Heart of the Warrior (36 page)

"He’s marrying me." Sev’s eyes twinkled. "He’ll
be
my
husband or no one’s."

His parents fell into uproar, but their protests and pleas
fell on deaf ears.

"Come on, babe. Let’s go home." Sev kissed his
forehead.

Ari nodded. "You
are
my home."

Sev glanced back at his dad as he and Ari turned for the
door.

His father had a grin on his face the size of Montana, and
while Gregos and Christa argued and consoled each other, his dad tossed his
napkin on the table and stepped away from his chair.

Once he and Ari reached the front porch, Ari stopped and looked
up at the night sky.

"God, this feels good," he said.

"You feel good." Sev pulled Ari back into his arms
and they looked up at the stars together.

The door opened behind them and his father stepped outside.
He hardly slowed down as he passed them, but he did meet Sev’s eyes for the
briefest moment. "I’m proud of you, son," he said. "Ari."
He nodded at Ari then descended the steps in three long strides.

Sev just watched him go.

"Do you think you and your dad will ever kiss and make
up?" Ari leaned back against him and placed his hand over Sev's around his
waist.

"I don’t know." But Sev had a funny feeling they
would. Not tonight and not tomorrow, and maybe not even next month, but maybe
someday. Hell, if he could forgive the person who had tried to kill him,
anything was possible. He watched his father’s Suburban pull around and head
down the driveway.

"Come on, I’ve got more doctor’s orders for you when we
get home." Ari turned around and kissed him.

"Mmm, doctor’s orders, huh?" Sev grinned. "Do
they include digging into the drawer of your nightstand?"

Ari blushed and bit his lip. "Maybe. If you can handle
it."

"Oh, I think I can handle it." Sev's left eyebrow
shot up confidently.

Ari grinned and placed his palm on Sev's chest. "I'll
take good care of your warrior heart." He caressed his hand up and down
tenderly over Sev's sternum.

Sev shook his head. "Huh-uh, babe." What Ari had
just done in his parents' dining room had taken more courage than anything Sev
had ever faced. "You’re the one with the true heart of a warrior, Ari, not
me."

"Seriously? You really think so?"

Sev shook his head again. "I
know
so." He
brushed their mouths together. "Come on, babe. Let's go home."

Ari's fingers linked with Sev's and he took a deep,
satisfied breath as they started down the steps. It felt good to be openly
mated.

Ari checked his reflection in the mirror for the fifth time.
"Are you sure I look okay."

Sev stepped up behind him and wrapped his arms around his
waist. "This is what I love about you. You're going to meet my mother,
who's a dreck, and who most vampires wouldn't give a rat's ass about making an
impression for, but
you
want to make an impression." Sev grinned
and kissed his cheek.

He leaned back against Sev. "Dreck or not, she's your
mother. She's important to you. So, yeah, I want to make a good impression. I
want her to like me."

Sev's arms tightened around him. "You look perfect,
babe. My mom'll love you. Stop worrying."

Okay, so maybe Ari was being a little neurotic, but he
really wanted Sev's mom to like him. They were going to spend the rest of their
lives loving her son, and that would go over much better if they got along.

Sev kissed his cheek again then pulled away to finish
getting ready. Ari sighed and brushed his palms down his black cashmere sweater
then wandered past the bed they had spent the last three days soiling. They
were making up for the time they'd lost while Sev had been in the hospital.
Even now, the urge to take Sev again was already building inside him, and they
just made love an hour ago. And an hour before that. And just a few hours
before that, when Sev had awakened him in a fit of need.

He knew the pull was stronger between them since they were
both males, but he had a greater respect for females of the newly-mated now.
Man, what the
calling
phase put a body through. It was both bliss and
agony.

"We'll need to hurry home," he said.

"I know. I feel it, too." Sev darted a smoldering
look at him.

God, Sev really shouldn't look at him like that. Especially
when they needed to be walking out the door.

"She won't be upset that we can't stay longer?"
Ari grabbed his jacket.

Sev shook his head and joined him. "No. She
understands."

