Yuletide Revelry

A Wicked Kingdoms Christmas Short

Graceley Knox

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Thank You!

Also By Graceley Knox

Meet the author

1

"If you touch that cookie, you will lose a hand." I growl the words at Kirin, my hangry mood worse than usual due to the small being growing in the vicinity of my bladder.

"You've already had five of them, Ev!"

"I don't care if I've had seventy of them, you little thief. I'm preggers. I can have all the cookies I want. It's almost Yule. I'm celebrating." Yule is one of my favorite holidays. Mostly because it involved a chance at a few days off with my crew in the old days. Now it involves all the treats I want, that I don't have to make myself. And presents. There is a mountain of presents under the towering fir tree in the great hall. I'm pretty sure we've got St. Nick beat here, no joke.

"You're going to get fat if you eat them all!"

I press a hand to my chest in mock affront. "How dare you!" I throw a spoon at Kirin.

Eryn peers over the top of her book, rolling her eyes at the both of us. "I can't take you two anywhere." She reaches her hand into the bowl of caramel popcorn on the table next to her and shakes her head.

"We're home. Who cares?" Kirin kicks his boots up on the table, probably only to annoy Eryn.

"We have guests." Eryn looks pointedly to the left, where the Unseelie princess, Kiara, sits with her guard, Brigid.

"Puh-lease. They're practically family now. They've been here for how long?" I look to Kirin for an answer, enjoying the easygoing conversation.

"Uh, I think, like, three months now." Kirin counts on his fingers like a five-year-old. "Yeah, you're going to pop that kid out when? Another three months, right? So three months."

Worry flows through me at my impending due date mixed with an unearthly excitement to meet the little monster that will be equal parts of Dare and myself. "That was painful to watch, Kirin."

He shrugs and turns back to his own book, the three of us falling into a comfortable silence. I lean forward, grunting at the effort it takes with the giant stomach in front of me. This kid is going to be fucking massive. Like, honestly. I look like I could pop any day, let alone in another three months. I take a sip of my hot cocoa, humming in contentment.

The spawn kicks and tumbles inside me and I follow the movements with my hands and smile at the flurry of activity. Simone has been working on a spell to ask her ancestors for the gender and we're going to try it today. I'm so excited to find out, but I refuse to try it until Dare gets back.

As if my thoughts summon him, the doors to the main hall bang open, a blast of cold air blowing in, and Dare, Dagan, and Dax walk through the doors, covered in weapons and looking dangerous.

I whistle for Dare, laughing when he winks at me. He hangs up his heavy coat before making a beeline for me. Instantly his hands go to my belly. The kicking starts again and a wide smile lights Dare's face.

"I missed you while you were gone." I rest my smaller hand over his and turn my face up for a kiss. He indulges me, his lips brushing mine, once, twice, and then firmly crushes them against mine and parts them with his tongue. I hum into his mouth, his taste like a shot of alcohol to my system. He makes me tingly and warm all over.

"I was only gone for a few hours. We have to patrol the area. I'm not taking any chances that the Order has found another way into the castle walls."

"We've sealed off all of the tunnels that they told us about. They can't get in."

Dare's mouth forms a thin line. "I won't risk it."

I pull him down for another kiss and pull back, smiling up at him. "I know. And I appreciate it." I hand Dare one of the cookies he's come to crave as I have. Simone calls them sympathy cravings. It amuses the shit out of me.

"Hey! How come he gets a cookie?" Kirin shouts.

"Because." Dare chuckles.

"Not cool, man. Bro's before h—"

I throw a cookie at Kirin's forehead, the sugary creation crumbling on contact. "Oy! He's my baby daddy. He gets a cookie!"

Kirin shoves a few crumbs of cookie in his mouth, flipping me the bird at the same time.

"You ready to go see Simone? Find out if we're having a boy or a girl?" I push up from my seat and Dare lets me grab his arm for leverage.

"I can't wait, mo grá. Let's go."

* * *

After about ten minutes of me waddling down the corridors to get to Amren's section of the library, I'm out of breath and cranky. That should have taken me, like, three minutes tops. Dare pulls out a chair for me and even though I want to pace to expel some of the excess energy flowing through my veins at the moment, I take it, thankful to get off my feet.

"Where are they?" I lean forward as far as I can, peering around the corner. "We're the ones who are late here."

Dare rubs a hand down the back of my head, smoothing my hair. "I'm sure there is a good reason, mo grá."

"Better be a good reason." I grumble the words under my breath but Dare hears them. He chuckles before fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. I raise a brow at him. He never fidgets.

Dare clears his throat. "Are you nervous, mo grá?"

"I'm fucking terrified." It's true. All I want is a healthy baby. But I can't help but wonder if Dare will be disappointed if it's a girl. Or if he wants a girl.

Dare kneels in front of me and places his hands on my belly. "Why are you scared, Ever? Nothing scares you."

I laugh. "You know that's not true. I don't want to disappoint you."

"How could you disappoint me?"

"I'm assuming you want a son?" I rest my hand over his.

"I do not care about the sex of our child, Ever. I only care that it's healthy, happy, and safe." He leans down, kissing the space between both of his hands, and I sigh. How the hell did I get so lucky to have Dare in my life? I mean, sometimes I want to smack him, but most of the time, I just want to be around him, letting his presence envelope me in safety and love.

"That's all I want too." I just need this baby to be safe. I have no doubt that it'll be loved. That's not even in question. But the Order has its own plans for my offspring, and while I'm pregnant, there's not much I can do to fight back against it.

"I found them! They're over here!" Arela's lyrical voice rings out, startling both of us out of our little bubble.

"Gods, Arela. You scared me half to death." I press my hand over my heart, running wild in my chest. I wasn’t this jumpy before I found out I was expecting. But now, every little thing startles me. It's annoying as hell.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to. I thought you heard me coming." She smiles sweetly at me and she's instantly forgiven.

