My Gifts at Christmas (Bewitched And Bewildered)

The next morning Broderick woke up, alone, again. Last night after dinner, they had bathed Beth and put her to bed before retiring themselves. He had thought for sure after the heat and desire they had shared in the lab, that Caspian would claim him, but once the light had been turned off, the man simply held him close and fell asleep.

A high pitched squeal had him smiling and getting out of bed. After dressing he went in search of his daughter. He found her and his mate playing in the large antechamber. Caspian was galloping around the room with Beth on his shoulders as she giggled and clung to his hair.

How could he possibly feel sorry for himself for going unclaimed when Fate had blessed him with such an amazing mate? Caspian had turned his entire life around to be a mate and father. He had done so without a second of hesitation and had devoted himself completely to them. He could wait years to be claimed by such a man. Well. Maybe not years. He scratched his head. Months? No. Maybe a week?

‘Dada!’ Beth screeched, reaching for him.

Broderick stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. ‘Did you have fun with Papa?’

‘Yes. Hungee.’

‘Breakfast is ready,’ Sebastian called out from the dining room.

Broderick leaned back and closed his eyes. He wasn’t disappointed when Caspian closed the distance between them and kissed him soundly. He could literally feel his toes curling as lust shot through him. Maybe, he could wait another day.

‘Good morning to you too, darling,’ Caspian murmured.

‘Me too!’ Beth said, scowling at them both.

Broderick exchanged surprised expressions with Caspian before they both bent down and kissed Beth on either cheek. ‘Yay!’

Laughing they carried her into the dining room and got her settled in her highchair.

‘And what will you be doing today, baby Bethy?’ Sebastian asked.

‘Unky!’ she replied, pointing at Magnus.

Magnus winced and his expression became tragic. ‘I cannot today, baby girl. Unky has an important meeting. Maybe later?’

Beth turned to him. ‘With Dada?’

Broderick melted. He was eager to get started in the lab, especially now that he had unlimited access to vampire blood samples. But, he couldn’t abandon his daughter. He looked over to Caspian for support.

Caspian looked up at Sebastian. ‘Could you possibly?’

Sebastian’s eyes widened before a huge grin appeared. ‘I get her to myself? All day? Of course I can!’

Beth’s rapidly appearing scowl disappeared, then she beamed up at Sebastian. ‘With Bas!’

‘I will not be busy all day,’ Magnus added quickly.

‘Too late. She is all mine,’ Sebastian crowed.

‘I am glad Sebastian was able to watch her, otherwise we would be seeing if the Eta unit could babysit,’ Caspian joked.

Beth turned to him. ‘With Adel!’

‘Not today, baby,’ Broderick cooed. His baby girl had a crush!

‘Not any other day either,’ Caspian mumbled under his breath.

Beth looked up at Sebastian. ‘Bas, make pret-ee?’

‘Make what pretty?’

‘Rwoom.’

‘Your room?’

She scrunched up her face. ‘Wights!’

‘Christmas!’ Broderick exclaimed. ‘I bet you she saw decorations on the unit level yesterday.’

Caspian relaxed. ‘Perhaps she did not think Adriel was pretty, just the decorations?’

Beth shook her head. ‘Adel pret-ee and rwoom pret-ee.’

‘She told you,’ Broderick teased, as he sipped his coffee.

Sebastian was positively vibrating in place. ‘We can go shopping on Level Six for decorations, then come home and put everything out. How about that?’

‘Yay Bas! Bas is best!’ Beth celebrated.

‘I cannot even argue that,’ Magnus said, cutting up his food.

Sebastian’s eyes took on a sheen when he saw that everyone at the table was nodding and agreeing with Beth. ‘I.. I think I left the stove on. Let me check.’ He hurried away.

Beth looked around her blue eyes wide. ‘Bas hurt? Bas! Bas!’ She tried to lift up her tray on her chair to get down.

Broderick stood. ‘Oh, baby, he’s fine.’

Sebastian ran back in the room. ‘Bethy?’

Broderick unhitched the tray lifted it up and passed Beth to the overwhelmed squire. ‘She thought you were hurt.’

Sebastian cuddled her. ‘Bas is okay. Not hurt at all. My heart is very happy.’

Beth looked up into his face and patted his cheeks. ‘No hurt?’

‘No hurt,’ he repeated.

She sighed and lay her head on his shoulder. ‘Love Bas.’

Broderick sat back down and watched as the squire just about came undone. ‘And Bas loves you very, very much,’ he admitted, his voice cracking.

