Homecoming…
Samuel opened the back door of the farmhouse, the cold evening air slapping him in the face. The rain had turned over to snow and fat, wet flakes fell heavily. Not far away, on the path between the base and the house, were two figures approaching through the falling snowflakes. Samuel drew in a deep breath, unsure if he was ready.
You wanted this. You wanted that boy inside this house.
They’d spent yesterday making the guest room upstairs into a child’s sanctuary—as best they could with the limited resources in town. They would need to go out into the city at some point to get him the things he needed.
Samuel wanted the room to be perfect now, but that wouldn’t be the case.
The scent of cookies lingered in the air, along with the smell of the now simmering chili and baked cornbread. Samuel had baked something sweet, thinking he could buy a little grace. He’d been a boy not too long ago, stealing cookies from the cookie jar in this very house.
Perhaps the boy could grow to have similar memories there.
If they could prevent something catastrophic from happening.
We’ll be just fine.
He forced a huge smile on his face, but he let it fade some. The boy wouldn’t react to false emotions, especially since it appeared he had none of his own.
Cal led the boy up the back stairs and onto the porch. “101, this is my mate—Samuel. You’ll be staying with us both.” Cal turned to Samuel. “Samuel, meet 101.”
After Samuel backed up a bit to allow them inside, he lowered to one knee to see the young man eye to eye. He smiled, trying to reach out with his own powers to see if he felt anything. He didn’t. “Welcome… 101.”
Calling the boy a number was tragic. They’d have to discuss a real name for him at some point. Cal shut the door to the chill outside, instantly making it a bit warmer. A potbellied stove on the far wall sputtered and crackled in its attempt to warm them.
“Hello, Samuel.” After Cal took his jacket and hung it on a peg beside the door, the boy cocked his head to the side slightly. “You look different than anyone I’ve ever met. Why?”
Samuel chuckled slightly. “I’m Native American—is that what you mean?”
“You’re an Indian.”
“Yes,” Samuel said with a sigh. “I’m an Indian. This land is adjacent to a Native Reservation. My family bought this land just outside its limits many years ago.”
101 reached out and grabbed Samuel’s long braid from his shoulder with his short, chubby hand. “Do you have powwows?”
Samuel lifted a brow. “You didn’t know what I was, but you know of powwows?”
“I read about both in the lab, but I’d never seen an Indian or a powwow. Now that I’ve seen one, I wish to see the other.”
Samuel rose to his full height. “Why don’t we come inside from the cold and see your new home before we plan a visit to a powwow?”
He backed away and met Cal’s stare. Cal looked cautious and on edge. 101 entered the kitchen and glanced around.
“Are you hungry?” Samuel asked the boy.
“I’ve eaten lunch. It’s not dinner time yet,” the boy stated robotically.
Samuel blinked a few times, unaccustomed to such stark reactions from a child. Cal had told him the boy was emotionless, but seeing it firsthand was something different. “Maybe you’d like to see your room?”
“If I must,” the boy murmured, looking around. His fingers began to move, as if he was counting something.
Samuel watched the movement a moment, transfixed by it. He held out a hand to the boy. “Come with me. I’ll show you.”
101 looked at the offered hand and shook his head. “I’d rather not.”
Samuel frowned, lowering his hand. “You don’t want to see your room?”
Samuel looked at Cal.
“Sorry. We forgot to warn you. He’s not into touching people.”
“No. I don’t like touching people,” the boy repeated.
“Okay,” Sam said slowly as he took a half-step back to give the child a little space. “You can follow me up to your room, if you want.” He turned and headed through the dining and living rooms to the stairs. Casting a look over one shoulder, he saw the boy following and looking at everything as he passed. “Your room is right up here.”
He took the stairs and heard quiet footfalls come soon after. Heavier ones were added a few seconds later, and Samuel breathed a sigh of relief that Cal was coming along. Samuel wasn’t quite sure he was ready to be alone with the boy.
After they reached the top of the stairs, Samuel led 101 to the only empty bedroom. He walked inside and turned to see the boy’s reaction, only to realize he’d likely not get one. “We tried to make it nice for you, but we didn’t have much time.”
