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We should start getting ready for tonight.” Diana announced. Max turned to her from Ryker’s arms where she was securely snuggled. “Tonight? What’s happening tonight?”

“We’re hitting the town! Karaoke baby!” Lark crowed.

Max’s initial full wattage smile dimmed and froze in place as the colour leached out of her face. “What did you just say?”

Lark paused, eyeing Max warily. “Um … karaoke?”

“Why do you hate me?” Max looked so forlorn it was almost comical.

“What? We don’t hate you! What are you talking about?” Poor Lark.

“Why else would you want to take me to such dens of torture? Why else would you want to punish me in such cruel, horrific ways?” She spouted dramatically. Diana could see Ryker rolling his eyes from behind his small love.

“I take it you’re not a fan of karaoke …” Diana took a stab in the dark.

“Absolutely not! Lucifer himself dreamt up that little peach of a nightmare. And it won’t die! It just won’t die I tell you!”

“Lucifer isn’t real, Max.” Darius argued, rationally. As if that was going to help.

“Oh yes he is! I’ve met him. And do you know where I met him?” She pointed an accusing finger to the sky. “That’s right! It was in a karaoke bar! Never again! Oh no, never again …” She muttered, shuddering from head to foot.

Axel was eyeing Max, deep in thought. “Does this have something to do with the donkey and the train thing?”

“Hush! Quiet you! We do not speak of such things!”

As amusing as this was – and it was very amusing – Diana was keen to get the show on the road. “Fine. No karaoke bar. But we are still going out.” She could do with a few stiff drinks herself.

“Definitely! Let’s go to Dave’s Dive.” She offered with enthusiasm.

Ryker grimaced, “Dave’s? Max that place is filled with degenerate humans and smells like body odour, sweat and failed dreams.”

“I know! Perfect right?” She smiled cheekily, “Besides, it’s where I first met you guys. It has sentimental value.”

Diana looked around at everybody and received various nods and shrugs. Looked like they were going to Dave’s Dive.

“Oh, and …” Max added, “… let’s invite Caspian, Leo and Lawson. And maybe Fawn and her paladins – they seemed nice too – a little reserved, but that’s nothing a bottle of tequila wouldn’t cure. Oh, and the triplets! We’re definitely inviting the triplets!”

Uh oh, Diana thought. What had she done?

*****

“Dance with me.” Max demanded to her lover. They were about hour four into their evening at Dave’s. The human bar owner had raised his scarily hairy monobrow when he saw them enter but hadn’t said anything and had continued to serve them drinks as the night progressed. He had even plugged in the sad excuse for a jukebox in the corner. Diana couldn’t believe the thing even worked, it was so old. But it did have a great mix of old school tunes on it. Ryker seemed to have some kind of relationship with the owner, if she wasn’t mistaken, so she was sure that helped too.

“I don’t dance.” Her captain responded flatly to Max. He wasn’t drinking – half of them weren’t. Some of them had to ensure they were protected.

“Not even sexy dancing?” Max cajoled.

Although his brown eyes lit up at the word sexy – typical male – he still shook his head. “Not even.”

“I’ll dance with you, honey.” Beyden volunteered. He had been drinking, but only a little and was a far cry from tipsy. It was good to see him so relaxed. He jumped up and steered Max towards the dance floor. The beast paladin then proceeded to lead Max in an intricate series of steps, his hips and shoulders moving with a fluid grace as they glided across the ‘dance’ floor.

Ryker raised his eyebrows, “I didn’t know he could dance!”

Diana rolled her eyes, watching her fellow knight’s hips move appreciatively. “The man is Spanish, Ryker. He could Pasa Doble before he could walk.”

“I’d be careful, Captain.” Cali smirked, cheekily. “You know what they say; a man who can move his hips on the dance floor, can move them off the dance floor.”

“Dip me! Dip me!” They all watched as Max’s thick, long red locks brushed against the floor before Beyden righted her again, leaving her breathless and flushed.

