Complex: Too Quiet, part 4
I'm reading a book (The Black Moth) that had it not been written in 1920, I would have been sure, about four chapters in, that the two most prominent guys would have started a torrid love affair even though they were still enemies of a sort. But I looked up the summary of the book (knew it was a romance, but had yet to be introduced an unmarried woman) and the first guy we met saves a maiden (presumably from the other prominent guy, who sister is married to first guy's brother). I'm going to finish it and see if my flight of fancy is better or worse than the written word.
Title: Too Quiet, part 4 (end)
Side story to: Complex
Length: 3293 words
Summary: Salathiel has a wonderful evening
Master list: lj DW
After the dinner dishes were washed, Aleš snuggled up to Salathiel. “We made pajamas, so we can sleep beside you.”
“That’s what the buttons were for.” Jonáš nodded. “We’ll go put them on.”
Cunobelinus laughed and put their hand around Salathiel waist. “They shouldn’t be the only ones in pjs.”
So as early as it was Salathiel showered and changed into comfy pajamas. Cunobelinus kissed them when they walked out of the bathroom and traded places with them. Cunobelinus normally showered in the morning, which was part of why Salathiel did at night, but maybe they’d had a sweaty afternoon.
The familiars were sitting at the foot of the bed. They both got up and pulled Salathiel forward. Jonáš jumped onto the bed. “We want to see your wings again.”
Salathiel obliged. Aleš touched a flight feather. “You didn’t have to take your shirt off.”
“Wings are magic. They are a part of us, but can unfurl no matter what we’re wearing. It would be pretty silly if I had to remove my coat, sweater, and shirt before I could be threatening.”
Jonáš grinned. “You aren’t threatening now.”
Salathiel plucked a soft downy feather and tossed it Jonáš’s way. He batted at it. He couldn’t seem to help himself. He jumped on the bed to follow it and keep it in the air.
Aleš rubbed up against Salathiel. “Can you take your shirt off without putting your wings away?”
Salathiel gut clinched. They knew where this was going and they really wanted it. And why shouldn’t they? Aleš and Jonáš had lived with them for two months now. They knew Salathiel and Cunobelinus wouldn’t demand anything of them, and judging by Aleš's little smile, he’d wanted to ask for ages.
Salathiel grinned back. “Do you want to help?”
“Yes!”
With the help of two eager familiars, taking off Salathiel’s pajama top took twice as long, but was much more fun. Then Salathiel flapped their wings once to make that downy feather dance because watching Jonáš bat at it was fun too.
Aleš laid his head on Salathiel lap. Salathiel petted his beautiful hair. “You’d be more comfortable on the bed.”
“But you aren’t on the bed.”
Salathiel dutifully got up and lay down. On Cunobelinus’s side of the bed because Jonáš was on theirs. Aleš snuggled up against him. The pajamas might cover him ankle to wrist to chin, but the silk was thin and felt like less than strands of hair between them. Salathiel spread their wings to get in a better position and suddenly the little feather wasn’t enough for Jonáš. He reached up and grabbed at Salathiel’s wing.
Salathiel lifted the wing up out of Jonáš’s reach, and when he let his arm sink, Salathiel lowered their wing again. Jonáš made a cute growl in his throat and reached up again.
Aleš turned against Salathiel and watched Jonáš play. Salathiel nuzzled his ear. “Do you want to play too?”
Aleš laughed and pulled Salathiel’s arm around him. “I think I already am.”
Each time Jonáš’s reached up, his night shirt shifted. Soon Salathiel was getting flashes of knee. Then Jonáš bent his knee and the silk slid up his leg. Aleš wiggled his ass against Salathiel’s hips. Yep, they were both playing.
The bathroom door opened and Cunobelinus came out with a towel in his hand and his old ratty silk boxers. The fabric was still good, but one leg needed a new hem and the elastic was going. Salathiel hoped Jonáš or Aleš would ask if they could fix them because Salathiel didn’t want to be the one to “ruin” Cunobelinus’s favorite sleep pants.
Salathiel leaned back in preparation to sit up. Jonáš and Aleš both yowled. Cunobelinus laugh. “Stay there. You three are quite the pretty picture.”
They towel dried their hair.
But Salathiel was feeling mighty awkward with all the attention. “Cunobelinus has wings too.”
“But mine aren’t soft and fluffy.”
“They’re velvety.” And they felt really nice against sensitive parts of Salathiel.
The familiars both peered at Cunobelinus. They laughed, dropped the towel, and spread their wings. “Did you think something nice about me?”