"Just don't touch me a lot and I'll be okay." Ari
started up the stairs.

Sev's hand caressed his ass and he nearly fell over from the
strike of hormonal heat that surged through him.

"Damn it, Sev!" Ari turned around on the stairs
and slapped Sev's hand away.

Sev chuckled at him. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help
it."

Ari shook his head in frustration, but ended up laughing,
anyway. "I'll make you pay for that later."

"Promises, promises."

Ari turned and continued up the stairs. "Oh, I mean it.
Count on that."

Sev grinned at the back of Ari's head as he followed him up
the stairs then out to the garage, where they got in his Challenger.

After backing out of the garage and pulling onto the street,
Sev reached for Ari's hand at the same time he reached for Sev's. He loved how
they always seemed to be in sync with one another.

The last few days had been exhausting bliss with Arion. All
the shit that had been interfering with their relationship finally found a
place in the past, leaving only the two of them with no obstacles to overcome.
No secrets. No meddling parents. No one trying to kill him. Just Sev and Ari.
And they had taken advantage of the
calling
as it re-engaged at full
strength. They shut off their phones and holed up in his basement bedroom
except to eat and drink. And wash the sheets, of course. Sev had changed the
sheets more times in the last three days than he had in a year.

"Do you want to have kids someday?" Ari said out
of the blue.

Sev glanced over. "I don't think either of us has the
right equipment for that, babe."

Ari grinned and rolled his eyes. "No shit."

Sev laughed.

"I mean, we can adopt. Or even try in vitro with a
willing female."

Where was this coming from? Was Arion feeling the instinct
to nest with him? Build a family. Sev liked the idea of having a family with
Arion.

"Well, if we do anything, we'll have to decide whether
we want a human young or a vampire."

"Or a dreck." Arion looked at him and gave a
slight shrug, as if to say,
Why not?

"Okay, yeah. That's a possibility, too." Sev
squeezed Ari's hand. "I didn't know you wanted kids, babe."

"I didn't either, but for the past few days I've been
thinking a lot about it."

Not unusual for a male caught in the throes of his
newly-mated hormones, which demanded he sow his seeds often to ensure
fertilization. Sev had to admit, he had been considering a child, too.

"Let's wait until the
calling
wears off and then
talk about it again. That way we can see if it's just the
calling
or if
we really want a family."

"Good idea."

A child of their own. What an idea. Sev had never thought he
would have a family because of his sexual orientation. Can't have many kids of
your own when you like to dip your wick into people of the male persuasion. You
didn't see a lot of pregnant males, after all. Try never. Sev hadn't even
considered adoption, though. But then, he had never been mated. Taking a mate
had a way of changing your plans for the future, including the idea of
children.

His mom would love having a grandchild, but, like him, she
had never thought it would happen. Now, with Arion, Sev thought it just might.

It took them twenty minutes to get to his mom's house.

"You ready?" He looked at Ari as he shut off the
engine.

Ari took a deep breath and nodded. "Yep."

Ari really didn't have anything to worry about. His mom was
going to love him. But that was something Ari would have to find out on his
own, apparently.

Hand-in-hand, they headed up the walkway to her townhome and
he rang the bell. Within seconds, his mom pulled open the door and beamed at
Ari.

"It's about time you boys got here." She stepped
aside and the smell of homemade lasagna assaulted his nose.

"That smells delicious," Ari said.

"My mom cooks the best Italian." Sev hugged his
mom and kissed her cheek. "Mom, this is Arion. My mate. Arion, this is
Feelee. My mom." He had never introduced her to anyone as his mom before.
Wow! The two most important people in his life, and he didn't have to hide from
either of them who they were or what they meant to him.

He stepped back after making the introductions. His mom's
gaze danced over Ari's face, her artistic eyes taking in his features and
coloring, no doubt comparing the real thing with all the portraits Sev had
given her of him.

"Such a handsome one." His mom's eyes jumped to
him. "He looks just as you painted him."

Ari glanced at him. "Painted me? You mean, there's more
than just the painting of me in your basement?"

