've felt it. Thick and hot, it's the weight of it that really gets to you though. So much power in one—"
"If you say tiny right now," Vale growled.
Blaze laughed and pressed his hips forward, bottoming out. "No one is accusing you of that. And look there, baby, you've done it. You've taken all of me."
Landon's response was a deep moan and a squeeze of his inner muscles. "Oh fuck," Blaze rasped. He needed to start moving or he was going to come while completely still. Not only would Vale never let him hear the end of that, Blaze wanted to make Landon scream his name before he came. He thrust forward, nearly going blind to the amazing sensation of being inside of his mate, this man meant for him. His body held onto Blaze's dick like a glove.
Blaze caught Vale's eye, on his knees in front of him. He lovingly cupped Landon's face, his fingers curling and pressing into his flesh whenever Landon sucked or licked in a way he particularly liked. "Looking at me like that, are you trying to get me to shoot off first?" Vale asked him. Blaze leaned over Landon's body for a sweet kiss.
"Fill his mouth up, mate," Blaze ordered as he returned to his upright position. With his hands secure at Landon's hips he pulled him off only to push his body back onto his dick. He continued this way, long, deliberate strokes that nearly removed his length, only to slide it back in. Each thrust was like a welcoming hug.
"Blaze!" Landon shouted as he came. His orgasm squeezed against Blaze and he bottomed out once more with a roar. In front of him, Vale was reaching his own climax as well. Blaze looked down at Landon's face, spotting a tiny bit of cum escape the corner of his mouth and roll down his chin.
Blaze growled out Landon's name as his dick began to swell. In a moment of panic, he found Vale, he was there, ready to comfort him.
"How does it feel?" Vale asked, his words rough and raw.
His dick was swelling, forming a knot that would lodge inside of Landon as Blaze's sperm was delivered deep inside his body. The times Vale and Blaze had fooled around had failed to produce a knot. Blaze would have thought it was just a fantasy except so many of his mated friends had told him about the knot. He knew what it felt like now and when his friends had explained how all-consuming at earth shattering it was, they hadn't been lying.
Vale dropped down so that he could hold Landon while also rubbing Blaze's leg. He told them both beautiful things. Through the whirlwind of pleasure, Blaze used Vale's voice as his anchor. Beneath him, Landon had come so many times he was now just whimpering, his eyes fluttering shut. The space began to glow as his mating fire bloomed. It enveloped the three of them in warm, beautiful light, only dimming when Blaze was able to pull away from Landon.
They managed to make it as far as Vale's pool before collapsing from the exertion. The three of them floated, rinsing off the mess of their lovemaking, while holding onto each other, staring in awe and wonder at the green canopy that grew over them. Blaze got the idea that they were all in a state of shock. There was thinking and there was knowing. And then, there was knowing and there was experiencing. They had thought they were mates, then they knew it. Now, they'd experienced what that meant, and things were never going to be the same.
Suddenly, Landon shot up, getting to his feet in the pool.
"What's wrong?"
"I just remembered my nightmare," Landon said, searching around. Though, Blaze didn't think he knew what he was looking for and eventually he settled down into the water.
"Tell us," Vale said lazily. He'd grabbed a bottle of soap and began sudsing Blaze starting with his foot.
Landon's eyes were on where the two men were touching, and his arousal suddenly filled the space. He made an irritated noise, ducked down below the water and then shot up, brushing the water back while exhaling loudly. "You two will catch me on fire," he muttered. "I was in that bed, on my knees, but I think you two were switched."
"We can go try that right now," Blaze suggested.
Landon looked like he considered the suggestion. "There was another voice there. The person called me Pebble."
"Another voice?" Vale asked. "Your eye already wanders!" he exclaimed with a smile.
"No, jeez, you two!" Landon got to his feet.
"No, no, I'm sorry," Blaze said going to Landon. "Come back here, come to us." He didn't touch Landon, wanting the man to make this choice on his own. He went to Vale's side and waited.
Landon turned toward them but then frowned, stopping short. "You two look so perfect like that," Landon said. His silver eyes shone, almost like they were full of tears. As much as Blaze wanted to rush forward to hold him, and Vale's muscles tightened to likely do the same, this was a moment Landon needed to work through on his own. Slowly, he stepped through the water and sunk down to a more comfortable position. He still wasn't touching them, but he held his hand out. "Soap," he ordered. And then, "Foot."
Vale lifted his foot obediently while Landon washed it. "Mates?" he said softly when he had finished washing both Vale's feet. Blaze got the idea that Landon had been using the activity as a moment to think and come to terms with their new reality. Because there was one thing for sure, they weren't going back to what they'd been.
"I need to get back to the states and clean out my stuff there. The way time goes here, I'll put it off for a second and a decade will have passed. I'll come back, my face in a missing person file tucked away as a cold case."
"Your stuff?" Landon parroted.
"I can send to your old home as well," Vale suggested to Landon. "I don't think I want either of you out of my sight, even for that. Perhaps we can ask Marrissa and then you can have a visit," Vale said, turning to Blaze.
"Old home?" Landon repeated.
"Mate?" Blaze asked him. There was a divot between Landon's eyes from where he was frowning so hard.
He lifted his thumb to his mouth and chewed on the nail. "Don't you think this is going a little fast? Should we take a minute? A moment to breathe and evaluate?"
He couldn't have known the effect his question would have on Blaze and Vale. Blaze took a deep breath to try to help control his response.
Vale didn't. "A little fast? I've waited hundreds of years. You want me to wait longer?"
"Really, Landon, are you yet unsure of what we are? Is it fear of the unknown that is holding you back?" Blaze asked gently, not wanting it to seem like they were ganging up on him.
Landon closed and opened his mouth several times. The more cynical part of Blaze would have said that it looked like Landon was trying to find a response, one that made sense. "My mother hasn't even met you."
"Yes, but you've met my mother," Blaze countered making Vale look triumphant.
"But, a mating of three…is that possible?" Landon asked.
"It's rare, but not unheard of. More common with other more basic shifter cultures." During his time in the states, Blaze had run into a shifter here and there. For the most part, they were to be avoided. Each pack operated under an archaic set of traditions, the exact thing Blaze had been avoiding during that time.
"We can't make you accept us," Blaze told him.
"But you will accept us," Vale barked. Blaze rolled his eyes.
"I want you to meet my mother," Landon replied. He got up and although Blaze missed the boneless satisfaction they'd all felt before this quasi-argument, he enjoyed the sight of the water sliding down Landon's skin and over the red marks they had both put there. Landon stepped out of the bath and grabbed a towel before walking out yelling over his shoulder, "And I want my own room!"
Blaze and Vale just looked at each other. Then, like a toy jack-in-the-box, Vale shot up. "Absolutely not!"
Blaze watched him go, enjoying the view a bit more since Vale didn't stop to grab a towel. And even though they were technically arguing, Blaze couldn't suppress a smile.