‘You are very well loved here Sebastian,’ Magnus added gruffly.

‘You are what makes these cold stone walls home,’ Caspian said placing his hand on Broderick’s lower back.

Sebastian’s mouth opened and closed but no words came out. Beth looked up at him and cocked her head to one side. ‘No werds?’ She touched his lips curiously.

Sebastian dashed at his eyes with his tea towel and smiled at Beth. ‘What words could possibly be said to that?’ Instead, he shifted Beth to one hip and placed his free hand over his heart. He bowed to Magnus and Caspian before straightening. ‘You eat up baby girl, we have lots of presents to buy.’ He secured her back in her chair.

Humming happily he returned to his kitchen.

‘She is a little miracle,’ Magnus whispered.

Broderick had a feeling he knew what Magnus meant. Without Beth, he was willing to bet neither man would have ever said such things to Sebastian, but in the face of Beth’s pure love, somehow it didn’t seem as impossible to say.

Caspian turned to him. ‘She loves me too right?’

Broderick just laughed. ‘Ask her. She’s sitting right here.’

Caspian looked shocked, then scared out of his mind. ‘Bethy, baby, do you love Papa too?’

Beth nodded emphatically. ‘Papa love! Unky love! Dada love!’

‘Oh!’ Both Caspian and Magnus inhaled in unison.

Beth looked to him and he could have sworn he saw a bit of mischief in her eyes.

‘And Adel love!’

Again, in unison, both Magnus and Caspian scowled.

‘Maybe we should tell Adel how pretty he is,’ Broderick suggested devilishly.

‘No,’ Magnus replied.

‘You are evil,’ Caspian muttered.

Broderick just shrugged and winked at Beth. ‘We gotta keep these Rioux boys in line, right Beth?’

‘Right!’

‘Finally, I get some help with those two,’ Sebastian added, carrying in a small basket. When he lifted the towel, there were small carrot shaped biscuits stacked high. ‘Try these Beth, Bas made them just for you.’

‘Bas yum?’

‘Try and find out.’ He placed a biscuit on her tray.

When she bit in she began kicking her feet and humming. ‘Bas is yum!’

Broderick looked and saw a soft green paste on the inside of the biscuit Beth had bitten into. ‘Is that her green mash?’

Sebastian smiled. ‘A breakfast version of it. Instead of green beans I added some strawberries and honey. The carrots and peas are sweet enough that they blended as easily with fruit as they did the vegetables.’

‘What about the bread, is it safe?’ Caspian asked.

Sebastian nodded. ‘It was made especially for her.’

Curious, Broderick picked up one of the biscuits and tore it in half. Steam rose from the flaky layers. Upon closer inspection it was more a croissant than a biscuit. He frowned and brought the pastry into the light for closer inspection. The layers were so thin, he could see thru them. It was impossible to tell how many there were, the result, each bite would literally melt away, leaving no possibility of choking.

Broderick stared up in wonder. ‘How long did it take to make these?’

Sebastian shrugged one shoulder. ‘Not that long.’

‘Sebastian.’

‘Maybe a few hours.’

‘Hmm hmm.’ He continued to stare. Hannah had loved to bake, had been trained in Paris and she had never made a croissant this good.

‘What?’ Caspian asked.

Broderick just passed him half the biscuit. ‘Count the layers.’

Caspian took the biscuit smiling, then looked closer. When he held it up the way he had, Broderick knew his mate was starting to realize what he was seeing.

‘Sebastian, this is a work of art,’ Caspian said, sounding awed.

‘More peaze! More Bas yum!’

‘Here you go darling,’ Sebastian placed another biscuit down on Beth’s tray.

‘My daughter is eating something that would cost more than my old yearly salary to buy,’ Broderick wheezed. ‘I bet you human royalty doesn’t eat as good.’

Sebastian looked at him in confusion. ‘She is a princess in her own right. A princess in a paranormal city where its citizens have been alive longer than some of the countries that human royalty rule over have even existed. Why would she not eat better?’

‘If she is raised on Sebastian’s food, how will she ever be happy eating anything else?’ Broderick asked of Caspian.

Caspian also looked very confused. ‘Why would she have to eat anywhere else?’

Broderick finally turned to Magnus. ‘What happens when she finds her own mate and leaves? Won’t she be miserable for the rest of her life eating other’s cooking? Sebastian is setting the bar impossibly high. Her baby food could be considered some of best food in the entire world, literally!’

Magnus frowned. ‘Why would she leave after finding a mate?’

