Page 84 of Memories Like Fangs
At the end of his story, Everett sighed. “You know, I owe you an apology.”
I straightened, watching him over my cup as I drank more coffee. I had a feeling I would likely need it for this particular conversation.
“I’m so sorry for attacking you when we first met. It’s just…” He glanced off toward Byrd’s bedroom. From my vantage point, I could see her and the girls still knocked out just like I left them.
Clarkson must be really happy to have her mom home to not have barked or moved at people entering the house.I couldn’t resist smiling at them as they rested.
Everett continued when he found the right words to do so. “That’s like my daughter in there, okay? I am her guardian, not just legally, but also being a griffin-shifter, I can’t help the instinct to protect her. It’s my purpose, like breathing and sleeping. Keeping her safe is my top priority, always. I alreadyfailed her mother at that once before…” Everett’s eyes glossed with tears and memory. “If anything ever happened to her while I wasn’t there, if anything ever happened to her while I wasn’t thereagain? And because of a hunter of all things? I just… I don’t know how I would be able to live with myself. I know it wasn’t your fault, but I was blinded by guilt and sadness and my drive to be there for her. It made me lose myself?—”
“Hey, no, I get it,” I said, understanding exactly what he meant and where he was coming from. “If anyone understands, it’s me. I’m sorry, too, for the fight, calling you all those names, and for the countertop. I can definitely pay for that.”
“Oh, please,” Everett waved his hand dismissively. “With how much we pay in homeowners’ insurance for this place? I will put them to work. I know there’s a fated mate clause in there.”
I smiled. “I guess, we both aren’t ourselves without her.”
Everett nodded in agreement. “Yeah, no kidding. Could you imagine if she ever found out we fought? Who do you think she would be madder at: me for punching you, or you for trying to kill me and breaking her counter?”
“I think the answer is yes,” I shuddered. “We’ll just keep it a secret between us, yeah?”
“To our graves.”
“Although speaking of secrets…” I double-checked that Byrd was still asleep and strained my ears to hear the shower still going from Everett’s bathroom. Despite that, I lowered my voice conspiratorially so only he could hear me. “When are you going ring shopping for Teddy?”
“I was thinking today if Byrd is up for it.”
“Why wouldn’t she be?”
“When Byrd’s dragon manifested, she was asleep for three days straight. She got tortured for over eleven days. I would actually be surprised if the girl didn’t sleep for two months straight after that.”
I raised my slitted eyebrow. “I think you underestimate my girl’s love for love. I’m sure she’s going to be up in a few hours.”
Everett gave a half-shrug while nodding. “True and fair.”
“The better question is: how are you going to distract him long enough to do that?”
“Mhmm, two words: grocery shopping. The man loves to cook, especially for me and Byrd, who struggle to boil water. There’s a Winter Market he has been dying to explore, where they will be selling some more exotic ingredients. There will also be some traveling jewelry maker there that I’ve been eyeing—Well, thatByrdhas been eyeingforme. She has been following them on social media for ages and has sent me their videos. They apparently ethically and locally source their stones and metals, or some woo-woo type shit that Byrd loves. It’s beyond me. But, if she loves it and recommends it, I know it’s the right place to go.”
“Perfect,” I said, placing my empty mug on the counter and steeling myself for what I was about to do. I swallowed and met his eyes. “I have a question for you.”
Everett didn’t say anything. He simply raised his eyebrow, waiting to hear what I was asking. I took a breath and a beat before I asked.
“May I have your niece’s hand in marriage?”
“What in the sapphicPride and Prejudice, Miss Darcy? Would you like to offer a dowry for her, too?”
I rolled my eyes at his dramatics. “Okay, let’s be so for real. How many copies does she own of that book? I am pretty sure I counted four, and that is before we get into her annotated copies and her retellings. Did you know she has one that is sapphic with a fucking harpy and a Minotaur who’s a transwoman in it? I am both interested and have so many questions.”
Everett shook his head. “Byrd doesn’t need my blessing. She can marry whoever she wants. Plus, you two are fated mates whoare already mated. The universe has bestowed a literal blessing on you both. Why do the outdated bullshit?”
“You know as well as I do how much of a hopeless romantic Byrd is. As untraditional as she is, she loves all of that old shit like courtship and love letters.”
Everett snorted. “Oh, Idoknow. She tried and failed to get me to watchBridgertonseveral times.”
“So? What do you say?”
Everett looked at me for a moment, his eyes and face offering no insight into what he was thinking. Then, he held up a finger, set his mug down, and quietly went to his bedroom. I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion at his abrupt departure. I heard rustling behind his closed door and some hushed conversation between him and Teddy. Just when I was about to follow after him, he returned. He placed two black velvet boxes on the counter between us.
“These belonged to Byrd’s parents, Doe and Forrest. I found Doe’s on the kitchen counter the day she died, having taken it off to cook dinner.” He pointed at one of the boxes. “I will never forget when I gave it to Forrest and how he gripped it tightly as the rest of him fell apart. He was never the same after that day. I think even if the hunters hadn’t killed him in that fire, his heartbreak would have. The day he died, I was handed his.” He pointed to the other one next to it. “These rings are a symbol of their love, the greatest love I have ever seen and a love I have always wished for myself and Byrd. But, they are even more powerful than that.”
