Aurora's Consort *ch. 51 added*

A/N: Here's a new chapter. Starting to get out of the gloom and doom and trudging a little closer to the end. Hope you all like it and be sure to leave a review to tell me what you think. *hugs* Sorry about the wait. Had an little accident about 2 wks ago and have been stuck on the couch with a ripped muscle and hobbling around on crutches. Swelling, pain pills, and ickiness. Snurls nose. Still on crutches but able to spend more time sitting in front of the comp now. Off to work on Flaming.......

Big shout-outs and shameless bribe of cyber-cookies go to the following wonderful reviewers: Dextrousleftie, Itara, Myranda Lynn, WantSome, Khayman, Nekoii-Desu, Nodoz, and xXTrissyXx. Thank you so much! *passes out free Jayden clones*

Thanx go out to my Beta, Madrachadevvi for all the help on this chapter. I really appreciate it!
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Chapter 49 Somebody's in Trouble!

Chris let out a little sigh and glanced around the huge, gilded room for the hundredth time, hoping like Hell that Devin might’ve actually found his way home by now. The Assembly Members from the Marlion and Ambron provinces were here, and had been for at least an hour, along with several of the Genesis Council members Devin had invited. The two mage Assembly guys’d brought their mates along and one of the human members, the Ambron guy, had brought a woman along. Chris wasn’t sure if humans in Aurora called their husbands and wives mates or not, but the chick was pregnant, too, and Chris’d managed to have a little fun talking baby clothes with her. She’d even offered to stop by the next day so that they could go shopping if Chris wanted to.

He knew he needed to because he hadn’t gone since they’d found out that Chris was having two instead of one. The clothes they’d bought for Jiro wouldn’t be nearly enough for both of the kiddies and Chris felt, deep down, that Taro wouldn’t look right in the same styles anyway because of Taro’s different coloring in the alternate plane. Chris’d thought it was sweet of her to offer, but he’d turned her down. He’d been putting the trip off in hopes that Devin might find some time to go with him, but that seemed less likely every day. Still, if Devin wasn’t able to go, he’d rather go with Sarah than some stranger he barely knew.

When Adam’d come home and told them Devin wouldn’t be back in time for the party, both Chris and Sarah had been shocked by the news. Part of Chris was happy that Devin’d finally pulled his head out of his ass and stopped acting like an asshole toward King High-and-Mighty, but another part of him was freaking out that Devin was rushing into things without thinking them through, like he had when he’d divorced the overgrown redhead in the first place. Devin’d been a mess since they’d moved to Adam’s house and Chris knew that being separated from Jayden was eating him up inside. Still, they seemed to go at each other like rabid dogs every time they got within biting distance and the last thing Chris wanted was for them to get into a nasty fight and for Devin to lose ground after he’d finally started coming out of the crazy funk he’d been in since he’d been brought back from the compound.

That first week it’d taken everything in Chris just to sit beside Devin’s bedside with his shield down and not scream his fucking head off at all of the horrible emotions seeping out of his big brother. That nasty aura had been enough to make him want to run from the room and get away from his best friend as quick as he could. He’d forced himself to take it day after day, though, and had had one Hell of a time hiding the way it’d affected him that first week. During that time, it’d seemed like no matter long he spent in his special place it wasn’t enough to clean the yuck out of his system and he’d thrown up again and again after he’d woken up from one of his many trips there. Fortunately that hadn’t lasted more than a few days, and he’d thanked his lucky stars more than once during that time that Adam often had to rush off to a meeting or whatever right after Chris would wake up. Then Chris would play the ‘I’m huge, pregnant, and hungry’ card and send the guards after more food to replace the breakfast or dinner he’d lost.

Of course, even if Adam had caught him, Chris would’ve just tried to play the ‘I’m pregnant and allowed to throw up’ card instead, but he wasn’t so sure Adam would’ve bought it. Either way, it’d sucked big time, but it’d been more than worth it to see Devin’s aura lighten up a little every session and go from that terrible, oily black with just a streak of bloody red here and there to a lighter shade of black and eventually to a grey with heavier and heavier streaks of red. It was an amazing feeling and, for the first time in his life, Chris felt like he was actually useful to his family. He’d always felt like a burden to everyone around him, whether it was Janice, his ex-Dom, Devin, Sarah, or, most recently, Adam, Jayden, and the people of Aurora.

Finding out that he carried Augustus’ mate had been an amazing feeling, too, because he knew that he’d finally done something to make somebody’s life better instead of worse, but that was still nothing compared to the feeling he got when he thought about what he’d accomplished with Devin. Seeing Devin improve and the worry slowing drain from Adam’s face as the weeks had gone by made it worth almost any sacrifice. Of course, Adam had still been freaking over the pregnancy and driving Chris crazy with his hovering, but that was beside the point.

Another upside to it all was that Chris had had extra time to play with his fishy friends during his times on the alternate plane. They had a really big appetite and both seemed to be growing every day. Chris had even started to notice slight differences between the two and could easily tell them apart now. One was more outgoing than the other, often swimming right up to the bank and eating from Chris’ hand. That one had started to develop small, black spots on the tips of its fins in recent weeks whereas the other had developed longer, more flowing fins and acted a little more shy.

Either way, it was so much fun to feed them. Chris had to make sure that the shyer fish didn’t get left out in the cold, though, since the other one was a naughty piece of work and would snatch all the food away if Chris let him. Chris had also found that it really helped him to sit and talk to them. He always felt calmer and lighter afterward. Of course, it might’ve just been that he was draining off some of the nasty stuff while he was there, but it was like he could tell them anything without having to worry about them judging him or thinking he was stupid. Not that anyone in his family thought he was stupid. Chris’d just always felt like he didn’t quite measure up, even after they’d figured out about the aura reading gig. Taro hadn’t made him feel that way for some reason, despite the fact that Chris could feel deep down that the little man-child was boiling over with wisdom. The way the little guy’d talked and acted was still a little creepy when he thought about it, though.

Chris had hoped to see the kid again, especially after finding out that Taro really was really his son, but Taro had never shown up in Chris’ secret spot after that last visit. Not that Chris had really expected him to after he’d said it would be their last time together before the births. Still, he hadn’t been able to stop himself from wishing and watching for the tiny little blond to pop up.

It also would’ve been nice to have a few more clues about the deal they’d made and maybe even find out if the powers he had were permanent or not. He knew that Devin was counting on him to keep them and hoped for his big brother’s sake that it worked out that way. He hadn’t had the heart to tell Dev that there was a chance they might disappear. It looked like he was stuck waiting until he managed to pop them out before he’d know for sure either way. Well, more like until Master Alan cut them out but . . .

