72 A Troll Family

Continuation of Charles's POV:

Pierre stirred on top of me as I felt the sun going down and he moaned as he nuzzled his head against my chest, stretching out on me. He brushed up against my manhood with the movement, causing me to wake up a little more. I groaned before opening my eyes. I glanced around before grabbing my boxers and tried to slip them on. He moved slightly and let me as he felt me moving then leaned into my neck a little. He bit into it without warning and started to drink from me, a small moan escaping him. I gasped and froze up, letting him drink my blood. He pulled his fangs out and licked my neck, cleaning it up before he relaxed and then reached for his boxers, opening his eyes. He put them on and then looked towards the top of the coffin and pushed on it, sitting up on my stomach as he opened it. I frowned as a chill slipped into our hot box.

"Close it," I whined and curled up under him. "It's too cold." He glanced down at me before he purred and leaned back in, laying on top of me and closing the lid for me. He snuggled up to me and ran his fingers along my side.

"We have to go to your family tonight," he whispered softly to me. "We'll have to get up soon... and I'd rather Ricky not come looking for us and finding you in your boxers." He growled dominantly in my ear and kissed my cheek.

"But...." I whined. "It's really comfy in here," I mumbled.

"Well we don't have to get up right now... but we do soon," he told me and then looked me over before he scratched at his neck. "Are you hungry?" He asked lovingly. I nodded and leaned into his neck, biting down deep into him. He moaned sharply and fell on top of me and then quickly flipped us so I was on top, freeing me up from being stuck under him. He tilted his head slightly, making it to where I could bite him deeper and sink my fangs in all the way if I wished. I kept my fangs shallow though as I drank the blood freely flowing from him. He whined slightly but didn't complain much as he let me drink from him, playing with my hair. I pulled back when I got enough and laid down on him, letting out a small sigh. I threw the coffin open and started to put my clothes on. He yelped as the light hit him in the face and then frowned before he reached for his shirt and sat up, moving me into his lap. "You could've warned me that you were going to open the coffin," he told me and then slipped his shirt on, covering himself up.

He reached past me for his pants and stole a kiss as he grabbed them. I managed to get my clothes on before slipping out of the coffin. He watched me and then got out, putting on his pants and then shut the coffin. He glanced around before he rubbed his neck where I had bitten him and pulled his hand away, looking towards the slight blood on it as it was healing up. I licked my lips and left the room, going into the busy underground vampire bar. I stole a glass from a waiter's tray and started for the elevator. I heard Pierre following after me quickly, not wanting to be left behind. I hit a button to take us up and stepped into it, waiting for my mate. He got in quickly and glanced around before he started to run his fingers through his hair, fixing it. "So... are they far from here?" He asked me softly, glancing my way.

"No," I told him calmly. "They're just right next door. A town over." I stepped off the elevator and downed the blood, going directly to the bar for humans and looked at Ricky. "Send that coffin to the castle- will you?" I asked.

"Sure thing, Charles!" Ricky waved at me as I walked off for the exit. Pierre scrambled after me.

"Bye Ricky! It was nice meeting you!" He called over his shoulder and then frowned as he caught up to me. I walked out into the night, heading for the bridge to get back in my sports car. "I think I'll message Everest and tell her that we're going to be back at the castle late tonight," he hummed out to me, pulling out his phone. "I don't want her to worry and tell someone that we're gone...." He smiled softly and started to text her.

"Okay," I mumbled and blushed. I looked over my shoulder at him. "You ready to meet my family?"

"Uh huh," he said excitedly. "I can't wait! I bet they're amazing! It'll be fun~" He looked up at me and gave a huge smile. "I hope I don't surprise them too bad though.... You did leave them while you were single."

"Yeah, I never really brought home any girls or boys.... So this will be a big step for them." I rubbed the back of my head. He widened his eyes and looked a bit frightened then.

"Never?! I don't know if I should be pleased that you never dated or if I should be scared that your family is going to bombard me!"

"I never said I didn't date. I just never brought them home." I shrugged. "They weren't worth it."