“He thinks you’re sexy,” Aleš supplied.
Jonáš shifted as he sat up lifting the hem of his nightshirt to the point where his leg met his torso. “And he’s not going to start anything until you’re here.”
Aleš kissed Salathiel’s finger tips. “He’s not going to start anything at all.”
Cunobelinus laughed as they put their wings away and sat down. “Looks like you two already have.”
Jonáš turned onto his stomach and wiggled his ass. “Joining us?”
As stimulating as that was, it did cause his nightshirt to slid back down. Aleš giggled.
“I’ll watch for a while.” Cunobelinus ran his hand down the front of his shorts. Just because he wasn’t on the bed didn’t mean he wasn’t participating.
Aleš touched Jonáš’s arm. “Salathiel likes us better dressed so he can watch us undress.”
Salathiel kissed Aleš shoulder, which had somehow become exposed. “I like you dressed so I know if you are undressed for me.”
Jonáš wiggled about until his nightshirt’s hem left an ass cheek exposed. “When I’m naked, I’m naked for you.”
He flashed Cunobelinus a smile then crawled over the Salathiel and pushed them onto their back. Salathiel put their wings away, but Jonáš let them know, in no uncertain terms, that the wings stayed. So the wings stayed.
Salathiel lost track of anything put pleasure: the four small hands, two bodies, and Cunobelinus’s soul flowing over Salathiel and through them. Sex with Cunobelinus had always been good, and many times great, but right now Salathiel felt like they could take on the world.
They hung they head off the end of the bed and met Cunobelinus’s eye. “Wow.”
Cunobelinus leaned forward and kissed them. “I agree.”
“The power.”
“They were meant for us, these two. They have to be.” Cunobelinus stroked Aleš’s back and tickled under Jonáš’s chin. They had both turned to their cat forms to sleep off the activity.
Salathiel preferred to cuddle after sex, in their and their partners’ human forms. But after that ride, how could they complain?
Aleš switched to his human form and draped himself across Salathiel while Jonáš buried his cat face in Salathiel feathers. They kissed Aleš's shoulder. “Sorry, my sweet, I forgot you could hear me. I don’t mind you as a cat.”
Aleš cracked open his eye. “But you weren’t this hard before I turned.”
He rubbed his leg down Salathiel's front.
Salathiel let their head flop off the bed. “I didn’t think I’d ever be hard again.”
Cunobelinus slid their hands under Salathiel and turned them until their head was on a pillow without dislodging Aleš or Jonáš. Salathiel forced their eyes open. “This isn’t my pillow.”
Cunobelinus laughed and climbed on the bed. “I promise not to let you sleep until you’re on your side of the bed.”
And Cunobelinus kept his word.
~~~~~~~
Salathiel woke happier than he could remember being. And warmer despite not wearing a stitch. Cunobelinus had rolled away some time in the night, like always. They got too hot during the night to keep cuddling. But Jonáš was a warm weight at the back of Salathiel’s neck and Aleš a warm line down their body.
Salathiel wiggled out of bed. Aleš switched back to his cat form and curled around Jonáš. There might be a time to talk to Aleš about wearing the body he wanted to, not the one he thought Salathiel wanted, but right now it was just too nice having someone go out of their way to please them.
They got breakfast ready and made plans for the day. It was grandparenting day again. Maybe someday Dal and Steele would move in with Hezekiel, and Salathiel and the others could move close to them, so taking the kittens for the evening wouldn’t be as much effort. Hezekiel and his family needed some time kitten free and Salathiel house was just too quiet without them.
Cunobelinus came up behind Salathiel and held them. They leaned against them. Cunobelinus kissed their cheek. “How would you like to move?”
Salathiel froze. “You’d find us a new place?”
“I proved my inability to see to your needs.”
Salathiel tried to protest, but Cunobelinus shushed them. “Your turn this time. It’s got to have room to expand, not just for this batch of grandchildren. I can’t see Dal waiting more than a year or two for another litter. I’m sure Jonáš and Aleš want a big family. And we need windows that open to a place with fresh air and blue skies. Maybe no door there yet, but enough that Aleš and Jonáš could get used to it. I want their kittens to run about in the grass under the open sky.”
Salathiel turned in their arms. “You’ve put some thought into this.”
Cunobelinus just nodded. Salathiel held them close. “I love you.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
“Yes, you do.”
“If you say so my love.” Cunobelinus kissed Salathiel then stepped back. “I’ll get some broker names from the angels at work. If you’d like.”