A shiver ran down his spine at the very thought and somebody nearby cleared their throat. Chris shook himself out of his funk and looked over to find Kiran giving him a worried look. “Are you well? You’re shivering,” the little mage asked with a frown and Chris just shrugged, annoyed that Kiran was watching him like a hawk, and set his empty glass down on the tray of one of the waiters passing by.

“I’m good. Just worried about Dev. What do you think’s taking him so long anyway?”

A weird looked passed over Kiran’s face, like he was surprised that Chris even had to ask. Then he patted Chris on the shoulder with a bright smile. “No need to worry, my dear. King Jayden and King-Consort Devin have much to discuss and I’m sure that your stepson will find his way back home soon enough.”

Chris tried his best not to stiffen up at the unwanted touch or snicker at the idea of Kiran actually calling Devin his stepson as he shrugged again without comment and started scanning the room for Adam or Sarah. No matter what Chris’d told the little guy about his life earlier this afternoon, Kiran had refused to back off even a little bit. After their talk earlier Chris had started feeling more comfortable around him but the guy’d seemed a little uncomfortable facing Adam across the dinner table after that. Still, having Kiran parade him around the room when the Marlion and Ambron Assembly reps had arrived and proudly introduce him to everybody as his son was just too much.

Finally he spotted Sarah’s sleek, red hair over by one of the couches across the room and gave Kiran a half-assed grin and a dismissive wave before taking off again in her direction. He’d spent almost an hour with the redhead after their early dinner poking around in the nursery in his and Adam’s suite and finishing up the last details. In the end, Chris had decided that the twins should have separate beds but that they’d share the same room. He’d also had Adam order another crib that matched the one he’d picked out for Jiro a while back. The only difference was that Taro’s bed had yellow and mint green flowers instead of blue and the birds were painted in a bright red color.

Both of the cribs were gorgeous and Chris and Sarah had oohed and ahhed over the filmy bed curtains as they’d attached them to the tops of the intricately carved canopies and arranged the fabric to flow airily around the cribs to the floor. They added the perfect touch and Chris loved the embroidered vines and leaves that had been worked into the sheer fabric with matching white, satiny ribbons. Chris knew he’d be sad in a few months when he’d be forced to remove them from the canopies of the beds for the safety of the twins. Then again, that would mean the babies were able to roll over and move around a little, so he was pretty sure he could live with the disappointment.

Just the thought of it brought a smile to his face and a flush of excitement to his cheeks and he couldn’t stop himself from reaching down to rub a hand over his tummy as he approached Sarah and settled down next to her. Almost the second his ass hit the cushions, she was scooting closer and reaching for her hourly feel of the Buddha belly. “You’re absolutely glowing tonight, Chris. Are they moving around again?” she asked excitedly as she rubbed a hand across the silky fabric of Chris’ shirt.

“Nah,” Chris replied, wondering what she’d think if she knew that any ‘glowing’ he was doing was probably more from the slow and thorough fucking Adam had given him before dinner that evening than anything else. “They were a few minutes ago. I don’t think they liked that grey-haired chick from the Marlion Province. What was her name again?”

With a snort, Sarah rolled her eyes as she scanned the room for the one Chris was talking about. “Her name is Lady Treva and I can’t believe she had the nerve to actually touch your stomach without asking.”

“Tell me about it,” Chris grumbled, happier than he could say that he’d already made the rounds and could relax a little bit for now, but still wondering what was holding Devin up so long. Chris’ big brother had talked about nothing but this party for days, so to have him MIA all of a sudden just seemed . . . wrong. “At least one of them got a shot in. Kicked her in the hand so hard that she jumped.”

“That’s my boys!” Sarah announced proudly as she patted Chris’ tummy again and leaned forward to talk to it. “You showed her who’s boss, didn’t you sweeties? Your Auntie Sarah knows you won’t take any nonsense from anybody.”

Chris rolled his eyes and gave Sarah a playful shove. “Stop doing that. It’s creepy,” he complained before struggling to get back up and go back to ass kissing the locals. Then, at the last second, he changed his mind. He wanted Adam to do the rounds with him and was getting so sick of telling all these strangers his life’s story, like it was any of their business. It was just the same shit over and over again and sometimes Chris wished that he was good enough at writing to just put it in a book so that he could pass it out to all of them and get them off his back. At least he had the twin thing to talk about now too, but even that was getting old already. A little backup from Adam was definitely in order. “Let’s go find Adam and see what he’s up to before we get back to the grind.”

“Sure,” Sarah replied with one last pat on Chris’ tummy and a naughty grin that said she’d just done it to pick on him. Then they headed for the other side of the room, picking their way through the people there, nodding, smiling, and being as friendly as humanly possible until they reached the other side of the room. Only then did Chris let out a sigh of relief as he glanced over his shoulder at where a small crowd had gathered around Kiran.

Chris’ would-be father was a blessing in disguise tonight. At the first party Devin had thrown after his return, Chris and Devin had both been the center of attention. Chris still was and had been fighting off curious hands for the past hour since the Aurorans were so caught up in the twin thing, but having Kiran here had cut the attention factor nearly in half. Everybody seemed thrilled to see him and wanted to hang out with him. The little guy had been showered with questions from the second the first guests had arrived at the door and they didn’t seem to be slowing down any either. Still, as far as Chris knew, everybody they’d invited was here already so where in the Hell was Adam?

He hardly ever left Chris’ side at things like this and had only done it tonight to go greet guests in the entry hall as they arrived. Chris glanced in that general direction, but the ballroom where they were holding the party was quite a ways back and the hallway turned further down, blocking his view. “Should we go look for him?” Chris finally asked with a sheepish, hopeful expression when Sarah seemed to hesitate in the doorway.

“I don’t think you should leave your guests right now,” Sarah admitted after a pause. Then she gave him an apologetic smile and took his hand. “I know you hate these things, but it’s really important that you take the time to get to know the Assembly Members and ease their fears. It’ll make things so much easier for you and Adam later on. Besides, it wouldn’t be right to dump all of this on Kiran.”

With a disinterested shrug, Chris gave in. He knew she was right. He just really wanted Adam there to help him out. “Let’s do it then,” he grumbled with a pout and Sarah snickered at his expense as she dragged him back into the crowd. He followed along obediently, only stopping long enough to grab a new glass of water and a coupla little tart-looking things from a passing servant’s tray. Within seconds, one of Devin’s Genesis Council groupies broke away from a nearby group and started closing in on them with a huge smile on his face. Chris thought his name was Councilman Reese, but he wasn’t sure.

