long moment. I made my way into the bedroom, stopping to gaze lovingly at the family we’d created as my gentle beast played with his little beasties.
Smiling softly, I watched as Ryder tickled Kahleena while she squealed with laughter, pointing at Zander, demanding her father get her brothers instead.
Cade silently observed them from where he rested against the pillows, peering down at them with large violet irises as his black curls curved around his chubby cheeks. Cade was more intense than his siblings.
His pensive stare missed nothing, and he reminded me of Zahruk, always ready for battle, should the need arise. He’d traded places with Zander, who was no longer the somber and carefree one of the triplets. My brother Liam had a lot to do with it, and that was something I’d never be able to thank him enough over.
“Daddy,” Kahleena panted out of breath, snorting as she pointed her tiny finger at Zander, who had crawled up behind Ryder to attack him. Her golden eyes sparkled with a multitude of galaxies within their amber depths as she laughed loudly.
“I got you!” he shouted, jumping on his father’s back to save his sister from the tickles her father loved to give. It had become Ryder’s favorite sound, the laughter of the wee beasties as he tortured them playfully. This was the light in our darkest hour. Their giggles and sounds of their happiness were everything good in the world. They would drive us through the upcoming war, reminding us of what we fought to protect.
“Is that so, my little princeling?” Ryder growled, flipping Zander upside down beside his sister to tickle him.
“Cade! Save us,” Kahleena pleaded urgently, her giggles enough to work the corners of my mouth as I slowly made my way to where they played.
“Momma,” Cade whispered softly, his voice barely audible. “Is the man in the shadows going to take you from us?”
Ryder’s golden eyes were slowly swallowed by the obsidian beauty of the beast’s stare, peering into the darkened corners of the room, searching for unknown enemies. He pulled up from where he played with the children, staring at me over his shoulder, watching while I slowly walked toward him. “Is something wrong, Pet?”
“No, he was just an old friend come to check on us and make sure we were okay,” I assured him gently as I settled on the bed, stroking Ryder’s sharp jawline with the tips of my fingers. He leaned over, nipping my ear as the kids studied us. “It seems our bed is rather full of little beasties tonight, Fairy,” I murmured huskily. Already our babes were children, and time within the City of Gods would take whatever childhood they had left away from them—and us. It wasn’t a choice any longer, not when war marched toward us by the minute. Not with the message Thanatos had given before dissolving into shadows, vanishing without causing a disturbance in the air.
“I think we should add a few more,” Ryder countered as a wicked glint filled his dark stare. He leaned closer, a devilish smile curving his sinfully full mouth. “How about we get started on that right now?”
“Eww, he’s going to kiss mommy!” Zander warned as he scrunched up his face in disgust. Blue depths the color of freshly polished sapphires examined Ryder as if he were about to do precisely what he’d suggested. “Get him!” he shouted, and I laughed at the look of panic that flashed over Ryder’s face as Cade and Kahleena moved to do as their brother had ordered.
“Gods,” Ryder chuckled, holding one on each arm while Zander held onto his neck. “They’re attacking me, shouldn’t you be helping?”
I stared into Ryder’s golden eyes before moving my gaze to Kahleena, who squealed with laughter as hers sparkled with merriment. I leaned over, taking advantage of their conquering the mighty King of the Horde by kissing him gently, brushing my lips over his before pulling back as the children made gagging sounds.
“Didn’t you just say you wanted to make more?” I crossed my arms to stare at him pointedly with a