Page 79 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
ELIAS
Bed matsfrom Alastor’s village had been laid across our living room floor with the couch pushed back to our dining room. I grabbed Victoria midair when she leaped from one mat to the other. She squealed when I threw her, her arms reaching for my neck once I caught her. Hoisting her over my shoulder, I spun in quick circles as I made my way to the couch. Once I reached it, I tossed her gently onto its cushions.
“That’s not how you play,” Jasmine said, a scowl on her face.
“I told you already.” When I hopped toward her, she grinned. “I see no lava on the floor.”
I stomped my bare feet on the wooden floor, and when I reached her, she darted from one mat to the other.
This, sleeping with Teddy in my arms the previous night and a morning playdate with my favorite girls, was exactly what I needed. It was exactly what I didn’t want to leave to return to the human realm.
My soul longed for more simplicity in our lives. Morelaughter. More moments to pause from the pain and agony of recent times.
And yet, my soul had rejoiced in the torment I’d bled from Teddy’s attacker earlier this morning.
“It’s pretend,” she said with a hand to her waist. “You use your imagination.”
I grabbed her by the waist and tucked her beneath my arm. “This game you want me to play is madness.”
She giggled. To appease her, I jumped from mat to mat, almost falling twice when they slid on the floor. When we were close enough to the couch, I threw her onto it.
“Did I win?” I asked.
Juanita tackled me from behind, her thin arms wrapping around my knees. I took my time falling dramatically, and with a quick twist of my waist, I took her down with me. Holding her hands in mine, I lifted her with my feet propped on her stomach. George came from behind her and tossed her onto the couch beside her sister.
Victoria jumped on my stomach, pushing air out of my lungs in a loud whoosh.
“I win!” Victoria said.
I groaned when Juanita also jumped on me. With her legs on either side of my stomach, she bounced.
“We win,” she sang. “We win. We win.”
“You win,” I grunted. “All you littlemonstremswin.”
From atop my stomach, Juanita drew her brows together in confusion. “What’smonstrems?”
I gently pushed the side of her head and laughed at the way she plopped herself to the floor. When I stood, I picked her up with me. “It means you’re all monsters.”
She drew her hand up like a claw and roared.
“Oh my God.” The cooking utensil Teddy was usingclattered onto the counter by the burners. “You’re going to kill me,” she said to me.
George laughed incredulously. “You didn’t tell him?”
She slitted her eyes at him. “I was a tiny bit preoccupied with . . . everything yesterday.” She waved her hand in the air.
I tickled Juanita’s belly when I scented her sudden fear.
“Is this about—” Javier widened his eyes in question.
“Yes,” Teddy hissed out.
Javier grinned. “He’s definitely going to kill you. You should run.”
“Does anyone want to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.
I didn’t mind not knowing, though. It pleased me to hear the tease in their voices as it did to see the smile Teddy tried to hide.