"Did they know you dated?" He asked and frowned. "You never... did anything with your dates, right?"

"No," I mumbled and shrugged. "We didn't do that much together. I got bored of them." He relaxed a little and then nodded.

"O-okay," he mumbled and then put his phone in his pocket. He reached out for my hand and entwined his fingers with mine, purring softly. "They won't bombard me, will they? Or are they the kind who quickly accept things and don't question for long?"

"Um," I stopped as I suddenly got nervous. What if they don't love me anymore? I took too long to go home.... What if they moved on? I'm not really their son anyways. What if they tell me to get out? They're going to disown me. He stopped beside me and frowned, looking towards me.

"What's the matter, mi amour?" He asked me softly, kissing my cheek. "Why're you tense?" He let go of my hand and then started to rub my shoulders. "Did I say something that worried you?" I nodded and looked at him.

"I'm just having second thoughts," I whispered.

"Why?" He asked me and frowned, wrapping me in his arms. "You were kind of excited last night to see them...."

"Yeah but.... what if they reject me when I see them?" I mumbled and leaned my head against his shoulder. "Maybe we should go home."

"Well... why would they send that dream troll to find you if they weren't looking for you? They cared enough to send someone... and they had been looking for you.... They took care of you. I doubt they'd tell you to get lost. They sent you to work with vampires. They must've known there was a chance you'd become one," he told me and then ran his fingers through my hair. "At least you can go talk to your family. I can only watch from afar...."

"Yeah but they didn't send me. I left them to work with vampires," I mumbled. I shook my head before starting for the car. "We'll go," I whispered. He followed after me quickly and then got into the car when we reached it. He gave me a sweet smile as I got in and leaned over, giving me a kiss.

"Don't be worried about it. I doubt they'll reject you. How could they? You're so sweet and loving when you want to be... and I can't see how anyone wouldn't be proud of you. I mean, Ricky said you had vampires by the balls as a human! That's pretty hard to do." He laughed happily and rubbed my cheek. "It makes me wonder what it would've been like to have met you when you were like that...."

"Oh yeah?" I purred to him and nodded. I started the engine and began to drive us to my home town.

"Yeah~ Would you have dominated me?" He teased me. "Lil ol' French me?"

"I would have totally dominated you," I purred. He laughed at that and gave me a playful look.

"Yeah, but you like me on top now," he told me and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm not sure you could get me by the balls anymore like you could've as a human," he teased me.

"No," I mumbled and shook my head. "I don't want to be dominate to you." He smiled towards me and leaned over, giving me a kiss.

"I love you," he whispered to me and purred. "I'm glad I met you when I did... before I would've gotten worse. I can't wait to meet your family and then take you to France~!" He kissed my neck then before he laughed and pulled back, turning on the radio. "So! Anything in particular you want waiting for us in France? Any kind of treat? Wine? Silk sheets? A table full of sweets? Kinky stuff?" He asked me sweetly, pulling out his phone. "I know we're getting a view, and I want the best stuff for you and to make our trip perfect~"

"I want a rose," I told him simply. I turned the radio on to where Fall out Boy was on. "Other than that.... I think that's it.... a balcony sounds perfect." He smiled and nodded.

"Okay, I'll have them put a beautiful rose on your pillow," he promised me and started to type on his phone. "Oh~ There we go. This room has a balcony and a view of the Eiffel tower. It's got a nice bathroom too... pretty big bathtub, and it's a honeymooner's suite. It's pretty much made for romance and comfort. The room is decorated lavishly," he purred to me. "They'll bring you breakfast in bed too if you want it... and if I remember correctly," he smirked, "my old maker used to stay in this hotel. There is a supernatural aspect that is hidden under the surface, so they'd give us a vampire maid to serve us blood in bed at night and whatnot. I just have to inform the right people in charge of the hotel." He looked towards me. "It's perfect! We wouldn't have to worry about humans bursting in on us in the morning and trying to feed us breakfast. We'd get it when we actually want it... and we'd also have that nice view~ I like the choice of sheets too.... I think I'll pick this red one for us. You look nice on red...." He hummed thoughtfully as he started to fill out something on his phone. "Red... silk sheets... and then...."

