Page 76 of Distinctly Daray
It was something Victor wished the Antonovs understood, but even though Fate had offered him the two most beautiful men she’d ever created, he put no stock in miracles. Victor glanced again at Chander and broke the unspoken rule of never bothering the Arch Lich when he was engrossed in a task.
“Chand?”
“Hmm, yeah? Everything okay?” Chander asked, lifting his head from the thick tome on his lap. His pewter gaze was filled with both incredible power and kindness.
“I don’t think I ever thanked you.”
“For what?”
Victor was unexpectedly choked up. He swallowed thickly as his attention was drawn to where Phillip was carefully explaining something to Keegan.
“For them,” Victor managed.
“Oh shit, don’t cry,” Chander said, scooting across the smooth floor on his pillow so he could hug Victor.
“They’re happy tears. Without you, I wouldn’t have them. They mean so much to me.”
“I’ve thanked Fate for granting me the power to resurrect your mates, but you know what sucks? That you’ve had to wait so many years. How long have we known each other now?”
“Decades,” Victor said, sniffing.
“Get it together or your mates are going to come over here and maybe murder me,” Chander insisted.
With a chuckle, Victor brushed his tears from his cheeks. The last thing he wanted to do was disrupt Phillip and Keegan’s training. It was something they both enjoyed, and they deserved the opportunity to do it uninterrupted.
“They’d never do that, but seriously, thank you. Keegan and Phillip have…shit, I don’t even know how to put it into words.”
“And you don’t have to figure it out,” Chander replied, cupping Victor’s cheek and kissing his forehead. “I have one too. I get it. But stop thanking me already.”
“I’ve always appreciated the beauty of necromancers, and I’ve adored sentinels, fallen knights, and reapers from the moment I was welcomed into your lives. But I didn’t think I’d ever be lucky enough to share my life with one…let alone two of them. And the fact that it was you who resurrected them? Chand, I love you.”
“I love you too, Victor. If you want to thank me, use your gratitude to keep investing so much of yourself into your relationship with them. That’s the only thanks I want.”
“Is everything okay?” Phillip asked as he stalked over to Victor with Keegan on his heels. Alaric marched through the room heedless of the other men flipping around him to get to his mate’s side as well.
Victor smiled up at him and Keegan. “Yes, I was thanking Chand for resurrecting you both.”
“Which is seriously creeping me out, so make him stop,” Chander pleaded.
“Victor, be nice to Chand,” Alaric teased.
“Maybe if we spent more time ensuring that Chand knows how important his magic is to our family, he’d be less uncomfortable hearing it,” Victor said, giving Chander another hug.
Alaric chuckled. “No, I am afraid he will forever be uncomfortable with gratefulness.”
“It’s not my worst trait, so can we let it go?” Chander asked. He wiggled out of Victor’s embrace and clutched his book like a shield in front of himself.
“You’re a wonderful, caring person,” Victor told the Arch Lich. “Since you won’t let me keep saying it, I’ll thank you again for enriching my life beyond measure by pulling Phillip and Keegan across the veil. But don’t worry, I won’t mention it again.”
“If I’d known they were waiting for you, I’d have done it years ago.”
“You do not get to feel guilty for not knowing Victor’s mates would need to be resurrected,” Alaric stated forcefully.
“Agreed. Now, go train,” Victor instructed Alaric, Keegan, and Phillip. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your evening.”
“Sorry if we wished to ensure you were okay,” Phillip muttered as he trudged off.
“I’m fine, Spicy,” Victor called out. Phillip turned and winked. “I promise I’m good, Sunshine. Go train with Phillip.”