As soon as the guy was within speaking distance, he reached out to shake hands with both Chris and Sarah. Luck was with Chris on this one, and Councilman Reese didn’t even try to touch the Buddha belly. Instead, much to Chris’ relief and surprise, he turned his attention to Sarah after the basic ‘Hi, how ya doin’’ and the customary ‘How’s the twin thing going’ stuff was over.

“I hear from Councilman Townsend that congratulations are in order,” he announced with a sparkle in his pale, blue eyes and Chris’ eyebrow shot up in confusion as he searched his mind for a hint of what the guy might be congratulating Sarah for.

Sarah immediately shot a look in Chris’ direction, as if to say, ‘What the Hell is this guy talking about?’ When she didn’t get any help from Chris, she looked back over at the white haired mage in question, barely missing a beat, and replied, “How sweet of you to go to the trouble. I really appreciate it. What did Councilman Townsend think about it? Was he pleased?”

As he reached up to flip a strand of his white hair away from his forehead, Councilman Reese’s eyes widened in amusement, like Sarah had just asked the funniest question he’d ever heard. “Why yes, as a matter of fact. He’s absolutely ecstatic and can’t wait to proceed. All of the high-ranking councilors have been working tirelessly toward the opening of the new school for the recently rescued Omega slaves and none more tirelessly than King-Consort Devin.”

“Tell me about it,” Chris said with a sarcastic snort, purposely drawing Councilman Reese’s attention away from Sarah while she tried to work things out in her head. “If he keeps on at this rate, he’ll end up passing out during one of his public submission sessions or something. You guys really need to try and get him to lay off. It’s not like he has to be the one to work out every single detail anyway.”

For a second a guilty look crossed the other mage’s face and then he let out a small huff and rolled his eyes. “I happen to agree with you and have said much the same thing. Still, in our rush to plan the building, gather workers and supplies, and hire the needed staff members, we had completely overlooked the fact that, once established, the school would need someone to oversee its day-to-day operations. Luckily King-Consort Devin caught our lapse and immediately recommended Lady Sarah for the position.” With that he turned his attention back to Sarah and gave her a brilliant smile. “We can’t thank you enough for agreeing to do it, and on such short notice, too. Construction is scheduled to begin in the morning and the boarding house itself will be ready in three days’ time. If all goes to plan, both the school and the housing areas will be operational in just over a week and the ex-slaves can begin moving in.”

“Of course,” Sarah gushed with a brilliant smile, although Chris could see the twitch of irritation pulsing under her light pink eye shadow. The stunned redhead blinked a couple of times, trying to get it under control, the entire time putting up a cool, unworried front before adding, “I’m honored that the Genesis Council considered me for such an important post. I haven’t talked to King-Consort Devin since early this morning, though, and hadn’t realized that the project was so close to completion. Did Councilman Townsend say when I was expected to start?”

Chris was more than a little confused and for a heartbeat seriously thought about ratting Devin out because he knew for a fact that Sarah didn’t know a damn thing about any of this shit. Why the Hell would Devin sneak around and do something like that without even asking first? Sure, Sarah was a good choice for the job but . . . You just don’t do shit like that without asking and now Sarah was stuck in this awkward situation with no clue about what was going on. Councilman Reese seemed to pick up on the fact that something was off and narrowed his eyes slightly at both Chris and Sarah before smiling again and clearing his throat.

“You are scheduled to begin day after tomorrow and the position is to be considered a part of the Earth branch of the Genesis Council and will be under the direction of the Liaison to the Genesis Council. Will that be a problem for you?” He asked hesitantly; worry slipping into his voice when a shocked look spread across Sarah’s face at this new piece of information. Chris nearly snorted out loud and had a hard time hiding the big, naughty grin that tried to escape. Now he knew what his big brother was up to. Devin had been trying to push Sarah into giving in and accepting Jonas’ proposal and she’d fought him tooth and nail on the subject. Now she wouldn’t have a choice but to face her estranged lover again.

It was a stroke of genius in Chris’ opinion and he made a mental note to give Devin kudos when he came home later. Still, he didn’t miss the angry flush that was even now spreading across Sarah’s cheeks or the flare of vengeance that sparked in her dark, green eyes. “No, that won’t be a problem,” she replied with barely a pause, passing Chris a look that told him Devin was screwed the next time she saw him before turning her attention back to Councilman Reese.

“Excellent,” Councilman Reese announced with a beaming smile before glancing around the room as if he couldn’t get away from them fast enough. Then he looked back at them both and held out his hand again for a shake. Both of them accepted the gesture and Chris found it interesting that the Auroran had picked up that habit from Devin already. Before moving away, Councilman Reese looked back at Sarah and added, “I’ll speak to you again soon and, on behalf of the council, thank you again.”

Sarah watched him go with a strange look on her face before taking a deep breath and clenching her jaw. Then she turned to Chris with anger for Devin flaring in her eyes but, before she could get a word out, Adam’s voice rang out from somewhere beside them. “There you are, my sweet angel. I apologize for leaving you alone for so long. I fear that I took longer than expected.”

Immediately Chris’ heart sped up and a huge grin spread across his face. “It’s no biggie, Adam. I just . . .” He’d started gushing before he’d even turned around, too excited to get a look at his yummy Adonis for the first time in several minutes to control himself. The second he saw who was standing beside Adam, Chris’ eyes widened dramatically and his words trailed off into nothing and he couldn’t help but glance in Sarah’s direction to take in her reaction to their newest arrivals.

A flush colored her cheeks and her eyes teared up a little before she blinked them several times and got control of herself. Then she stepped forward with an obviously fake, cheerful expression. “Jonas, Augustus, Paul,” she said with a nod to each. “It’s nice to see you all again.” Jonas nodded his own greeting politely, but Chris could see the disappointment in his whiskey-colored eyes at Sarah’s cool reception. It was a little annoying really, and for a split-second Chris thought about wringing her scrawny neck.

“Oh come on,” Chris finally grumbled as he gave her a gentle shove in Jonas’ general direction. “Get over yourself, already, and go talk to the man.” Sarah turned a narrow-eyed look at Chris, but he just met it with one of his own and stood his ground.

After a few awkward seconds, Jonas let out a sigh and reached a hand in Sarah’s direction. “Come, Sarah. Let’s not make a scene here. We need to talk since we’ll be working closely together soon.”

