Matt watched as Sera’s family sat around the table in Falcon dining room. Ayden pulled out some wooden letter tiles from a bag and then passed it to Tess. Falcon and Julia took some as well, and finally Sera.

“Are you sure you won’t play?” she asked again, turning the full power of her summer blue eyes on him. It was an extremely difficult thing to deny her anything—especially when she gave him that look—but he smiled and shook his head. The whole family gathering, togetherness thing wasn’t him. As he usual, he felt out of place.

She gave him a little pout, but then smiled and returned her attention to her letters. He watched as she pursed her perfect lips in thought, then her eyes lit up when she discovered her word, and laid the letters out on the painted board in the center of the table.

He continued to stand in the doorway, captivated by her beauty. He loved her hair, the way the long ringlet curls bounced slightly when she moved. They were copper now, the same color as her mother’s hair. He sighed at the usual mix of feelings it gave him. Her white-gold hair had changed colors when she lost her dream healer power. She had misused the divine gift because of him. That made him sad, especially because it had gotten her kicked out of Aryst’s temple.

But he couldn’t help being happy about it too, because he was selfish, and he knew that he wouldn’t have her now if she hadn’t have used her power to convince him to be with her. Now there wasn’t a life for him with out her, not anymore. She was his angel, his light, his everything.

He waited until she looked over at him again—which she did unfailingly every couple of minutes—then motioned to the back door. She answered with a smile and nod. It was typical for him to be found alone in the backyard during these occasions. She thankfully let him be. Even when no one else understood, she did.

He went out and sat down in the grass, leaning back against the house. It was already dark out, but the moon bathed the yard in soft, silver light. Still, he didn’t notice Tess’ little brother until he spoke.

“Why do you smoke those?”

Matt glanced over at the seven-year-old boy with messy brown hair and ears that were a bit too big for him. He took a drag of his cigarette and thought about it for a moment. Finally, he shrugged. “No idea actually.”

“Is it fun?” Gavin wanted to know.

“Not particularly.”

“Does it taste good?”

He shrugged again.

Gavin frowned. “I don’t get it.”

“What’s to get?”

“Can I try?”

Matt handed over his cigarette and Gavin tried to imitate him. He sucked some smoke in, and then started choking and coughing. Matt laughed as he took his cigarette back.

When Gavin was able to breathe normally again, he sat beside him. “My sister would kick your butt for letting me do that.”

Matt smiled. “She doesn’t need a reason to wanna do that.”

Gavin nodded. “Yeah, she likes fighting. But she can’t beat you, can she?”

“No.”

“Can my dad?”

“Don’t know, never fought him.” Matt raised his arched brow at the kid, amused. “What do you think?”

“My dad’s the best fighter ever,” he said confidently.

Matt chuckled. “Then why’d you ask?”

He shrugged. “Tess says you’re full of yourself.”

“Who else am I supposed to be full of?”

For some reason that made the kid giggle. After a moment, he grew serious again and asked, “Are you really a bad guy?”

“Not anymore.”

“'Cause of my sister?”

“She’s part of it.”

“Why’d you try to kill her anyway?” Gavin wanted to know. “Did she make you really mad?”

“No. I was going to sacrifice her to bring my mother back.”

“From where?”

“From being dead.”

“Is that why you were bad?” Gavin asked, “because your mom wasn’t there to tell you not to?”

“Hasn’t your family already told you this?”

The boy rolled his eyes dramatically. “No. They said I can know when I’m older, cuz it’s too much for me right now. But I still hear stuff. People don’t pay attention to you when you’re little.” He eyed Matt for a second. “Bet people never forget you’re there.”

“No, they don’t.” He gave a smoky sigh. “Well, my mother was Kieran. You heard of her?”

“The one my mom and dad beat? Cuz she served the evil God of Darkness?”

“Yeah, so she wasn’t a good person.”

“Did you serve Malluk too?”

“Yes.”

“Were you were bad cuz your mom was bad?”

Matt shrugged. “She died when I was five, so I didn’t know her very well.”

“What about your dad? Did he die?”

“Yeah, when I was almost twelve.”

“Who took care of you? Did you have an aunt and uncle?”

Matt sighed. Asking questions seemed to run in this family. He looked over at Gavin—the kid’s blue eyes were full of earnest curiosity. Matt shook his head. “No, just me.”

Gavin stared up at him sadly. “Then who put you in bed at night? Who told you stories? Who made you food?”

“Me,” he answered simply.

“You had to be all alone?” Gavin asked, his eyes widening and growing misty.

“Pretty much,” Matt said, then frowned when Gavin scooted closer and hugged his arm. What was with this family? Always touching and hugging. And always feeling bad. He couldn’t seem to not make them feel bad with his past, even the parts when he wasn’t doing anything wrong. He didn’t get it.

He sighed again, then took a final drag of his cigarette before putting it out. “So, I heard you like insects,” he said, changing the subject. Gavin’s nickname was Creepy because of his love of creepy-crawlies. “I did too when I was your age.”