“I would.”
Aleš and Jonáš came out in their man forms, wearing more pretty clothes they’d made out of Salathiel ugly wedding linens. They got kisses from each of them and help with breakfast. It was already a wonderful day.
~~~~
After the kittens were asleep, Aleš and Jonáš got Cunobelinus to show off his demon form. Salathiel was cajoled into showing off is angel form. In the nude, for comparison purposes only Aleš and Jonáš insisted, but then they looked at each other and fell into giggles so Salathiel gave them their way.
Aleš wrapped his arms around Salathiel’s waist. “If I had your kittens, would they have wings too?”
Salathiel stepped back to put on his clothes, but at Aleš pout, they stopped with their pants and sat on the couch. Aleš sat on their lap and snuggled back. Salathiel kissed his neck. “You want my babies?”
Cunobelinus laughed. “Salathiel, don’t look so surprised. All three of us would like to carry your babies.”
Aleš and Jonáš nodded. Aleš tilted his face up so his breath brushed Salathiel cheek. “But would they have wings? Both your forms can have wings? So would our baby have wings in all three forms?”
Our baby. Cunobelinus hadn’t even called Hezekiel that. He’d always been the baby.
“Theories vary, but the general consensus is that exposure in utero is enough to inherit demon abilities, so if the amount of demon magic that went through the two of you last night is any gage, I’m thinking that any child either of you carries will be part demon. Whether the child came from Salathiel’s seed, mine, or either of yours.”
Aleš beamed. Jonáš wrapped himself around Cunobelinus, who had yet to dress themself. “So our babies would have grey wings? Like Hezekiel?”
“We’ll be grey, so that’s for the best.” Aleš leaned against Salathiel “But I did want one all white and ivory.”
“Salathiel,” Cunobelinus said, “why don’t you take him to bed? I’ll stay out here and listen for the kittens until you’re done. I want my chance with this pretty cat, since he never did wake back up last night.”
Jonáš pouted. “I like my sleep.”
Cunobelinus kissed the pout away.
Aleš clung to Salathiel. “You haven’t said if you wanted my baby.”
Salathiel would never want to raise such a child in this neighborhood, but he had an appointment tomorrow to look at a house with Aleš and Jonáš, and with luck they’d been in the new place before Aleš began to show. “I would be please to parent your child.”
Aleš grinned and rubbed himself against Salathiel. They did make it to the bedroom, but barely. Salathiel took their time, but not too long. They didn’t want Cunobelinus to get distracted by the pretty one in their lap. Aleš went to the living room with Salathiel to give Cunobelinus and Jonáš time alone. A while later, Aleš went to join them. Jonáš came out in cat form and curled up in Salathiel’s lap.
Dal, Hezekiel, and Steele arrived just as the kittens woke for their night feeding. Salathiel took the chance to tell them about the move and asked if they’d thought of moving in together. And if they had, whether they’d considered living near Salathiel’s household.
Steele laughed. “Dal says yes. Anything that will get him closer to his parents. My family’s so big that I like a breather between visits, but I wouldn’t mind having help close to hand should I need it.”
He had needed it when Dal had gone into labor. Salathiel shivered just thinking about what could have happened.
Hezekiel crossed his arms. “I’m not sure I’d want to be next door.”
Steele grinned and put his hand on Hezekiel’s thigh. “Salathiel says they want a place with a big backyard and an open sky. What if that place was our backyard too? In the Wizarding world, while their house is in a demon realm. That would work right, Salathiel?”
“And if you wanted to spend the night together.” Salathiel held up their hand to stop Hezekiel’s protest. “Dal, or whoever the feeding parent is, can come feed them, and the other two won’t have to get dressed.”
Jonáš yawned. Once Aleš has his kittens, he’ll be able to feed whatever kittens happen to be over.
Dal’s head perked up. Hezekiel sent Salathiel a glare. “What are you doing making children with my Mate’s parents?”
“Cunobelinus is pretty sure Aleš and Jonáš are part of our Mating bond. Which reminds me, according to something Cunobelinus said earlier this evening, since magic flowed through your Mating bond, with Steele’s help, while Dal carried the kittens…”
“Yeah?”
“Then those kittens are at least part demon.”
Steele laughed. “Is that how it works? We have stories, old tales, where a child inherits the powers of her mother’s lover, even if the two didn’t get together until just before the child was born. I thought people just couldn’t count.”