"Pink sheets," I whined and looked at him.

"Pink?" He looked towards me and then tilted his head. "Alright," he whispered and then laughed slightly. "They got a nice pink floral silk sheet, want that? Matching pillows and everything.... It even has lace on some of it."

"I like that!" I told him. "Floral sounds girly though..." I trailed off.

"Well... I could look to see if they have a pink silk sheet with the lace but minus the floral design," he suggested.

"Eh," I mumbled and waved it off. "Choose your red silk." He frowned and then glanced at me before he looked at his phone.

"Nah, I'll get you the pink. I don't mind," he purred to me. "You look good with that too...." He hummed and looked at his phone and then smiled hugely. "What kind of bath scents do you want?"

"Rose," I told him and laughed.

"Okay~" He laughed and then put it in the phone. "Let's see... I think I want this one for myself.... Okay.... It's open in two days for us... so we can see your parents tonight and then get on a flight tomorrow night and head out to Paris and stay for as long as we want.... I just have to book the room for that long. How long do you want? A week, month, year?"

"We're going tomorrow?" I asked and bit my bottom lip.

"Well... I could have them reserve it for longer," he told me. "As long as I put down a down payment, they won't book that room to someone else unless I cancel it. It's a really nice hotel~"

"Well..." I trailed off. "I guess we could go tomorrow." I shook my head. "As long as my maker doesn't freak out."

"I doubt he will if we keep in contact with Everest," he told me sweetly and hit the book it button. He purred and entered his card number on it and then saved the receipt before he went to a plane service and started to get us first class seats for tomorrow's flight. I blushed and pulled into the town where I grew up in. It didn't take us long to reach the two story house I lived in with my family when I was a human. Pierre looked towards it as we pulled up to it and then put his phone up. He shifted nervously and then looked towards me, giving me a smile. "Well... let's go knock?" He laughed and leaned over, giving my cheek a kiss. "Let's go before they look out the windows or something." I nodded and got out of the car, taking in a deep and shaky breath. I walked up towards the front porch and rung the doorbell. Pierre stood beside me and gave me a reassuring smile before he gently took my hand in his, rubbing it soothingly. "I bet you're going to be swept up into a hug," he whispered to me and gave me a sweet look. "If they don't, I will." I blushed a bright red just as the door opened. My father was standing in the doorway with a cup of late night coffee and a newspaper in his hand. His face had been dull until he noticed it was me. A smile crept up his face. His magical charm bracelet was still dangling on his wrist, keeping him looking normal- a tan skin tone instead of green. He had on a robe like a typical elderly man along with pajama pants and slippers to wear around the house. I could smell my mother cooking in the kitchen.

"Who is it darling?" I heard my mother ask.

"It's Charles!" My dad yelled as he stepped aside. "He brought a friend! Come on in. Are you hungry?" He asked curiously. Pierre let my hand go then, giving me a soft smile as he gestured for me to go enjoy being with my family and stuck his hands into his pockets. I blushed as I walked in and waited for him to come in with me. "Where have you been?" My dad asked. "I hope you didn't get into some trouble." Pierre followed after me, looking around curiously as he stayed close to me. He smiled softly and then looked towards my father and then towards me as he moved to the other side of me. My father shut the door on us.

"Well.... I accidentally was about to die from a bullet wound and a vampire turned me." I paused as his face was shocked. "That was about four years ago."

"Is this him?" He asked quickly.

"No- this is my soul mate-" Right as I said it, I heard something shatter as my mother dropped a bowl of chips in her hands.

"Say what?" My mother asked. Pierre blushed a bit and glanced in the direction of my mother and smiled.

"Nice to meet you," he said softly, sounding a bit nervous. "I'm Pierre."

"Is that French?" My mother asked, her eyes wide. He smiled a little easier then, relaxing a little.

"Oui," he told her.