Augustus shifted nervously and shot a look at Paul, but all present remained silent while Sarah stood there in indecision. When Sarah gave in and accepted Jonas’ outstretched hand, Chris let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. That earned him another annoyed look from Sarah before she turned her attention back to Jonas and replied, “You’re right. How have you been?”

Jonas smiled gently at that, like he was happy that she’d even thought to ask, and then he led her away, his quiet reply lost in the noise around them. Only then did Chris turn his attention back to their newest arrivals. Augustus was practically glowing as he quizzed Adam about Chris’ condition and how the babies were doing, but Chris’d already heard enough about that stuff to last him a lifetime, so he gave his full attention to Paul and left the other two mages to it.

He hadn’t seen the guy in what felt like forever because Paul had been so wound up in the strategy stuff since Devin’s return and, before that, in the search for Devin. It was a real treat and Chris was surprised to realize how happy it made him to see his ex-protector. It was the same feeling he got when he saw Devin or Sarah after a few days apart.

For the first time, Chris realized that he’d come to see Paul as a member of their family too. As a matter of fact, if Chris’d had a choice in who his father would be, Paul would’ve been the one he’d have picked. Sure, the guy had driven him crazy following him around all the time, but he’d also been kind and had always looked out for Chris’ best interests. Chris knew that it hadn’t simply been Paul following orders either because the strong, quiet mage had often spent time with him, talking quietly, giving advice, scolding him, or simply being . . . there. Chris missed that so much.

Without giving it a second thought, Chris glomped the bald headed mage and gave him a good squeeze. Paul seemed startled by it at first, but only for a second. Then he was squeezing Chris back gently with a chuckle. “Have you been behaving yourself, High-Consort?” he asked when Chris pulled away and looked up into his weird, golden eyes with a feisty grin.

“You know it,” Chris replied flippantly. “I was afraid that if I did anything too bad, they might sic you on me again. You been doing okay? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“I’ve been busy to say the least, but Nathan hasn’t complained about my absence as of yet. And you? How are the babes doing?” Paul asked, a warm smile spreading across his face as he ran his eyes over Chris’ growing body with approval.

“Same old, same old,” Chris replied as he motioned Paul over to one of the couches nearby. He wanted to spend more time with his friend, but his feet and lower back were killing him and he really needed to rest for a few more minutes before he started his rounds again. Paul followed with an understanding nod and settled down beside Chris, keeping a respectable distance between them, but not so much that they couldn’t talk without the entire room hearing every word. Once they were seated, Chris turned to Paul with a tiny pout. “I’ve really missed you, man. Don’t stay away so long next time and lay off of the High-Consort shit already.”

Paul blushed at Chris’ words and reached over to pat him on the hand with affection. “You know that I’m far too set in my ways to do that, High-Consort Chris, but I really appreciate it. I’ve missed you as well. It’s rather boring now that I’ve been forced to give up my post as your protector. You always kept me on my toes and I never knew what to expect from one day to the next. Nathan has been urging me to come for a visit, but I didn’t want to intrude and I knew that you’d all need some time to settle after your move to your new home. Have you been happy here?”

“Eh, it’s alright, I suppose,” Chris admitted with a half-hearted grin. “Not as crazy as life at the big man’s castle, but it’s not bad either. I’m a little bored right now, but once Jiro and Taro get here, I’m sure that won’t be a problem anymore.” Paul raised an eyebrow at the big man comment but didn’t scold him so Chris just shrugged and asked, “How’s Nathan been doing by the way? I haven’t seen your old man around the castle all that much either.” Chris tried his best to hide a snicker at the stern look Paul sent his way but lost the battle, drawing an amused look from the other mage.

“Nathan is far from an old man, as you well know High-Consort. As a matter of fact, he’s nearly one-hundred years my junior and would be offended to hear you say such a thing. He’s doing well, although he’s also very busy at the moment. When I was reassigned as your protector, I was also given the duty of managing the guards responsible for the King’s Private Area. The one who’d filled the position before had retired several days before your arrival in Aurora and, since things were fairly quiet at that time, Augustus felt that I would do for the interim. Since my return to Augustus’ second in command, the position has been passed on to Nathan until a suitable replacement can be found.”

“Ouch,” Chris mumbled, making a pained face as he absorbed all of that. “That must’ve sucked. How’d you manage to keep so many balls in the air at one time?”

Paul smiled down at Chris warmly and let out a quiet chuckle. “No need to worry about such things, High-Consort. I truly enjoyed our time together and have more than once wished that it could have lasted longer. Nathan felt the same way and was very disappointed when you and Adam left the castle. We’ve both come to think of you as the son we never had and we both miss the time we spent with you. You truly are a delightful young man, despite your colorful choice of words and unpredictable nature.”

Chris got a warm, fuzzy feeling all over and teared up at that. Paul saw it immediately and a worried look washed over his face. “I didn’t mean to imply that you were . . .”

“Nah,” Chris cut in, swiping distractedly at one eye as he let out a small, embarrassed giggle. “I’m cool, just these damn hormones making me mushy. That really means a lot to me, man, and I feel the same way. You know you and Nathan can come visit whenever you want. I’m just sitting here waiting for these babies to pop out most of the time anyway. The more the merrier, I say.”

With only a small cringe at Chris’ choice of words, Paul nodded like he planned to take Chris up on his offer. “I’ll try to visit again soon and perhaps bring Nathan too if we can both find spare time in our schedules. They rarely coincide these days and Augustus and I only stopped by tonight because we knew that so many of the High-Ranking Genesis Council would be present.”

Chris frowned at that and gave Paul a look of pity. “That sucks, especially after you guys went so long without seeing each other. At least Nathan’s back in Aurora now, though, and with any luck things’ll calm down soon. I hope that happens sooner rather than later. I don’t like the idea of all this gloom and doom hanging over everybody’s heads, especially with three babies on the way soon. Devin’s about half way through his pregnancy already too.”

“So I’ve heard,” Paul replied, an odd expression passing over his face. Before Chris could decide what was up with that, Paul shook it off and smiled over at him again. “Speaking of the children, when do you and the High Councilor Adam plan to hold the official announcement ceremony to find the mate of your other child?”

The other mage’s excitement over the subject showed in the way his eyes glowed with interest. Still, that question caught Chris completely off guard and he had to take a second to think it over. Adam had already said that they weren’t going to do a ceremony after everything that’d happened, but Paul was acting like it was a given. “Well,” Chris began hesitantly, a frown on his lips, “the thing is, Adam said that we weren’t gonna do it. Master Alan didn’t seem to think it was that big of a deal either.”