‘Ugggh!’ Broderick growled his frustration. It was cut short when a biscuit was shoved into his mouth. ‘Eat Dada. Bas is yum.’

Broderick chewed and felt his eyes roll back in his head. As he had predicted the soft buttery layers simply melted against his tongue, leaving behind a sweet, yet satisfying blend of fruit and carrots. The touch of honey added just enough depth to elevate the entire thing to a dessert category.

‘Oh gods above, I’ll never have anything half as good in my mouth,’ he moaned.

‘Hey!’ Caspian said, straightening in his chair.

Magnus laughed and accidentally spewed coffee across the table. He wiped at his mouth before one belly laugh after another escaped.

Caspian glared at his brother before turning to him. ‘I think I understand better now. But, what are we supposed to do, not feed her Sebastian’s cooking?’

Beth sniffled. ‘No Bas yum?’ she asked, her lower lip trembling.

Sebastian popped Caspian on the head with his towel. ‘She gets all the Bas yum she wants. I have been waiting centuries to feed a baby, let me enjoy this.’

Broderick ignored them as he enjoyed his biscuit. ‘She will simply have to stay here forever where Sebastian can keep cooking for all of us.’

Sebastian beamed. ‘Wonderful idea.’

‘And you keep getting amazing things for your mouth,’ Magnus teased.

‘Magnus!’ Caspian exclaimed sounding shocked.

Magnus blinked innocently. ‘What? Why should your mate not enjoy Sebastian’s cooking?’

‘I hate you.’

Magnus chuckled.

‘No. No hate Unky,’ Beth reprimanded.

Caspian sighed and collapsed back into his chair. ‘Papa does not hate Unky. Unky is the best big brother anyone could ask for, there is no way Papa could hate him,’ Caspian admitted.

She eyed them both carefully. ‘Good.’

Magnus cleared his throat manfully and turned the color of a tomato. ‘I tried very hard you know.’

Caspian simply clasped him on the shoulder. ‘I know.’

Beth looked up at Sebastian. ‘Bas?’

‘Yes, baby?’

‘Adel get yum? Eat-a get yum?’

Broderick snapped his fingers. ‘That’s what I was going to ask. Is there anyway you could cook something for them as a ‘thank you’ for getting Beth help as quickly as they did?’

Caspian nodded. ‘I told him he could ask for anything for them and the best thing he could think of, was your food.’

Sebastian’s chest puffed up in pride. ‘Of course I can. We can do that today, can we not Bethy?’

‘Yum!’

Broderick turned to his mate. ‘For some of the tests today, would you be willing to give me some blood?’

Caspian nodded. ‘Of course.’

Broderick thought about the conversations regarding Beth’s food. ‘I think it’s safe to say you represent what the healthiest vampire’s blood should look like. I can’t imagine you getting any better nutrition than Sebastian’s cooking. I can use that as the upper baseline.’

‘What’s her favorite color?’ Sebastian asked.

‘Blue. Why?’

‘We may do a bit of clothes shopping today too,’ Sebastian said before turning to Magnus. ‘I will be using your accounts.’

Magnus smiled. ‘I cannot wait to see what you find for our baby girl.’

Broderick looked up at Sebastian. ‘She hates scratchy things. She pulled off her dress in church one morning and just about shocked the entire congregation.’

‘We will use only the softest of lace, nothing will scratch her at all,’ Sebastian promised.

Broderick felt a momentary sliver of guilt. ‘Beth, are you okay spending the day with Sebastian?’ She had only just lost her mother and though she was used to him spending time in his lab, he was all she knew prior to coming here.

‘Yes. Bas is warm.’

Broderick relaxed. That was how Beth used to describe Hannah. Warm. He imagined to his daughter that meant safe and happy too. ‘Okay baby. You be good for Bas, okay?’

‘Kay!’

Broderick ate a bit more then stood, Caspian standing with him. ‘Bye bye, baby. See you later on today.’

‘Buh bye!’

Caspian gently pulled on his arm to get him to leave the room. Broderick huffed. ‘She didn’t even turn to watch me leave.’

‘Now who is being jealous?’ Caspian said, bumping his shoulder.

‘You do remember I will be piercing your skin with a needle later right?’

Caspian’s expression turned wicked. ‘You do remember I will be piercing your skin with my fangs later, right?’

Broderick couldn’t hold back the whimper if he tried. ‘Gods,’ he whispered.

‘Let us go get your slides started so you are free to think of other things,’ Caspian said, placing his hand on his back.

‘Right. Slides.’

