Bound in Blood (Broken Bloodlines Book 3)
Bound in Blood: Chapter 67

CHRISTMAS EVE

“Just look at it though. It’s all so shiny!” Ophelia squeals with delight, clapping her hands together. Her beautiful face is illuminated by the colored lights of the Christmas tree as they twinkle in the otherwise unlit room. We remodeled the house after the “incident,” and the professor’s quarters, with the exception of his study, have been combined with the main house to make one huge open-plan living area. All of which has been decorated with garlands and wreaths and colorful Christmas ornaments. I don’t believe there’s a square inch that has not been bedazzled by Christmas. Even Alexandros’s old leather chair has been adorned with a Santa cushion. He’s sitting on it now, reading his newspaper. At least he’s pretending to, but his eyes keep drifting to the excitable bundle of elementai in the middle of the room.

There must be a hundred wrapped gifts stowed underneath the tree, adorned in a variety of shimmering red, gold, and green wrapping paper. I’d bet at least half of them are for her. We all decided to spoil our girl for the first Christmas we’re celebrating together, especially given how we spent our last one. I can’t wait to see her face when she opens her presents. There’s nothing overly extravagant, but I can still imagine her face lighting up with each book, plushie, and unicorn-themed anything she opens.

Xavier wraps his arms around her waist and presses his lips against her neck. “You’re shiny, Cupcake.”

Dressed in sparkly green pajamas that make her look like an elf, she is fucking adorable, and I could eat her on the spot. A sentiment Axl, Xavier, and Alexandros all share in my head.

“You like my Christmas jammies?” she asks, giggling.

He snaps the waistband of her pants. “Yeah, I do. Gonna fuck my little elf soon.”

“Am I to understand there are equally green and sparkly affairs upstairs that you’d like for us to wear?” I ask her.

“Nope.” Xavier shakes his head. “Not being caught dead in no elf pajamas.”

“Not dressing like an elf for anyone, princess. Not even you.” Axl winks at her, while Alexandros remains conspicuously silent.

“Aw.” She pouts. “But you would all look so cute.”

If it makes her happy, I’ll wear her Christmas pajamas, and so will they. But I can’t resist having a little fun first. “I guess if the professor is down for wearing his Christmas jammies, then we’ll all have to.” Like the rest of us, he would do anything to make her smile.

She presses her lips together, her eyes shining with glee. Meanwhile, he studies his newspaper, continuing to pretend like he’s not paying attention.

“I guess we wouldn’t have much of a choice, then,” Axl adds.

“You’d all look so adorable,” Ophelia says sweetly.

“If the professor dresses in Christmas pajamas that look like these …” Xavier skims his fingers around Ophelia’s waistband. “I’ll nut in my fucking pants.”

That gets his attention at least, but he simply looks up from his newspaper and amusedly raises one eyebrow.

Ophelia sighs, and I pull her back to my chest and rest my head on her shoulder. “Can we at least open a present?” she asks.

“No,” Alexandros answers.

“Aw,” Ophelia and Xavier whine in unison.

I vaguely remember celebrating Christmas as a small child, but it was nothing like this. Her joy is infectious, and it’s making me giddy. I want to open presents too. “Not even one?” I ask.

“No,” he says again. “You will all have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Yeah, if we don’t get to sleep soon, Santa won’t come.” Axl sniggers.

Xavier smirks, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. “But if we go to sleep, Ophelia won’t come.”

“He’s got a point,” I agree. “Who needs to open presents when we have something so much more fun to unwrap instead?” I slide my hand under her pajama top in case there is any doubt as to what I’m referring to. She squirms, rubbing her juicy ass against me.

“But you already know what’s under my wrapping,” she breathlessly argues. “It won’t be nearly as much fun as opening the gifts under the tree.”

“Oh, Cupcake, I know you did not just say that,” Xavier growls, and Axl voices his agreement.

I spin her around in my arms, and the sight of her flushed cheeks has me biting back a grin. “You’re in so much trouble now, sweet girl.”

She tilts her head to the side, and it makes her look even more adorable. “Am I on the naughty list, sir?” Her purr goes straight to my cock.

Fuck, I love her so damn much. She has thrived this past year living here with us. Growing in confidence, acing her studies, and making new friends, she is finally starting to realize how incredible she is. She’s embraced so many new things while still retaining her sweet, caring nature and everything else that makes her so uniquely Ophelia.

“Ophelia Hart, are you looking for a spanking?”

Alexandros’s question makes her shiver, but she flutters her eyelashes at him over her shoulder. “Maybe.”

I lift her and wrap her legs around my waist. “You are definitely on the naughty list, baby, and I’m gonna take you upstairs and unwrap you for your spanking.”

Her breath catches in her throat, and her pupils blow so wide I can no longer see her vivid blue irises. I seal my lips over hers, grinding my hard cock against the heat of her center. Through our bond, I tell her all the filthy things we’re about to do to her as I carry her to bed. Alexandros, Xavier, and Malachi follow close behind.

We remodeled upstairs too, and now there are only two bedrooms—one containing a specially made bed that comfortably sleeps five. Because life is way too fucking short for any of us not to spend every single night with her. Just like we’re about to and like we do every single night—kissing and biting and fucking her until we all fall asleep, then waking up with her in our arms. I never thought I could feel anything remotely close to this level of happiness, and it’s all down to this incredible girl right here.

She might not be able to summon all four elements anymore, but she is still the most powerful and incredible being in the whole goddamn universe if you ask me.