Page 39 of Distinctly Daray
“Things are better now though?” Evergreen asked.
“Yes, my dragon grows fonder of Keegan and Victor with each passing hour, making our own bond stronger,” Phillip replied.
“So, you’ll talk to Alaric?”
Phillip smiled. “This afternoon.”
“Good. Like every sentinel, you require purpose,” Evergreen said. “You’re built differently, and I love that about sentinels. But sometimes strengths can also be weaknesses if they aren’t honored properly. Together, you and Alaric can figure out a way to give you accomplishable goals.”
“Evergreen, I hope you and Dudley are prepared to have a fallen knight best friend,” Keegan commented, wearing that bright grin Victor adored.
“A cute fallen knight with big brown eyes and a killer smile as a bestie?” Evergreen asked. Victor’s cat grumbled at the way Evergreen complimented Keegan, which was odd, but he ignored it. He wasn’t sure why his beast was suddenly acting so overprotective. “Yeah, I think I can manage that. Now that we have Phillip squared away, let’s talk about those sexy kisses, boys. I loved them. I want to see more of them.”
“Ignore him; our kisses are private,” Victor said.
“Please,” Evergreen retorted. “We’re going to be spending entirely too much time together for you the three of you to keep from sharing tons of kisses. You can choose not to tell me anything, but I still get to watch and drool.”
“Maybe we should find new friends,” Victor told his mates.
“No, I like them,” Phillip replied.
“Same,” Keegan added.
“Traitors,” Victor teased.
“You guys will have to come over to our apartment and have dinner,” Evergreen insisted. “I can show you all the plants Dudley keeps alive despite my best efforts to murder them just by existing.”
“But he’s not at all bitter that he’s the one who’s half druid,” Victor quipped.
“People literally joke that I have a black thumb,” Evergreen complained. “Bax and Ben once tried to replace all my office plants with plastic ones. Talk about humiliating.”
“If you can’t grow things, does that mean you can resurrect people?” Keegan asked.
Evergreen nodded. “Yes, and I know I should be grateful. Iamgrateful. But half my heritage is druidic. I want to walk through the fields and have things grow around me like in some fantasy book. You know, birds singing and flowers opening right in my face. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”
“Do you think you want those things because your mate is a druid?” Keegan asked.
“Well, I wouldn’t know, would I?” Evergreen retorted. “Do you see my super-hot mate anywhere?”
“How do you know he will be super hot?” Dudley asked.
“Because Fate will guarantee he is super hot to me, even if everyone else thinks he is horribly ugly,” Evergreen explained. “That’s how it works.”
“Since I cannot interpret beauty except in my own mate and I have not met him yet, tell me if Victor’s mates are ugly or not,” Dudley requested with a grin.
“This is why people complain about sentinels,” Victor muttered. “Except for Phillip. He’s the only sentinel no oneshould ever bitch about. I can assure you they are both super hot.”
“You’d think that no matter what because we’re your mates,” Keegan teased.
“Now I get why Victor called you Sunshine on the phone with me,” Evergreen said, aiming a saucy grin at Keegan. “Look at that smile and the way you so effortlessly annoyed Victor. I adore you, Keegan.”
To Victor’s surprise, his normally easy-going and placid cat rumbled ferociously in his head again—this time far louder than the first roar.
“Woah,” Evergreen said, his eyes widening. “Sorry. Wow. You guys are very protective of Keegan.”
“I’ve never heard two people growl in unison,” Dudley commented.
Victor hadn’t been aware he was making a sound, but he forced himself to stop. At his side, Phillip ceased too, but his jaw flexed.