"Is Amren right behind you?" I attempt to rise from my chair but give up when the move proves too difficult with a large belly.

"Yeah, and Simone too." Arela steps forward and rubs her hand over my stomach. The baby responds, rolling around and kicking at her hand. She giggles. "Hello, little one!"

I smile at her. Everyone wants to touch my stomach but it kind of freaks me out. I don't like people touching me on my best of days, let alone when I'm cranky, emotional, and feeling protective of my unborn child. But I don't mind it when Arela does it. Perhaps because I know she'd never harm me, or because the baby seems to like her voice. Either way, she's one of the few I don't swat away.

"Hello, Ever." Amren nods at me as he glides into the room. "Dare, how are you both today?"

"Impatient," I clip out, giving him a pointed look.

"So sorry. We were attending to Doyle."

Instantly I feel like the biggest jerk on the planet and embarrassment heats my cheeks. How could I have forgotten about Doyle? After I brokered the deal with Queen Mab, she'd followed through on her promise, delivering the antidote. Or that's what she'd told us. Doyle is no longer getting sicker. Instead he's gotten back to his healthy self. The only problem is he won't wake up. After a screaming match with the Queen of the Winter Court, when I accused her of breaking her blood oath and called her a few choice names, Arela had stepped in with a message from the Goddess herself.

Doyle needs to decide to come back on his own. For all intents and purposes, he's healed. But still he sleeps. We've tried everything. Talking to him, yelling at him, joking with him, pleading with him. I even insulted him, calling him the ugliest sleeping beauty I'd ever seen. None of it worked.

The Goddess told Arela that we need to be patient. It has never been a virtue of mine, so we went in search of what else we could do to wake him up. I sent Puck off on a mission to bring us some answers and he's been gone for weeks. The last we heard, he'll be back soon, but that was two weeks ago. I'd worry, but he's about as crafty as they come.

"I'm sorry, Amren. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful. I know you're working hard." Simone walks into my field of vision and I smile at her. "You too, Simone. Thank you for all that you're doing."

They both nod in acknowledgment, Simone gracing me with a smile of her own. "How are you feeling today, Ever?" she asks.

"Like I'm ready to have this kid at any moment. Walking is slow, movement is limited, and I'm hungry all the time."

She laughs. "Sounds about right. But you're staying as active as you can?"

"Yeah, I'm still training Kiara." I catch Dare rolling his eyes out of the corner of my own and I smack at his arm. "Hey, I can still manage a roundhouse kick despite the sack of potatoes that's currently sitting on my bladder."

Dare looks to Amren, his face mulish. "Please tell her she should not be moving like that. If she falls, she could hurt the child."

Amren purses his lips. "It's true that you should be careful, Ever. But if you limit your movements to perhaps your upper body and just keep the leg movements to brisk walks, you should be okay."

I point a finger at Dare. "Ha! I told you so!"

He shakes his head, mumbling in Goblin to himself.

I clap my hands together. "So, are we going to get this show on the road? I'm dying to know!"

Simone chuckles and grabs a jar of something off the counter, walking toward me. "This is ready now. We've got to put it right on your belly, so lift up your shirt." Dare growls, looking around, and I rub up and down his arm.

"No one is here to see me, Dare. It's just us and Amren and Simone."

"And me!" Arela chirps from across the room.

Simone looks to Dare, waiting for him to give his approval. He nods and she uncaps the jar. I lift up my shirt and shift in the chair. I'm so excited I could dance around the room, but at the same time, I'm so nervous I could puke in that bucket Amren has in the corner. And poor Dare. He's been overprotective to the nth degree. The further along I get, the growlier he gets at anyone who gets within five feet of me. Simone told me it’s a goblin thing. They're protective of their offspring and their mates. Dare and I still haven't confirmed we're mates, but according to Simone, the ability for us to create a child together bodes well.

Simone dips her hand into the jar, the dark brown substance making a squishing sound. "It will be a bit cold when I put it on. Sorry about that."

I frown. "It's fine. So long as whatever’s in that mixture of yours doesn't eat me." I open my mouth to ask what exactly is in it but then think better of it. Better if I don't know.

Simone spreads the paste across my belly and we all watch. The baby moves beneath my skin, a flurry of activity. I move my hand to place it on my belly but Simone catches my hand.

"You can't touch it. Let the mixture give us an answer first."

"Got it. No touching." I reach for Dare's hand and he's already holding it out, ready for me. Thank the gods for this man and his ability to read my mind despite the fact that we can't actually read each other’s minds.

As we watch, the mixture starts to move on my stomach and I gasp. What in the actual fuck is this shit?

"This is normal, Ever. Do not be alarmed." Simone smiles warmly at me and I bare my teeth in response.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Simone." Slowly the mixture splits into two circles. First the right one forms into an uppercase Y with a line running through the center. The second clump of paste forms into a triangle with a line coming from the top. I look to Simone. "What does that mean? Is it confused?"

Simone looks over her shoulder at Amren. "Could it really be?" Her voice is soft and she looks awestruck.

"I suppose it could. Nothing is ever ordinary with these two," Amren replies.

"Would someone tell me what the fuck is going on?" I shout, my nerves getting the better of my manners.

"You see here?" Simone points to the triangle with a line above it. "You're having a little girl."

Warmth flows over me and I squeeze Dare's hand, looking up to see his reaction. He's slack-jawed and his eyes are watery. My big bad goblin is just as emotional as I am.

"And what about this Y-looking thing over here? What does that mean?"

Simone laughs and holds her hands in front of her like she's praying. "That means you're having a little boy."

Shock hits me like a bullet and I flinch back. "You just said it was a girl though." I look up to Dare, confused. "Which is it, Simone? Don't play with us please."

"I'm not playing with you, Ever. You're having a boy and a girl. Twins. You're having twins."

My vision goes blurry, and after the word twins, my ears ring. Two. Two children. At the same time. This isn't what the prophecy said. I’m only supposed to have one child. Just one.

