23. A Big Family For Quinlan

23

Griff was worried that he'd messed up badly enough this time, that his parents might disown him instead of merely threatening to.

He lowered his large bundle gently onto the cobblestone courtyard, checking the mansion in front of them. The mansion was backed up against a mountain, all its windows lit up, and the light was enough to gently illuminate the evergreen forest.

When no one seemed to burst out of the mansion angrily, Griff nudged open the quilt so Quinlan could poke his head out.

"How are you, fireheart?" Griff craned his neck to peer at Quinlan and Annie.

Annie stirred, giving a tiny yawn. Griff's heart swelled.

"We're fine. A little stiff from the flying, but it'll go away when I've stretched my legs." Quinlan rubbed his eyes.

Griff helped his mate to his feet. Quinlan's belly was swollen now, so very round. It wasn't any coincidence that they'd timed their visit this way—Griff's parents knew how to handle a dragon birth. Just that the idea of Quinlan going into labor made Griff anxious; he'd witnessed enough births in his lifetime to be wary of the pain and screaming.

"Are we ready?" Quinlan asked, looking anxiously up at the double front doors.

"I don't know," Griff replied truthfully.

His family had to have noticed their arrival, though. Griff had seen movement in the windows.

He was about to scoop Quinlan into his arms to bring him to the front door, when Quinlan looked up.

"I want you to be Annie's dad," Quinlan said quietly.

Griff stopped breathing. "Really?"

Quinlan nodded. "You've been caring for her for hours every day. You always get so happy when she hits a milestone. And when she's sick, you're so concerned. You dress her and change her diapers without any fuss. I think you have already become her dad, Griff. We just haven't made it official yet."

"That's..." Griff's throat tightened. He gathered Quinlan and Annie into his arms, his heart so full. "Mine. Thank you, fireheart."

Quinlan let him hold Annie. "She's your daughter too, Griff. Annie, this is your Papa."

Griff sniffled a little. A lot. He dropped dragon kisses all over Annie's face, and she giggled. "We should celebrate by having a feast. And a song!"

"Maybe when my stomach isn't being squashed by this little one," Quinlan said dryly, rubbing his belly. Griff had to rub his belly, too.

"Well, you can have the song first," Griff said.

Quinlan sighed, but he was smiling.

"Annie of the stars

Annie of the moon

You're our baby and we're so proud

You could get in trouble

You could give the cat our dinner

But we'd still love you too"

Griff was about to start the second verse when the mansion's double doors burst open. "Griff!"

Several people flooded out, shifting into dragons before flying across the courtyard to greet them. Griff held Quinlan protectively. The gusts from their wings could topple a human, and Quinlan didn't have the best balance right now.

"Griffy," Papa said, landing in front of them with a loud thump. Papa—his name was Thomas—was a regal black dragon and also the leader of their flight. "Welcome home. And welcome to our family, Quinlan and Annie."

Quinlan stared, mouth agape, his cheeks pink.

"What an adorable picture the three of you make," Dad said, landing next to Papa. Dad—Sen—was a gold dragon, smaller in stature than Papa, but no less powerful. He smiled and leaned in, peeking at Annie. "Such a sweet dear."

"Um, she has scales, but she's not a dragon," Quinlan said.

"Oh?" Dad perked up. "What is she?"

"She's a merchild."

"Oooh!" Griff's siblings landed around them. "Welcome to the family!"

Quinlan stared at all of them, swallowing hard. Griff's heart swelled.

"We're still not done talking about your kidnapping of Quinlan, Griff," Papa said severely. To his children, he added. "Don't let this be a good example to any of you."

"But I found my fireheart," Griff said, his heart thumping. "Quinlan is worth everything."

His siblings murmured. Ace and Raptor exchanged a look with each other.

Griff's parents narrowed their eyes.

"Incoming!" something screeched from above.

Books began to fall from the sky. Pink books. Familiar books.

Griff pulled Quinlan and Annie against himself and sheltered them with his wing; the books hit his parents and siblings instead.

"Oops, sorry," Hex said unapologetically. "These are sacred books. They will help you court your mate."

Griff's unmated siblings scrambled for the books. Blade and Joey stared incredulously at Hex.

"Tell me you didn't," Blade said.

"They will rekindle any marriage," Hex announced.

"699 Pickup Lines For Your Wriggly Heart Muffin," Papa read to Dad; they exchanged a meaningful look.

"Oh, gods," Joey muttered, his face buried in his hands.

Griff was ecstatic that Blade and Joey had shown up; he hadn't attended their mating ceremony because his dads hadn't been too happy with him, and he'd chosen to stay away instead of distracting everyone on a day that belonged to his brother and brother-in-law. "They're good books," Griff said. "I read one line to Quinlan every night!"

"Griff," Quinlan said helplessly, fondly. "They shouldn't be used if you're trying to court a human."