Diana was really enjoying herself. It was nice to see everyone relaxed and enjoying each other’s company. As promised, Caspian, Leo and Lawson had been invited as well as Fawn and her paladins. The latter had declined due to duties, she assured them, not because she hadn’t wanted to come. But the triplets were here, much to Ryker’s displeasure. The three identical gorgeous specimens were proof there was in fact a God or a Goddess in Diana’s opinion. She watched as they talked with Leo and Lawson and saw the appreciative gleam in Caspian’s eyes. Sure he was very much in love with his partner, Lawson, but he wasn’t dead. He gave her a wink when Lawson wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer to his side. Diana winked back, appreciating the playfulness of the Warden of Water.

Ten minutes later, a breathless Max and a flushed Beyden re-joined them. Their numbers at the table had dwindled to Axel, Lark and Cali. Ryker and Darius had begun talking shop and Cali had firmly moved them along with Leo and the triplets, saying; ‘This is the fun table!’

“Thanks, Bey. If you could set it up, that would be great.” Max was saying as she took her seat and picked up a waiting shot of vodka. Diana shuddered as Max downed it in one healthy swallow.

“Set what up?” She asked, curious. She hoped Max wasn’t up to anything too bad.

“Bey is going to introduce me to his sister.”

“Ivy?” Diana asked, a little surprised. Beyden didn’t talk about his sister too often. She thought maybe he was worried mentioning the Ranger would make them uncomfortable.

Max nodded her head. “Uh huh. She’s a Ranger so I expect she is one of the leading experts on the chades.”

Diana felt the others go still at the same time she did. Max frowned at them and gave them a serious look despite the bright blue drink she was now currently holding. “Did you think I was just going to let it go? I can be circumspect when I need to be. I have been giving Darius time but this is not an issue I am willing to drop. I will be conducting my own investigations – beginning with Ivy.” She stated.

Cali patted her arm. “Good for you. But not tonight. This is the fun table.” She reminded her and took the blue drink from Max, shotting it back. Cali was also drinking.

“Does that mean I’m not allowed to ask something about the bond?” Beyden queried.

“After that dancing, you can ask me anything you want, you sexy beast!” Max guaranteed him, causing heat to flush his cheeks.

“It’s just something I’ve felt through the bond today …” Beyden began a little tentatively.

Max gave her full attention to the man with the smooth dance moves. “What have I done now?”

“No, no! It’s nothing you’ve done!” He was quick to reassure her, “It’s just something I noticed with Ryker …”

“What about him?” She asked with a head tilt.

“Well …” Beyden looked at them but Diana could offer no assistance for she had no idea where this was heading. “Have you actually told Ryker you love him yet?” He finally blurted out. Ah, she thought. So she wasn’t the only one to notice their Captain’s insecurities.

Max’s head snapped back. “What? Of course! I tell him all the time!” She insisted.

Cali rolled her eyes, tipping back her Corona and draining half the bottle. “It doesn’t count if you say it when you’re orgasming.”

“Why? That’s when I mean it the most.” Max pointed out logically.

Axel snorted once, then chuckled, then laughed so hard he had tears seeping from his eyes. “Oh, Max. If only I’d have snagged you first. You’re the perfect woman.”

She blew him a kiss and a wink. “See, Axel’s on my side. Besides, it’s not like he doesn’t know. He can feel it through the bond.”

They all could, actually. And it was genuinely lovely. A pure, non-selfish emotion given and taken freely without reserve or fear. She often had to reprimand herself when a tiny green-eyed monster reared its ugly head.  “Men need to hear the words, Hon.” She enlightened Max.

“Och! Men are so needy!” Max slapped her palm on the table as she rolled her eyes in exasperation. “I’ll fix it.” She assured the table in general, holding up a placating hand.

Copyright 2016 Montana Ash. All rights reserved.