Aleš hurried into the living room. His hair was wet and he was back in his day clothes. “Will my grandbabies have wings?”
Cunobelinus rubbed his shoulder. Their hair was dripping, mostly onto the towel around their shoulders. “It’s hard to think of you old enough to have grandbabies.”
He isn’t, said Jonáš and Dal together. Salathiel petted Jonáš’s agitation away.
Hezekiel got up and looked down at his kittens.
Cunobelinus sopped some of the drips from their hair. “Aleš wonders whether a demon-familiar could wear wings in their cat forms.”
Steele laughed. “Don’t give my kids any ideas.”
Hezekiel picked up the oldest kitten and closed his eyes. He took several deep breaths and grinned. “They’re demons! At least partly. My princess.” He kissed her head and put her back with the others, but she mewed and toddled about until she found him again. He picked her up and cuddled her against his neck.
Steele wrapped an arm around Hezekiel’s shoulder. “They were always yours too.”
Salathiel looked away from their little moment. Cunobelinus laughed. “This means you can’t put off naming them any longer.”
Hezekiel stuck the index finger of his empty hand in his ear. “I can’t hear you.”
Dal got dressed and stood up. “Hez. We are going back to your place with the kittens.”
“But…”
“Your kittens need to get familiar to your place.”
“But aren’t we moving to get you nearer to the family?”
Steele piled the kittens into their basket. “Hezekiel, you lost this one. But on the other hand, I’m sure my mom will help you with all those names. Demons are named after relatives, aren’t they? I’ve got hundreds of relatives to choose from.”
They left still arguing, but Salathiel was sure Dal would get his way, especially with Steele in his corner.
Salathiel lay back on the couch. He needed to get up and shower. Or maybe not. He wouldn’t mind smelling like Aleš for a little longer. Cunobelinus helped them to their feet. The bed had been remade with new sheets, so Salathiel took the shower. Jonáš joined them partway though. They made sure Jonáš was completely dry and the towels hung up before they opened the bathroom door.
Cunobelinus wasn’t quite asleep. Jonáš jumped onto the bed as a cat and curled up by their neck. Aleš waiting until Salathiel was comfortable to switch to man form and drape himself over them. Salathiel laughed. “Don’t you wear clothes to bed?”
“I used to.” Aleš mumbled against his neck. “But now I’m safe.”
He was safe and he’d always be.
~~~~~
Salathiel sat in window seat, basking in the sun, with Aleš on their lap. They had work to do but none of that mattered. Their job was now more of a hobby. The kittens slept on the sun warmed blankets. Their kittens. One was a striped tabby like Jonáš, one jet back except for a red spot under their neck and at the tip of their tail, and one was white except in the right light when ivory spots glittered. The sun was too bright for that now.
Jonáš mewed. Salathiel swung their leg down so the Jonáš could climb up. He carried a smaller kitten up to join Aleš’s. He had one grey spotted, one striped blue, grey, and white, and one striped like a little white tiger. Six kittens were enough for now. Salathiel had drawn the line at Cunobelinus having another until the kittens were old enough to shift-so Jonáš and Aleš could help care for the baby-or Cunobelinus could guarantee that the familiars in the bond meant the baby, or babies if Cunobelinus had their way, could be raised as kittens the first few weeks. Salathiel was not going to do all the feeding and cleaning and raising alone again.
Jonáš set his last kitten in the pile and crawled onto Salathiel’s lap. Cunobelinus was close to a breakthrough and might not be home tonight, but that didn’t matter. Salathiel had the rest of his family right here.
The sun crossed the sky but still shone in the window. Salathiel should get up and make dinner, but not yet.
Dal trooped his family though the grass, in through the cat door, and up to the window seat. He took his man form, complete with loose shirt and shorts. “I hope you don’t mind.” He placed his wiggly kittens beside the pile. “Steele’s at a bachelor party for a friend of his and he thought it was the perfect time for me to be alone with Hez.”
Salathiel smiled. They were getting to know their sons-in-law better. “And what do you think?”
“I want to just spring on him that one of the next batch is his after I’m carrying them, because I’m sure he’ll freak and get all emotional and we’ll both be crying and Steele won’t be around to hand us tissues.” Dal grinned. “But Steele says I have to give him a choice, so I’m going to wait until I have the lube on him and let him make an informed,” Dal made finger quotes, “decision about where he wants to put it.”
Salathiel tried not to laugh. Dal closed the door quietly and raced back across the field between their houses. Dal’s kittens dozed because who doesn’t like a sunny window?