Chuckling in a purely masculine way Caspian steered him toward his lab.

*****

It was just about lunch time when Caspian heard the pounding of feet down the hallway and the the sound of raised men’s voices.

‘This way Hawthorne!’

‘Door is open!’

Broderick looked up from his microscope frowning. ‘Did you hear something.’

‘Broderick, come with me.’ Caspian held out his hand and trembling Broderick reached for him. As one they ran toward the door.

‘What did you hear?’

‘I think it was Adriel directing Hawthorne towards our estate.’

‘The healer? No!’ Broderick cried. Suddenly, Caspian had to work very hard to keep up with his mate.

The door to the Rioux quarters stood open and they dashed inside. Seeing the antechamber empty they paused until they heard Sebastian.

‘Please tell me she is okay!’

They looked at each other. ‘Kitchen!’ They ran through the dining room and pushed past Declan to enter the large kitchen that was Sebastian’s domain.

‘Sebastian!’ Caspian called out.

‘Beth!’ Broderick looked around frantically for their daughter.

‘She is here!’ Sebastian waved them over to the space in front of the sink.

The scene before them was all too familiar as Hawthorne’s hands glowed over Beth’s skin. This time her tiny hands and arms sported oozing blisters and scorched red marks.

‘What happened!’ he demanded, kneeling down next to Hawthorne as Broderick knelt down next to Beth.

Sebastian was beyond pale as he looked on. ‘She fell into the oven. I had turned for just a moment to place the pan on the counter and she fell against the racks.’

Caspian knew Sebastian used heavy metal racks in their wood burning oven. He couldn’t imagine how hot they had to have been.

‘Our poor Bethy.’

He looked down and saw that once again his baby girl wasn’t crying. Her lips trembled and she shook terribly, but she didn’t cry.

‘Is yum okay?’ she asked in a tiny voice.

‘Oh, baby,’ Sebastian whispered. ‘Yes, the yum is okay.’

‘Was it her treats your were making?’ Declan asked.

Sebastian shook his head. ‘They were for you all actually. She wanted to give you yums for helping her.’

Caspian looked around. You could have knocked each warrior over with a feather.

‘She got hurt, for us?’ Micah asked.

‘She was very adamant that the Eat-a unit and war-e-ors get yums,’ Broderick said, keeping his voice calm.

Caspian watched as the blisters shrunk and slowly the redness faded. It didn’t disappear entirely but, by the time Hawthorne collapsed against him, they were faint pink lines.

He wrapped his arm around the warrior to support him. ‘Sebastian, Hawthorne may need some of those yums about now.’

Sebastian looked over and realized how drained the witch was, then sprung into action. He shoved a basket at them. ‘These are the ones that Bethy created. She picked the ingredients for the centers.’

Hawthorne looked Beth and took one of the rolls with trepidation. ‘The baby picked huh?’ With every man in the room staring, he took a bite. His eyes widened and he shoved the entire thing in his mouth before he reached for two more. ‘Gods above, they are good.’

Sebastian smiled smugly. ‘And should be perfect to help get your energy back up.’

Hawthorne nodded and chewed. ‘These are amazing.’

Declan whimpered behind them.

‘Bas, Dek-an yum too,’ Beth called out.

‘Of course, darling.’

As Sebastian began serving, Caspian could see the squire regaining his composure.

Declan, like Hawthorne shoved one in his mouth and practically danced in place. He paused, then looked at Sebastian. ‘Is that cheese?’

Sebastian nodded. ‘She chose Brie, raspberry compote and I added a bit of honey.’

It didn’t take the warriors long to decemate the baskets of treats Sebastian and Beth had prepared.

‘Better eat yum together,’ Beth said, munching away on her own treat.

They heard a door slam behind them before Magnus strode through the doorway, his face like a thundercloud. ‘Why did I have to hear about my baby niece getting hurt from a tunnel escort?’

Sebastian, he and Broderick exchanged glances. He turned to his brother. ‘Sebastian was too busy coordinating with the warriors so they could heal Bethy and the only way we knew something was going on was because I barely heard the men arrive while we were in the lab.’ The more he thought about the whole situation, the more he didn’t like it. ‘We need a way to contact one another quickly.’

‘Agreed,’ nearly every man echoed.

‘Magic?’ Micah suggested.

‘Runners?’ Etain added.

Magnus turned to Adriel. ‘Until other arrangements can be made, could we borrow Hawthorne? He seems to be the best trained in healing and Bethy knows him already.’

Hawthorne looked touched by the request and kept his head down to hide his pleased smile.