Dare kneels in front of me again, his hand still in mine in a white-knuckled grip. "Ever? Ever, talk to me."

"Just give her a moment. This is a lot to take in." Amren walks forward and I watch him in a daze. He waves a bowl of something under my nose and I flinch back.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Smelling salts. They help when someone is in shock."

I look around at the faces staring back at me. Dare, whose face is contorted in worry. Simone and Arela, who both look cautiously happy, and Amren, who wears his ever-present frown of contemplation.

"Two babies. A boy and a girl. You're sure?"

"We're sure, Ever. That would explain why your belly is so large this early on."

"I'm not that big." I grumble the words defensively. I'm the size of a house, but still, rude.

"You are beautiful as always, mo grá." Dare kisses my belly and I run a hand through his hair, the motion soothing my nerves. Dare always knows just what to say.

"Okay, so what does this mean, then?" Plans of safety and protection run through my head like a movie reel and I realize we've got a lot to adjust with another baby in the mix.

"This means I will not be leaving your side for the next three months." Dare stands, putting his hands on his hips.

I groan. "Don't even think it. We're just going to have to adjust some stuff for the long term."

"I will not be swayed here, Ever." Dare narrows his eyes at me.

"Oh, yes, you will. I don't want you to hover over me like a pesky pixie. We have to tell everyone."

"I don't think that is a wise idea," Amren chimes in.

"I don't literally mean everyone, Amren. I mean my crew and those protecting me. They have to know since they'll be involved with the plans. As for everyone else... they can find out on delivery day."

2

I clean the gunk off my stomach and stand up. Instantly Dare's hand rests at the small of my back, steadying me. Arela rushes forward and hugs me, her arms tight around my neck.

"I am so happy for you guys."

I run a hand down her back and squeeze. "Thank you. Once we get over the shock, I'm pretty sure we'll be thrilled." Arela steps back and bounces on her toes, her energy infectious. "Now we've just got to come up with some names!"

"I can help with that! I found a book! I'll go get it!" She darts off and I laugh.

"I suppose having a book to look through would help us." Dare nods. "Well, I'm hungry again, so now that we've discovered all this craziness, I'm getting a snack, then I think I need to take a nap." I'd never really been one for naps. Not until recently anyway. Now I'm like a newborn myself, napping and eating and crying randomly throughout the day.

We walk through the library, barely making it past a few rows of bookcases before Arela comes skidding to a halt in front of us, not one but three books in her hands. My lips twitch and I try not to laugh. She means so well, and I don't want to discourage her.

"I found two more." She can't stand still she's so excited. I watch as Brodie appears behind her at a much more leisurely pace.

"I tried to tell her to bring only the one..." He holds his hands out at his sides in a what-can-you-do gesture and I wink at him.

"That's okay. Multiples are good considering the circumstances." The word multiples hits me hard and I lean into Dare. "Man, that's going to take some getting used to."

Brodie gives Dare one of those manly chin juts and they shake hands. "Congrats, man. You too, Ever. Arela blurted it out as soon as she saw me."

I wish I could say I was surprised. "So long as she doesn't do that with everyone she sees, I'm cool with that."

"I won't. I promise." Arela darts forward and hugs me again before quickly letting go. "I have plans to make. I'll catch up with you later at dinner." She grabs Brodie's hand and pulls him with her. "Come on, I need your help."

Brodie waves over his shoulder as he allows his much larger frame to be pulled behind Arela. "Later."

"I still do not like them hanging out so much." Dare scowls as he leads me out of the library and we make the long trek back toward the main hall and food.

"Oh, relax. He protects her and makes her happy. Right now they are just best friends." I snort. "Besides, I think he's scared to try anything at the moment, between the threats he gets from me and then there's all of you guys."

"Good. If he likes his manly parts, he'll keep his hands off."

I roll my eyes. "I want a sandwich. And some pickles. And cookies. And pineapple."

Dare's face morphs into one of disgust at the combo before he can hide it. "Whatever you'd like, mo grá."

"I saw that."

"I can't help it. You want the strangest things all at once."

"Don't blame me. Blame them." I rub at my belly. "What are we going to do with two babies, Dare?"

"Probably not sleep for months. But you will be the best mother, mo grá. I know it."

"I'm not so much worried about mothering but protecting. And what about names? Picking out one is hard enough. But now two? What if we name them something awful and we don't know it?" We reach the hall, and instead of the normal buzz of talking, it's dead silent. I look up to find Kirin, Eryn, and Axel, along with Dagan and Dax, all standing there, their mouths hanging open.

"Something tells me we've got people who won't let us make that mistake, mo grá."

"Did we hear that right? Them? As in more than one?" Eryn steps forward, a cautious smile gracing her lips.

I sigh. "Yeah, twins. A boy and a girl."

Eryn shrieks in a very un-Eryn-like way and lunges at me. I brace myself for the assault, but she stops short, softly hugging me.

The guys all whoop and holler, slapping Dare on the back and lifting him up in man hugs. Axel side-hugs me and Kirin picks me up, spinning me around.

"I'm going to be an uncle twice over!"

"You're going to be dead if you don't put her down. Now." Dare's voice is deadly cold and his chest heaves.

Kirin plops me back down gently before taking three giant steps backwards and holding his hands up. "You know I would never hurt her."

I smack at Dare's chest. "Stop it. He was just excited. He didn't harm me or the babies. See, I'm fine." I cup his face in my hands and he allows me to turn his head toward me. He looks me over, running his hands over me and stopping with both hands on my stomach. The babies kick and whirl in response to his touch and he huffs out a breath, his expression calming.

"Sorry, Kirin. I'm a bit on edge after the news."

"No problem, man. I get it. We're all ready to kill anyone who tries to harm her or them." They nod at each other in understanding.

"Can we get some food now?" I break the tension with my ever-present need for food and everyone laughs.