After studying Chris for a moment, Paul nodded and patted his hand again. “Don’t worry so much, High-Consort. It’s highly unusual not to hold the ceremony, but everyone will understand.”

“It’s because of my gift,” Chris explained, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “Did you know that I’ve been working with Devin’s aura since his return?” When Paul gravely shook his head that he hadn’t, Chris continued. “It was pretty bad and I’ve been doing two sessions a day with him to help him out. Adam was afraid that with everything going on, dropping my shield any more than I had to might be a bad idea. Since we’ve already found Taro’s mate, Adam said that we should wait until after they were born to find Jiro’s. That way, I wouldn’t have to drop my shield around all those people I don’t know and take the chance of getting touched with some mage’s unexpected . . . ickiness. It’ll also prevent any cases of ‘mistaken identity’ because Jiro’s aura won’t be so messed up from being mixed with mine and Taro’s. Adam said that it happens once in a blue moon.”

“Rarely,” Paul conceded with an unconcerned expression. “Still, you should trust in your mate to know what’s best for now. It’s only a matter of a few weeks’ difference and there’s always the chance that Jiro’s mate has yet to reincarnate. All will reveal itself in time.”

That was a sad thought and Chris started to ask Paul if there was any way to know for sure, but before he could get out the words, Augustus appeared beside them. Within seconds, Paul had excused himself and been swept away to talk about security measures for the new school being built with some High-Ranking Genesis Council guys nearby and Chris was left on his own again. A glance around the room and he found that Adam was talking to Lady Treva and a couple of the people from Marlion, but Chris still wasn’t in the mood, so he eased up off the couch, grabbing an apple and some grapes from a table set up nearby before going off in search of Sarah and Jonas.

It took a few minutes of searching, but he finally found them holed up just around the corner from the hallway that crossed in front of the ballroom. Being the good friend that he was, Chris immediately noticed the serious expressions on their faces and the longing looks that were being passed back and forth between them and retreated back into the other hall to flatten himself against the wall and listen in on their conversation. Of course, one thing he’d failed to think about beforehand was that Jonas’ voice was too damn quiet and that he wouldn’t be able to hear a damn thing the man said. Chris inched a little closer to the corner and perked up his ears, praying to whoever was listening upstairs that nobody would sneak up on him.

Up until now, all he’d been able to hear was Sarah saying, “I’m sorry,” between the deeper rumbling of Jonas’ words. Then it went really quiet for a few seconds and all that Chris could hear were the distant noises of the party going on further down the hall. Impatiently, Chris scooted a little closer and risked a peek down the hallway but found that Sarah had turned her back to him now and was standing there tapping her foot impatiently.

“Are you going to give me the true reason for your reluctance or is this really the end?” Jonas asked with an exasperated sigh and Chris quickly pulled his head back before he got caught. The handsome brunette was facing Chris’ direction now and could’ve easily seen him if he hadn’t been so intent on Sarah.

Sarah said something that Chris couldn’t hear in a whiney tone that seemed out of character for the sassy, little redhead. Another quiet rumble was Jonas’ response and Chris barely held back a snort of frustration and thought about giving it up and going back to the party.

“I don’t want that!” Sarah hissed in a louder voice, and Chris immediately perked back up and returned his full attention to them, silently cheering Jonas on and hoping Sarah would just give it up already. During the past few weeks, when Chris would quiz her about why she wouldn’t at least admit that she wanted a relationship with Jonas, she’d spouted off some shit about growing up as an only child and losing her mother at a young age and her father running off with some woman and never calling again when she’d gone off to college. There’d also been a long list of boyfriends who’d left or cheated or were just bastards in general. Chris didn’t blame her for not wanting to get serious, but it was so painfully obvious that Jonas wasn’t like that. Chris’d told her that too and he’d also told her that she was being stupid about the whole thing.

Still, if the two could at least get back onto good terms, it would be a start. “Then what do you want from me?” Jonas shot back, pulling Chris out of his thoughts as his eyebrows shot up in surprise. Apparently Mister Liaison to the Genesis Council really did have a pair after all. He’d seen larger guys cut to the quick for using that tone with Sarah. She had a sharp tongue, for sure.

Silence was Sarah’s response, though. No biting comments or sarcasm, just bone-chilling silence followed by a ragged little sob. “I want you, okay. I’m just so scared that something will happen. What if you change your mind? What if this isn’t the real thing and you wake up one day and decide you made a mistake? I can’t have children Jonas; I’ve told you that before. What if you decide that you can’t live with that after all? I mean, it’s not like I can . . .”

That was the last thing Chris heard because he quickly took his leave, feeling unbelievably guilty for having overheard something like that. How could he have known, though? Sarah had never mentioned anything like that and, back on Earth, he’d even heard Devin tease her about having kids of her own instead of bugging him to have them all the time. When Master Benjamin had talked about humans having babies in Aurora during one of their classes, Sarah had seemed really interested in the process. Of course, she’d seemed even more interested in whether or not Aurorans could adopt children, but . . . It broke Chris’ heart, and he knew that she’d have made a perfect mother for some lucky kid. He’d only been hoping to get some idea of what they were talking about and maybe a clue that he and Devin could use to help Jonas change Sarah’s mind.

How the Hell was he supposed to look her in the eye without giving away that he knew something that she’d obviously never wanted them to know? Disgusted with himself, Chris hurried back to the party and slipped back inside and was immediately forced to a halt when Kiran’s voice attacked him from behind. “Why is that you feel comfortable with Paul? I heard what he said to you earlier, but you didn’t seem put off by his declaration in the least. In fact, I’d say that you were quite pleased by the idea, so why am I so different?”

With a sigh, Chris turned cautiously to eye Kiran where he stood near the wall by the entrance, indignation clearly written on his pretty face. “Because I barely know you and you’re not Paul. You promised earlier not to pull this shit on me, Kiran, so what’s up with that?” Chris asked with a frown. He was so not in the mood for any more of this crap. Kiran studied him for a second or two and then looked down at the floor as if in thought.

