Sniffling, she picked her head up from Dancer's shoulder to glare at Nykyrian. When she spoke, it was in short, staccato breaths as she struggled to calm down. "You weren't trying to kill my daddy?"
"No. I love your daddy. He's my little brother."
She continued to gasp for air as she looked up at Dancer. "Your lips are bleeding where he hit you, Daddy. Please, don't die!"
"It's just a busted lip. I'm not going to die. Really. I get them all the time." He wiped the tears from her face. "Don't cry, Lee-lee. We won't play fight anymore."
"Okay." She wiped at her nose before she scooted away from him.
Hauk frowned as he watched her return to Jayce and Adron, who led her to the sand to play. How weird that would upset her when she'd been so brave the day before. He met Nyk's apologetic stare. "Is that normal?"
Nyk shrugged. "My kids have never done that. But then they've grown up with us sparring against each other. And they've seen us both bleed a lot worse than your lip. Sorry about that, by the way."
"Don't be. I'm the one who started the fight and dropped his guard." A bad feeling went through him as his thoughts returned to Kalea's outburst. "You don't think they would have had her around death matches at that age, do you?"
He gave Hauk a droll stare. "It's The League. I wouldn't put anything past them."
Neither would he. But one thing was clear. There was no way Kalea would be able to attend the match tomorrow and watch her mother fight Dariana. Unlike Nyk, that bitch wouldn't be so kind or understanding if Kalea bit her.
Hauk glanced down at Nyk's leg. "You know you're bleeding. Right?"
"Yeah, I know. Your daughter has an amazing set of teeth." Clapping him on the back, Nyk went to Syn to have him stitch it.
Hauk licked at his busted lip as he went over to Sumi, whose brow was creased with worry.
"Did she draw Nykyrian's blood?"
He nodded. "She was scared."
"Is Nykyrian all right?" Kiara asked.
"Yeah. Hell, I've bit him worse than that in a fight."
Kiara let out an irritated noise. "I'm going to check on my husband and try not to think about how true that statement is."
He wiped another round of blood from his lip.
"Are you okay?" Sumi asked.
He nodded. "It caught a fang. Bleeds a lot worse than it hurts."
"Why did you go after Nykyrian like that?"
Cursing in Andarion, Dancer narrowed his gaze on Jayce as he picked a bouquet of flowers for Kalea to match the crown he'd made her. "That! Right there!" He jerked his chin at them. "Before I met you, Nyk cursed me to have a beautiful daughter. Bastard! I don't think I'll ever sleep again."
Sumi laughed at the anguished look in his eyes as he watched the children, who were being absolutely precious together. Jayce was taking care of Kalea as if she was his little sister. But it was more than that. "You really do think of her as yours, don't you?"
Hurt and fear mixed in his red eyes as he locked gazes with her. He swallowed hard. "I know she's your daughter, Sumi. I didn't mean to presume anything, or trespass. Sorry."
In that moment, she wanted to kick the snot out of Dariana for her cruelty to him over the years.
"Dancer," she chided as she realized the source of his fear. She reached out and took his hand into hers. "Sweetie, that's not what I meant. At all. I want you to think of her as yours. It means more to me than you'll ever know that you've accepted her so thoroughly."
He kissed her hand then rubbed it against his goatee as if he savored her touch as much as she relished his. He wasn't one to really talk about his feelings, but she saw them in what he did. She saw them every time he looked at her.
"My fierce warrior," she breathed.
That brought a smile to his lips. "My fierce Ger Tarra."
Eleron appeared by his side. "There is a group of two males and a female who are seeking you, Hauk. They say that they've brought clothing for your daughter."
"Bring them here, please."
"As you wish." Eleron vanished.
Clearing his throat, he left her to fetch Kalea.
Sumi choked on unexpected tears as she watched that sexy, loose-limbed gait. She would never get over the way he looked whenever he cradled Kalea. Their daughter was so tiny in his muscular arms and he was so gentle with her. So kind.
He rode her back to Sumi on his shoulder where she squealed in delight. Then he flipped her over and sat her next to Sumi's side.
As the Andarion store clerks came in, Dancer left them with his grandmother, Desideria, Zarya, and Maris. They were quickly joined by Kiara, who made the introductions, and then Ture, who wanted to help pick out clothes.
Sumi had expected them to bring a small bag of clothing. Instead, they had four huge trunks to choose from.
Kalea and Lillya both gasped at all the fae and glitter items, and they tried on different shoes and accessories. There were even matching clothes for Kalea's doll.
"Mommy!" Kalea gasped as she saw one red dress that was ankle length with a poofy embroidered skirt and beaded neckline and matching sweater. It was, by far, the most beautiful gown she'd ever seen. "It's a princess dress. Can I have it? Please!"
Biting her lip, Sumi hesitated. She looked for a tag to see the price, but there wasn't one on it. "How much is it?" she asked the clerk.