"Yes, let's get you some food." Dare ushers me over to the table, fussing until I threaten him.

Eryn sits next to me, grabbing one of the books on the table. "Goblin Baby Names? Oh, this ought to be good." She cracks it open, the spine creaking. "Oh, this one is perfect."

"Which one?" I lean over and read the name she's pointed to. "Borvin? You've got to be joking."

"Of course not," Eryn deadpans. "It's a great goblin name, don't you think?"

"Yeah, if he wants to be made fun of for his whole life. No way."

Kirin stands behind Eryn, reading over her shoulder. "Oh, this is a good one. How about Miroslawa? That's sure to drive the boys crazy."

"Hey! Don't joke. She's not even born. No dating for her until she's at least a hundred years old."

We go back and forth, eating and laughing at all the crazy Fae names that we've never heard of. Some of them we can't even pronounce, and Dare and his brothers help us with that, scowling when I threaten to name our son and daughter something gods-awful.

"Dare, you don't like Vratislav?" Merriment dances in his eyes but he mock frowns at me. "Come on. It's a strong name."

"It's a horrible name, mo grá. If you keep this up, I'm going to take away your naming privileges." He taps the end of my nose with his finger and I bite at it.

"You can try..." I yawn, ruining any menacing effect.

"Is that a threat?" Dare stands, circling the table and helping me to rise.

"Of course it is. And you know I'll make good on it." I yawn again, covering my mouth. "As soon as I nap." I grab one of the books to take with me and wave to everyone. "Sorry, guys, I'm exhausted. I've got to take a nap before I face-plant in this pie."

"Go sleep. We'll catch up later." Axel and Kirin go back to polishing their blades and Eryn looks up from her book, with a "Get some rest" before shoving her nose back into the pages.

"I think I've been dismissed." I huff in fake affront as Dare and I walk toward our bedroom.

"Don't worry, mo grá, I'm sure when you wake up they'll be right where you left them, only this time with a longer list of abhorrent names for our children."

* * *

I lie down in our giant bed, cuddled up to Dare as close as I can be with a giant belly between us and try to get some rest. My body is tired but my mind is going a mile a minute. I sigh.

"Why are you not resting, mo grá?" Dare arches a brow.

"Because my mind won't shut up."

"We can't have that. You need to keep up your strength for both yourself and the babes."

"I'm open to suggestions on how to knock my ass out."

Dare rolls onto his side, facing me. He caresses my side, his large hand starting at my knee and ending at the bottom of my ribs. "I don't think we need to knock you out. Perhaps just tire you out a bit more." He licks his lips, his gaze focused on my mouth.

I roll onto my back and push up from lying down, sitting back on my heels, desire winding its way through me. "I like where your head is at."

Dare grips my hips, lifting me up and placing my core against his. "Come here and use me as you wish."

I grind my pussy over his hard length, shivering at the sensation. "I want you inside of me. Hard and fast, Dare."

"I don't want to hurt you, Ever." He rubs his thumb against my clit, swirling it in circles, and my breath hitches.

"I won't break, Dare." I dig my nails into the ridges of his stomach as I move back and forth on his length, my panties and his pants the only thing separating our flesh.

"Ever..."

"Don't argue with me. I'm horny and pregnant." I bat my eyelashes at him. "Pretty please, Dare?"

"You did that on purpose, mo grá."

I smile at him, pulling at his pants to get them out of my way. "I don't know what you mean."

Dare grunts in response but doesn't stop me from freeing his cock. I wrap my fingers around it, pumping him a few times. "Do you like these panties?"

"Actually—" Rip. The sound of fabric tearing greets my ears and I frown down at him. "I liked those."

"Too bad. They were in my way." Dare rubs a finger against my folds, my wetness coating his digit. "I love the way your body responds to my touch."

I grip his shaft in my hand and lift my hips, angling myself to take him. "I can't help it. You turn me on, goblin."

Dare steadies me with his hands on my hips and I sink down onto his length slowly, teasing the both of us. Inch by inch, until I've sheathed him to the hilt. "Ride me, little tine. Take your pleasure."

I bite my lip, doing exactly as he told me to, moving up and down on his cock. He meets me stroke for stroke, pushing his hips up to connect with mine in a dance designed to pull screams of pleasure from my lips. He moves one hand from my hips, his thumb notching at my swollen nub. Every movement of mine results in sparks of bliss shooting out from my core to my entire body.

"Dare."

"What, mo grá? Tell me."

"Feels so good."

Dare moves his hips faster underneath me, taking over the pace and driving up into me in a way that takes my breath away.

"I can feel your walls fluttering around me, Ever. Are you going to come all over my cock?"

I nod, unable to form words as he pushes me higher and higher toward the edge. Symbols and swirls form on my skin, lighting up the room and casting shadows against the walls. Every time we're together, they take longer and longer to disappear afterward. It's to the point that I can't leave our room for hours once we've sated ourselves. I already feel like my protruding belly is a sign pointing at me, but add in the glowing symbols and I'm a walking billboard for attention.

My pussy clenches hard on Dare's dick when he swirls his hips and I gasp, gripping his hand on my hip with mine. "Dare... do that again."

He chuckles darkly and repeats the motion.

Once, twice, three times and I fly over the edge, chanting his name. "Dare, Dare, Dare."

"You grip me so tight, mo grá. Gods." He thrusts up into me and stills, the warmth of his seed filling me sending another pulse of euphoria through me.

Dare pushes up, wrapping his arms around me so I don't fall backwards and he peppers kisses over my neck and face. I hum in contentment. I don't know how, but every time, it gets better and better. As we learn each other more thoroughly, it's like we set out to see who can give whom the most pleasure at once. It's a game that I'm all too happy to lose most times.

"I love you, Dare." I press my hands on either side of his face, kissing his mouth softly.

"And I love you, Ever. More than life itself."