"Well," she said and laughed. "We're having hot dogs and chips with dip tonight. So I hope you eat hot dogs. It's American."

"Mom," I mumbled. Pierre laughed a little and nodded.

"I do," he told her sweetly then walked over to her, ditching me. "So you're his mom?" He asked innocently.

"Raised him up until he said he was ready to do his own thing," she told him. "Well~" She looked at the floor. 'I've made a mess but there is more chips."

"You're a vampire now?" My father asked. "He's one too?"

"Yeah," I whispered. My mother brushed her hair up a bit and put her curly brown hair up into a bow.

"You should have called, sweeties. We still have the same number."

"You know I don't keep up with numbers good," I whispered.

"Are you two staying the night?"

"In our terms it would be the day," I explained. My mother was in a house dress and slippers. They both looked like they weren't expecting company. She even had her charm bracelet on.

"Where's your bracelet?" I heard my father ask as he grabbed my wrist. "You could have contacted us through it."

"My maker has it," I told him.

"Well tell him you need it back." Pierre glanced over in interest and towards my wrist and then at my father.

"What all can they do?" He asked curiously.

"The bracelet?" My father asked. "It's magical. All the magic of the tribe, the troll, and any troll who has ever worn the bracelet is all kept inside, instead of our bodies. We're born with them. When his grandfather died he handed his bracelet down to our little human boy. So he'd be apart of the tribe. But if the bracelet doesn't go to someone then it's buried and reborn with another in the tribe."

"The floors are cold," I whispered to Pierre. "Otherwise they'd both have their feet showing. Trolls don't like shoes but slippers are somewhat comfortable when the floors are cold."

"Socks are too," my mom sung as she went off to get a broom.

"That's really cool," Pierre said in amazement. He walked back up to me. "So trolls are born with the bracelets? That's awesome!"

"Oh yeah~ It gives the women heartburn ten days before birth," my father said as he sat the newspaper down on a table by the door. "So are you two- soul mates- staying here tonigh- for the day?"

"No, we need to head back to the castle. We're going to France," I explained. "I thought I would stop by before you have the whole tribe out to kidnap me from my maker's family." He laughed then and pulled me into a hug.

"You know we're just worrying for our little boy!" I blushed a bright red then. Pierre laughed a little as he watched us and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Told you you'd get a hug," he mouthed at me wordlessly. I gave him a small smile.

"Come on honey! Set the table and ask your boyfriend what drink he wants with his food!" I heard my mom yell from the kitchen. "I'm putting on some chilly!" My dad pulled back from the hug.

"That's Angie in the kitchen and my name is Ryan." He held a hand out for my boyfriend's hand. Pierre looked towards his hand and smiled hugely before he took it and shook it.

"Ryan is a nice name," he commented. "I can see why Charles is such a great man. He had an amazing, loving father to raise him. He was scared that you wouldn't want him here."

"I don't know why he would think that," my father said as he looked at me. "We support him in all his little ideas. Especially when they get him into trouble."

"I love you too," I laughed out weakly before looking at Pierre. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Umm... what is there?" He asked me and took his hand back from my father. I caught him glancing at my neck but he quickly took his eyes off it. "Maybe water?"

"Water," I purred and walked off to the kitchen to get us both water. I got us two glasses except I put a lime slice in both of them. I heard Pierre following me slowly before he walked up to me and purred slightly before he kissed my cheek and took a glass from me.

"Thanks, mi amour," he purred to me and took a sip. I blushed and looked at my mother.

"Are we going to eat in the living room?" I asked.

"No sweetie, we're going to eat at the dining room table. You two set the table up for momma~" She told me. I nodded and sat the glasses down out at the table before getting plates and forks for us four and handed them to Pierre. He looked towards them then walked over to the table, putting them down in front of the seats and got some napkins, placing them down then put the forks on the napkins. I moved the flowers on the table out of the way as my mother came in with the bowl of dip and a new bowl of chips. She sat it down before going back for the bowls of toppings for the hotdogs and brought them in while my father brought in the hot dogs and the buns. I sat down quickly as they laid out the food on the table- dead in the middle. Pierre looked towards me, a little unsure but sat down beside me, not wanting to get separated. He reached for my hand under the table and took it, giving it a small squeeze as he purred slightly. They sat down with us and my father gave us a smile.