He smiled warmly. "Gersen War Hauk had us remove all tags. He wants you and your daughter to buy what you like without worrying over the cost. He was quite explicit that we not dampen your happiness in any way, and that we outfit his daughter like a fae princess."
Kalea gave her the most adorable begging face.
"Then I guess you can have it, sweetie."
Kalea squealed as she hugged the dress to her and danced around the chairs.
Sumi pressed her lips together, enjoying the sight of her daughter's excitement while they picked out the rest of Kalea's wardrobe. She wished Dancer was here to see it, too. Especially since it was his kindness and generosity that made Kalea so thrilled and happy.
By the time they were done, Kalea had more clothes than Sumi could have dreamed of. She kept trying to say enough, but the other women, and Maris and Ture, came up with reasons and occasions that required more and more.
Giggling, Kalea rolled around on top of her new wardrobe like a happy little piglet.
Dancer finally rejoined them. He arched a brow at her actions. "What are you doing, Lee-lee?"
She sat up with a gasp. "Daddy! Look at what all I got!" She turned to show him the tulle wings on her back before she twitched and wiggled her bottom to make them flap. "They made me a fairy princess! And... and me and Lil got matching dresses, and me and Mommy got matching dresses, and me and my dolly got matching dresses, too!"
Picking her up, he rubbed noses with her. "So you like them?"
"I do!" She lifted her foot. "See my red shoes. Aren't they pretty! Aunt Mari said he has some the same color."
Dancer glanced over to Mari. "I think I've seen those shoes."
Maris winked at him. "Where should we stash all her new things?"
"The room that adjoins my bedroom. El can show you the way and open it for you."
Maris nodded then turned back to Sumi. "Don't worry. We'll get this all put away for you. Come, come, everyone. Let's tuck our girl into her new room."
"Can I go, too, Daddy?"
He looked at Sumi. "Are you okay with that?"
She nodded. "Don't be long, though, and stay with everyone."
"Okay!"
He set Kalea down so that she could take Lillya's hand and skip along with the rest to her new room. Then he knelt down by Sumi's side.
She cupped his cheek in her hand. "Thank you."
He inclined his head to her. "Did they please her?"
"You should have been here. She was deliriously happy." But there was a strange shadow haunting his eyes. "What's wrong?"
Dancer offered her a kind smile. "Nothing. I should keep an eye on Kalea. I'll be back
in a few."
"He spoke to his mother," Fain said as soon as Dancer was gone. Sitting down next to her, he handed her a glass of juice.
Sumi tried to understand why a talk with his mother would hurt Dancer so much. And she didn't miss the fact that even though the female had birthed them both, Fain didn't claim her. "Why's he upset?"
"Both she and his father are planning to sit with Dariana's family tomorrow. And Dancer's furious and hurt about it."
Sumi snorted at their mother's stupidity. "He shouldn't let that upset him. I don't care where they sit."
Fain swallowed his drink before he sighed. "Easier said than done, Sumi. It's another slap in his face that he really didn't need. They know he loves you, and yet they're supporting a female who has done nothing but insult and humiliate him since he was a boy."
A furious tic beat a steady rhythm in his jaw as he watched the boys and Vik playing at war in their sandbox. "You've never seen an Andarion unification ceremony. The bride and groom are practically naked when they make their Disclosures. The male comes out and kneels so that the bride can inspect him."
A chill went down her spine at what he described. "Inspect him, how?"
"She walks around his body and looks him over. If he's acceptable, she nods to the priest to continue the proceedings..." His voice trailed off as his tic picked up its rhythm. "Dancer was only eighteen the first time he went before Dariana, in good faith. You've seen his body. You know how scarred up he was, and those scars were still fresh, then. There he stood and knelt, just a kid, in front of his entire family and hers with his whole body visible for all to see - including the marks his mother had given him as chastisement. It was the last thing he wanted to do. He knew Dariana hated him, and that everyone would sneer over the condition of his body. Yet he went forward with it so that he wouldn't shame his parents. A decent female would have simply shaken her head no, and been done with him. Instead, Dariana sliced open his back, leaving him to bleed at the altar, and walked out in the middle of the ceremony."
Sumi ground her teeth as rage clouded her vision. "What did your parents do?"
"They left him, too." Fain set his drink aside. "Alone, he went and dressed, while his back bled, and returned home to find himself locked out."
Stunned at that, she gaped incredulously. "What?"
He nodded. "Because they were embarrassed that Dariana had denied his pledge, his parents refused him access to his own home. He didn't even have his wallet on him. All he had were the clothes on his back."
"Did he call you?"
"He was too ashamed. He didn't call anyone. The worst part was that his parents didn't tell anyone he was missing. They went on with their lives like nothing had happened. Almost a week went by before Nykyrian contacted me, asking if I'd seen him."
"Are you serious?"
Bitterness burned in his eyes as he nodded. "Nyk had been out on assignment and when he got back, he'd tried to call Dancer to congratulate him on unification. When he kept getting voicemail without Dancer returning it, he became concerned and learned what had happened. It took us a day and a half to find him."
