Dark Celebration Page 0,20

gaze rested on Josef who had followed Joshua, and for the first time he felt kindly toward the boy. Josef had gained a few inches in height, taking on more of the look of the Carpathian male with broad shoulders, but he was still gangly, as thin as a rail, and with his black hair cut into spiky sticks with the tips dyed blue, he looked like a bizarre scarecrow.

"Hello, Josef. It is good to see you again."

The boy looked scared for a moment, and then he flashed a cocky grin. "You too, Your Royal Highness. Are we supposed to bow?"

Aidan smacked him on the back of his head with a low warning growl, and Mikhail scowled, his black eyes glittering with sudden menace. The house pulsed with sudden energy and the walls undulated.

Josh pushed open the kitchen door and ran. "Alex! There's someone here."

At the fear in her younger brother's voice and the danger shimmering in the room, Alexandria whirled around with preternatural speed, her body a blur. The high-speed, souped-up mixer was in her hands, still on. Garlic-cheese mashed potatoes splattered onto the walls and ceiling. One glob hit Mikhail squarely on his left cheekbone. Alexandria gasped aloud and stood frozen, holding the mixer upright-sending more potatoes flying around the room. Her horrified gaze remained fixed on the prince.

For a long moment there was only the sound of the mixer and the potatoes striking surfaces all over the room-and the prince's wide chest. Josh giggled. Josef let out a strangled cough, and both boys grabbed their midsections and doubled over laughing. The sound galvanized Aidan into action. He waved to knock the power out of the mixer, and moved across the room with dizzying speed to remove the appliance from Alexandria's hands, placing himself between his lifemate and his prince.

For a moment there was only the sound of the boys' laughter. Alexandria twisted her fingers in the back pocket of Aidan's jeans. I cannot believe I did that. Whatever is he going to think of me?

It was obvious she was trying to hold back her own laughter even though she was mortified.

Aidan turned slightly to brush his knuckles down the side of her face gently, all the while keeping a wary eye on the prince. It was a small accident, nothing more, he assured her. He could feel his own laughter bubbling up. It was difficult to stand still and keep a straight face with gobs of cheesy garlic potatoes speckling the prince's clothes and his left cheek.

Mikhail's mouth twitched and he covered his lips with his hand. "It is unnecessary to stand in front of your lifemate as if I might incinerate her on the spot for decorating my clothing, Aidan."

"Is that how I look?" Aidan's eyebrow quirked upward.

Josh nodded, still laughing. "Like you're going to hit someone."

Aidan held up the mixer, aiming it toward Josh. "I am thinking about it."

"Point it more toward Josef," Mikhail suggested.

Alexandria cleared her throat, trying to sound sincere when she really wanted to laugh. "I'm terribly sorry," she said aloud to Mikhail. "The mixer got away from me."

"You look a great deal like your brother," Mikhail pointed out as he calmly brushed the potatoes from his face and chest. "Fortunately, I am Carpathian and these things are of little consequence-other than to provide amusement for our younger children." His black eyes narrowed, turned dangerously green-yellow-a wolf's eyes-glowing as his gaze settled on Josef. A low growl rumbled through the room, impossible to tell where it came from-but distinctive all the same.

Josef swallowed his laughter and straightened up, moving away from Mikhail. The prince kept his face like stone, although amusement welled up, threatening to spill over. How long since he'd heard the sound of young children laughing? He needed to spend more time with Falcon and Sara's adopted children. The young always brought hope and the ability to see with fresh excitement the world around them. He needed another child in his home, clinging to his leg and looking up at him the way Joshua was looking up at Alexandria.

Mikhail. Skyler wishes to go home. Do you come back to escort her, or should I? Raven's voice interrupted his thoughts. He had much to do, but so did Raven. "I had hoped to speak with you some more, Aidan, but Skyler is in our home and needs escorting back to her home. I will return as soon as I am assured she is safe."

"I was about to go over to see