"So, you two are staying in a castle?" He asked.

"With my maker's family," I told him.

"Who's your maker?" My mother asked.

"Silas Rosario," I told her.

"Yeah, the Rosario family is nice," Pierre purred sweetly. "They're on the vampire council too."

"He's a king," I explained lightly.

"You mean a king turned you into a vampire?" My father asked.

"Well-" I sighed. "I got shot taking a bullet for him," I grumbled.

"Why were you doing that? I didn't raise you to take a bullet for a supernatural that can easily heal!"

"Well it was a spilt second decision," Pierre defended for me. "He couldn't have really thought it through." He gave my cheek a kiss then and smiled at me. "I think it was heroic...."

"Well I think that's just you being my sweet baby boy," my mom said. "You silly boy, taking a bullet for someone. Well at least that vampire let you live instead of die."

"We would have had the whole tribe out to kill him," my father said casually.

"Eek," Pierre whispered and sunk down in his seat.

"That's my little boy right there," he said and smirked as he started to fix himself a plate and my mother followed.

"So are you two going to give us grandbabies?" My mom asked. Pierre blushed.

"I don't think it works like that.... Ex-humans can't have children.... We could adopt, but that would be as close as we could get...." He told them. "Well... I guess a witch or a wizard could help," he murmured under his breath.

"Adoption is always a right thing to do," my father said. "You two can adopt. You should. Give someone a good home that needs it." Pierre smiled at them.

"Maybe in a few years," he told him. "I want to make sure we're ready for that before we adopt."

"Well I want grandbabies before I die boys. You two might have forever but we don't." My mother pointed a finger at us. Pierre gave her a sweet smile.

"If Charles wants a kid, I won't stop him," he told her happily.

"Not now," I said quickly. "Maybe in a few years."

"Our years, okay?" My mother asked. I nodded slowly.

"Like... one kid," Pierre whispered to me. "Not three."

"What?" I asked him and looked at him. "Why three?"

"Because three might be trouble," Pierre mumbled and looked towards me. "Why? Do you want three or more at one time?"

"What!? Okay... maybe two," I whispered to him.

"One was good enough for us," my father said calmly.

"Oh, do you want supernatural children or human children?" Pierre purred to me, starting to look more interested as he ignored my father. "We could get twins~ If we go human, we'll have to watch them closely so they don't get eaten... but we can turn them when they're old enough... or we could adopt supernatural children, like maybe werewolf cubs or something.... I doubt we'll find pureblood vampire children. If you want to look, we can."

"I don't want twins. I want a boy and a girl." I shrugged. "We'll have to see about what species. I might want to adopt troll babies." I smirked towards him.

"With the little magic powers and everything?" He looked a little nervous at the idea. "What if they play tricks? Can they play tricks?"

"Oh they love tricks," my mother said.

"I want a daughter," I mumbled.

"A girl?" Pierre asked softly and then smiled. "I like that idea. We could dress her up and spoil her. She'll be cute... no matter what she is."

"Oh I'll buy her tons of dresses," my mother told us. "Lots of little cute dresses. You know what, you two should move closer to home when you get your baby girl. I want to see her every day."

"We might not even end up raising her," Pierre joked, looking amused at my mom.

"You won't," my father told us and laughed. I laughed and started to fix myself a plate. Pierre purred and gave me a sweet smile.

"We'll look into it," he promised me and leaned over, kissing my cheek. He looked towards the food and started to get himself some, only taking a small bit so he wouldn't get sick.

"Well, let me know. I want to come when you two go to an orphanage to look." My mom gave us both a serious look. Pierre looked towards her and then nodded.

"Yeah, of course," he told her softly. "We'll bring you along."

"Great! I want a little toddler to spoil."