Salathiel closed their eyes and woke to Jonáš’s and Aleš’s gentle voices in the kitchen and the kittens piled in twos and threes across their legs and belly. Another few minutes and they’d start waking up. Salathiel’s house would never be too quiet again.
Title: Too Quiet, part 4 (end)
Side story to: Complex
Length: 3293 words
Summary: Salathiel has a wonderful evening
Master list: lj DW
After the dinner dishes were washed, Aleš snuggled up to Salathiel. “We made pajamas, so we can sleep beside you.”
“That’s what the buttons were for.” Jonáš nodded. “We’ll go put them on.”
Cunobelinus laughed and put their hand around Salathiel waist. “They shouldn’t be the only ones in pjs.”
So as early as it was Salathiel showered and changed into comfy pajamas. Cunobelinus kissed them when they walked out of the bathroom and traded places with them. Cunobelinus normally showered in the morning, which was part of why Salathiel did at night, but maybe they’d had a sweaty afternoon.
The familiars were sitting at the foot of the bed. They both got up and pulled Salathiel forward. Jonáš jumped onto the bed. “We want to see your wings again.”
Salathiel obliged. Aleš touched a flight feather. “You didn’t have to take your shirt off.”
“Wings are magic. They are a part of us, but can unfurl no matter what we’re wearing. It would be pretty silly if I had to remove my coat, sweater, and shirt before I could be threatening.”
Jonáš grinned. “You aren’t threatening now.”
Salathiel plucked a soft downy feather and tossed it Jonáš’s way. He batted at it. He couldn’t seem to help himself. He jumped on the bed to follow it and keep it in the air.
Aleš rubbed up against Salathiel. “Can you take your shirt off without putting your wings away?”
Salathiel gut clinched. They knew where this was going and they really wanted it. And why shouldn’t they? Aleš and Jonáš had lived with them for two months now. They knew Salathiel and Cunobelinus wouldn’t demand anything of them, and judging by Aleš's little smile, he’d wanted to ask for ages.
Salathiel grinned back. “Do you want to help?”
“Yes!”
With the help of two eager familiars, taking off Salathiel’s pajama top took twice as long, but was much more fun. Then Salathiel flapped their wings once to make that downy feather dance because watching Jonáš bat at it was fun too.
Aleš laid his head on Salathiel lap. Salathiel petted his beautiful hair. “You’d be more comfortable on the bed.”
“But you aren’t on the bed.”
Salathiel dutifully got up and lay down. On Cunobelinus’s side of the bed because Jonáš was on theirs. Aleš snuggled up against him. The pajamas might cover him ankle to wrist to chin, but the silk was thin and felt like less than strands of hair between them. Salathiel spread their wings to get in a better position and suddenly the little feather wasn’t enough for Jonáš. He reached up and grabbed at Salathiel’s wing.
Salathiel lifted the wing up out of Jonáš’s reach, and when he let his arm sink, Salathiel lowered their wing again. Jonáš made a cute growl in his throat and reached up again.
Aleš turned against Salathiel and watched Jonáš play. Salathiel nuzzled his ear. “Do you want to play too?”
Aleš laughed and pulled Salathiel’s arm around him. “I think I already am.”
Each time Jonáš’s reached up, his night shirt shifted. Soon Salathiel was getting flashes of knee. Then Jonáš bent his knee and the silk slid up his leg. Aleš wiggled his ass against Salathiel’s hips. Yep, they were both playing.
The bathroom door opened and Cunobelinus came out with a towel in his hand and his old ratty silk boxers. The fabric was still good, but one leg needed a new hem and the elastic was going. Salathiel hoped Jonáš or Aleš would ask if they could fix them because Salathiel didn’t want to be the one to “ruin” Cunobelinus’s favorite sleep pants.
Salathiel leaned back in preparation to sit up. Jonáš and Aleš both yowled. Cunobelinus laugh. “Stay there. You three are quite the pretty picture.”
They towel dried their hair.
But Salathiel was feeling mighty awkward with all the attention. “Cunobelinus has wings too.”
“But mine aren’t soft and fluffy.”
“They’re velvety.” And they felt really nice against sensitive parts of Salathiel.
The familiars both peered at Cunobelinus. They laughed, dropped the towel, and spread their wings. “Did you think something nice about me?”
“He thinks you’re sexy,” Aleš supplied.
Jonáš shifted as he sat up lifting the hem of his nightshirt to the point where his leg met his torso. “And he’s not going to start anything until you’re here.”