When he looked back up at Chris, there was a fierce determination burning in his sapphire eyes as he replied, “That was before you so easily accepted another into a role that is rightfully mine. Regardless of what you say, I am your birthfather and, even though you knew nothing of my existence, I have been playing that role from afar your entire life. I no longer have to do that from a distance. Now that I can be beside you, I will be there for you when you need support and I will protect you when I feel that you need to be protected. What you call me or whether or not you accept me as such, I have always been and will always be your birthfather. I spent the last twenty years living in Hell to insure that you weren’t harmed. I would have spent an eternity if that’s what it had taken. Call me what you will, Chris, but also know that I have always been someone who loves you with my entire being and who would sacrifice my life for you. You should set aside your fears and accept that. It will save us both much unneeded pain and heartache.”

With those words, Kiran turned to walk away and Chris could only stand there and stare in shock at his retreating form while the small mage’s words sank in. He wanted to be angry with Kiran for going back on his word so quickly. Chris felt pressured and he didn’t like that, but he couldn’t find it in himself to follow Kiran and tell him off. Chris and Kiran had never talked about Kiran’s time at the Omega compound under Ashcroft’s control. Well, in reality, they’d never talked about much of anything except for their mostly one-sided and purposely graphic conversation earlier that afternoon. Had Kiran been trying to say that the only reason he’d stayed with Ashcroft was to protect Chris?

The mage had claimed to love Chris unconditionally, to be willing to die for him. He’d claimed to have already sacrificed over twenty years of his life to protect Chris. It was a little too much to absorb all at once. Chris already had a vague idea of some of the things Devin had been through while at the compound. It’d damn near broken his big brother completely. Kiran had been there over twenty years! What had the little mage been through while he was there? Just thinking about the possibilities sent a shiver down his spine and Chris made a mental note to corner Devin next time they saw each other and force some information out of him. Devin had been there long enough to get some idea of what Kiran might’ve been through. He wasn’t sure why, but suddenly Chris needed to know. He couldn’t ask Kiran about it either, but he just had to know.

*~*~*~*

Devin stirred from his sleep, wincing slightly at the soreness in his bottom as he pulled the blanket at his hips higher and tried to go back to sleep for just a few more minutes. Then the smell of the room washed over him and he realized that the bed wasn’t too soft anymore and that he could hear water running in the bathroom. It suddenly hit him that he wasn’t in Kansas anymore. A contented sigh passed his lips as he rolled over, snuggling in and inhaling Jayden’s sent on the pillow beside him. Only then did he notice that someone had put a pair of his flannel sleeping pants on him and he knew that it was Jayden, but why? And why the soreness? Jayden had always taken care of that in the past too, and it wasn’t like him to forget.

It was obvious by the lack of warmth beside him and the sounds coming from the other room that Devin was now alone and it was a bit disappointing not to wake up beside his mate. Jayden probably had things to do, though, and was most likely off getting ready for his day and trying to find them something to eat. Even if that wasn’t the case and Jayden was just avoiding the morning after awkwardness, Devin had already been given more than he could’ve asked for. Then again, hiding like a blushing virgin didn’t seem like something Jayden would do and last night had been . . . A blush burned his cheeks as he recalled his own boldness and another smile split his face.

“Somebody’s pretty happy this morning,” Devin heard a petulant voice observe from somewhere nearby and his eyes immediately popped open in shock as he sat up to get a better look. “Must be nice. I was up half the night worried sick about you,” Chris grumbled from where he sat with his feet curled under him in one of the big chairs nearby, a pout on his full lips.

“What are you doing here?” Devin asked, not the least big happy to have his privacy invaded so soon, much less so damn early.

Chris just snorted and shrugged before casting a hateful look toward the open bedroom door nearby. “More like, what the Hell are you doing here?” he hissed quietly, as if he were afraid Jayden might hear what he was saying. “First the two of you were going at it like rabid dogs, then you stopped talking altogether and avoided each other like the plague, and now one good fuck and you’re all lovey-dovey like nothing happened. I don’t want to see you moping around and hurt again when this shit blows up in your face, man.”

With a sigh, Devin plopped back on the bed and looked incredulously at the ceiling above him. “Oh, and I guess you and Adam didn’t argue almost constantly when you first came here? Pot calling the kettle black, Chris?” he asked sarcastically.

“That was different and you know it, Dev,” Chris shot back with an exasperated huff.

“Look. I know what you’re saying, Chris” Devin finally conceded in a tired voice and a threatening, ‘don’t give me anymore shit’ sideways glance thrown in for good measure, “but this is my life and I have to be the one to decide how I want to live it. There’s also the baby to think about now. Jayden told me it was now or never so I chose now. I know as well as you do that it’s too soon, but what would you have done if you and Adam were in mine and Jayden’s shoes and he’d said that to you?” Devin asked, turning his eyes back to Chris and pleading with him to understand.

Chris’ petulant expression softened slightly. Then he glanced over at Devin’s chest and back up to his neck before meeting his eyes again. “I don’t know what I’d do, man,” he finally admitted with a small, self-deprecating grin. “I guess I’d do what you did. First, I’d jump my man’s bones and after that I’d go find a shirt big enough to hide all the hickeys he left behind. Well . . . Maybe not . . . That’s more your kinda thing, I suppose.” Devin’s eyes widened slightly and he immediately took the bait and looked down to see a dark spattering of love bites covering his chest. For some reason, it didn’t embarrass him the way he knew it should’ve, though. “Just be careful, okay?” Chris added when Devin didn’t rise to the occasion or blush and try to cover himself up. “I don’t want to see you slip back into that dark place where you were before. Your aura looks cleaner this morning, by the way.”

Devin raised an eyebrow at that random comment before giving Chris a smile and letting his hand slide up to cover his mating mark. “I thought it might be,” Devin admitted, happy with Chris’ news even if he was still annoyed over the interruption. “Is that why you’re here, then? For a session?”

A quick nod was Chris’ reply as he glanced at the door again to see who was walking through it. A disappointed look crossed his face so Devin could only assume it was Jayden. Anxious to see his mate again, Devin sat up and gave his lover a warm smile and then held out his arms in invitation. Jayden immediately returned the smile with one of his own and moved closer to envelope Devin in a hug. Tears burned Devin’s eyes and he was once again amazed at the sudden turn his life had taken. When Jayden moved to pull away, it was hard to let go but he was glad that he did when Jayden leaned forward to press their lips together in a tender kiss. Chris made a rude, snickering sound, just as a tingle of energy ran down Devin’s spine and the soreness in his bottom all but disappeared. Devin bit back a sigh of relief, ignoring his little brother’s teasing as he opened his mouth wider and invited Jayden to deepen the kiss.