I snuggle into him, happiness buzzing through my veins as my breathing regulates and my heartbeat slows from a jackhammer to a steady rhythm. "Don't let me sleep the day away, 'kay?" I yawn, my eyes closing of their own accord.

"Whatever you say, mo grá." Dare's large hand brushes up and down my spine and I drift off. My last thought before sleep envelopes me is the love I have for this goblin and the fact that I'd move heaven and earth to keep him by my side.

3

Shouts wake me with a start and I sit up in bed, a bit dazed at what's happening.

"And I told you she needs her rest. You can train another day!" Dare's thunderous voice practically shakes the room and I wince. Uh-oh. Someone's pissed him off.

"She told me that no matter what, I'm to wake her ass up and get her to train with me." The shrill feminine voice belongs to Kiara, daughter of the Unseelie queen and current guest of the Goblin Kingdom.

I stretch my arms above my head. "Dare, she's right, I did tell her that. Don't be mad at her."

Dare whirls on me, his expression morphing from livid to caring as he looks me over. "You can skip a day, Ever. It won't kill you."

"I don't want to skip a day. I need to stay active and sharp. I can't afford to get out of shape while I'm pregnant."

"I will protect you." Dare's chest puffs out and I smile softly at him.

"I know you will. But I'd also like to be able to protect myself and our babies if need be." I hold out my hand for him and he grabs it, sitting on the edge of the bed. "We talked about you wrapping me in cotton."

He sighs. "I know. I can't help it, Ever. I want you safe and out of harm’s way."

"Kiara isn't going to harm me. In fact, I'll probably be the one harming her."

Kiara snorts from the hallway. "She's right. I end each practice session with a new bruise to add to my collection."

"See? I'll be fine." I nod to Kiara. "I'll meet you in the training room. Give me, like, ten minutes to get dressed and waddle my ass over there."

"Sounds good. See you there." She shuts the door before retreating, her footsteps louder than they should be for someone so tiny.

"Can you help me out of bed?" I grunt from the effort it takes to get moving once I've been still for so long. Dare opens his mouth but I slap my hand over it. "Don't even think about it. I'm going. End of discussion. You can come and watch. That's all I'll give you."

He narrows his eyes at me, his lips forming a frown under my palm, but he nods. He stands up, pulling me with him and depositing me on my own two feet in one smooth motion. "Fine. But I will say when you've had enough."

I wave him off as I grab some clothes to throw on. "Sure, sure."

I dress quickly and we head to the training room, the sounds of flesh meeting mat alerting us to someone who's already practicing. I watch as Kiara practices her movements with a punching bag. She's focused on her breathing as she moves her body, each swing of her arm perfectly timed.

Kiara catches sight of us and stops mid-swing, her expression like a kid who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Don't stop on my account. You're looking really solid in your maneuvers. You don't have to only practice with me. I won't be offended if you spar with others. As a matter of fact, I encourage it so you can learn from them as well."

"I just don't want to go up against someone and make a fool of myself." She winces. "I've had enough of looking like a fool."

"I get it. Okay, then, let's add to what we were working on last time." I show her the basic movements for getting out of someone's hold, walking her through each step and correcting her when she steps too far or doesn't get it quite right. "Dare, can you help with this?"

Kiara's eyes go wide. "I can't break out of his hold. He's massive."

I laugh. "If I can break out of his hold, you can too. It's all about using your body weight to your advantage and their larger mass to their disadvantage."

"What can I help with?" Dare looks between the two of us, his hands on his hips.

"You're going to attack Kiara and she's going to break out of your hold." I smile at him.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Dare steps backwards.

"Why not? You're a great teacher and it will be good for her to learn with someone larger than her." I tilt my head, wondering why he's scared of Kiara.

"She's the Unseelie queen's daughter. I do not wish to harm her by accident and start a war."

I look to Kiara. "Can you promise that if you get a bruise from working with Dare, you won't cry to your mommy and start a war between her kingdom and Dare's father's?"

Kiara nods. "I don't think it would be a problem. It's not like you're intentionally trying to hurt me. We're only training. I know the difference."

Dare still hesitates and I tap my foot on the mat, waiting for him to make up his mind.

"I can promise that I won't start a war from a silly scratch during training with my daughter." Her voice booms through the room even though she didn't raise her voice. Queen Nicnivin.

My hand flies to my throat in surprise and I twirl to face the queen of the Unseelie court. I shouldn't be surprised. She doesn't seem to have any issues breaking through our wards, but how she was able to pinpoint our location within the castle is another thing altogether. "Queen Nicnivin. How nice of you to join us." I tip my head to the side in a sort of bow in lieu of a curtsey. If I squat down, I'm not getting back up at this point.

"Oh, my dear Ever. You never were one to mince words."

"I didn't mean offense." I really don't care either way, but it's best to not piss off the queen of the Unseelie. She's got the sluagh under her command and I need another enemy like I need a hole in my head.

She waves me off. "I know. I came to check in on my daughter and offer my congratulations."

I frown. How the hell did she know that congratulations were in order? "You've already congratulated me."

"Yes, but now you know you are carrying twins."

"And you knew this before I did?" Dare steps forward, his stance defensive.

"Of course I did. I saw it in one of my glimpses of the future."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I'm not so much angry at her but frustrated that she withheld the information. Gods know who else she could have told. Or what she could have bargained for with the intel.

"And ruin the surprise for the both of you? I would never." She places a hand over her chest like the suggestion offends her and I try to stop myself from rolling my eyes at her dramatics. Normally she's much more straightforward.

"Mmhmm. Well, thank you for stopping by. As you can see, Kiara is fine, and we're teaching her how to defend herself."

Nicnivin's sharp gaze moves from me to her daughter and her lips purse. "Where is Brigid? She is your guard while you are here. She should be teaching you this, should she not?"

