Taran decides to close the shop early. It’s half a celebration, half a meeting to catch up what we know. Even the work-a-holic Annika decides to join us.

Everything happened so fast this morning that no one had the time to process events as they unfolded.

We’re still waiting for Varos and Ronnie to compare notes with Austin before we begin. Goldie and Rayne are sitting side by side on Taran’s chair, leaning into each other as they chat quietly.

They are a study in opposites if I ever saw one.

I talked with Nyve and we are both in agreement. Rayne is not what any of us expected. Which is unfair to her. It just goes to show that we need to keep our expectations in check with reality and stop making assumptions based on what we think we know.

Goldie is about as sweet as they come. Her blonde hair is like a halo around her head. Large curls that extend to her shoulders. Her makeup is always immaculate and tastefully done. Her nails are manicured professionally. If it weren’t for the fact that she is Annika’s apprentice in her tattoo shop across the street and sports sleeves on both arms, no one would ever think the All-American doll would be an aspiring inker herself.

So that’s what we expected of her sister. The same demure and cheerful attitude, clothing chosen to accent her assets and the very feminine appearance she presents.

Although we can see the family resemblance around the eyes and mouth, Rayne and Goldie are nothing alike. Rayne’s apparel is chosen specifically to present neutral. The piercings in her lip, nose and along one ear certainly aren’t the only jewelry she wears. The rings on her fingers are large, mostly silver and pewter with motifs of skulls and dragons. Her short hair continues to belie the gender neutral appearance.

Varos and Ronnie stroll in, locking the front door and turning the sign before they settle into chairs.

Taran cedes the floor to Varos and Ronnie who have a list of questions ready to ask her. They’re patient as they get as much information from her as they can. It’s impressive how organized they are.

“I really don’t have much to tell you that you don’t already know,” Rayne says in a quiet voice. She and Goldie are holding hands. “I assume you found me when I left those messages.”

“It was brilliant of you,” Goldie says, leaning into Rayne.

“It wasn’t brilliance, it was desperation. They kept moving me around. I caught on too late they were drugging my food. Once I figured it out, I just stopped eating.”

“How did they not notice?” Taran asks. He’s leaning against the wall, standing where Austin is shifting restlessly in his seat. “Surely they would have noticed you weren’t eating.”

Rayne fanned at her baggy shirt. “Stupids never thought to pat me down. When they let me go to the bathroom, they thought they were being clever by covering the windows so I couldn’t escape. But they didn’t think to check the toilet before I flushed. Humans can be so weird about body functions.”

I have to admit, I wouldn’t have thought to do that. “Definitely worked to your advantage.”

“Yep. I kept acting drugged until they moved me out of that office building.” Rayne runs her hands through her hair to brush it out of her face. “Once the drugs moved out of my system, all I had to do was wait until they moved me again and I could get a feel for the rhythm of their guard rotation. Thinking I was still drugged, they relaxed their attention. Then, I attacked. Although you guys have really good timing. I wasn’t expecting so many of them to still be around.”

Varos looks up from Ronnie’s laptop. “We certainly weren’t expecting you to be able to use magic.”

Rayne leans back and laughs. “I guess Goldie never told you. All unicorns have some magic ability.”

“It never came up in conversation,” Goldie says in her defense. “They never asked and I honestly didn’t think to say anything.”

“No harm, no foul,” Taran says.

“I don’t think it would have changed how we did things, anyway,” Kuras says from next to Austin. Now that Austin is close to delivery, Kuras has been trying to stay as close as he can for when the time comes.

“I agree. Except maybe someone wouldn’t have gone through a window and opened up his side,” I say playfully to my mate.

Kuras favors me with a large smile. “Well, someone took very good care of me until I healed.”

“Oh my gods, you two.” Annika waves her coffee cup in our direction. “Get a room.”

“You’re just wishing you could sip what I’m drinking.”

“No.” Sako holds a hand up. “No, I’m not listening to Bronaz talk about his sex life.”

“Only because you don’t have one. It makes you feel inadequate.”

“Are they always like this?” Rayne asks her sister.

Goldie swings her feet. “Nah. Sometimes they’re worse. The sense of competition is pretty fierce sometimes. Nothing at all like working with Annika.”

Taran ignores everyone and lifts his chin to Rayne. “So what will you do now? Take some time off to spend with your family? Goldie worried herself sick every day. I’m sure she’ll want to hog all your time.”

“She’ll have to wait for my days off. I’m heading into the shop tomorrow to pick up my shifts again. Marigold says that Neeta has everything in the storeroom screwed up. I think she’s being generous so that I don’t develop a complex that I’m not needed at the store.”

“Don’t sell yourself short.” Goldie holds Rayne hand in both of hers. “You’re indispensable.”

“Good gods,” Rayne says with a roll of her eyes, “was she like this the entire time I was gone?”

Nyve shakes his head. “Worse, actually.”

“Ai, Goldielocks,” she tugs a long lock of Goldie’s hair, “you gotta chill with that.”

Goldie tosses her hair over a shoulder and smiles smugly. “Not going to happen. I call it like I see it.”

“Well if you’re such a good judge, who do you think should give me a tattoo to commemorate my release?”

Goldie’s hand shoots up in the air. “Me, of course!”

“Is she ready for that, Annika?”

Annika smirks over the lip of her cup. “She works for me; of course she’s up for it. Better than these losers. And if she runs into trouble, I’ll be there to advise.”

Taran pushes from the wall. “Hey, let’s not lose sight of who came to get you out of that house. I think I should get first dibs on celebratory ink.”

“Do you really want a guy who is getting three hours of sleep a night with a baby at home doing your ink?” Nyve says with a sly smile.

Varos barks out a laugh. “Says the guy who’s mate is going to pop any day now with his own, and may I add, first baby?”

The shop dissolves in laughter as everyone postures to be the one to tattoo Rayne. I step back and watch with a warm satisfaction. I have my family by birth, my family by choice and my family by bond.

I don’t think it can get any better than this.