Sev nodded. "Yes. I've painted you a lot, Ari." He
looked at his mom. "Did you bring them?"

Her smile lit up the room as she took Ari's hand and led him
through the front room and up the stairs. Sev followed behind and grinned when
Ari turned and flashed him an inquisitive look over his shoulder.

"In here." His mom opened the door to a spare room
Sev knew she used as a makeshift studio.

White sheets covered the floor, and an easel was set up in
the corner. Her painting supplies were laid out neatly on a table against the
near wall.

"Oh my God," Ari stepped into the room, his eyes
skimming the portraits hanging on the wall as he stood in place and turned.

Every painting was one that Sev had painted of Arion after
their interlude nearly two months ago.

"You painted all these?" Ari turned to Sev, awe
and disbelief coating his features.

"Yes."

"When? When did you do this?"

"After I took you home when Micah tried to give you a
facelift with his fists." He didn't want to disclose in front of his
mother the sordid details of what had happened that night, so he only said
enough to let Ari know when his painting frenzy of him had started.

Ari understood and smiled as he looked down almost
bashfully. Then his gaze drew back up to the paintings. "They're
incredible."

"This one's my favorite," his mom said, lifting a
canvas that had been propped on the floor, facing the wall. She turned it
around as she set it on the easel then stepped back. It was the oil he had
painted of he and Ari, holding each other, their foreheads tilted together.

Ari stepped forward and stared at the painting, speechless.

His mom continued. "The first time I saw it, I felt the
pain within the color. But now…" she stepped up beside Ari and put her arm
around him. "Now, I just see the love."

Ari's shoulders jerked then Sev smelled his tears.

"My son loves you, Arion. And that's enough for me to
love you, too. Welcome to the family."

Ari turned toward his mom and wrapped her in a tight embrace
as she hugged him back. Sev wiped a tear from his own eye. Ari had lost his own
family to be his mate. And he knew that had to hurt Ari on some level even if
he pretended outwardly to be strong and not care that his father and mother had
disowned him. But that didn't matter anymore, because now Ari was a part of his
family. Their family.

"Thank you," Ari said into his mom's shoulder.
"I'm honored to be part of your family."

So, drecks and vampires could get along. Sev smiled at the
two people he loved the most but who came from two sides of the same war. He
never would have imagined introducing a mate to his mother would be this easy
and emotional.

"You honor me, Arion," his mom said. "I've
always wanted my son to be this happy. And I can tell he is with you."

They hugged again then his mom stepped away. "I'll go
downstairs and finish getting dinner ready." She gave Sev's cheek a little
pat. "Don't be too long or it'll get cold."

"We'll be right down." Sev hugged her and let her
go.

"Well?" He said to Ari.

Ari rushed forward and locked Sev into an embrace worthy of
Hulk Hogan. "I love you."

Sev pulled him in even closer, holding him. "I love
you.
And I told you my mom would love you, too, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." Ari nuzzled his neck, kissing him
and sending fire through his limbs.

"No, no. You have to stop that, babe."

Ari pulled away and sniffled as he wiped tears off his
cheeks. "Sorry…I just…"

"Ssshh. I know." Sev grinned. "Let's go
downstairs. Otherwise, I might not be able to hold back and your portraits will
have to watch me make love to you."

Ari composed himself and took a deep breath. "Yeah,
okay." He looked around at the portraits again. "I'm, uh…" He
swung his awestruck gaze back to Sev. "I'm a bit overwhelmed emotionally
right now."

Sev followed Ari to the door before stopping with his hand
on the light switch. He turned and looked around at all the paintings of Ari.
So much pain, emotion, and love had gone into each one. It seemed like a
lifetime ago, and in a way, it was. He no longer needed to paint Arion's
portrait to feel him. All he needed to do was reach out and Ari was there.

"Hey, you okay?" Ari touched his arm.

Sev smiled and sighed. "Yeah. I'm perfect."

He switched off the light and took Ari's hand.

"You
are
perfect," Ari stepped forward and
dipped his forehead against Sev's.