Kiara's pale skin flushes red and I grimace. Shit, this is my fault. "Uh, actually, this was my idea. Kiara needs to learn, and Brigid needs to stay sharp, so we swapped. I teach Kiara and get a workout in, as much as I can in my condition, and Brigid gets to train with the goblins." I clap my hands together. "Win-win."

"Win-win, indeed." Nicnivin clasps her hands in front of her and stands there, staring at the three of us.

I look at Kiara and Dare, waiting for one of them to say something. Neither of them do. "Was there something else, Queen Nicnivin?"

"Nothing pressing. Please do continue. I'd like to see Kiara's progress."

Kiara's shoulders droop and I rack my brain on how to get her out of this situation. Training in front of an audience is daunting even when you've had years of experience. For someone so new to hand-to-hand combat, it can be terrifying.

"Okay, we'll show you a few moves." I make eye contact with Kiara and try to give her a pointed look, mouthing the words, follow my lead.

She nods almost imperceptibly and follows me over to the shelves of weapons. I grab two staffs and toss one at her. She catches it midair with one hand and spins it around.

"Let's go for disarming me rather than maiming me, yeah?"

"Got it."

I lunge at her, swinging my staff at her head with as much force and speed as I can muster. She blocks it, following through with a move of her own. We move across the mats, trading blows, both gaining ground and losing it. Kiara's moves are jerky and stiff but I try to counter them with moves of my own meant to make hers look better. After what I hope is enough time to give Nicnivin the show she was hoping for, I give Kiara an opening that I hope is obvious. She takes it, and my staff flies across the room, landing only feet from Nicnivin.

Kiara steps back, quickly composing her surprised expression with one of confidence. "Are you pleased, Mother?"

Nicnivin doesn't smile but she doesn't frown. Something in her posture gives off an air of approval and Kiara beams with happiness.

"You move surprisingly well for someone carrying twins, Ever."

"Thanks. I think."

"I was useless when I was expecting Kiara. My feet were so swollen..." She trails off, looking around like she forgot that she was in the Goblin Kingdom. "Never mind that. I came with a present for you, Ever."

I look to Kiara, watching as her face falls. I know the feeling of disappointment well. My own mother forgot me around the holidays for years. I'd make it up to her somehow.

"Oh, I can't accept presents, Queen Nicnivin. I don't have anything to give you back."

She holds out her hand, a small dark blue present resting in her palm. "Nonsense. I'm sure you will find a way to return the favor."

I pause. Do I want to owe her any more favors than I already do? I look to Dare, who watches the exchange closely. If I refuse her gift, I'll look like an asshole, but if I take it, that's one more IOU from me in her pocket.

I step forward, a forced smile on my lips. "Thank you for thinking of me."

I open the box to find a pair of hair sticks. I’m not really the put things in my hair type, but I smile as wide as I can. “They’re gorgeous. Thank you.”

She tips her head before turning back to her daughter. "I expect you won't be home for the Yule celebration. I shall have your presents delivered shortly."

"Okay," Kiara whispers.

"Until next time, I wish you all a very happy Yule." With a puff of black smoke and one inky feather drifting in the wind after her departure, Queen Nicnivin is gone.

"Your mother is so interesting." I drawl the words sarcastically toward Kiara.

She snickers. "You have no idea."

* * *

Shortly after Queen Nicnivin's departure, we wrapped up our training session and I headed into the library with this giant book of names Arela had given me.

I'm snuggled up in my favorite spot. A giant leather love seat in front of a fireplace near a window overlooking the rolling hills that make up the Goblin Kingdom. Dare had left to do something. What, I have no idea, because he wouldn't tell me, so Kirin and Axel are hanging out with me, watching me like a hawk, and laughing at all the bad name suggestions I make.

"How about Adole and Annerva?"

Kirin smacks his palm to his forehead. "How about not?"

My lips twitch. "Those are perfectly good names for twins!"

"Only if you want them to get the shit kicked out of them on a daily basis," Axel chimes in, looking up from polishing yet another one of his blades. Honestly, I think he's got more weapons than I do. And that's not an easy feat.

"Fine, I'll keep looking," I huff and continue playing with the names in my head, growing frustrated as none of them seem to click into place. A scuffle sounds and all three of us perk up, our attention focused on whomever is coming toward us.

Arela bounces into sight, her robin’s-egg-blue hair flowing behind her like there's a wind blowing just for her. "Hey, guys!"

We all deflate like popped balloons when we realize it's not a threat. "Hi!" I pat the seat beside me. "Come sit. I need your help with something."

Her magenta and teal-colored eyes light up and she practically leaps toward me. "Whatever you need, I'm your girl."

I ruffle her hair and smile. "I need you two to disappear."

"But Dare said—"

"I know what he said, but I need you two to move away so I can plan a surprise." I flick my hands at them. "Shoo, shoo."

They grumble about it but they move, staying within sight but far enough away that Arela and I can whisper without being heard.

"Okay, I want to plan something epic for Yule." Arela nods excitedly. "Do you think the gargoyles are strong enough to carry presents in and drop them off?"

She bounces in place in her seat. "Yes! Oh, my gods, that would be so cool!"

"Do you think you can train them in time? What would we need to do?"

"Well, you'd have to get clothing from everyone and give one piece of clothing to each gargoyle. They'll sniff them out and drop them at my command, I think." She taps a finger on her lips. "I'd have to test it out. I can use Brodie as a test subject."

"I can get clothes. If you can get some too, that would be good. You might need to get them from Eryn. She's watching me like a hawk anytime I'm near her, so she'd probably be able to tell that I was up to something."

"I can do that!" She squeals. "I'm so excited!"

"I am too. I think this is going to be a great Yule." I rub a hand over my belly. It's probably going to be the best Yule I've had to date. In MECA we'd done a present swap, each person only getting one thing. But now, I've gone completely over the top for my crew and Dare's family. I just couldn't seem to help myself. We went to an outdoor market and I went on a shopping spree. Most of it is useful but a few things are sentimental.