Gavin lifted his head and smiled up at him now. “Really? You wanna see my collection? I got loads!”

Matt chuckled at his enthusiasm. “Sure.”

Gavin stood and grabbed his wrist. Matt was a large man, so for the skinny little kid it was like an ant trying to pull up a tree. Amused by his effort, Matt stayed seated and watched him struggle. Finally, when he stood, Gavin took his hand and lead him inside.

—————

After their game was finished, Sera went looking for Matt. Upstairs, she heard his voice, and peaked through a doorway into Gavin’s bedroom. The green and blue room was filled with books and glass cases that displayed dead insects. Sera watched, unseen.

Gavin grabbed a book off a shelf and hurried back to where Matt was sitting on the bed. He climbed up into his lap and Sera had to cover her mouth to quiet a giggle at Matt’s expression. It was obvious that he had no clue about children and was completely bewildered by this one.

After a moment, he relaxed a little as Gavin opened the book. The boy flipped through some pages before coming to the one he wanted and pointing. “Like that?”

“Much more vicious looking in real life,” Matt told him. “Of course anything that’s towering over you looks pretty scary.”

“Bet you weren’t scared.”

Matt scoffed. “Course not.”

Gavin grinned. “So what happened? Did it get you with its pincers?”

“No, didn’t touch me,” Matt answered with a smug smile. “I killed it before it had the chance.”

“Wow,” Gavin said, impressed. “I wish I could see one for real.”

“I think it might be a bit too big for your collection though.”

Gavin laughed. “Yeah, and Mom would freak! She hates insects.”

“Guess it’s good that all yours are dead.”

“Well…” Gavin scrunched up his face in thought for a moment. He set the book beside Matt, hopped down, and went to a dresser beside on of his bookcases. He climbed up on top of it using open drawers, and then started stepping onto a wobbly stack of books beside his lamp.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting something,” Gavin told him.

Matt shook his head and stood. “Up there?” he asked, glancing to the top of the bookshelf that was almost as tall as the eight-foot ceiling. When Gavin nodded, Matt grabbed the child by the waist and lifted him up.

“Okay, got it,” Gavin said.

Matt lowered him to the floor and returned to sit on the bed.

“Check this out,” Gavin said proudly and held the jar up, showing him a black spider the size of a robin’s egg. “It’s a skulian spider.”

“That’s poisonous,” Matt said, a little surprised.

Gavin nodded fervently. “Cool, huh? Watch this.”

When he started unscrewing the top of the jar. Matt put a hand over his to stop him while Sera stifled a soft gasp, but she stayed where she was. She would be able to heal him if he was bitten, and it was a slow poison anyway, it took two days on average to kill someone if they didn’t get healed.

“What are you doing?” Matt asked.

“I won’t let it hurt you,” Gavin told him.

Matt rolled his eyes. “I’m not worried about me.”

Gavin smiled. “I won’t get hurt. Promise.”

Matt frowned at him, but took his hand away and sat back. Gavin opened the jar and grabbed the spider. Setting the jar down on the nightstand, he let the spider crawl from hand to hand.

When the spider was finally returned to the jar, put back on the shelf, and Gavin had climbed onto his lap again, he asked, “Why didn’t it bite you?”

“I always keep special oil on my hands,” he answered.

Matt continued to frown. “What if it got off your hands?”

Gavin sighed. “You sound like my dad,” he grouched.

Matt huffed a laugh. “Sorry.”

As if on cue, Falcon came to stand beside Sera. He watched Matt and his son for a moment then looked down at his niece. “I think you judge people pretty well,” he whispered.

She shifted her gaze to Matt, a tender expression on her face. “Some people just need to be loved.”

“So Jules always tells me,” he said with a smile.

“Aunt Julia’s an amazing person. She sees the good in people.”

“Just like you.” He leaned down to kiss the top of her head before entering the room, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm, and he raised a questioning brow.

“Please wait until Matt’s gone, but Gavin has skulian spider in a jar on that shelf.” She glanced to the location and back. “A living one.”

Falcon rolled his eyes. “Thanks.” He entered the room. “Okay, time for bed,” he announced.

Matt set the boy down and stood up. Gavin jumped to his feet, standing on the bed and reached out his arms for a hug. Matt looked extremely uncomfortable as he stepped closer and awkwardly accepted the embrace.

“Night, Matt,” Gavin told him when he let go. “Will you tell me more stories tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sure,” Matt said, then glanced warily at Falcon.

Matt wasn’t someone who was ever anxious around anyone, but he tried to tread softly around Falcon and Cael, for Sera’s sake. She was more grateful than he knew.

Falcon surprised Matt now by smiling and patting his shoulder. “Thanks.”

“Sure,” he said with a small nod. Then, still looking confused, left the room.