101 walked in and gazed around. After removing the large queen-sized bed that had been in the room, they’d gotten a smaller child-sized one the small furniture shop Tomas ran luckily had available, as well as a small table with chairs. They’d also bought a few small toys and games from the general store. A box of Legos stood tall on top of some coloring books, along with one of the big boxes of crayons.
They’d also taken a few of the puzzle cubes Deacon had handed over the day before. Apparently the boy favored them.
“I wasn’t sure what you might like, so we grabbed a few things.” When the boy still didn’t respond, Samuel felt the need to fill the space. “We can go into the city and get anything else you need. More puzzles, perhaps?”
101 turned to look at him. “I like puzzles.”
Samuel smiled. At least there was that.
Cal laid a small knapsack on the bed. “Malachi put a couple of changes of clothing they’d gotten for him in here. It’s not much.” He unzipped the bag and handed the small stack to Samuel.
“It’s sufficient,” the boy said before sitting on the bed.
“The clothes?” Samuel said as he opened one of the empty drawers and laid the stack inside.
“The room.”
Samuel sighed. It was likely the best they’d get.
“We can leave you in here to get accustomed to your new room,” Cal said eyeing Samuel. “Dinner should be ready in an hour. I’ll call up when it’s time.”
The boy nodded and began to rock ever so slightly back and forth. Samuel watched him a moment before Cal nudged his arm and gave him the ‘let’s go’ look. As soon as they were back at the top of the stairs, Samuel turned back to look at Cal.
“Are you sure we should leave him alone?” Samuel whispered.
“Give him a minute to breathe. This is a big change for him.”
“But—”
“Giving him the love you think he missed out on doesn’t mean you need to smother him.”
Samuel glared at Cal before heading down the stairs. The second Cal’s foot hit the landing, he spun to face the man. “You’re the one who said he could be dangerous,” Samuel quietly hissed.
“Sam,” Cal sighed. “Give the boy two seconds to be in his new space. He’s not far.”
Samuel glanced up the stairs, worry filling him. His stomach was in knots. “What if he gets hurt and we’re not there to help him?”
“I’ll go up and check on him in a few minutes. Ask if he wants to help me feed the animals. No kid can say no to farm animals. Does that make you feel better?”
Samuel nodded. “Yeah.”
Cal reached out and dragged Samuel closer. “You’re the one who wanted this. Second thoughts?”
Samuel frowned. “And third, fourth, and fifth thoughts.”
Cal drew in a deep breath. “It’s a huge responsibility neither of us expected. It’s going to take time for all of us to adapt. But we will.”
“Did you see that little counting thing he did?”
Cal nodded. “Deacon said something about his counting when I picked him up. Seems it’s one of his little idiosyncrasies.”
“You call it a quirk. I call it a potential countdown on that bomb.”
“If it is, we’ll find out. And stop it before it goes off, right?”
Samuel looked up at the man he loved. “I sure hope so.”
Cal lowered his head and captured Samuel’s lips. The kiss started gently, but quickly grew into something hotter. Need gripped Samuel, in an almost primal way.
He drew his head back to take a breath. “No more afternoon delights now.”
Cal growled and nibbled on Samuel’s neck. “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Samuel laughed and lightly punched Cal on the shoulder. “Go check on him and get those animals fed before the snow gets too heavy.”
Cal nuzzled Samuel’s neck again, and it felt too good for him to argue. When Cal took his lips, he greedily kissed his lover, giving the man a promise of what might come later that night.
“Go. Feed. The. Animals.”
Cal chuckled. “I was feeding an animal. Me.” He walked over to the stairs and winked before he climbed them, his big, booted feet making their usual racket.
A few minutes later, Samuel watched as father and son headed out to the barn. He wrapped his arms around himself and hoped to the gods above that they’d all make it through this.
* * * *
The following morning…
Jaeger stared into the hand mirror, looking at the current state of his back. It was still red and angry—but was healing nicely all things considered. He seemed to be rebounding faster than he had the last time, as well, which was fortunate. He didn’t like being vulnerable as he was after one of the procedures, although without being able to shift, he was always slightly vulnerable these days.
He lowered the hand mirror and turned to glare at himself in the full length one.
“Looking good.”
Jaeger spied Drake in the reflection, standing at the door. He turned to face his friend. “Not quite yet.”
“It’s half gone—soon enough, you’ll be able to shift and do as you damned well please once more. Pillaging villages and taking virgins.”
