Page 53 of The Gift: Pleasure Times Four
And he taught me to enjoy video games.
Once, I’d have been jealous of the relationship between Gwen and Ajax, but I love them both and I’m happy they love each other. Ajax tops her when she needs it, and bottoms to her when she needs to boss him around. He takes care of her. When he drives her somewhere, I don’t worry about her safety. I know he’d die before he’d let anything happen to her.
Part of me is jealous of the daytime relationship between Ajax and Arabella. Or perhaps envious is a better word. I’m glad they have it. I don’t want to take it from them. Not at all. In some ways, we’re two couples — the nightwalkers and the daywalkers. Mostly, though, we’re a family of four. I can’t explain why it works, but it does.
And on this Christmas Day, Abbot was right.
Family is everything.
* * * *
Ajax
I’d been a slave when Abbott had first set eyes on me. A bodyguard, sure, but still, a slave.
And I’d been terrified of the new Master. Everyone spoke of him with such terror, and now that I know him, I understand why.He kills evil. He doesn’t talk to it, doesn’t ask it why it’s chosen the dark side. He cauterizes it from the earth.
Gavin had swept through the Master’s home, killing evil without mercy, and he’d done it on Abbott’s orders.
He hadn’t killed me. I don’t have to ask how he’d known I wasn’t evil. He’d been able to see inside my head, of course. I’d been required to do some evil things by my former master, but I hadn’t been given a choice. Abbott saw that, and when he arrived, he made it clear I was forgiven, and why.
And now, Ibelongsomewhere. I no longer felt like a guest in this home.
I’d bonded with Kieran right away, but it took longer with Gwen. When it finally happened, it’d been like a key clicking in a lock. I loved these three people more than I could ever explain. We all shared the same life force, but it was more than that. So much more.
Abbott hadn’t merely given me the gift of a family, he’d given me the gift of life. Of freedom. Of happiness.
No, that wasn’t quite right. I had to find my own happiness. Abbott couldn’t give that to me, but he put me in a position to find it. It felt a little like I’d been a seed when he found me, and he’d planted me in a garden where I could thrive, if I chose.
Arabella had somehow been planted in the same garden. The same house.
And we’d both chose to thrive.
We’d been given the best gift of all. The chance to decide what we want out of life, and the opportunity to go for it. Abbott put me here, and allowed Arabella to stay.
Kieran and Gwen had given us rules, boundaries, guidelines, and love.
Now, it was time for us to pop a little surprise on our vampires, though I was certain they’d already scented it.
“In case the two of you want a little snack before you retire, I loaded Arabella up with maple syrup on maple waffles last night, and I had a few pounds of bacon.”
The looks on their faces told me they knew, and that we were going to be well rewarded for spoiling them with their favorite meals.