"I won you with songs and pickup lines," Griff pointed out.

"I'm special," Quinlan said dryly.

"This book seems to have... potential," Papa said slowly.

"Oh, gods," Blade muttered. "Not you, too."

Griff was about to answer when Quinlan shuddered against him.

"I think my water just broke," Quinlan said.

Everyone gasped.

"Is the dragonet arriving?" Ace asked in panic. "Should we bring out the bedding? Are we welcoming the little one right now?"

"No," Dad said. "It'll be a while. We can go in and sit down, or... would you like to walk the Circle first, my dears?"

Griff looked at Quinlan, who smiled.

"I'm having contractions on and off," Quinlan said quietly. "But if you don't mind pausing every so often... we can walk the Circle."

Griff's heart began thumping. "Yes, please. I want nothing more in life than to be mated with you. And to have our family all in my arms."

Things happened very quickly after that.

Everyone moved in an excited procession through the mansion, to the very back of it where the Circle was. The cavern loomed over them, carved into the side of the mountain. Flaming torches dotted the cavern walls, and in the middle of the floor, several concentric circles had been carved into smooth stone. Etched between each circle were runes and animals, trees and people.

"This is our flight's bonding circle," Papa said in a booming voice that echoed through the cavern. "When you're ready, you may begin."

Griff swallowed. He'd explained the process to Quinlan, who took his hand readily.

As one, they stepped up to the circles, Griff's bare feet on the outermost circle, Quinlan on the one next to it. They would walk the circle together three times, and at the end of it, they'd be bonded for life.

The moment his feet touched the circle, Griff shivered. "You're really doing this with me," he breathed. "You want me forever."

Quinlan's smile lit his entire face. "Yes."

"I am the luckiest dragon in the world." But the words weren't big enough to contain everything that Griff felt.

From the look in Quinlan's eyes, he got it, though.

Quinlan squeezed Griff's hand to signal that he was ready. Together, they took slow steps around the circle, Griff's ears filling with Quinlan's pulse, and their unborn baby's pulse, too.

"After this, we're going to meet our second lil flame," Griff said, his throat tight.

"I can't wait." Quinlan tugged Griff along the circle, rubbing his belly.

They had to stop a couple times while Quinlan's contractions rolled through him. Griff wanted to rub his back, but they weren't supposed to release each other's hands.

The moment they finished the first lap, the circles began to glow a soft blue.

"Once for luck," Griff rumbled. He loved Quinlan so much. He couldn't believe that Quinlan was accepting him, was committing to being his mate for the rest of their lives.

Under the watchful gazes of Griff's family, they completed the second lap.

"Twice as a promise," Griff growled.

A gentle breeze picked up in the cavern and died down. Magic filled the circles and thrummed through the air. Quinlan's breath hitched.

"Are you nervous?" Griff asked. "One more lap to go."

Quinlan's smile warmed Griff from the inside. "I can't wait to be mates with you. This is an honor."

Griff smiled fondly at him. They walked the circle a third time. The moment they completed it, a gust blew through the cavern, and the circles lit up beneath their feet. Their heartbeats synced.

"Three times for a future well told," Griff whispered, lifting Quinlan's hand to kiss the back of it.

A pulse surged from his body into Quinlan's, filling them both with warmth. It was the transfer of Griff's life energy—with the bonding, Griff's lifespan had evened out with Quinlan's. He felt himself get a little older, and saw the rosy flush of life bloom in Quinlan's cheeks.

Griff would do so much more than give away some years, just to have Quinlan stay by his side for the rest of his life.

"Mine," he choked, gathering Quinlan into his arms. "Forever mine."

"Yours," Quinlan whispered, his eyes watery.

The dragons cheered around them. Annie kicked her feet and babbled in Dad's arms, and Griff pressed a lingering kiss to Quinlan's forehead.

Except Quinlan shuddered against Griff, suddenly.

"I think our baby will be here soon," he said.

Griff panicked. Of course he panicked. Their dragonet was on the way!

"What do I do?" he yelped.

"Stay calm," Dad said. "We'll prepare the largest tub for Quinlan."

"Do I have to catch the baby?" Griff cupped his hands under Quinlan's ass, waiting for something to fall out of him.

"Griff!" Quinlan snorted and planted his hand on Griff's face, shoving him back slightly. "Gods, no. It's still going to take a while."

Quinlan took Griff's hands and pressed them against his round belly. There was some movement in there, but their baby didn't have much space to kick these days.

"Soon," Quinlan promised, pressing a kiss to Griff's jaw. "We'll meet our little one soon."

Soon, they would all be cuddled up together, and just a few years after that, they'd be having family picnics together, maybe splashing in the cavern pool together, or even exploring the forest.

But first, the new baby had to be born.