“I see you made a new friend,” Sera said, beaming up at him when he entered the hallway. She couldn’t help imagining the day when it would be their child sitting on his lap. She wouldn’t say that to Matt yet, she knew the idea would probably freak him out, but someday, when he was ready. Matt would be able to give his children the life—the love—that he should have had.

Matt glanced over his shoulder at Gavin who waved happily from his father’s arms. “Guess so,” he mumbled. When he looked back at her he noticed her misty eyes and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It just made me happy to watch you with him.” She felt his increased confusion. Not wanting to share her feelings, she changed the subject. “So, did you really fight some giant insect?”

He nodded, relaxing now. “The desert’s full of things like that, especially the southern half, though its best to stay away from Wynlin Hills. The Ajani Tribe are far more deadly then the monsters. The monsters are part of the reason I stayed in Halimi, for the challenge.”

“Was the other reason because it’s such a party town?” she asked knowingly as they descended the stairs.

“Yes, but it was mostly because I liked the heat.”

“Living in Brunya City probably isn’t your favorite, huh?”

He shrugged. “It’s okay.” He picked her up as they got to the bottom of the steps, so he wouldn’t have to bend down a foot to kiss her. “Besides, I have all the heat I need right here.”

He set her down and moved her out of the way a moment later as Ayden suddenly rushed past them, heading up the stairs in a hurry. Tess ran after him, taking the steps two at a time. “You’re seriously gonna get it!” she yelled teasingly, and Ayden laughed in response.

Matt and Sera smiled at the usual behavior.

“Stop running in the house,” Julia called after them. She sighed as she ran a hand through her honey-color hair. “You know, you’d think at eighteen I wouldn’t have to say that anymore.”

Sera laughed. “Like Tess has ever done what she’s told.”

When she felt Matt’s guilt, she automatically touched his hand and gave him a caring, supportive look. His return gaze was slightly annoyed though, and she understood immediately when she felt her aunt’s rising anger. Julia didn’t want to be reminded of what her daughter had gone through with Matt just a few months ago. Everyone got along best with him if they didn’t think about the past.

Julia was quick to calm herself, but she still frowned at him. “By the way, Matt,” she said, her tone firm and disapproving, “do not give my son a cigarette again.”

Sera gasped, shocked, but then remembered that he wouldn’t know better. It wasn’t like he had been raised properly, and he didn’t have any experience with children at all, to him they were just miniature adults.

A silver tabby cat—Julia’s familiar—stood at her feet glaring up at Matt. Jade must have seen them and told her telepathically.

Matt shrugged. “He asked.”

Julia sighed. “Well, if he asks again, you say no.”

“Fine.”

“Thanks,” she said tightly. “Well, goodnight.”

“Bye,” Sera said and hugged her aunt before leaving.

Sera knew that she should say something about the smoking incident, should explain it to Matt, but she really didn’t want to think about it. She would talk to him later; right now she was feeling lusty. It was had to have a boyfriend like Matt and not feel that way a lot of the time. Aside from her absolute adoration of him, he was also the most beautiful man she had ever seen and she loved every inch of him. She loved that he was so big and physically powerful. She loved his tousled blond hair, his piercing blue eyes, his strong jaw, and his smile. When his dimples appeared, she melted inside.

“So, we have the whole house to ourselves,” she said as they entered the side door of her parent’s home, which led into the kitchen. Her parents were off traveling, as usual. She took Matt’s hand and walked backwards into the dining room. “And look, there just happens to be this big, sturdy table behind me.”

He grinned down at her, his eyes both smoldering and amused. “You’re supposed to be an angel, not a dirty minded imp,” he said, removing his jacket and tossing it onto a chair.

“Told you I wasn’t an angel,” she said, pushing up on his dark gray t-shirt until he pulled it off and cast it aside. “Maybe I’m really just a wicked creature underneath it all.”

He grabbed her waist and set her on the table. “No.” He stepped in between her parted legs and kissed her throat. “You’re an angel,” he murmured. “My angel.” He moved his lips along her skin. “Because you’re perfect”—he kissed her jaw—“in every”—kiss—“single”—kiss—“way.” He made his way to her ear and gently nipped at her earlobe.

She smiled and sighed. “Then you have to be one too,” she said as she glided her hands slowly up his hard stomach and muscled chest. She leaned back to marvel at his incredibly gorgeous body. “Because you are perfection.”

“Maybe I’m just a beautiful devil here to tempt you.” He kissed her, a soft, lingering kiss.

“Well it’s working,” she breathed, undoing his pants. “I simply can’t resist.”

“You should be ashamed,” he teased in a whisper, “being seduced so easily.”

“Oh, I’m completely riddled with guilt.”

He paused. “How much do you like this dress?”

She grinned at his impatience. “Hate it.”

“Good.” He leaned back, took two handfuls of the light blue fabric, and pulled. The buttons down the front popped off and then he ripped the rest of the material down the middle.

When he moved to trail kisses over her chest, she sighed blissfully. There was only one thing better then finding the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with; it was finding out that he was everything you wanted, in every single way.