Aleš kissed Salathiel’s finger tips. “He’s not going to start anything at all.”
Cunobelinus laughed as they put their wings away and sat down. “Looks like you two already have.”
Jonáš turned onto his stomach and wiggled his ass. “Joining us?”
As stimulating as that was, it did cause his nightshirt to slid back down. Aleš giggled.
“I’ll watch for a while.” Cunobelinus ran his hand down the front of his shorts. Just because he wasn’t on the bed didn’t mean he wasn’t participating.
Aleš touched Jonáš’s arm. “Salathiel likes us better dressed so he can watch us undress.”
Salathiel kissed Aleš shoulder, which had somehow become exposed. “I like you dressed so I know if you are undressed for me.”
Jonáš wiggled about until his nightshirt’s hem left an ass cheek exposed. “When I’m naked, I’m naked for you.”
He flashed Cunobelinus a smile then crawled over the Salathiel and pushed them onto their back. Salathiel put their wings away, but Jonáš let them know, in no uncertain terms, that the wings stayed. So the wings stayed.
Salathiel lost track of anything put pleasure: the four small hands, two bodies, and Cunobelinus’s soul flowing over Salathiel and through them. Sex with Cunobelinus had always been good, and many times great, but right now Salathiel felt like they could take on the world.
They hung they head off the end of the bed and met Cunobelinus’s eye. “Wow.”
Cunobelinus leaned forward and kissed them. “I agree.”
“The power.”
“They were meant for us, these two. They have to be.” Cunobelinus stroked Aleš’s back and tickled under Jonáš’s chin. They had both turned to their cat forms to sleep off the activity.
Salathiel preferred to cuddle after sex, in their and their partners’ human forms. But after that ride, how could they complain?
Aleš switched to his human form and draped himself across Salathiel while Jonáš buried his cat face in Salathiel feathers. They kissed Aleš's shoulder. “Sorry, my sweet, I forgot you could hear me. I don’t mind you as a cat.”
Aleš cracked open his eye. “But you weren’t this hard before I turned.”
He rubbed his leg down Salathiel's front.
Salathiel let their head flop off the bed. “I didn’t think I’d ever be hard again.”
Cunobelinus slid their hands under Salathiel and turned them until their head was on a pillow without dislodging Aleš or Jonáš. Salathiel forced their eyes open. “This isn’t my pillow.”
Cunobelinus laughed and climbed on the bed. “I promise not to let you sleep until you’re on your side of the bed.”
And Cunobelinus kept his word.
~~~~~~~
Salathiel woke happier than he could remember being. And warmer despite not wearing a stitch. Cunobelinus had rolled away some time in the night, like always. They got too hot during the night to keep cuddling. But Jonáš was a warm weight at the back of Salathiel’s neck and Aleš a warm line down their body.
Salathiel wiggled out of bed. Aleš switched back to his cat form and curled around Jonáš. There might be a time to talk to Aleš about wearing the body he wanted to, not the one he thought Salathiel wanted, but right now it was just too nice having someone go out of their way to please them.
They got breakfast ready and made plans for the day. It was grandparenting day again. Maybe someday Dal and Steele would move in with Hezekiel, and Salathiel and the others could move close to them, so taking the kittens for the evening wouldn’t be as much effort. Hezekiel and his family needed some time kitten free and Salathiel house was just too quiet without them.
Cunobelinus came up behind Salathiel and held them. They leaned against them. Cunobelinus kissed their cheek. “How would you like to move?”
Salathiel froze. “You’d find us a new place?”
“I proved my inability to see to your needs.”
Salathiel tried to protest, but Cunobelinus shushed them. “Your turn this time. It’s got to have room to expand, not just for this batch of grandchildren. I can’t see Dal waiting more than a year or two for another litter. I’m sure Jonáš and Aleš want a big family. And we need windows that open to a place with fresh air and blue skies. Maybe no door there yet, but enough that Aleš and Jonáš could get used to it. I want their kittens to run about in the grass under the open sky.”
Salathiel turned in their arms. “You’ve put some thought into this.”
Cunobelinus just nodded. Salathiel held them close. “I love you.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
“Yes, you do.”
“If you say so my love.” Cunobelinus kissed Salathiel then stepped back. “I’ll get some broker names from the angels at work. If you’d like.”
“I would.”
Aleš and Jonáš came out in their man forms, wearing more pretty clothes they’d made out of Salathiel ugly wedding linens. They got kisses from each of them and help with breakfast. It was already a wonderful day.