Arela's expression changes from excited to serious and I reach for her hand. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Everything is so perfect. I'm just scared I'm going to do something to mess it up." She grips my hand hard in hers. "I've never had a family like this before."

"Well, no matter what you do, we'll always be there to catch you when you fall and pick you up and dust you off." I wrap my arm around her shoulders. "That's what family does. It's not something you turn off and on."

Arela sniffles and my heart breaks a little bit for her. She's been through so much for someone so young and yet she still is the most cheerful person I know. "Thank you, Ever. For stopping that day at the fountain. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't."

"I don't know where I'd be either. You've taught me so much, Arela. My life is better with you in it." It's the truth. She's taught me more about what it is to be selfless than anyone else I know. I couldn't imagine my life without her in it now. It would be less bright though.

"You're going to make me cry." Arela rubs at her eyes, pulling back and smiling softly at me.

I wipe at my own eyes. "Too late. I'm already teary."

We sit and talk about baby names and how we're going to steal clothing from everyone and just which gargoyle she thinks will fit for each person I've got a gift for. She tells me what she's gotten everyone and I tell her about my presents too and the moment is happy. It's carefree and light and everything I need after a stressful few months and more surprises than are probably healthy in one person’s lifetime.

Dare wanders back into the library sometime later with a cup of hot cocoa for me and I reach for it excitedly.

"Gimme!"

"Say please, mo grá." He holds it away from my reach and I roll my eyes playfully.

"Pretty please can I have the chocolatey goodness you're so meanly keeping from me?"

He laughs, dropping a kiss to the top of my head and handing over the warm mug. I hum joyfully and take a sip. "Yummy. Thank you."

"Anything for you, Ever." Dare sits next to me, his posture stiff, and I watch him closely, not sure what has him tense.

"Is something wrong? Did something happen?"

"No, of course not." He moves his hand from behind his back and holds it out, palm facing upward, a small gift with a bow resting in the center.

I put my mug down on the table in front of us and reach for the present. "What's this? It's not Yule yet."

"I know, but I couldn't wait any longer to give this to you." He nods at the small package resting in my lap. "Open it."

I untie the bow, gently unwrapping it even though I want to tear through it like a wild beast. It's a small box. Too small to be a weapon. "What is it?" I ask, curious if he'll give me a hint.

"Open it and see." He rests his hand on my knee and I do as he says, opening the box.

I gasp. "Oh, my gods. Dare." Nestled inside the box is a white-gold ring. The band is thin but sturdy when I pick it up and the surface is smooth. Small diamonds form a sort of scattered pattern on the top, resting flat rather than sticking up. It's breathtaking in its simplicity. It's both beautiful and practical. I'll be able to wear it all the time rather than having to take it off when I'm fighting. "It's perfect, Dare." Tears form in my eyes and I look between this big, rough goblin I love and the ring I've got pinched between two fingers.

"Ever, I know that we cannot hear each other's thoughts, but I can feel you so deeply in my chest. I know that you are destined to be my mate, despite the lack of obvious signs. I can feel it in my bones. Would you do me the honor of wearing my ring and showing the world that you belong to me?"

I nod, tears dropping on my cheeks, and I lean forward, wrapping my arms around him. "Yes. Of course I will." I let him go, holding the ring out to him. He takes it from my fingers, the small metal circle looking even tinier in his large fingers. I hold out my left hand, and he slides the ring onto my fourth finger. It's a perfect fit.

I grip his face between my hands and plant a kiss on his lips. It's soft and sweet and full of promise and love. "I love you, Dare." I say the words between breaths and kisses, my heart overflowing with wonder and delight.

"And I love you, mo grá. More than words can explain."

4

A lot of tears, more love than I thought imaginable, and a wee bit of sneaking around, and Yule is here. The energy in the castle buzzes with excitement and everyone has put on their best clothes. For the women, that means their best dresses, and the men, their un-ripped shirts and pants and some fancy buckles. For me, that means a pair of leggings and a long, flowy top that Kiara gave to me a day early so I could wear it. It's a deep red, and the arms end in wide openings near my hands, silver thread creating a beautiful pattern at the edges. It frames my stomach perfectly and makes me feel like I'm not some sort of waddling duck ready to pop at any minute.

I'm sitting next to Dare in the main hall at the longest table I've ever seen here, and my face hurts from the smile that I can't seem to dim. This is my family. And we're safe and happy and everyone has a place and is loved.

I look down the line as Axel and Kirin bicker with each other, playfully threatening to stab each other with the cutlery, and I shake my head. Eryn is seated next to Dagan, who's frowning at her as she speaks to him, and I pause. Eryn's face is pinched in anger and they both whisper heatedly at each other. Hmm, I wonder what that's about. Dagan says something, turning to face Eryn, and her cheeks turn red. Her mouth opens before she snaps it shut and turns her attention away from Dagan, to Kiara on her left.

Dagan's eyes practically glow with rage at her dismissal, but he closes his eyes and takes a few breaths, the action seeming to calm him a bit. I store that little tiff for later so I can ask Eryn about it. I know they've been on watch a lot lately, but if they're not getting along, maybe we can switch it up so they're not so upset with each other.

"Why are you frowning, Ever?" Dare whispers the words in my ear and I shiver at the sound of his voice.

"Eryn and Dagan are fighting. I was thinking that maybe we should switch up the watch shifts so they aren't so aggravated with each other?"

"Dagan hasn't said anything to me." Dare eyes his brother.

"Eryn hasn't mentioned anything to me either." Which is odd. Normally if something is bugging her, she'd tell me. "I guess we'll leave it alone for now. I don't want to meddle."

Dare chuckles. "Yes, you do. If you'd like, I'll speak to Dagan."

"No, that's okay. Let's just see what happens." Despite the fact that I'm dying to ask Eryn a million questions, she won’t tell me anything until she's ready to. That's just how she works.

"When would you like to tell everyone our news?" Dare asks, taking my hand in his.