"Maybe we'll get an infant though," Pierre hummed out. "Spoil her from when she's so little. I don't know.... We'll see who's there... who wants to come home with us."

"All of them will," my mom purred.

"We'll see who Charles picks up then. I'm sure Charles will probably end up picking out our child anyways," Pierre told her and laughed. "He'll find the cutest one there."

"I'll find the sweetest girl there and tell her she's my little princess," I purred to myself. Pierre looked towards me and smiled sweetly.

"I get input too, okay?" He told me and then ate a bite of his food.

"No," I told him and shook my head. "I don't think so." He looked towards me and frowned.

"Why not?" He asked me and then reached for my hand. "That's so cruel. I'm raising her with you."

"Because I'm messing with you~" I teased. He growled softly and leaned in, stealing a kiss. I blushed and pulled back before eating my first bite of a hot dog. He purred at me and watched me before he took another bite of his food and looked around, taking in his surroundings. I started to eat my food as chit chat went on at the table between my parents. Pierre seemed to be enjoying himself as he looked back at his plate and started to finish off his food. When he finished, he sipped on his water, watching my parents talking curiously. I looked at him and purred before I kissed his cheek. He looked towards me and purred back.

"I love you," he mumbled to me and gave me a kiss.

"I love you too," I whispered softly to him. He smiled then.

"So... do you want to move closer to them when we go to adopt?" He asked me softly, keeping the conversation between us. He gently took my hand in his and gave it a kiss.

"But I like living at the castle," I mumbled. I do have to run my bar though in a year.... I guess I should. "We probably should move out here.... but if we get a child we can't do day shifts," I whispered. "Unless it was a vampire child."

"Oh... that's a good point.... I didn't even really think about that... our kid living in the day and us living in the night. We'd have to find a pureblood child. We can't find a vampire child that isn't... unless it's a half breed but those are so hard to find... or a child someone turned and abandoned.... Maybe we should ask a witch or wizard to make it to where we can have biological children? I mean... I'd hate to never see our child because she's not nocturnal," he mumbled. I whined then and leaned back in the chair.

"It's an omen we shouldn't have children," I mumbled. Pierre frowned.

"Are you already giving up? I mean... if you want, we can look around. I can ask Everest to keep an ear out for us about any children she knows about. I mean... if you want to.... I was just suggesting another way where the child would be nocturnal...."

"I know," I mumbled. "But then one of us would have to be the girl and I don't feel comfortable with that."

"With being a girl or letting me be a girl?" Pierre asked me softly.

"Both," I mumbled. He sighed and then rubbed my cheek.

"It's fine.... I'll have Everest keep a look out.... We don't have to ask someone to help us out biologically since you're not okay with it. We'll look for a girl to adopt.... Maybe we could get a little girl who isn't a vampire anyways and get her to become nocturnal," he suggested and gave me an encouraging smile. "Unless you'd rather drop the whole thing...."

"No.... Of course I want a little girl," I told him and gave him a sweet smile.

"Then we'll keep a look out," he promised me. "I don't mind a hard search. If it fails, we'll just adopt someone and get them to become nocturnal for us. We won't ask a witch or a wizard."

"Okay," I whispered. I widened my eyes slightly. "We should adopt a wizard! A cute, baby, wizard." He laughed then.

"Where are we going to find a cute little wizard?" He asked me. "I mean... that seems pretty hard to find... but I guess we can look. I'll have Aurelio keep an ear out as well then. At least you didn't say a dragon." He laughed and shook his head.

"Well we could adopt a dragon but I think Toma and Ross would eat it if they found out. We could ask Aurelio to help us."

"I don't want our baby to call us treasure and stuff like that. I think a wizard baby is a great idea." He purred and then pulled out his phone. "I'll ask Aurelio to start watching for us."

"Well we could train our baby dragon to know that we are mommy and daddy."

"I don't think that ever worked with Dmitri though," he trailed off and frowned. He looked towards me. "How about we get a baby dragon and then keep a look out for a wizard baby?"

