Page 14 of Finding Closure

“Someone tell us something,” Mel’s grandmother demanded.

I lasted a whole two minutes in the awkward silence. “They’re mates.” I gestured between Avril and Sean before Ellen and Marshall.

“You are the worst friend ever,” Marshall grumbled… Even as he moved behind me.

“So are you for dragging me into this shit,” I threw right back.

“Whatshit?” Trigger asked with a deep frown. He focused on Ellen and Avril who still couldn’t seem to get their mouths to work. “Explain yourselves.”

“Yeah, you’re the one they’re worried about, so being overbearing won’t help,” I drawled.

“Me?” he gasped. “What have Ieverdone to make you think I’m some racist asshole who wouldn’t be thrilled you found your mates?”

“Trigger has never had a problem with interspecies mating,” his mate added, looking upset.

Ellen and Avril shared a look before Ellen finally jumped in. “There was upset in the family last time a Rothchild mated a non-dragon. And given Colton is, but she’s a commander—”

“But Grandmother was upset there wouldn’t be a dragon child,” Avril blurted. “And some of you are still mad at us for finding our own path, and then we’re fated to mate wolves and we don’t want to be disowned, but it wasn’t right to deny them like we were embarrassed with them.”

I knew what was going on, and that took me a moment to catch up with since she said it so fast.

“Wait,wait,” their grandmother called out when everyone started talking at once. “Just hold the fuck on!” She waited for everyone to calm down, glancing around the room a moment before focusing on Ellen and Avril. “You are both severely—you misunderstood the situation or didn’t hear the whole story. And Colton—”

“Colton’s talked about having a baby dragon to teach to fly since he hit like forty and his first friend had a kid,” Mel said from off to the side. “Grandmother wasn’t being a bigot. She was worried because it was Colton-specific. I reminded her Prince Hudson taught Tams to fly, and I was sure that he could hover those flying lessons and be fine.”

I nodded to Mel, not having even seen her there. She gave the nod back but looked a bit miffed. Yeah, I didn’t blame her.

I’d apologize and explain later.

“That’s more than fair to worry about as family,” Sean interjected, always the peacemaker.

Their grandmother nodded before looking at Ellen and Avril. “Myauntwas fated mates with a vampire.” She nodded when both women flinched.

“We hate vamps around here?” I hedged.

“No, it means no children at all,” Trigger explained. “Technically, it’s possible, but since dragons are dragons first and we actually shift into people—vampires are just too different. The odds are—very few are ever born.”

“Got it. Sorry. Didn’t know—why didn’t my classes really teach me the normal stuff?” I grumbled, bringing a bit of humor to the situation.

“My aunt always wanted children. Desperately, not caring if they were dragons, just—she was born to be a mother and give love,” their grandmother explained. “Plus, the man was a rat bastard. I witnessed how horrible he was when I was a child. She—mating him ruined her. It gave me a bad taste forallfated matings.

“It’s said to be a gift from the gods, but sometimes it seems a punishment. The man was horrible and tried to raise his station and couldn’t mate the vampire he wanted. So my mother said. Instead, he was fated to a lowly knight dragon of all things, and instead of teaching what it should, it ruined my aunt. My mother talked about the woman she was and I…”

“It was gone,” I whispered. “He beat it out of her even if not physically.” I nodded when she did. “Yeah, I’ve been there.” I winced when worry filled the whole room. “I didn’t mean with my mates. I meant my abuse in the foster system and then allowing what I shouldn’t because I wanted any love or affection. She lost who she was.”

“Yes, but I never saw who she was, simply the shell she became,” she told me sadly. “And I always said it was better to die instead of leading a life as a corpse like that.”

“That’s much different than what we thought,” Ellen admitted. “But they’re good men.” She looked at me. “Right, Tamsin?”

I blinked at her. “I’m here as a character witness too? Geez, warn a woman.”

“You have an evil streak a mile long,” Marshall grumbled.

“Me? Who laughed when mydemigodfather threatened to punt Hudson when he caught us making out? Do you remember what you—” I snorted when he covered my mouth.

“I regret all of my snark and enjoyment of their suffering,” he said firmly. “I was immature and have since repented.”

“In his defense, it was more how you’re a carbon copy of your dad,” Sean added. “I mean that whole rant about how he would have to figure out a different spot if Prince Hudson was in dragon form because his center of mass would be different for kicking—that’s something you would absolutely say when pissed.”

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