Mason


    I couldn’t keep my eyes open. After sex that good, all wanted to do was fall into a deep, hard sleep.


    Lanie’s bare shoulder pressed mine, and the soft sound of her breathing mingled with Xander and


    Zane’s. Mine was doing the same, I realized sleepily as I started drifting off. The four of us had synced


    up.


    It felt good. Comfortable. Secure.


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    “Abba?”


    My eyes flew wide open. I pushed up on my elbow, expecting to see Ste standing at the foot of the


    bed.


    That was how close she sounded. The bedroom door was closed. We were all still alone.


    Lanie sat up next with a small gasp. “Ste?”


    Xander and Zane, on her other side, did the same. We all stared at each other. Ste’s voice entered


    my


    mind again. Her words echoed a bit, like a shout down a well.


    “I’ve fed the twins and settled them in their room with some toys. I need to talk to all of you.” Ste’s


    voice


    vibrated in my head, and by the way everyone else was reacting, I could tell they heard her, too.


    Zane’s shocked expression was almostical, as was my brother’s. Lanie didn’t look that shocked,


    more like she was taken aback. As for myself, I was barely getting used to having a four-way mate


    bond with my mates. Having our daughter chime in without warning was enough to get me out of bed in


    a sh.


    “Give us a few minutes, sweetheart,” Lanie thought through the new link. “We’ll be out.”


    The four of us shared looks.


    “What the hell was that?” Xander muttered, pitching his voice low so it wouldn’t carry out of the


    bedroom.


    Could Ste overhear us, anyway? She probably had enhanced hearing. Or, she could simply read all


    of


    our minds even when she wasn’t using that brand-new link to talk to us. The feeling was unsettling, to


    say the


    least.


    Lanie shook her head and got out of the bed. “She’s a Celestial, Xander. I think the more open we are


    to


    whatever happens, the better off we’re all going to be.


    I’m going to jump in the shower before we go talk to her, though.”


    Zane chuckled, lifting his arm to sniff under it. “I’d say we all should at least rinse off. Just because


    Ste


    knows we’ve been making love, that doesn’t mean we all need to roll out of here smelling like it.”


    Ja


    Four adults in a bathroom would never be an ideal situation, even with the size of ours, but we all


    managed to get to the shower and the sinks without tripping over one another. By the time we all got


    out into


    the living room, Ste had made us all mugs of sweet, spiced tea andid out tes of the sliced


    birthday cake Gabri had brought for her.


    “This was nice, honey. Thank you.” Lanie hugged her with a smallugh. I must say, while I’m still


    getting used to the idea of you being all grown up, I can get used to this!”


    Xander plucked a slice from the te and bit into the thick frosting. “Me too.”


    Ste beamed. “I’m d. I didn’t want to overstep, but I could tell you all needed something sweet and


    sugary.”


    “The link,” I said as I took a te and fork and sat with it in one of the recliners. “That’s new. How long


    have you been able to do that?”


    “Mason, she probably always could,” Lanie murmured


    Ste nodded and pressed her lips together. “Yes, that’s the truth, Abba. I just never did before


    because I didn’t want to freak you all out. But I still did, huh?”


    “A little,” I admitted.


    She sighed. “Unfortunately, Abba, I think there will be many times in the days ahead when we’re all


    going to feel a little ufortable with what I’m able to do.


    Even me. Knowing I’ve had these abilities for so long but never sharing them has always felt wrong,


    and i never want to hide anything from my parents again.”


    Lanie hugged her again, her expression shadowed.


    “I never want you to feel like you have to, honey.


    Whatever you need to share with us, you should be able. Even if you think it will upset us, or make us


    mad…or scare us.”


    Ste nodded, looking solemn. She hadn’t taken a piece of cake or a mug of tea, but she waited until


    we


    all had and sat before she addressed us.


    “Mother, Daddy, Abba, Papa. For the past few hours, I’ve been feeling the fog clear away. At first, I


    wasn’ sure if what I was sensing was true, but now I’m convinced that what I’ve seen is the truth. The


    High Council has made their decision about what they’re going to do.” Ste looked at each of us in


    turn. Her voice was strong, without a tremble or a quiver. Her eyes shone brightly. “Now I know how we


    can stop them.”