Page 29 of Bone Collector’s Mate

“You didn’t even think about it.”

“I didn’t have to. Every day I share my life with you is better than the hundreds of years that came before you.”

I hadn’t accepted the change in my lifespan as easily as he had. It meant I got to spend more time with my mate, but also meant I was going to be saying goodbye to more people, and that was a lot to take in. I wanted this, to spend countless human lifetimes with Noir, but it would be a while before I fully adjusted to the idea.

The veggies were almost completely sautéed and ready for the next step, when Benji came barging in.

“Papa, Dad, you need to come outside.”

“Why?”

“I taught Homer a trick.”

“Should we be worried?” I mumbled.

“Maybe.”

Noir reached over and turned off the stove. I moved the pan to the back burner, and we followed Benji out.

“Watch this.” Benjie held up his arm and rotated it in a circle. “Spin, Homer. Spin.”

Homer watched him, not even pretending to move.

“He probably just forgot.” Benji walked around in one big circle with reward treats in his hand, some goat cookies my mate had made for him. The goat followed him because of the treat. Benji didn’t see it that way. He was sure the goat was being a genius goat-trick master.

“See? I told him to spin, and he spun.”

I looked at Noir.

He smiled. “Well done, Homer. Why don’t you give him a treat, Benji?”

“You know Homer didn’t actually spin, right?” I whispered.

“Do not underestimate our son’s gifted training abilities.”

That was the support of a father, a real father, whether biology deemed him so or not.