"Okay! What type of dragon?" I asked curiously.

"What about an Artic dragon? They're really pretty, and not many have them," he purred to me, looking over. "I could go buy us an egg~ Ooh! I wanna buy the egg! Oh my gosh, this is going to be so fun!" He laughed happily.

"Okay, well we should go together." I purred. I think I was selling a crate of artic dragon eggs.... "I think I know a guy that can get us one," I told him. He looked towards me in excitement.

"Yes! We should do this as soon as we get back from France!" He tackled me into a hug and showered my face in kisses. "We're going to have a dragon baby~" I laughed and leaned away from his kisses.

"Why not now?" I asked.

"W-well... I already bought our tickets to France for tomorrow.... I guess I could extend the tickets," he whispered and looked thoughtful. "But I don't know about taking a baby dragon egg to France and having it hatch on us...."

"Well.... Okay. Let's just call the guy today. He probably won't have one ready for us anyways. We'll tell him when we'll be back in town and he'll hopefully have the egg by then," I suggested. He nodded and then crawled into my lap with a purr.

"We'll have to make a nest when we get home for it...." He told me and then wrapped his arms around my neck. I frowned.

"Babe, go back into your seat. You're so silly!" I pushed him back into his seat. "My parents are right here." He frowned at me and crossed his legs.

"It's not silly. We just agreed to be parents together! That's huge! Besides, I'm sure that your parents don't mind too much. It's not like I'm doing anything too extreme by sitting with you," he complained. I frowned.

"Behave little mate," I purred. "So you should call Aurelio while I make my call." He sighed and then started to text Aurelio.

"I'm not little," he mumbled under his breath as he continued to message him. I frowned before I texted Ricky for the number to the guy, since I knew he would know it. After a few minutes, I got the number. I called the number quickly, waiting until the call picked up.

"Hello, this is Henry the dragon catcher and egg hunter. How may I help you?"

"Hi," I said nervously. "I was wondering if you had any Artic dragons. I'm looking in the market to buy one."

"Why yes I do. I just got a whole crate in. I'm pricing twenty-five grand per egg. It was really hard to get them and I only got a crate full. These suckers are the rarest I have. They're due to hatch in two weeks. Are you still interested?" I frowned. That's pricy.

"Yeah, you said twenty five?" I asked.

"Grand," he told me. "It's my price."

"They hatch in two weeks?" I asked him.

"That's right." Pierre frowned and looked over.

"Two weeks? We can't go to Paris and come back and be set up in that time.... We'll have to stay," he told me and sighed. "Darn it."

"Are you still there?" The guy on the phone asked.

"Yeah, where can we meet so I can look at the eggs?" I asked him.

"My dragon shop actually. I'll text you the address and you can stop by any time. Tell the store clerk that Henry sent you over for the Artic dragons in the back."

"Okay, thank you." I purred.

"No problem- thank you." He hung up on me. I looked towards Pierre.

"He has a dragon shop that we'll go to so we can see the eggs." Pierre nodded and then gave a soft smile.

"We can go to Paris another time," he whispered to me. "We can take our baby dragon with us too I guess.... Unless you'd rather wait until it's all grown up on us and then go."

"Well.... it hatches in two weeks..." I trailed off. "Unless we want to wait for the next batch."

"Just get the dragon tonight on your way home. Take the egg with you to Paris and while you're there you can figure out what to do with the baby when it hatches in two weeks," my father suggested.

"We could do that," Pierre purred in excitement. "We can come home when it hatches~" He looked towards me then. "Please? Let's get our kid on the way home and take the egg to France." He gave me a sweet look and grabbed my hand. "We can use my card."

"Okay," I whispered to him lovingly. "We'll get our child on the way home tonight. Maybe we can talk him down on the price while we're there. I do have a good reputation in the dragon egg trading business."

"You two better bring us our grandbaby when she or he hatches," my mother warned me. "I don't want another half a decade- almost- disappearance from you."

"We will," I whispered to her. "We won't disappear this time, mom."