Dad led them to the largest bathroom in the mansion. He seemed to have forgiven Griff for kidnapping Quinlan, although he did give Griff a look that said ‘We'll talk about this later.'

Not that Griff would change anything, if he had to do it all over again.

Papa chased the rest of the flight out of the bathroom and left Griff, Quinlan, and Annie alone to get settled. "The salts are already in the tub, dear," he said, hugging Quinlan around the shoulders. "Yell for help if you need anything!"

"I will. Thank you," Quinlan said gratefully.

Griff got the bath running, helping Quinlan out of his travel clothes. While Quinlan sat on the edge of the tub wrapped in several fluffy blankets, Griff danced with Annie, holding her hands as she tottered around on two feet.

"Blade and Joey will watch her during the birth itself," Quinlan said.

That was good. Griff didn't know if he'd be in any state of mind to care for a child at that point.

When the bath was ready, Griff helped Quinlan in. Quinlan's tail appeared with a shimmer, his belly round like it was about to burst.

Griff gently lowered Annie into the tub; Annie's tail appeared, too.

Quinlan swam with Annie. He was slower in the water now, careful, and he helped guide Annie before she accidentally crashed into his belly.

Griff stripped to his underwear and stepped into the warm water, scooping Quinlan into his arms.

"My family," he said proudly. Quinlan smiled.

Quinlan's contractions came more quickly. To distract him, Griff sang.

"My one true love has a baby for me

My one true love is all pickles and beets

Oh Quinlan I hope your butt won't hurt too much

But if it does I'll help stitch you back"

"Oh, Griff." Quinlan laughed, cuddling against Griff's human body.

"One day, I'll teach our lil flames how to sing. And write songs," Griff promised.

Quinlan snorted. "You will let me vet all lyrics before you teach them. No exceptions!"

"Fine," Griff said affectionately.

His dads returned to the bathroom when Quinlan's contractions grew a little more urgent. "We have a gift for you, Quinlan, son," Papa said, handing Quinlan a wrapped gift.

Quinlan glanced nervously at the tub. "I don't want to accidentally drop it."

"Oh! Don't worry, water won't harm it," Dad said.

Quinlan settled back against Griff's chest, carefully picking apart the wrapping paper. Then, he opened the plain box containing his gift.

Quinlan sucked in a slow breath.

It was a simple gold chain with a pair of dragon wings as a pendant. "Thank you."

"The symbol for our flight," Griff's dad said. "Joey received one, too."

Griff's heart fluttered. That definitely meant the flight had accepted Quinlan. "I'll help you put it on."

He carefully secured the delicate chain around Quinlan's neck, kissing Quinlan on the nape.

"It looks good," both of Griff's parents said approvingly. Griff preened.

Then Quinlan had a violent contraction, and there was no more time to admire the necklace.

Griff held Quinlan's hand and rubbed his back. Quinlan called Annie to him and handed her to Griff's dads. A slit opened up on the front of his tail, close to his belly. Then he began to push, and Griff held him, whispering encouragement into his ear.

"Your butt is strong

Your body is ready

We'll help you push out the perfect butt baby"

"Griff," Quinlan groaned exasperatedly. But he gritted his teeth and kept pushing, and suddenly there was a tiny shape in the blood-cloudy water.

Griff forgot to breathe. He gently sat Quinlan on the shelf seat and scooped their baby into his arms, carefully handing the small, fragile shape to his mate. "You did so well, fireheart."

Quinlan choked up. He bit off the umbilical cord and accepted the soft towels from Griff's dads, gently cleaning off the baby in his arms.

"Our son," Griff whispered, awed.

"Ours," Quinlan murmured, his gaze locking with Griff's. He looked so proud and happy that Griff couldn't help kissing him.

Their newborn squirmed between them and began to wail. They broke the kiss to gaze upon their little boy, Griff bringing his hands up to carefully cup his head. They both dropped careful kisses on his tiny face.

"Benson," Quinlan murmured. "After my dad."

Griff's heart filled. "Yes. Welcome to the world, lil Bennie. You've got a whole flight of dragons here ready to welcome you. A big sister, too. I think she'll protect you fiercely."

Quinlan smiled and leaned into Griff's chest, exhausted now. Griff cradled him and dropped kisses all over his face, thanking all the gods in the world for bringing him his family.

"I love you," Griff whispered. "You and Annie and Bennie and everybody."

"Same here." Quinlan tipped his face up for another kiss; Griff gladly gave him several.

"When we get out of the bath, I'll sing Bennie a song," Griff said.

Quinlan laughed. "Nothing too weird."

"We'll see." Griff kissed him again.

Quinlan nudged him teasingly, but he was all smiles, settling against Griff because he belonged there along with their little family.

Soon, they would have Annie back with them, and they'd all head home, to make new, wonderful memories.

Griff's heart swelled to bursting. All was right with the world.