Warriors of Poseidon 05 - Atlantis Redeemed

eyebrows drew together. “Tiernan, your silence is worrying me more than I care to admit right now.”
    She laughed and threw herself at him, knocking him over into the grass. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”
    She kissed every inch of his face, lingering on his lips, and then she sat up, straddling him, and pulled her shirt over her head. “Just how private is this garden?”
    Brennan’s dangerously sexy smile spread across his face. “Private enough.”

Epilogue
    Yellowstone National Park, Wolf Pack Ceremonial Grounds, five days later Atlantis Redeemed – Warriors of Poseidon 05
    Page 222 of 232
    Brennan looked at the circle of people ringing the fire. Shifters, humans, and Atlanteans. Even a vampire. He nodded to Daniel, who kept back and a little apart from the rest.
    Conlan and Riley held little Prince Aidan. Near them, Alexios and Grace stood in a place of honor, each of them holding one of Lucas and Honey’s twins. Ven and Erin huddled together on Tiernan’s far side. Erin was in deep mourning for the loss of her sister, but had insisted on attending the naming ceremony, saying they all needed to see hope and life, instead of just death and battle. Apparently whatever mission Conlan had sent them on in Europe had not gone well.
    They had all attended Deirdre’s memorial service the day before, and Erin’s grief was still very fresh. It was part of the great circle of life, death, and love. Brennan had experienced so much of the first two but never had dared hope for the third over the course of his millennia-long life.
    He pulled Tiernan closer, yet again silently giving thanks for the gift of her presence in his life.
    Lucas stepped forward, holding his mate’s hand, and everyone quieted. “We thank you for sharing our joy during this sacred ceremony of naming, a tradition in our Pack since the beginning of recorded history.”
    Honey raised their joined hands. “As we pledged our lives to each other, we pledge our lives and our sons’ lives to this alliance between our peoples and to the quest to bring all of us together in harmony, for now and forever.”
    Lucas nodded at Tiernan. “Your newspaper series about Litton and his schemes with the vampires has placed enormous pressure on Washington to take action. Already, many members of the Primus have been forced to resign.”
    Next, he nodded at Daniel. “Your accession to Primator gives us great hope.”
    Daniel bowed elegantly. “I will do my best not to let you down.”
    Grace and Alexios handed the babies to Lucas and Honey, who held them up in the air.
    “I name you Lucas Alexios and Nathan Brennan,” Lucas proclaimed, his voice ringing clear and loud. “May you be spokes in the wheel of peace that rules our planet for centuries to come.”
    Brennan met Alexios’s stunned gaze across the fire.
    Did you know? he sent on the mental pathway.
    Alexios shook his head. He hadn’t known, either.
    Brennan bowed, his heart full. “I am honored beyond the telling of it. May the waters of your ancestors bless and nourish your boys for every day of their lives and every step of their paths, both as human and as wolf.”
    Atlantis Redeemed – Warriors of Poseidon 05
    Page 223 of 232
    Alexios bowed and uttered a similar sentiment, but Brennan didn’t hear it, because Tiernan whispered in his ear, “Nice job, Uncle Brennan.”
    He grinned. “Uncle now, father soon. Should we start thinking of names? Lots and lots of names?”
    “Let me at least finish my series of articles before we think about babies,” she said, looking a little pale.
    “Mi amara, you’ll probably get a Pulitzer for this,” he said, knowing she had always dreamed of the prestigious prize.
    “Maybe,” she said, shrugging. “It doesn’t matter as much to me anymore. Dying gives a girl a different perspective on life.” As everyone around the fire cheered for the babies, Tiernan pulled Brennan’s face down to hers and kissed him thoroughly. “I have all I need right here.”
    Brennan thought his heart might burst from his chest, it was filled with so much joy. He pulled her into his arms, rejoicing in the wonder of standing shoulder to shoulder with a circle of allies and friends.
    The babies chose that moment to wake up and start crying for milk, and everyone laughed, but then a large rustling shook the underbrush back away from the clearing and all the shifters tensed. Seconds later, an enormous tiger leapt from between the trees and strolled up to the fire,