Jayden immediately took Devin up on the offer, but just as they were both getting into it someone else walked into the room and cleared his throat. “That is what I like to see from my son and his loving mate,” Adam announced with a smug smile and a wink in Chris’ direction as Devin and Jayden pulled apart to glare in his direction. Devin knew his father probably been there already since Chris’d done a session but he could still barely contain his relief when he realized that Adam didn’t seem the least bit angry. In fact, he seemed really happy about the situation.

Chris immediately perked up at the sight of his mate and gave him a big smile before struggling up from the chair and moving closer. Adam pulled him against his chest as soon as the tiny mage was close enough and kissed him gently on the forehead. “Sorry to run off like that, Angel. There was a little snag with the Genesis Council’s new pet project. Two of the mages scheduled to work on the building’s construction were waylaid and will be arriving later than scheduled. They came to my house this morning in search of you, Devin, but I told them I’d take care of it as soon as possible,” he added with a pointed look in Devin’s direction.

“Thanks,” Devin replied with a blush, unable to meet his father’s questioning gaze and feeling uncomfortable with the closed expression that had suddenly slipped over Jayden’s face. “I’m sorry if I’ve stepped on either of your toes with this,” Devin added with a quick glance at both Adam and Jayden. Jayden’s eyes warmed up again but, instead of commenting one way or the other, he simply announced that breakfast was on its way and that he’d laid out some clothing for Devin before again leaving the room.

“Personally, I don’t mind that you’ve taken some initiative with the project,” Adam admitted, glancing only momentarily at Jayden’s broad back before turning his full attention back to Devin and pinning him with an icy, no-nonsense look. “My only concern is with your motivations for doing so. I suspected that they were far from pure in the beginning but couldn’t argue that something of this nature needed to be done.”

“They weren’t,” Devin finally admitted, and it felt like a large weight had been lifted from his chest at the admission. “I wanted to isolate them and keep them away from everyone so that they wouldn’t fan the flames of the rumors already circulating about me. It was wrong of me, I know, but it was the only solution I could think of at the time.” Adam’s look of disappointment cut Devin to the quick and he really had no defense for his actions except to add, “Even you have to admit that this will be good for them, Father.”

“Holy shit,” Chris grumbled as he eyed Devin warily. “That’s a pretty creepy thing to do, man. What the hell were you planning to do with them? It’s not like you can keep them locked up there forever.”

Again Devin had little to say for himself so he just looked away silently when Chris glanced up at Adam, as if seeking some kind of reassurance from his mate. Finally Devin admitted, “I’d planned to be gone by the time they were rehabilitated but I’ve decided to stay in Aurora, so I guess it was a moot point in the end anyway.”

Almost the second the words were out a sigh of relief escaped Chris’ lips and Devin couldn’t help but wonder how low he’d fallen in his best friend and little brother’s esteem if Chris had honestly thought for even a moment that Devin had planned to do the Omega ex-slaves any physical harm. Then Chris realized the implications of Devin’s explanation and froze, something that looked suspiciously like tears glimmering in his dark eyes. Adam leaned down and whispered something into Chris’ ears that seemed to brighten him back up at least a little. Then he let out a little gasp and pinned Devin with a look of pity.

“You’re soooo screwed, man. What was up with you locking Sarah into a job like that behind her back, and one working so closely with Jonas at that? She’s spitting nails, Oh-He-Who-Has-No-Scruples, and some of the Genesis Council members were all up in her ass last night asking questions and congratulating her on the new position. I wouldn’t wanna be you right now. No way in Hell.” As if to drive his point home, Chris shook his head emphatically and let out a derisive snort before walking out of the room with his head held high.

Devin just waved him off and crossed over to where Jayden had said he’d left some clothes, making a mental note that he’d have to once again have his things packed up and moved. Thank goodness he’d had at least something left at the castle to change into. What Devin found, though, wasn’t his at all and he couldn’t help but throw a questioning look to where Adam stood watching him quietly near the door. Then he held up the flowing, topaz blue shirt and asked, “Wonder who this belongs to? It sure as hell isn’t mine.”

No sooner were the words out, Devin’s stomach turned and his eyes widened with speculation. What if Jayden had brought someone . . . “They’re yours, so don’t jump to conclusions, my son. I can see in your expression what you’re thinking,” his father warned with a quirk of his eyebrow and a small frown.

Devin rubbed the delicate, satiny fabric of the shirt between his thumb and forefinger before turning it over and looking at the front. The neckline was tunic-like, with a v slit and heavy embroidery outlining the collar. On closer inspection, Devin realized that the symbols that had been so carefully stitched into the fabric with gold thread were the same ones that Jayden had had engraved in Devin’s crown. “But how?” Devin finally asked, his approval for the garment in his hand evident by the excitement slipping into his voice. “This must have taken . . .”

“He had those ordered for you the day before you divorced him in the Great Hall,” Adam explained bluntly. “Even then, Jayden was thinking ahead and looking out for your welfare and that of the child you carry. I was coming here to pick them up and deliver them to your suite at my home when we stumbled upon you yesterday in the hall. He ordered them tailored in the Rajhan Province, where they specialize in quality fabrics. The royal family’s personal tailor moved there with his wife shortly before the last war began. He and his daughter now keep the tradition alive but prefer to remain where they are to living in the hustle and bustle of the city. You should find that you have more than enough to get you through the pregnancy and what will follow. The pants are made from a special fabric not found on the Earth plane and will stretch to accommodate your growing body. They’re far more comfortable and won’t restrict the flow of energy through your lymphatic system the way that everyday clothes can.”

Curious to see what Adam was talking about, Devin pulled the shirt on over his head, only taking a moment to enjoy the way the cool fabric felt on his chest before turning his attention to the simply cut, black pants nearby. In all honesty, they didn’t look like anything special. They were stretchy like cotton pants he’d seen on Earth, but the fabric was cleaner and nicer and much higher grade than found in those types of things. For that matter, they looked almost like the dress slacks Devin had worn on special occasions while still on Earth but flat at the front and no discernable buttons, zippers, or latches to be seen anywhere. There was no elastic either, for that matter and Devin couldn’t help the look of disbelief he tossed his father’s way.

“Just put them on,” Adam ordered with a wry grin before vacating the room and closing the door behind him. With serious doubts in his mind, Devin did as he’d been ordered, quickly slipping out of the soft sleep pants in favor of the ones Jayden had provided. Much to his surprise, they eased right over his hips without a problem, despite the lack of elastic or any kind of openings, and then molded to his waist and hips as if they’d been made for his body. For half-a-second he’d thought he felt some type of energy move through them but pushed that thought aside as ridiculous as he went off in search of his discarded sandals.

