Page 55 of Star Bright
She glanced over her shoulder. “Yadira and Atsu need to be part of this.”
“Always. Finding Shanya was bliss for me, and the fledglings unfurled new love for us. Then crashing into you… The skies of our hearts are ever widening. I want that for them—and for myself.”
“I’ve never had that,” she whispered. “I want it too.”
The thought that he could be her gift, broken and used though he was, healed something within Vash he hadn’t known was injured. Draklings loved treasure, but tobesomeone’s treasure…
His mouth hovered above hers, a winged thing tired and yearning for a place to land. “May I kiss you now?”
“Please, and always.”
Above the lights of their makeshift tree, something twinkled. Like the prelude to a change, but inside—stars igniting in his big new sky.
+ + +
Unfortunately, the current planet’s star had barely risen, turning the snow a soft silver, when Atsu jumped into Vash’s nest with Darcy.
“Good morning, Addah!”
“Is it?” Vash grumbled. But he tugged his fledgling close, only wincing a little when a bony knee came too close to his tenderareas. Luckily, Darcy had found him some clothes which offered discretion if not actual armor.
Yadira hovered—with no wings at the moment—just beyond, trying to look calm, but she kept glancing under the tree. “Merry Christmas, Addah and Darcy.”
“Is it time for presents?” Darcy poked her head up.
“Yes!” Atsu’s exiting scramble caught Vash in his wounded arm. He hadn’t let the beast heal him enough, but a night with Darcy was worth it.
And all the nights to come.
He kissed her. “Merry Christmas, my verikai.”
“It is,” she whispered back.
When he turned toward the tree, Yadira was watching them, but her green eyes were shining. Maybe it was just the gifts, but he thought his little girl was growing up.
Atsu distributed the presents: two to each child, one to each adult.
“I brought a few things for the fledglings from home,” Vash told Darcy quietly while the children exclaimed over their gifts—a lovely flowing tunic dress for Yadria with a selection of custom appliques to choose from and an intricate puzzle box for Atsu. “I had thought some distraction would be useful while I was meeting my Earther bride.”
“On my way here, I stopped in the town of Sunset Falls. Evens’ Odds and Ends thrift store has lots of weird and cool stuff. Good thing I succumbed to impulse, repeatedly.”
“A shiny rock!” Atsu held up a fist-sized geode, and the faceted purple crystals sparkled as if in answer to his admiration.
“Oh, this is beautiful too.” Yadira slipped a glittery bangle over her wrist.
Vash squeezed Darcy against his side. “It’s like you knew you would be meeting draklings.”
“Or maybe I’m a drakling at heart.”
“My heart.” He kissed her.
“I hope you got her more than that,” Atsu said.
Vash growled at his fledgling with teasing menace. “There’s more.” He flicked a sly glance at Darcy who blushed.
Her eyes sparkled almost as much as a drakling’s when she unwrapped a box and gazed down at the brilliant red cabochon nested in a tangle of white bindings. The stone gleamed bright as a sundae cherry on whipped cream, its soft reflectance reminding him of her lips kissed swollen.
“This stone is beautiful,” she breathed.
