“Huh.I guess Armand came home early.”She smiled.
Echel set her on her feet, and she looked at her father.“So, Dad.What do you think?”
“I think you are what you were always supposed to be.Spectacular.”He looked like he wanted to hug her again, but he left her in the arms of her delta.
Carlos blinked shiny tears from his eyes.“Thank you for inviting me to witness it.It is very much appreciated.Just one question, you have gotten the funds back from the pack?”
Echel nodded.“We have, and she has a Van Housen Bank account.”
Carlos smiled broadly.“Good.Good.Excellent.”
Duran started to hum loudly, picked Emhara up, and carried her into the house with everyone else laughing.It wasn’t a nice laugh.
She sighed and said, “I am not going to ask.”
Duran grinned.“Neither am I.So, where am I taking you?”
“Which room is yours again?I feel like experimenting.”
He chuckled.“Well, if you are feeling particularly brave, we will go to the larger bedroom and experiment together.”
She grinned.“I am feeling all kinds of brave right now.Please tell me my dad left.”
“He’s out front, and his car is pulling away,” Samsor said from behind her.“He was asking what kind of a gift he could get for a daughter who just turned into a star.”
She smiled.“I am not still glowing, am I?”
Duran smiled as he walked into the room and released her legs so she slid down his body with his arm around her back, holding her against him.“A star?”
He nodded, and she could see the bit of magic in his eyes she had given him.“Does that feel weird?”
“It feels warm.Like a piece of your soul is nestled inside me.”
“And me,” Samsor said.
“And me.”Echel chuckled.
She was pressed against Duran, and she asked, “So, how do we start things, counsellor?”
He grinned.“Well, we can touch you one at a time or all together.”
“Will all together be a common thing?”
The elves looked at each other and shrugged.“Probably.If you prefer one at a time, that is possible.”
“Well, you three all met me at the worst time ever, you have seen me in various stages of undress and in a variety of skin colours.I can’t think of one of you without the others.Is that weird?”
The men around her smiled.Duran said, “Not weird at all, and I am very glad that I handed your files over to Ark.He’s cutthroat in all the right ways.”
She smiled up at him.“In that case, you guys are all dramatically overdressed.”
Echel pulled her back against a very naked body.“Speak for yourself.”He kissed her neck and shoulder, turning her to face him for a kiss that curled her toes and set up a low pulse in her belly.
Her robe slid off her shoulders, and Samsor touched her arms and back.Her body got hot rapidly, and when her knees buckled and Duran picked her up and set her on the bed, he lay between her thighs, and she got to practice self-control and not releasing magic that bubbled up when she came.
That night, she got a lot of practice.
Finishing the acrylic was easy.She had it sitting and drying as she set up the two easels for the oil paintings.The window was open, and she was marking the position in the canvas from the sketches.
