“It’s Mac and cheese weekend,” Renny called out as he made a grand entrance into the living room with Dre’Kariston’s familiar, Derwin, at his side. Mac grinned at Renny and squeezed Idris’s hand. They were holding court, waiting for the arrival of all the guests planning on spending the weekend at D’Vaire to be a part of their mating ceremony. It’d helped him to plan to tie his soul to Idris and though he was still mired in grief, Mac wasn’t going to disappoint his grandparents by letting it stop his life.
“What kind of cheese would I be?” Idris asked.
“Cheddar, obviously,” Renny replied.
Mac lifted a brow. “Why is that obvious? There’s like a million kinds of cheese.”
“Because it’s sharp like Idris.”
“That was horrible,” Derwin said. “I don’t even know why this has to be a big thing. Dragons bite their mates in private. Making a whole weekend of it is crazy.”
“Could you be ruder?” Renny asked. “We’ll see how you feel about mating ceremonies when your other half comes along.”
“Derwin, I’d appreciate if you kept your thoughts to yourself if you can’t find a way to be polite,” Dre’Kariston stated. “If you prefer not to celebrate Mac and Idris’s union you don’t have to, but you will allow them to proceed how they wish. The entire family’s ecstatic, and we all want to make this weekend as joyful as possible.”
“Whatever,” Derwin retorted as he threw himself down onto one of the sofas.
“He’s hardly ever nice anymore,” Idris whispered.
“Any clue why?” Mac asked.
“No, we aren’t close.”
More D’Vaires shuffled into the room and when Delaney arrived, he glanced at Duff with an irritated expression, then sauntered over to speak with Dra’Kaedan. Duff rolled his eyes and put as much space between them as possible.
“I guess Del and Duff haven’t gotten over their little tiff,” Mac said to Idris quietly.
Idris shrugged. “Del doesn’t like to be criticized, and he’s very headstrong. I have to say, I didn’t appreciate Duff asking me if I slept with Del.”
“I agree with you. It’s none of his business if you did sleep with Del.”
“I do hope we can stay friends.”
Mac let go of Idris’s hand and tugged him a little closer. “You afraid the honeymoon’s over?”
“I don’t know. Maybe everything is just thrown off because our dynamic is different since I met you. We don’t hang out as much. I want time alone with you. Del’s been super supportive, but Duff hasn’t said much at all. They don’t seem to get along as well when it’s just the two of them.”
“Why do you think that is?”
Idris lifted his shoulders up a second time. “I’m not sure. I know Del and I will always be friends, but I’m not sure Duff understands him. Del can hold grudges, and he’s pretty protective of me. He’ll freeze Duff out if he keeps pushing too hard. The casual sex thing is a big issue for Del. Before he came here he was shunned, bullied, and feared. He rarely talks about any of it or the fact that he’s awkward around people because of it. It’s not easy for him to relax and connect with strangers in any capacity. Honestly, I hope he meets his mate, because sex is pretty awesome.”
“Damn right it is, and nothing beats doing it with your mate.” As their ability to converse without being overheard diminished by the second as the family piled into the living room, Mac thought over what Idris revealed. He was grateful Delaney was at D’Vaire when Idris arrived. The two were obviously kindred spirits, and his respect for the dark wizard grew.
He was a young man perfectly willing to devote his life to his people—the same people who continued to refuse to understand him. It made him glad he was the man chosen to protect him as well as Idris. Time would tell if the three young men were able to continue the seemingly close relationship they’d had for the few months Duff had been living at the house. Mac wondered if Duff had latched on to the two wizards simply because they were the closest to him in age or if he truly valued them as friends.
Before he could ruminate on the issue further, sentinels started shimmering into the room. They were the men who made up the Skeleton Seven as well as the Daemon Lords who were responsible for protecting the Arch Lich. Chander and the Lich Sentinel were next, as well as the Lich Reaper with his beautiful Siberian Husky. He’d learned that the Arch Lich resurrected the dog and gave the Lich Reaper the ability to summon him anywhere, just like a familiar. Mac was introduced to all of them as well as Venerable Knight Arvandus Ruarc-Daray, who was mated to Skeleton Lord Albrecht. They had also brought along the two men who manned the desk at Sentinel Headquarters.