~~~~
After the kittens were asleep, Aleš and Jonáš got Cunobelinus to show off his demon form. Salathiel was cajoled into showing off is angel form. In the nude, for comparison purposes only Aleš and Jonáš insisted, but then they looked at each other and fell into giggles so Salathiel gave them their way.
Aleš wrapped his arms around Salathiel’s waist. “If I had your kittens, would they have wings too?”
Salathiel stepped back to put on his clothes, but at Aleš pout, they stopped with their pants and sat on the couch. Aleš sat on their lap and snuggled back. Salathiel kissed his neck. “You want my babies?”
Cunobelinus laughed. “Salathiel, don’t look so surprised. All three of us would like to carry your babies.”
Aleš and Jonáš nodded. Aleš tilted his face up so his breath brushed Salathiel cheek. “But would they have wings? Both your forms can have wings? So would our baby have wings in all three forms?”
Our baby. Cunobelinus hadn’t even called Hezekiel that. He’d always been the baby.
“Theories vary, but the general consensus is that exposure in utero is enough to inherit demon abilities, so if the amount of demon magic that went through the two of you last night is any gage, I’m thinking that any child either of you carries will be part demon. Whether the child came from Salathiel’s seed, mine, or either of yours.”
Aleš beamed. Jonáš wrapped himself around Cunobelinus, who had yet to dress themself. “So our babies would have grey wings? Like Hezekiel?”
“We’ll be grey, so that’s for the best.” Aleš leaned against Salathiel “But I did want one all white and ivory.”
“Salathiel,” Cunobelinus said, “why don’t you take him to bed? I’ll stay out here and listen for the kittens until you’re done. I want my chance with this pretty cat, since he never did wake back up last night.”
Jonáš pouted. “I like my sleep.”
Cunobelinus kissed the pout away.
Aleš clung to Salathiel. “You haven’t said if you wanted my baby.”
Salathiel would never want to raise such a child in this neighborhood, but he had an appointment tomorrow to look at a house with Aleš and Jonáš, and with luck they’d been in the new place before Aleš began to show. “I would be please to parent your child.”
Aleš grinned and rubbed himself against Salathiel. They did make it to the bedroom, but barely. Salathiel took their time, but not too long. They didn’t want Cunobelinus to get distracted by the pretty one in their lap. Aleš went to the living room with Salathiel to give Cunobelinus and Jonáš time alone. A while later, Aleš went to join them. Jonáš came out in cat form and curled up in Salathiel’s lap.
Dal, Hezekiel, and Steele arrived just as the kittens woke for their night feeding. Salathiel took the chance to tell them about the move and asked if they’d thought of moving in together. And if they had, whether they’d considered living near Salathiel’s household.
Steele laughed. “Dal says yes. Anything that will get him closer to his parents. My family’s so big that I like a breather between visits, but I wouldn’t mind having help close to hand should I need it.”
He had needed it when Dal had gone into labor. Salathiel shivered just thinking about what could have happened.
Hezekiel crossed his arms. “I’m not sure I’d want to be next door.”
Steele grinned and put his hand on Hezekiel’s thigh. “Salathiel says they want a place with a big backyard and an open sky. What if that place was our backyard too? In the Wizarding world, while their house is in a demon realm. That would work right, Salathiel?”
“And if you wanted to spend the night together.” Salathiel held up their hand to stop Hezekiel’s protest. “Dal, or whoever the feeding parent is, can come feed them, and the other two won’t have to get dressed.”
Jonáš yawned. Once Aleš has his kittens, he’ll be able to feed whatever kittens happen to be over.
Dal’s head perked up. Hezekiel sent Salathiel a glare. “What are you doing making children with my Mate’s parents?”
“Cunobelinus is pretty sure Aleš and Jonáš are part of our Mating bond. Which reminds me, according to something Cunobelinus said earlier this evening, since magic flowed through your Mating bond, with Steele’s help, while Dal carried the kittens…”
“Yeah?”
“Then those kittens are at least part demon.”
Steele laughed. “Is that how it works? We have stories, old tales, where a child inherits the powers of her mother’s lover, even if the two didn’t get together until just before the child was born. I thought people just couldn’t count.”
Aleš hurried into the living room. His hair was wet and he was back in his day clothes. “Will my grandbabies have wings?”
Cunobelinus rubbed his shoulder. Their hair was dripping, mostly onto the towel around their shoulders. “It’s hard to think of you old enough to have grandbabies.”