"Where was he?"
"Comatose, in a hospital."
Her stomach lurched to the point she feared she'd be ill. "What?"
Fain took a deep breath before he continued. "The Enforcers had found him passed out on a bench, in the park where we used to play as kids. They'd said that he must have been there for several days before they saw him. Between exposure and Dariana's wounds, he was barely alive. Since he had no ID on him or credits, they had taken him to a charity ward and left him there to basically die."
Tears choked her. No wonder he loved Nykyrian so. And Fain. They were really the only family he'd had as a boy. "What'd you do?"
"We had him moved to a real hospital, and flew in the best doctor on Andaria. But I will never forget the look in his eyes when he finally woke up. It was worse than when Keris had died, or when he'd been burned. He looked devastated and broken. Defeated. And he was just a kid."
She knew that feeling of having everything in your world tragically taken. Of being lost and angry, and wondering why you were still alive when it was obvious no one gave a single shit about you. It broke her heart that they had put him through that. "What did he say about it?"
"Nothing. You know Dancer. He's never spoken about it to anyone. And he never went back to his parents' house. Not even for a single pair of shoes. He hasn't stepped foot in it since the day he left for that first unification."
"Where did he go?"
"Since Nyk was in The League and couldn't have visitors, he stayed with me until he had a job and a small apartment of his own. And every fucking year since then, his parents have demanded that he return to face Dariana again and again, and be put through the humiliation of public rejection."
And that cruelty, she understood least of all. "Why?"
"Penance for Keris's death, and the fact that his mother has been quite vocal about how no other female will have him because of his hideousness. As far as his parents are concerned, Dancer has basically been an orphan since Nyk pulled him out of that burning pod."
"Is that why you're so protective of him?"
Fain nodded. "My brother's a strong male. He's had to be to survive. And he's not the kind of male to let others see his pain... physical or emotional. Dancer holds everything in. But I know him better than anyone, and I've seen the longing he's had every time he's around his friends and their spouses, and children. All the times he's been sneered at by an Andarion female. It's why he built Eleron."
"I don't follow."
"He wanted to have a female who could look at him without curling her lip in distaste."
Sumi swallowed against the pain she felt over those words. "Andarion females are morons. Any woman --"
"Sees only an Andarion male. Trust me, Sumi. I know. While they might smile at first glance, the moment they see our eyes or teeth, they cringe and run. It's really hard on the ego, and much worse than how Andarion females behave. I, at least, have the memory of being sought after by eager females. Dancer never knew that. Not until you."
She still couldn't believe that, given how incredibly handsome he was. But then, she knew exactly how superficial and judgmental some people were. While she hated that Dancer had been forced to be alone for so long, she was more than grateful that she was the lucky one who'd won his heart.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked Fain.
"I wanted you to understand exactly who you're fighting for tomorrow. How important you and Kalea are to him, and why his parents are fucking dipshits. And while they may sit with the enemy, we will be there for you."
She placed her hand over his and squeezed. "I love you, Fain."
"I hope, by that, you mean in a purely platonic kind of way," a voice growled from behind them.
Laughing, she turned toward Dancer, who eyed them suspiciously. "And how else would I mean that?"
"Good, 'cause I'd really hate to have to kill my brother."
Fain snorted. "And I'd really hate to die, especially since you still owe me money."
"I paid you back... didn't I?"
"Yeah, you did, but I like the doubt in that tone."
Dancer rolled his eyes before he faced her. "I have been sent by Her Fae Highness to retrieve her mother so that she can show you her room. She has very specific ideas on how she wants it decorated, and Mari and Ture aren't helping. They want you to knock out a portion of the roof and grow a tree or some weird shit like that."
She laughed at his baffled expression. "Oh joy. I can't wait."
"Hmm... and she wants her own Vik, too."
"Lovely. Let me go mitigate the damage before Eleron short-circuits."
He picked Sumi up and carried her toward the stairs.
Sighing, she laid her head down on his shoulder and buried her hand in his braids, while she savored the scent of his warm skin. Her other arm was wrapped around his back so that she could draw circles aga
inst his spine.
Hauk slowed as he relished the tenderness of being held like this. Gods, it was incredible.
"Is something wrong?"
He tightened his arms around her. "No, mia." He placed a kiss to her forehead as he carried her upstairs.
She trailed her hand from his hair to his jaw and then to his goatee that she fingered before she moved to trace his lips. "How can such a fierce, sexy beast be so incredibly sweet?"
"My enemies would beg to differ on the topic of my sweetness."
"Then I'm glad I'm not your enemy, for I would hate to miss seeing this side of you."
The redness of his eyes deepened before he dipped his head to kiss her.
Sumi moaned at the taste of him as he slowly lowered her legs and pulled her against him. She fisted her hands in his hair and shivered at the sensation of his fangs brushing against her tongue. He was always so careful not to hurt her.