“I’m not sure. I’ve never done it with anyone touching me. Let’s wait on that until I get a feel for it. Then we’ll try it. Ifit doesn’t work this time, we’ll try it again after we exchange our claiming vows. You know, so our magic isn’t pulled straight toward our crotches.”
“Okay,” Cord grinned and hugged my shirt to his chest.
In an effort to concentrate, I turned my back toward him and wiggled my toes into the carpet.
“There’s an anti-breaking spell on the floorboards and I think something to do with pest control in the basement or crawlspace. No, definitely basement,” I said, as my eyes drifted closed and I reached out through the house searching for obstacles.
“Basement,” Liam said, his voice breaking me out of my vortex check. “We prefer every third house we have built to have one. That way if we get a freak storm or something we have emergency space close by for everyone. Pest control spells are on all the houses, as far as I know. It’s draconic charm on the floorboards and walls. The windows are near shatter proof from a custom spell Starry and Xi whipped up. Anything else you’d like to know?”
“Did it poke at you when I did that?” I asked him without turning around.
“No. I just came to see how you guys liked the nursery and to point out that your cousin might be arguing with his own reflection.”
“What?” I asked, turning around to face the omegas and reaching for my shirt.
“I’m not sure what he’s doing. Bobby went to check on him and I came to get you,” Liam said.
“Is he okay?” Cord asked, starting out the door.
“I think so. I just---” Liam kept talking but I squeezed past him and Cord to sprint down the hall to find Duke.
“Cousin?” I said, pushing the door to the kitchen open.
Bobby stood next to the refrigerator while Duke stood cross armed in front of the big windows looking out onto the woods.
“Apparently, the windows are haunted,” Bobby sighed. “I told Liam we distributed the work backwards. He should’ve come in here.”
“Duke? What’s going on?” I asked, hopping over the thick cherry wood kitchen table.
He shrugged.
“Can I look out the window?” I asked.
“Not yet,” he shook his head.
“What’s going on?” Cord asked, as he walked into the room with Liam on his heels.
“Not yet,” Duke shook his head again.
“Guys?” Starry’s voice sounded from the living room, and we all turned to look at him. “Is everything okay? Cord, are you having another panic attack? Playing hide ‘n’ seek or something?”
“What’s going on? I thought we fixed this yesterday?” I called back and grabbed Cord’s hand.
“I think it’s following you too,” Starry said, making his way through the kitchen door.
“What’s following us, Starry?” Cord asked and joined me in looking around the room.
“It’s outside, dragon witch,” Duke said.
“What’s outside?” Starry, me, and Bobby asked at the same time.
“I don’t think it’s her. It’s not real,” Duke shook his head.
“What’s not real?” I growled.
“Let me see! Damn it,” Liam pushed past Duke, pulling Starry along with him. “Shit.”
“What?” Cord asked.