“Because no one describes the man they’re doing the horizontal mambo with as nice unless he’s lacking in certain departments,” Dwayne explained.
Sadly he made some sense—not about the small package. I wouldn’t know the answer to that one as I’d never seen him naked, but the rest…
“Tell you what,” Granny chimed in as she took a very sleepy Daniel from my arms and gave Dwayne a look that made even me shudder. “I’m gonna put this little bugger down for a nap before the blood sucker says something that’s going to scar the child for eternity or makes you burn him to a crisp. And if you’re gonna do that, take it outside. I like my knick-knacks.”
Granny left the room with the two wolves close on her heels. They’d taken a real liking to Daniel and rarely left his side.
“Seth’s not even remotely ugly and I have no clue what his package looks like,” I snapped as I plopped down on the couch and let my head fall into my hands. “Maybe he’s gay.”
“I have a fabu gay-dar. I can check him out tomorrow and tell you if he plays on my team in three seconds flat,” Dwayne offered as he sat down next to me.
“Have you made it clear you’re interested?” Essie asked as she flanked me on the other side.
“Yep. I’ve all but jumped him. He’s perfect in every other way. Maybe he doesn’t want me.”
“Impossible,” Dwayne snorted and Essie nodded in agreement. “He’d have to be a blind castrati to not want you. I want you and I don’t like girls,” Dwayne added rather unhelpfully.
“I thought you wanted me,” Essie said with a laugh and an eye roll.
“I want to be you,” Dwayne assured her, which caused an even bigger eye roll from Essie.
Who wouldn’t want to be Essie? She had a fabulous mate who adored her. She had a grandma and friends who would die for her. She had her parents—even though they were stuck in their Wolf form—who adored her as well. Deadly-as-all-get-out should be her middle name and she could shoot better than anyone I’d ever come across. Essie was beautiful, but what she had in love and loyalty far outweighed her looks. I wasn’t such a great deal—I had looks and very little else to offer. Sure I was just as deadly as Essie, but that didn’t make me any friends.
“I have too much baggage,” I said, revealing my biggest fear to my new friends. “Why in the world would anyone want me? My father is the reviled Dragon King. I have no family to speak of because he killed them all and I’m a single mom. Oh my God, saying it out loud is so freakin’ depressing.”
“It is kind of off-putting when you lay it out like that,” Dwayne agreed as Essie slapped his bald head.
“Dima, you’re amazing and if this Seth doucheballhole can’t see that he doesn’t deserve you,” Essie argued as she aimed for Dwayne’s head again. “Do you think he’s your true mate?”
Did I? No. I didn’t, but Dragons rarely ever got to be with their true mate.
“No. And Daniel’s father wasn’t either,” I said softly.
“Should I get you guys some Twinkies and wine?” Dwayne asked as he hopped off the couch to avoid Essie’s left hook.
“Why would you get us Twinkies and wine?” Essie asked as she closed her eyes and let her head fall back on her shoulders.
“Because this is getting good and I know how you gals like to eat and gossip,” he offered reasonably.
“Do you have ice cream?” I asked as a little grin pulled at my lips.
“Coming right up,” Dwayne said as he raced from the room to get our fattening girl-talk food.
“So, Daniel’s father?” Essie prompted me.
“Do I have to tell you without ice cream?”
“No, but Dwayne has a big mouth so anything you want to stay in confidence should be said now,” she replied as she tossed me a throw pillow to hang onto for courage.
“Dwayne’s a talker?” I asked surprised.
“Nope. He just gets excited and runs his mouth. He’d die for any of us. He’ll also pilfer your clothes, so don’t let him near your suitcases.”
“I can hear you,” Dwayne called out from the kitchen. “Supersonic Vampyre hearing.”
“No one is going to die for me,” I promised with a small grin. “And I think he’s already been in my suitcase.”
Essie laughed and then grew quiet. It was crazy, but I trusted this Werewolf more than I trusted my own people. I’d only known her a short while, but she’d stood up for me in ways no one had—as had her mate, Hank and her Granny and Dwayne. If I was going to tell my sordid tale to anyone it may as well be Essie. Besides, I had an enormous request to ask of her.
I’d been waiting for the right time…no time was the right time for this question.
“If I die, would you hide and raise Daniel?” I asked on one breath as I stared at her hard and accidentally tore the pillow in half.
“Wow. Wasn’t expecting that one,” she said as her eyes grew wide with surprise. “Wanna give me a few more details?”
“Yes. Long story short…Daniels father was a lovely man that I barely knew. He wasn’t my true mate, but he was a good man and I was attracted to him. The pregnancy wasn’t planned and he was killed by my father before he even knew about it. Any Dragon I’ve ever shown an interest in has been murdered by my father,” I said as I picked at the torn pillow feathers that floated in the air around me.