Since moving in, the vampire had shed all his tension, happy to sit for hours reading a book, or watching movies, the three of them curled up on the couch together. There were some days none of the men bothered with clothes, happy enough to spend their time in bed, laughing and loving on each other the way Ra had always dreamed.
Arvyn loved the new place, especially when he found the big old workshop behind the house. Apparently, Ra’s wolf mate had a love of woodcrafts and guitars, and Ra was happy to set him up with tools and the special woods that had Arvyn’s tail wagging. Because yes, the wolf side of Ra’s mate loved their new house too, and many an evening, it would be the wolf joining Ra and Kirill on their big old porch, keeping a watchful eye on rodents and the various animal life that lived and played in the trees surrounding the property.
It wasn’t all just cozying on the couch or spending their days in bed, however. Kirill had apparently taken on board Ra’s comment back when they met about how the god hadn’t experienced much of life on earth. Conscious of the fact that Ra wouldn’t be able to go out in public much longer, he was just starting to show, Kirill and Arvyn were determined Ra should enjoy the happy things in life – volunteering at a local soup kitchen, wandering around farmer’s markets on an afternoon, day trips on motorcycles, and visiting the out of the way diners and bars Ra loved. Many evenings, sitting in a bar, Arvyn would pull out his guitar and have all the locals singing along with everything from country hits to older eighties and nineties songs.
His mates made it so easy for Ra to forget that he was a god. So, a cerebral ding, heard early one morning while Ra was enjoying watching the sunrise, was a surprise. They had a visitor. Letting his mates know they had company through their now solid mind link, Ra got up, and offered a chair to one of his daughters.
“Bastet, I’m surprised to see you. Are you well?” Ra settled back in his own chair, waving a hand for refreshments. Bastet was a beautiful woman, and her eyes held kindly approval as she eyed Ra’s thickening waistline.
“Were you ever going to tell the rest of us you were mated and expecting a child?” she asked softly with only a hint of reprimand. “So many of your people would be thrilled to share in your good fortune and would be overjoyed to know the Fates haven’t overlooked us in their bid to provide gods with mates.”
“The Fates have doubly blessed me indeed.” Ra handed Bastet a glass of mint tea, knowing she would enjoy it. “I have two strapping mates who love me dearly, and I them. To be honest, if it wasn’t for this,” he patted his small baby bump, “it would be easy to forget the passage of time, but I haven’t felt so content in eons.”
“Happiness looks good on you, Lord Ra.” Bastet smiled. “But you should know, I was sent in to warn you.”
“Warn me?” Ra felt a shaft of alarm, and as if by magic, Arvyn and Kirill appeared by his side, bristling with protectiveness.
Bastet laughed in the face of his mates’ visible upset. “I’m here to make sure you’ve all got clothes on. No one wanted to disrespect you, or your mates by appearing when you were enjoying intimate times with your loved ones. I’m warning you about your impending lunch date with the people from your realm who love you and only want to share in your good fortune.”
“Here?” Ra glanced up at his mates. “Surely, the realm would be more appropriate for a mating celebration?”
“Would it really?” Bastet took a graceful sip of her drink and eyed Ra over the glass. “Tell me, my Lord, if you and your mates had the choice between a stuffy robe infested ritual celebration on your realm, or a family-style barbecue and grill afternoon here at your home, which would you choose?”
“Egyptian gods do barbecue?” Of course, it was Arvyn who asked.
“Osiris has spent decades perfecting the most succulent grilled steak, and my salads have been known to have grown men drooling,” Bastet teased. Then she turned serious, her eyes kind as she focused on Ra. “Truly, my lord, it would do the heart of your people so much good if you’d invite them into your home. I can understand your reluctance, we all can. Between that nasty business with Seth, and the unfortunate downfall of Thoth, your heart must be weary from grief.”
“It’s not been easy.” Ra leaned on Kirill’s side, his hand taken by Arvyn. “I have lived with the idea that all beings have free will for as long as I’ve been alive, but there is still so much I feel I don’t know about my beloved children and it’s not easy to get past thoughts that I have let them down in some way.”
“Your beloved Kirill has gone through similarly painful thoughts relating to his own people,” Bastet said kindly as she smiled at the staunch looking vampire. “The Fates did well in your joining, giving you someone who could understand and empathize with your disappointments, as well as the delightful Arvyn who is the sunshine who keeps you all focused on what’s good in this life.”
Bastet was right, as per usual, and Ra felt a warm glow of pride, knowing that was coming from his mates. “The love we all share, is a very powerful force in its own right.”
“Then please, will you consider sharing that love with your people.” Bastet leaned forward on her chair, her elbows resting on her knees. Flicking her hair back from her face, she said, “You have been an amazing father, letting us all develop and create lives of our own here on earth when we were no longer needed by mortals. But no matter how distant we might seem as people sometimes, we’re all part of a powerful pantheon, and the source of that power comes from you. It would give heart to a lot of our kind if you would allow this barbecue, and let our people witness the love you’ve found.”
“We have a barbecue and grill that barely gets used,” Arvyn said excitedly. “We could get a karaoke machine, and a sound system so people could dance if they wanted. It’s not like food will be a problem.”
“We could invite some of our other friends too like Paulie and Zeus and their little one,” Kirill added. “Wes and Cass too, if they’re not too busy because it’s thanks to them we met.”
“Helios might like to come.” Ra nodded. “I know he sees us, but I haven’t spoken to him in an age. Hades and Poseidon too, if they were keen to come, along with their mates and children. We haven’t met up since Hades’ mating celebration.”
“You have so many good friends.” Bastet’s eyes twinkled. “So, can I let the others know we’re having a party?”
“Yes.” Ra patted his belly. “We’re having a party. It’s time for our people and our friends to come together.” A pang lanced his heart despite his excitement – two of his kind would be missing. There was no guarantee Thoth would ever recover his wits enough to socialize again, and Seth…
“Seth will find his way back into the fold,” Bastet said, and Ra should’ve known his daughter would miss nothing. “You plan to see him again in another month or so, yes?”
“Yes.” Time had flown by so fast. Ra wasn’t sure a mere six months was enough to change the hatred in Seth’s heart. Not when it had been eons in the making.
“You never know.” Bastet winked. “Maybe the Fates will bless him despite his angry ways, and he’ll find a mate of his own down here.”