“Ahh, a virgin. I haven’t had one of those in so long,” he said after giving a derisive snort.
Drake walked into the room and took a seat on the bed. “So when’s your next procedure?”
“I’m healing more rapidly with each one, so I could likely get one today—had I not ran off my little Firestarter and his friend.” His friend? Am I incapable of calling him what he is now?
“What have you gone and done now?”
“It wasn’t me this time. I have every right to be angry.” So why do I feel like an asshole?
“Why don’t you share what it is you’re angry about and then perhaps I can help?” Drake leaned over to the tray table and took something off the leftover lunch plate. “Oh, Jell-O.” He ripped into the container and grabbed the spoon.
“I was saving that.”
“They’ll get you more,” Drake said before slurping up the first spoonful. “Proceed.”
“Did you know that some Zed soldiers are here?”
Drake’s spoon stopped halfway to his mouth. He lowered it and frowned. “Jailed?”
“They were. At first. Now they fight alongside Deacon and his army, as if nothing happened.”
Drake sat there a moment. “I can’t imagine Deacon would allow them to fight alongside his men unless the men had somehow redeemed themselves.”
“Possibly… but we’re just supposed to accept these men and treat them as if they weren’t evil incarnate?”
“Dario wasn’t one, was he?”
“No. But Gator was.”
Drake frowned. “Wasn’t he the guard outside our room those first nights?”
“Yeah.”
Drake lifted the spoon and took his bite. “Who could forget a name like that?” The smoke dragon turned to Jaeger. “Weren’t you flirting with him?”
“I was.”
“So that’s why you’re angry? You flirted with an ex-Zed soldier? I still don’t see why you’re so upset. Dario wasn’t involved.”
“I wasn’t just flirting with him. Gator’s my mate.”
Drake shook his head. “I thought Dario was your mate? With all that mine business out at Bull’s place.”
“They both are.”
“Greedy bastard,” Drake said before taking the final bite of Jell-O. He lowered the empty carton and spoon before turning to Jaeger. “So you’re pissed that one of your two mates was your enemy.”
“Yes!”
“Isn’t the word was the main point of that statement? He was your enemy. As in, he isn’t anymore. He’s come to the right side now.”
“But he was captured. They imprisoned him here. Is he really on the side of right? Or could he be biding his time, waiting for the moment to ruin everything?”
“Do you really think your dragon would choose someone like that?”
Jaeger clenched his jaw. “No.”
“I don’t think so, either,” Drake said. “Look, life isn’t fair. But you’ve been blessed with two mates. Sounds as if fate wanted to compensate you for all the wrong Zed did to you. If you want to waste time being pissed off over something, then by all means do so.”
“It’s been a day. I’m allowed to be pissed off for a little while.”
“A little while, yes.” Drake ran his hands down his thigh. “So what does Gator have to say for himself about why he was there in the first place?”
“The old hat—‘I was just doing my duty.’ As if that’s an excuse.”
“Well, it’s not as if we haven’t seen humans fear us over the years. I’ve dealt with the whole pitchfork and torch mob. That’s the part that’s old hat. We’ve always had to deal with war against our kind along with their fear. It’s always been a battle for human mates to see us for what we can be, and not the monster we’re viewed as. You have one—nay, two—who know who and what you are, accept that dragons are real, and are working with the shifter army, trying to fight against Lore. From my point of view, you’re already well ahead of where most dragons would be at this point.”
“You’ve really had a pitchfork and torch mob come calling?”
“Don’t try to change the subject.”
Jaeger chuckled. “I suppose you have a point. I recall my grandfather saying something about having to tie grandpapa up for a month after he’d come on a dragon hunt.”
“Is that really much different than what Gator did in the grand scheme of things?”
“Perhaps not.”
Drake jumped from the bed, a smile on his face. “I’ve done my good deed for the day.”
“After stealing from my Jell-O hoard.”
“I will ask one of the nurses to bring you two to replace that one,” Drake said from the doorway.
“You’d better.”
Drake paused, the smile fading some from his face. “Soon, Jaeger. You’ll have everything you’ve always wanted and more. We’ll both have our dragons whole, our mates, and our vengeance.”
Jaeger smiled, his dragon roaring within his mind. “Yes. We shall.”