“How’s your dagger training going?” Alaric asked after greeting Mac.
“Good. You guys don’t play around. I don’t think I’ve ever had to work so hard at anything.”
“Gavrael says you don’t suck.”
Mac laughed. “I guess I haven’t earned higher praise than that yet.”
“Keep it up—you’ll be almost as good as a sentinel in time.”
“Let’s go put our stuff in our room before you fall down with the weight of your ego,” Chander said as he led his mate out.
Trystan D’Vaire’s parents, the Reverent Knights, teleported in next. The leaders of the Order of the Fallen Knights were in the company of the other Venerable Knight, who helped them rule their people.
“I hear you’ve been training with the sentinels,” Reverent Knight Conley Gylde-Kempe remarked.
“He’s not going to spend his mating weekend sparring with you,” his mate, Reverent Knight Drystan, retorted.
“Not this weekend, but any other time for sure,” Mac said.
Conley’s grin was feral. “I can’t wait.”
“I should warn you—only Alaric’s his match,” Drystan told Mac.
“That’s okay. I can take an ass-beating. It’ll help me improve.”
Brogan and Dra’Kaedan teleported out and returned a few seconds later with the parents of the Reverent Knights, King and Queen Beradraconis from the neighboring court. Mac greeted them warmly.
“Congratulations,” King Aeron said. “I was a bit irritated when you only applied to D’Vaire. I thought you could’ve been an asset to us at Bera, but it turns out I wouldn’t have had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting you, with our wonderful Idris waiting for you.”
“Thank you. D’Vaire was the only place I was willing to leave Maryland for, but I appreciate you thinking so highly of me.”
Queen Helen embraced him, then pulled Idris into her arms. When the wizard was released he slipped his hand into Mac’s. “We’re so pleased to have been invited this weekend. Aleksander’s just thrilled the two of you are mates. Trystan says you two are a wonderful couple.”
Mac was glad so many members of his new family were happy for him and Idris. No matter what the circumstances were, he would’ve made Idris his, but it was gratifying to have their approval and caring. “Idris and I are really excited and so elated you could join us this weekend.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Queen Helen replied, then left their side to greet her grandson and his mate.
Dra’Kaedan and Brogan popped out of the room again and this time when they returned, they had a blue elf in tow. Chieftain Kalthekor was Evlithar’s cousin, but the ruler of the Valzadari elves didn’t appear to have any of his bubbly personality. Mac was told the man’s mate, Chieftess Tamlisyr, wouldn’t be joining them. She hadn’t forgiven Evlithar for choosing to come to D’Vaire to be with Cadlyr. It seemed not everyone in the Council of Sorcery and Shifters held the matebond at the highest level of priority. Stern though his countenance might be, the chieftain was polite when he greeted Mac and Idris.
The warlock and his dragon shifter mate teleported out yet again. They arrived back with three men who Mac instantly recognized. The tallest of the three had jet black hair and matching eyes. He was the only dragon shifter who had a single ring of pure gold around the pupil. The Emperor hugged Aleksander; then they wandered over to where Mac was standing.
“Emperor Chrysander Draconis, Imperial Duke Damian Draconis, and Duke Zane Draconis, allow me to present Duke Macardle D’Vairedraconis,” Aleksander stated.
“Your Majesty. Your Graces, it’s an absolute pleasure to meet all of you,” Mac offered.
“Around here I’m just Chrys,” the Emperor said. “Allow me to offer my deepest condolences on the loss of your grandparents. I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting them, but I’m told they were incredible dragons.”
Mac swallowed the lump in his throat. “Thank you. They were very special to me, and I miss them a great deal.”
“I hope you’ll let me know if there’s anything Court Draconis can do for you.”
“Fate gave me something not even Court Draconis could do. She gave me Idris. He’s all I need to move forward.”
