Falk Clan Tales - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Edric really needed to stock his private kitchen, he thought as he waited for the coffee to brew. He came down to what he thought would be an empty kitchen. It was early enough, but to his dismay, first one, then all three of his brothers entered the room. Callius spoke first.
“So, are you going to share your news with us, brother?”
“Yes, tell us about her, Edric,” Sander joined in.
Edric was private by nature. Ever since Theodosia, he’d not taken a lover for the entire night, choosing to satisfy his physical needs in fast, impersonal places. But this was different. He gritted his teeth. He had no wish to talk about his mate. The bond was too new. He felt his control might slip.
“So, your Witch, bespelled you then, has she?” It was Nikolai’s words that broke his resolve. He turned and lifted his younger brother clear off the floor by the collar of his shirt.
“Easy, Ed, he meant nothing by it,” Callius was always the voice of reason when the brothers quibbled.
“I am sorry, Nik,” Edric dropped him and turned to face all three. They wore identical smiles, and he realized they were simply excited for him as brothers were meant to be when one of them found his true mate.
“It is true, I have found my mate, and she has accepted my ruby rose. I did not mean to get physical with you, it is just-”
“You don’t need to explain, brother, I understand,” he saw from the flash in Callius’ golden eyes that his older brother and former comrade in arms did understand perfectly.
“And so do I,” Sander put his ruined hand on Edric’s shoulder and squeezed with his good fingers. It was a testament to his love for Noelle and the positive effect she had on him that he did not try to hide his injury. Edric smiled.
A buzzing sounded from the counter, and the four of them turned towards the sound at the same time. It was Joselyn’s cell phone. She must have left it there. Edric growled as he recalled just what had been happening in her personal life.
“Just a second,” he said to his brothers and reached for the cell. Being protective was in his nature. He weighed the outcome of answering the cell phone or leaving the pest on the other side to harm his mate, and the answer was obvious.
He clicked accept and waited. The voice that greeted him was demanding as it was sniveling. He growled into the phone.
“Listen up, dick, if you want to remain in one piece you will forget this number, you will forget Joselyn, do I make myself clear?”
“Who the fuck are you, buddy?”
Edric roared into the phone, so loud and menacing a sound that he and his brothers actually heard the man cringe through the phone.
“I said forget this number.”
“Okay, okay, sorry.”
Edric clicked end and willed himself to release the tension that had built up inside of him.
“Well, that was easy enough. Why so grim then, brothers? The three of you mated, and I’ve never seen a sorrier bunch of Dragons. Ha.” Nikolai reached for the coffee, but Edric swatted his hand away.
“That is for my mate, runt, wait your turn.”
They laughed and teased each other until Edric had his tray set and made his way back to his quarters. Sander had suggested the fresh squeezed orange juice, the selection of jams with the toasted croissants. The poached eggs and slices of bacon he’d cooked for his mate himself.
Edric guessed Noelle was behind his brother’s sudden interest in food and plate arrangement. He laughed and entered his bedroom to see the bed empty. He practically threw the tray on the side table and was about to run from the room when he heard her.
She was humming a soft, pleasant melody and Edric moved towards it. She was in the bathroom. He knocked first then opened the door to see his Joselyn sitting back in the enormous bathtub. Steam rose up from the clear water, and he was treated to a tantalizing view of her naked form.
“What’s wrong? You look upset,” she moved to stand, but he stopped her.
“No, no, I just thought, um, never mind. Dear gods, Joselyn, you look ravishing,” all thought of food vanished from his mind as he watched her smile at him.
“Why don’t you join me then?”
As if he needed to think about it. Edric dropped his pants and sank into the tub behind her. He used the citrus-scented body wash to soap up her back and arms. His fingers lovingly traced the mark he’d left on her olive skin.
“Do you mind the rose?” He hadn’t brought it up before for fear she’d hate it. The truth was, seeing his ruby rose boldly displayed across her right breast, vines circling up her shoulder and neck filled him with a fierce pride. His own rose was now blooming and more than twice the size it had been before.
“Oh Edric, it’s beautiful, like you,” she whispered and leaned back into him like a cat waiting to be petted.
“You think I’m beautiful? You’re sublime, minha bruxa,” he said and continued to trail his hands up and down her delectable body.
A couple of hours later, they were finally dressed and headed downstairs. Edric held her hand as they entered the dining room. The wedding guests were gathered for the rehearsal lunch, and both bride and groom were grinning like fools.
Only now Edric understood. He wanted to pound his chest and announce to the world that the woman next to him was his. He’d never felt such a strong array of emotions. Love, tenderness, the need to protect, desire, happiness, it was all so much at once. Es meus. His Dragon growled, and he knew she heard it too.
His Joselyn looked at him and smiled that slow, wide grin that he loved so much. She linked hands with him and leaned her head on his shoulder just as the party began to bundle up to move outdoors.
“So, where are we going?”
“Ah, Noelle is kind of a nature nut, and even though it is twenty degrees outside, she has planned a hike around the property followed by an outdoor rehearsal luncheon. Don’t worry it’s in a tent with lots of firepits.”
“The cold doesn’t bother me, but what about you?” His concern was real. Joselyn was a Witch, but as far as he knew she still felt cold. Dragons survived and even thrived in arctic conditions, after all, they made their own heat.
“Oh, I’ll be fine, baby, I’ll just hold on to you if I get cold.”
“Of course,” he grinned and kissed her neck.
They spent the day talking and joking as they followed the wedding guests through the planned two-mile hike around the castle grounds. The woods were sparsely covered with snow, but someone had cleared the path. He imagined his brother had a hand in that. Sander had a way with snow and ice.
As a matter of fact, he’d placed carved ice statues every fifty feet or so. There were hearts, wedding bells, doves, a dragon, and lastly an exact replica of the bride and groom in ice that brought tears to Noelle’s eyes. Her mother snapped pictures while all the guests raved over Sander’s artistic abilities.
Edric felt himself tense. He could never do things like that. He did not have the gift or the skill. He was good with his hands and with knives, but not much else. What if she grew bored of him? As if she could tell what he was thinking Joselyn squeezed his arm. Then he realized she probably could tell.
“Of course, I can tell, psychic Witch, remember?” She smiled at him, and he felt warm inside.
“Edric, I don’t need you to make me ice statues or tapestries. I don’t need the fanfare.”
“Then what do you need, Joselyn, I will give you anything I have.”
“Just you. I only want you.”
He didn’t think it was possible, but right then, Edric fell even more in love with her. His Witch who wanted nothing, but his heart. He’d never thought it was possible.
“You’ve got me, minha bruxa, for all eternity. I love you.”
“Well, that’s good, Edric, because I love you too.”