He found them just under the edge of the bed but snarled his nose when he realized that they’d look goofy with the outfit he was wearing now. Still, he didn’t have any others here, so he again made a note to have his things sent over before slipping them on and going out to breakfast. He’d somehow managed to smooth things over with his mate and he looked forward to what he hoped would be a pleasant meal with him as well. After that, he’d deal with Sarah. Chris was right that he should have told her sooner. In reality he’d planned to, but he hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up and hadn’t known for sure that the position was hers until yesterday afternoon.

Sure, the job would put her in close contact with Jonas, but she was the one who’d turned the man down and dumped him. Surely to God she was professional enough to deal with that. After all, she’d worked with her exes before with no problem. If working with Jonas was a problem for her then it was time she took a closer look at her feelings for the man. Why all the drama and moping around if their ‘relationship’ had just been a fling for her? No matter how many times Devin had brought it up, she’d just sulked like a child and used the, ‘You know that relationships and me were never meant to be,’ excuse.

Devin had always let it go before because he’d believed the same thing himself. They had pretty similar backgrounds having lost their parents and been cast aside again and again by those who’d promised to take care of them. Sarah hadn’t had the same sexual hang-ups that Devin had, but her wounds went just as deep. At least in Devin’s case he knew that his parents had had no choice but to leave him. Still, Devin now knew that he’d been wrong about a lot of those things and deep in his heart he believed that Sarah was wrong too.

Jonas was the man for her and Devin wasn’t going to rest until he saw her happily married to the quiet, hard-willed Liaison to the Genesis Council and a baby for each arm. He wasn’t all that worried about her getting pissed because he knew it was only a matter of time until Jonas would worm his way back into her life. The thing he dreaded most was what she’d say if she ever found out the real reason he’d chosen her for the post. If he had his way, she never would.

As Devin entered the dining room, he pushed those disturbing thoughts aside and tried to put on his brightest smile as he settled down at the table beside Jayden. “Thank you for the clothes, Jayden. The shirt you laid out is beautiful,” Devin said in an attempt to break the ice. Everyone still seemed just the tiniest bit on edge after their earlier conversation.

“It was the least I could do and it looks magnificent on you,” Jayden replied with a loving smile, his eyes working their way down to the small bulge hidden beneath the flowing fabric. “I love you,” he added softly and Devin melted all over again.

“I love you too, Jayden,” Devin whispered back before suddenly remembering that they weren’t alone in the room. With an apologetic expression, Devin turned to where Adam and Chris were sitting but found the two just as lost in each other as they usually were. Devin wondered if an army of pink elephants were to storm through the room if the two would even notice. Jayden gave him an amused look, as if he were thinking the same thing and Chris picked just that moment to break out of his daze and look over.

“What are you laughing at, King High-and-Mighty?” he asked with a sulk.

“Chris,” Adam scolded. “You shouldn’t speak to your King in such a disrespectful manner.”

Chris eyes brightened up at the sharp tone of his mate’s voice and Devin fought the urge to roll his eyes with every fiber of his being. Jayden managed to keep a straight face, though, as he murmured, “Thank you, Godfather, but such formalities aren’t necessary when we’re in private,” before pulling the cover from his tray and setting it aside. It was such a domestic scene and Devin found that it was comforting after everything they’d been through. For just a moment he pictured Jiro, Taro, and his and Jayden’s son sitting there alongside them and his smile brightened that much more. Then an idea struck him and he turned Jayden to with a hopeful look on his face.

“What do you think of naming our son Raphael, after your father?” he asked. He wasn’t sure why the thought had even occurred to him, but once it had it’d just felt right. Only when the words were out did Devin remember that his own middle name was Raphael too and his smile fell slightly. Then he noticed the stunned expression on Jayden’s face and quickly looked down at the table to pull the cover from his plate in a vain attempt to distract the others from his own stupidity. “Never mind, it was a silly idea anyway. I’d completely forgotten that I had that name too and three Raphaels in the family would just be . . .”

“No,” Jayden gushed. Yes, literally gushed, and Devin was so shocked by it that he nearly dropped the fork he’d just picked up from the table as he looked over at his mate in surprise. “I love it. I’ve always dreamed of naming my son after my father but we’d never talked about it before.”

“It’s okay, Jayden,” Devin replied, reaching over to rub a soothing hand over Jayden’s thick forearm. “It was just a spur of the moment thing so you don’t have to pretend for my sake. We still have time to think of something. Maybe Brian, after my human father, or . . . We’ll figure something out,” Devin added with a blush at the warm look that Jayden was now giving him.

He felt for a moment like he might melt into that molten silver gaze and couldn’t resist leaning forward, his attention riveted on his mate’s plump lips. Jayden saw the path that Devin’s eyes had taken and leaned forward as well, intent written clearly in his hungry expression.

“Why not Raphael Brian Jamison?” Chris chirped loudly, completely ruining the mood just seconds before their lips met. With a devilish twinkle in his eyes, Jayden leaned forward and stole a kiss anyway and then look back over at Chris with a smug expression.

Chris stuck his tongue out at Jayden, ignoring a scolding look from Adam. Before the verbal scolding could begin, Jayden shook his head and let out a deep rumbling laugh. Devin’s heart sped up at the sound and he felt something swell in his chest. “I’ve missed times like this,” Jayden admitted with a wistful smile before turning to Devin with one red brow raised inquisitively. “So, what do you think, my love? Raphael Brian Jamison?”

A snort was Devin’s initial reply. The names really sounded weird together when said aloud, but Jayden seemed to genuinely like the idea and Devin wanted nothing more than to see his mate happy. With a gentle smile, Devin leaned forward and stole back the kiss Jayden had taken from him only moments ago, before replying, “It’s a little better than Jayden Adam Jamison, so I guess it’ll do.”

Adam chuckled at that and raised his glass of juice in the air with a happy smile of his own. “Then a toast to my grandson, Prince Raphael Brian Jamison. May he grow up to be a just and noble ruler.” Everyone at the table laughed and raised their glasses as they repeated the words. Then they settled back down while Devin and Chris literally devoured their food under the approving eyes of their mates. The only thing that could have made it more perfect to Devin was if Sarah had been there to join them. Then again, according to Chris she was really pissed, so maybe not. Either way, Devin knew that he had a long day ahead so he took full advantage of the well rounded meal in front of him and did his best to cherish every moment.

*~*~*~*

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