Adriel nodded slowly. ‘That may be best. Hawthorne, are your willing to stay here on Level One for the time being, to help watch over Bethy?’

‘Absolutely, sir,’ he hesitated, then looked up at Sebastian. ‘Do I get eat here too?’

‘Of course!’

Hawthorne brightened then beamed out at his fellow warriors. ‘Try to function without me,’ he cajoled.

Every single warrior began throwing their napkins at the witch who just cackled.

‘He gets squire food? No fair,’ Declan pouted.

Adriel pinched the skin between his eyebrows. ‘If you will excuse us, we have some more training to do. Right, Declan?’

Declan cleared his throat before straightening. ‘Yes, sir!’

‘Sir!’ Beth echoed.

Declan laughed. ‘She’s so damn cute.’

‘Head out, men!’ Adriel ordered.

Magnus watched them leave before he knelt down to look over Beth. ‘Is she truly well?’

Hawthorne nodded. ‘Burns are harder to heal than knitting bones together. Her skin may be slightly irritated for the next hour or so, but a cool compress will help shorten that time.’

‘I will get one at once,’ Sebastian hurried over to their icebox to get some chipped ice and placed them in a wet towel. He handed it to Broderick.

‘Let Dada see your owies.’

She held up her hands and you could see the criss cross pattern of the rack.

‘I am so very, very sorry,’ Sebastian whispered.

Magnus stood and clapped the squire on the back. ‘If it happened with you in the room, then it was a true accident. We all know how much you love her and how closely you watch over her. It must have been unavoidable.’

‘I tried to catch her,’ Sebastian just shook his head. ‘It all happened so fast.’

‘Did you want me to report back in the morning? Or?’ Hawthorne asked, looking from Magnus to him and back.

Caspian stood and helped his mate to rise with their daughter. ‘We will prepare a guest room for you here on Level One. I think it best you are available around the clock.’

‘Sounds good. I’ll just run up to the unit level and pack a few things. I’ll be back for lunch!’ he promised, before jogging from the room.

Sebastian smiled faintly at his enthusiasm. ‘He gets extra treats while he is here.’

‘Extra yum for no hurt,’ Beth agreed.

‘Exactly, baby girl.’

Caspian couldn’t help but think of how bad it could have been. What if something happened and no one was around to help her? His stomach churned as he imagined one horrid scenario after another. How could he keep her safe?

*****

For lunch and dinner Hawthorne ate early with Sebastian, then retired to his room. Caspian, Broderick and Magnus were quiet while Beth babbled about war-e-ors and Adel. Nothing ever seemed to upset her, except for the tears of those she cared for.

When it came time to put her down, Caspian watched as his mate walked the room with her in his arms, as if he loathed to lay her in her crib.

‘She can sleep with us tonight, my love. If that would make you feel better,’ he suggested.

Broderick practically went limp with relief. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered. ‘I know that this is probably the last thing you would want so early in our mating, but…’

Caspian pulled them both into his arms. ‘Nothing will ever surpass the joy I feel simply holding the two of you in my arms, knowing that you are both safe and happy.’ He winked at him. ‘I am looking forward to sleeping with my baby girl.’

‘You say that now, but she thrashes. You may get her tiny foot in your face.’

Caspian steered them out of her nursery and into their room. Beth soaked up having the attention of both of her parents as they got ready for bed. When she realized they would all sleep together she bounced on the bed happily.

‘Dada! Papa!’ She repeated it over and over again, pointing from one to another.

Broderick yawned and Caspian felt exhaustion from today’s scare catching up with him. In a fit of inspiration he began reciting the long lists of decedents of House Rioux. Magnus had done the exact same thing to him when he had been a child and like Magnus, he kept his voice monotone and even. By the time he had gotten to the third generation he realized his mate and daughter were asleep. Both, with their mouths opened slightly and softly snoring through their noses.

Caspian felt pure love flood his veins. Never in all his life did he think he would ever be this happy. Since meeting his mate he had been experiencing such extreme emotions. Lust, fear, joy, pride and love. His past before them seemed like a foggy memory and for once he was actually looking forward to the future.

He had a child to teach and raise. He watched her breathe. What kind of woman would she be? Kind? Of course she would be kind, he smiled to himself. Would anything of him be passed on to her and if so in what ways?

One day she would find a mate and have children of her own, then he would be a grandfather! He felt tears sting his eyes and dismissed such thoughts. They had plenty of time before that would happen. For now, he would concentrate on keeping her happy and healthy. He could ask for nothing more.