Chrysander turned his regal gaze toward Idris. “Fate’s been good to you. You going to hug me or what?”
Idris chuckled, then was embraced by all three dragon shifters. “I was trying to be polite and let Mac meet you. I think he’s been more excited about meeting you than anything else going on this weekend.”
“Somehow I doubt that, Idris. Congratulations to you both. I know Aleksander’s giddy that he got to keep you here at D’Vaire.”
Aleksander gave Chrysander a quizzical expression. “I don’t think I’ve been giddy in my entire life, but I’m happy Idris is staying and that we got Mac.”
“Something about the magic of D’Vaire brings the best people to your doorstep,” Damian said.
“It’s still so weird for me to think that this whole sanctuary began with Latarian and Dra’Kaedan knocking on the door one day,” Idris remarked.
“Dra’Kaedan definitely changed the lives of all the dragons here,” Aleksander replied. “It was probably the single most defining moment of Court D’Vaire.”
“What you lack in numbers you make up for in pure quality,” Zane said. His obsidian gaze met Mac’s. “How does it feel to have been hand-chosen to help protect this place?”
“I still pinch myself at night.”
Idris snaked an arm around Mac’s waist. “Just don’t pinch me.”
“I’ll do my best to refrain.”
“Let’s talk about Roger,” Damian said. “Does he always use you as a perch?”
Roger grumbled a little at the sound of his name. Mac reached up and patted him. “We’re pretty sure he thinks I’m his mate too.”
“I told Del he needs to send Greggory out to find his mate. Maybe it’s a dragon thing, and he can find Del’s shifter for him,” Idris told the group.
“My guess is Fate will bring Delaney his mate when she feels both are ready for a relationship. She got it right with you two, didn’t she?” Chrysander inquired.
Idris nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. I asked her to bring my mate and she did. I think everyone should do that. Maybe you can speed up the process by letting her know you’re ready instead of making her figure it out on her own.”
“A pre-emptive strike. I like it. I guess I’ll have a talk with Fate,” Chrysander said.
“Fate’s going to have a lot of chatter in her ear because I’ll be talking to her myself,” Damian added. He bumped his shoulder against Zane’s. “You should speak to her as well.”
“I’m patient enough to wait until she feels I’m ready, but I’m glad things have worked out so well for Mac and Idris.”
“I just want to thank you all for coming and being a part of our weekend. It means the world to both of us that you could take time out of your busy schedules and on such short notice. We couldn’t be more honored to have you here. For me it’s been a lifelong dream to meet all three of you,” Mac said.
“The honor and pleasure are all mine, and I know my brothers feel the same.” Chrysander responded. “Thank you for asking Aleksander to extend an invitation.”
“Aleksander’s the best,” Idris threw in.
“I couldn’t agree more, Idris, and now that you’re only weeks away from being part of Council leadership, you should talk your king into getting more involved in politics.”
Aleksander rolled his eyes. “Here we go again.”
Mac liked knowing his king was friendly enough with the ruler of not only the dragons but the entire Council that he was able to make such a gesture in front of him. It was equally nice to be able to stand here with the Emperor and find him such a warm and engaging man.
“I’m just saying, Aleksander…you’re attractive, articulate, and an excellent leader,” Chrysander argued. “You could do a world of good for all of dragonkind.”
“I believe you do a good enough job for the both of us. I’m happy to help behind the scenes, but my place is here,” Aleksander said.
“Who else could keep Dra’Kaedan from burning the house to the ground?” Idris teased.
Aleksander gave a regal bob of his head. “Exactly. Now let’s go get some beers and toast this incredible couple about to make their promises to each other.”
“There he goes again, saying just the right thing at just the right time,” Chrysander joked with a big grin. “But before I go off on a tangent, I really could use a beer.”
Mac turned to Idris. “Come on cheddar cheese, let’s go get a drink.”
“I really do prefer sweetheart to these other weird things you’ve called me,” Idris grumbled as they headed outside for drinks and barbecued food.