He isn’t, said Jonáš and Dal together. Salathiel petted Jonáš’s agitation away.
Hezekiel got up and looked down at his kittens.
Cunobelinus sopped some of the drips from their hair. “Aleš wonders whether a demon-familiar could wear wings in their cat forms.”
Steele laughed. “Don’t give my kids any ideas.”
Hezekiel picked up the oldest kitten and closed his eyes. He took several deep breaths and grinned. “They’re demons! At least partly. My princess.” He kissed her head and put her back with the others, but she mewed and toddled about until she found him again. He picked her up and cuddled her against his neck.
Steele wrapped an arm around Hezekiel’s shoulder. “They were always yours too.”
Salathiel looked away from their little moment. Cunobelinus laughed. “This means you can’t put off naming them any longer.”
Hezekiel stuck the index finger of his empty hand in his ear. “I can’t hear you.”
Dal got dressed and stood up. “Hez. We are going back to your place with the kittens.”
“But…”
“Your kittens need to get familiar to your place.”
“But aren’t we moving to get you nearer to the family?”
Steele piled the kittens into their basket. “Hezekiel, you lost this one. But on the other hand, I’m sure my mom will help you with all those names. Demons are named after relatives, aren’t they? I’ve got hundreds of relatives to choose from.”
They left still arguing, but Salathiel was sure Dal would get his way, especially with Steele in his corner.
Salathiel lay back on the couch. He needed to get up and shower. Or maybe not. He wouldn’t mind smelling like Aleš for a little longer. Cunobelinus helped them to their feet. The bed had been remade with new sheets, so Salathiel took the shower. Jonáš joined them partway though. They made sure Jonáš was completely dry and the towels hung up before they opened the bathroom door.
Cunobelinus wasn’t quite asleep. Jonáš jumped onto the bed as a cat and curled up by their neck. Aleš waiting until Salathiel was comfortable to switch to man form and drape himself over them. Salathiel laughed. “Don’t you wear clothes to bed?”
“I used to.” Aleš mumbled against his neck. “But now I’m safe.”
He was safe and he’d always be.
~~~~~
Salathiel sat in window seat, basking in the sun, with Aleš on their lap. They had work to do but none of that mattered. Their job was now more of a hobby. The kittens slept on the sun warmed blankets. Their kittens. One was a striped tabby like Jonáš, one jet back except for a red spot under their neck and at the tip of their tail, and one was white except in the right light when ivory spots glittered. The sun was too bright for that now.
Jonáš mewed. Salathiel swung their leg down so the Jonáš could climb up. He carried a smaller kitten up to join Aleš’s. He had one grey spotted, one striped blue, grey, and white, and one striped like a little white tiger. Six kittens were enough for now. Salathiel had drawn the line at Cunobelinus having another until the kittens were old enough to shift-so Jonáš and Aleš could help care for the baby-or Cunobelinus could guarantee that the familiars in the bond meant the baby, or babies if Cunobelinus had their way, could be raised as kittens the first few weeks. Salathiel was not going to do all the feeding and cleaning and raising alone again.
Jonáš set his last kitten in the pile and crawled onto Salathiel’s lap. Cunobelinus was close to a breakthrough and might not be home tonight, but that didn’t matter. Salathiel had the rest of his family right here.
The sun crossed the sky but still shone in the window. Salathiel should get up and make dinner, but not yet.
Dal trooped his family though the grass, in through the cat door, and up to the window seat. He took his man form, complete with loose shirt and shorts. “I hope you don’t mind.” He placed his wiggly kittens beside the pile. “Steele’s at a bachelor party for a friend of his and he thought it was the perfect time for me to be alone with Hez.”
Salathiel smiled. They were getting to know their sons-in-law better. “And what do you think?”
“I want to just spring on him that one of the next batch is his after I’m carrying them, because I’m sure he’ll freak and get all emotional and we’ll both be crying and Steele won’t be around to hand us tissues.” Dal grinned. “But Steele says I have to give him a choice, so I’m going to wait until I have the lube on him and let him make an informed,” Dal made finger quotes, “decision about where he wants to put it.”
Salathiel tried not to laugh. Dal closed the door quietly and raced back across the field between their houses. Dal’s kittens dozed because who doesn’t like a sunny window?
Salathiel closed their eyes and woke to Jonáš’s and Aleš’s gentle voices in the kitchen and the kittens piled in twos and threes across their legs and belly. Another few minutes and they’d start waking up. Salathiel’s house would never be too quiet again.