Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
“See. This will be right next to you outside,” Sky explained.
“You’ve got its attention,” Nolan said as the tree stopped pulling on the cord.
“Ready?” Sky asked.
“Yep.”
He tossed the statue through the open doorway, and Nolan caught it. As soon as it moved from the bright house to the dark exterior, it lit up thanks to the solar panel on the back of the cat.
“You’ve got your own lights outside. But it only lights up at night out here,” Nolan stressed.
The tree rushed outside toward Nolan, two long roots reaching for the cat statue that Nolan was now holding above his head. He hurried down the short stairs and to the flower bed they’d prepared for the tree. They’d added several solar lights to the bed. Around the area they’d dug up for the tree were several other solar statues. As soon as the tree noticed them, it stopped chasing after Nolan and moved to the bed. Its little branches and roots reached out here and there to touch the glowing figures.
“I think it likes the pretties,” Sky whispered as he edged closer to Nolan.
Nolan snorted. “Who would have thought one of your trees would want to be surrounded by shiny objects?”
Sky sniffed. “Pretty things make the world go round.”
Nolan edged closer to the tree, still holding the statue and the cord for the Christmas lights the tree wore. “It’s amazing you’re willing to date me. I can’t claim to be pretty or shiny.”
The necromancer in the shiny gold vest hurried to Nolan and wrapped his arms around his waist. “You’re a different kind of pretty and shiny.”
“Goth shiny?”
He shrugged. “It’s a thing.”
“Look! Look!” Nolan said in a low, excited voice, and Sky’s head whipped to see the tree digging its roots deep into the loose soil they’d prepared. It wiggled and shook, getting properly settled in its new home. It gave a final shudder, and Nolan could’ve sworn it seemed happy—a bit fuller, as if its branches relaxed to enjoy the night air.
He pulled free of Sky’s grip and placed the glowing cat beside the tree. He tucked the cord for the Christmas lights behind the tree. They would definitely need to change the lights before they attempted to plug them in for the holidays, but there was no outlet near the tree right now, so they didn’t need to worry about the tree plugging itself in. Besides, it had plenty of its own solar lights glowing around it.
“So pretty,” Sky cooed at the tree. “You’re such a pretty tree now with all your lights.”
“Good grief,” Nolan muttered. “At least it’s outside.”
Sky giggled and pulled Nolan toward the house. “Until next December, at least.”
“As long as it’s the only tree that tries to come into the house, I can deal with it.”
When they got inside and closed the door behind them without being followed, they breathed a sigh of relief. Sky hugged his boyfriend’s waist and smiled up at the grumpy man.
“Do you regret it? Dating a necromancer?”
Nolan’s expression softened to one of pure love and devotion. “Not even for a second. Not even for all the sentient, bedazzled trees in the world. You’ve made my life pretty and shiny. Now I can’t live without you.”
A wicked light entered Sky’s eyes, and he unwrapped his arms from Nolan to capture one of his hands. He tugged him to the front of the house and up the stairs. “Come on, Goth Boy. Why don’t you show me what other things you can do with that talented tongue of yours besides waxing poetic?”
“You’re on.”
Nope. Not a single regret. Sky and his magic made life interesting.
Bonus Short Story
Nolan Shouldn’t Make Deals With Minions
A Princes of Mayhem Short Story
Nolan Shouldn’t Make Deals with Minions
Bonus Short Story
“Are you sure you don’t just want me to pick up something on the way home?” Sky asked for the third time.
Nolan leaned in and kissed his boyfriend’s jaw. “I’ve got this. You’re not the only one who knows how to use the stove.”
That earned him a skeptical eyebrow, but Nolan pressed his finger to it and pushed it lower again.
“Babe, you don’t have to cook to prove you love me,” Sky said with a sweet smile. “The way you fuck me shows me that.”
With a roll of his eyes, Nolan grabbed Sky’s shaking shoulders and turned him toward his powder-blue car. “Go. You don’t want to be late for your appointment.”
Sky snorted. “They’re dead. It’s not like they’re going anywhere.”
“Yeah, but your paying clients are alive and probably don’t enjoy waiting around a cemetery at night.”
“Fine. Fine. Don’t try anything complicated without me. This will take only an hour. I can pick up a bucket of chicken on the way home,” Sky called out as he climbed into his car. Nolan smiled and waved good-bye to him, watching as he reversed out of the driveway and drove down the street.