"Now is fine. Help me up." I stand, pushing the heavy chair out behind me so I don't bump the table with my belly, and I clear my throat. No one hears me. I look to Dare with a do-something stare and he chuckles at my impatience.

He grabs his glass of cider and taps his fork against it, the sound ringing out through the hall. Heads turn our way all at once and I'm hard-pressed to not step backwards and hide from all of the attention. Gods, that's nerve-racking.

"Can we have your attention please? Ever and I would like to share some news with everyone."

Cheers ring out and I wave my hand, hushing them. "So, as most of you here know, we found out we'll be having not one baby but two. A boy and a girl." I smile as everyone whoops and hollers, clapping and whistling. Excitable bunch today. "Dare and I have decided on names for them."

"Tell us! Oh, this ought to be good," and various other statements of excitement echo off the walls of the hall and I smile up at Dare.

"Our son's name will be Ronan." The goblins seated in front of us bang their fists against the table, causing all the plates and glasses to shake, and Dare grins like a fool.

I clear my throat. "And our daughter's name will be Raley!" Everyone stands up and shouts their excitement, clapping and turning to hug each other. I'm told it's been awhile since there was a child born of the Teags' line, but I'm pretty sure it's a mix of drink and Yuletide spirit that's causing such a reaction.

I lock gazes with Arela and nod, giving her the signal that now's the time to bring in our special treat for everyone.

She puts two fingers in her mouth and whistles loudly, drawing attention to herself before everyone's focus shifts to the thirty or so gargoyles flying into the great hall carrying presents in their grip. They chirp and flap their little wings, each of them making a beeline for who I hope is their intended recipient.

"Merry Yule, everyone. Please check the tag on the present to make sure it's yours. I'm not one hundred percent sure that they didn't mix up one or two."

Anarchy and Chaos land on each of my shoulders, both holding a small gift in their mouths. I reach up and take them from them, scratching under their chins and giving them kisses on their snouts. "Thank you, my little beasties."

They chitter at me but stay where they are, watching all the festivities, and I turn, handing both presents to Dare. "These are for you."

"I told you not to get me anything, mo grá." He narrows his eyes at me but still accepts them.

"Well, I didn't listen. So open them." I clap my hands together, excited to see his reaction. I'd only gotten him one, but after of his early present to me, I added a second one.

He rips through them, smiling when he sees the leather cuff bracelet I got him. There's a strip of silver in the center that seemed to match his usual style of leather and metal so I grabbed it before anyone else could. "This is perfect. I shall wear it always."

I nod at the other present. "Open that one." I shift from one foot to the other, impatient to see his reaction to this one.

He smiles at me and does as I say, ripping the packaging in two before seeing a small black box similar to the one he presented to me in the library. He removes the top of it and smirks.

"You copied my idea, then?"

I swat at him. Smug goblin. "Of course I did. If I'm going to wear a ring, you are too, goblin." I snag the thick band in my fingers and toss the box on the table. "I feel you in my bones too, Dare. With every breath you take, it's like you breathe life into me. Would you please wear this ring and show everyone that you're as much mine as I am yours?"

"Of course, mo grá." He holds out his left hand, and I grab it in my smaller one. I slide the wide band onto his finger before gripping his palm and bringing it up to my lips, kissing the ring. He notches his knuckle under my chin and lifts my face to his, brushing his lips over mine before deepening our kiss.

"Oy, that's how you ended up in this mess in the first place!" Kirin shouts.

We break our kiss and I grab a biscuit to throw it at him. Dare catches me before I do, waving a finger at Kirin. "Kissing is not how we made babies, I'll tell you that much."

Warmth spreads upward from my chest to my cheeks as I blush. I hit Dare with the back of my hand on his chest. "Hey! No one needs to know the details! Mind your own, Kirin, or I'll throw more than food at you!"

He holds his glass of whatever the hell he's drinking up and laughs. "Cheers to the expecting parents. Don't worry, Ever, I'll drink a glass for you."

I flip him the bird but laugh anyway. All this revelry surrounding me is infectious. I smile, leaning into Dare as I watch our families mingle. It's not how I expected my life to turn out but I can't think of anything better than this.

Thank You!

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Yuletide Revelry. I hope you enjoyed reading about Ever and her crew as much as I enjoyed penning their story.

Currently I have quite a few books planned for Ever and her merry band of misfits as well as a few other projects such as my Dragon Stone Saga. If you’d like to stay up to date on all of my upcoming books, please sign up for my newsletter here: http://bit.ly/GKNewsletter. Or make sure you follow me on Facebook @GraceleyKnox!

If you’re a fan or you’d like to stay in touch, please join my street team, Knox’s Vixens. Giveaways, Advance Reader Copies, hot men, and awesome book recommendations are the norm over there!

If you enjoyed Yuletide Revelry, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. I love any and all feedback and every review counts!

Stay Wicked,

Graceley

Also By Graceley Knox

The Wicked Kingdoms Series:

1. Mark of Truth

2. Crown of Betrayal

3. Throne of Secrets

4. Castle of Illusions (Coming Soon!)

* * *

The Dragon Stone Saga:

Kiss of Frost

Exclusively in the Sirens & Scales Boxed Set

(Coming January 9th 2018)!

Up in Smoke (Coming in 2018)

Shake the Ground (Coming in 2018)

* * *

Thirst

Book One in The Kresova Vampire Harems:

Coming Soon!

(Co-Written with D.D. Miers)

* * *

Meet the author

Graceley Knox suffers from a serious caffeine and book addiction-and she’s not apologizing for it. She writes wicked paranormal and fantasy romance with snarky heroines and sexy heroes. By day she works in the publishing industry, and by night, she plots out the many ideas cluttering her mind. Her free time is spent with her fabulous family and Bengal kitties. She loves to connect with fans on social media, so stop by and say hello!

Visit her here: www.facebook.com/GraceleyKnox