Dragos Takes a Holiday (Elder Races #6.5)(30)

Hugh didn’t appear convinced, but at least he fell silent.

“Open up a bottle of wine,” Dragos told him. “We’ve all earned a drink.”

The other man’s expression lightened somewhat, and he rose to his feet.

Dragos turned to Pia. He asked telepathically, How are you doing?

I’m tired. She looked down at Liam and stroked his back. And so grateful. And you?

The same. He paused. Do you want to go home?

Her head came up. Hell, no. We are, by God, going to have our vacation. We had a really bad, bad day, but it’s over with now. They were dumb jerks, and I will not let them be that important. Unless, of course, you want to go home.

He smiled. Hell, no.

She suddenly remembered and said out loud, “There’s a motorboat floating around with a fortune in treasure on it.”

“And more sitting on the ocean floor,” Dragos added.

Hugh handed them each a glass of wine. Pia clinked her glass against Dragos. “You’ve got your work cut out for you tomorrow.”

Epilogue

Liam slept for a very long time. When he woke up, he was cuddled in bed with Mommy under warm, soft covers. As he lifted his head, she said, “Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?”

He nodded and looked at the empty space in the bed.

“Daddy has gone to find the boat we lost, and to collect some treasure. You and I are going to spend the day on the beach. Does that sound good to you?”

He nodded again.

She dressed in shorts and a tank top and took him to the kitchen. He shapeshifted into his dragon form and she fed him a delicious breakfast of tender, sautéed pork tenderloin, which he gobbled up. He watched with interest as she ate her breakfast of cantaloupe and blueberries, until she noticed his attention and offered him bites of fruit. He gobbled that up too.

She looked delighted. “You’re not a carnivore. You’re omnivorous.”

After breakfast they went to the beach. The sun felt deliciously warm. Liam stayed in his dragon form, ignored his other toys, wrapped his forelegs around bunny and fell asleep. He napped and woke, and napped some more, while Mommy read and occasionally frowned at him. Once she asked, “Are you okay, Peanut?”

He nodded and yawned. He was just tired.

Later in the day, Liam rolled to his feet as a motorboat chugged up to the nearby pier. Daddy stood at the wheel, looking satisfied. Mommy scooped Liam up and walked down the pier. Daddy lifted them both into boat, and Liam stared with interest at the soggy suitcase and two metallic containers.

Daddy kissed Mommy. When it was Liam’s turn, he lifted his head for his kiss.

“Did you get it all?” Mommy asked.

Daddy nodded. He threw open the suitcase and the containers.

A bolt of pure love hit Liam.

“Wow!” Mommy said. “We’ve sure got a lot of treasure.”

“Wait a minute.” Daddy sounded amused. “What do you mean ‘we’? I thought this was my treasure.”

“Technically, I don’t think that’s possible anymore.” Mommy sounded smug. “We’re mated, married, and as I just realized the other day, we have no prenup.”

“You just realized that the other day, did you?” Daddy laughed.

Liam couldn’t stand it any longer. He wriggled to get out of Mommy’s arms. As she bent to let him go, he scrambled over to the suitcase as fast as he could and dove into the gold coins. Picking up one coin after the other, he stared at them in complete fascination. Feeling giddy, he rolled around him.

These were the best toys ever.

Now both Mommy and Daddy were laughing as they watched him.

Daddy said, “I’m not sure either you or I own that treasure anymore.”

Liam clutched as many coins as he could in both paws and hugged them to his chest as he gave his parents his best, sunniest smile.