“Mm, this is bliss.” Said Wei Caihong, arching his back backwards.

“I’m glad you like it, princess.” Said Marek as he gently massaged Wei Caihong’s sore feet. Nikola was doing much the same with Penemue, but they were both glaring at the tiger demon.

“You are taking liberties with my wife!” Snapped Nikola as Marek’s hands moved up Wei Caihong’s leg.

“This poor neglected sweetheart deserves more attention. Both of your mates are heavy with your cubs yet you are taking care of just one of them.” Chastised Marek, tutting at the end. Nikola’s hands gripped Penemue’s foot a little harder and he received a light kick for this transgression.

“At this rate you might make my feet even more sore. Just go and give Wei Caihong a foot rub, I can wait.” Said Penemue. Nikola looked at her to make sure she wasn’t setting up a trap for him and he laid her foot on a pillow. Then he moved to Wei Caihong and shoed Marek from him.

“Does this mean I will be tending to the angel now?” Asked Marek, a withering look from Penemue make his teil fold.

“You are very fickle, Marek.” Said Wei Caihong, a little piffled that Marek’s attention was so easily diverged.

“Princess, you are too cold. You want my adoration but you don’t want to give me yours. What is this poor servant to do?”

“Go check up on Wei Bao.” Said Nikola when he saw that Marek was leaning into him. He was shameless, this tiger he had created.

“Right. And on dear Han Fengfan too. They are probably both hungry. Princess, angel, my dear.” Finished Marek nodding at each of them in turn. Then he was off to see to the girls. Nikola lost himself in the act of giving a proper foot rub. During each of her pregnancies Maria had made him do this and so he was proficient. His fingers must have found a ticklish spot because Wei Caihong giggled. He rubbed the spot again and his shoulders relaxed as he heard the melodic sound again.

“When do you think he will stop this nonsense?” Asked Penemue from her place next to Wei Caihong.

“When he finds a mate.” Said Nikola. Demons had one track minds and were very goal driven. A demon wants a mate? Then a demon will have a mate. Who said mate was, was up in the air.

“We have to find him one before he warms his way into our bed.” Said Penemue. Nikola sighed. They had both cheated on each other. And Marek was handsome. Why didn’t he make an actual tiger again?

“Well, I for one like being pampered.” Said Wei Caihong as he relaxed under Nikola’s touch. “You both still treat me like a third wheel.”

Penemue moved and rested her head on Wei Caihong’s chests, kissing them.

“I have thought you much. And Nikola has admitted that he loves you more than I.” Said Penemue and Wei Caihong sighed.

“Yes, but you two know what the other is about to do before they do it. And you don’t allow me to get to know you better.”

“What would you like to know?” Asked Nikola as he kissed Wei Caihong’s foot. He hadn’t known that his soulmate felt like this.

“Everything. All the good and the bad.” Replied Wei Caihong simply.

“No, you don’t. We are both monsters, Nikola and I.” Said Penemue as she embraced Wei Caihong.

“There are so many myths about you…” Tried Wei Caihong again but his lips were sealed in a kiss. Nikola moved away from his soulmate’s face when the kiss was over and tried to smile. He really did. But of the three of them Wei Caihong was the most innocent one. And even he has done some horrible things.

“If the myth describes us doing something horrible in detail then it’s true. But I speak for both Penemue and I as I tell you that we want another chance at life. See us as the way we are, not the way we were.”

“So, the things about the Century of Sorrow are true?” Asked Wei Caihong, looking like he was going to be sick.

“We are not proud of that time. Bjorn’s suicide started a civil war, as you well know. People rightly believed that to angels humans were simply toys. Even the soulmates. And they were right.” Said Penemue and Wei Caihong stiffened in her arms.

“And now?” He asked, afraid of the truth.

“You are not a toy.” Said the angel.

“I adore you and will spend eternity with you.” Said Nikola, leaning in for another kiss. He wasn’t given one, instead Wei Caihong placed a hand over his mouth.

“You two have pulled a veil over my eyes before.” Said Wei Caihong. The warm arms around him retreated and both of his spouses turned to look at him.

“If you don’t want us anymore, after all the shit we pulled…” Began Nikola with a hurt expression and Wei Caihong rouse so that he could embrace him. The noble extended his other hand and Penemue found herself in the embrace too.

“Never say that again.” Said the noble as he breathed in their scent, trying to engrave it in his memory. “I refuse to hear it.” They remained like this for quite some time and then Ryota ran into their room with Han Fengfan in his arms.

“Ma, Pa, Auntie, people are going to cook in the streets! We are invited.” He then ran out, Wei Caihong released his spouses and stood up.

“Well, we can’t disappoint the people of Yuzhang.”

“What about your foot rub?” Asked Nikola. Technically the two men turned women have been getting one for the better part of an hour, but they still hadn’t told him to stop while he was giving them the massage.

“When we come back from this event you can continue your good work. You are better at it than Marek.” Said Wei Caihong with a wink. Wei Caihong and Penemue put on some silk socks and then their boots and got outside. On the snow-covered streets there were cooking pits as far as the eye could see. When the Wei family exited the inn, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd.

“The ones chosen by Lord Marek!”

“They helped the people of Pangong. Gave five hundred gold for their sake just like that.”

“You don’t say…”

People were talking over each other and then Marek got out of the inn carrying Wei Bao. The cheers reached deafening highs but when Marek pressed a finger over his lips the crowd quieted down.

“Good people, there are babies here.” Said the tiger demon as he hugged the bundle, he was carrying closer to himself. “Now, what are you doing in my honor?”

The people began to show Marek what was in the various pots and pans and to give him samples. Nikola scanned the crowd for a potential mate for the tiger demon. And then he saw her. Stirring a pot was a white-haired pale beauty. Her hair had two lotus buns on the sides and she had blue eyes. An albino. She didn’t seem to be wearing make-up, but she didn’t need it either. Nikola went to Marek and tugged him in her direction.

“My dear, where are we going?” Asked the tiger demon and Nikola grinned at him. That surprised Marek. So, used to the scorn of his creator.

“I have found you a mate. The moon herself.” Said Nikola cryptically and then they stopped before the albino woman. Marek looked at her, then at Nikola. She was pretty, he had to admit. But she wasn’t his creator.

“I prefer you, my dear.” Whispered Marek to Nikola. The former emperor tugged at Marek’s tail which was trying to wrap around his waist and grinned at the woman who was now looking at them.

“Hello, fair lady. What is your name?” Asked Nikola and the woman blushed. The red gave life to her cheeks. Marek found he liked the look.

“Liu Ju.” Responded the albino woman.

“The name suits you.” Blurted out Marek. Wei Bao stirred in his arms and let out a wail. Liu Ju took her from Marek’s hands without prompting and began rocking her back and forth.

“Little deary, don’t cry. Liu Ju is going to give you something tasty to eat! My very own porridge!” Then Liu Ju pointed at the pot.

“Can you place some to cool, my Lord?” She said, addressing Marek. He took a bowl and got the milk porridge into it. Then he got two more bowls for Liu Ju and himself. Nikola chuckled at that.

“I’ll leave you to it.” He said, backing away. Marek’s tail wiped and wrapped itself around his arm.

“I am not to be passed over.” He told his creator who nodded at Liu Ju who was dotting on the little girl in her arms.

“And neither is she. You can have a family. Children of your own blood. You can’t have these things with me. I am already spoken for.” Said Nikola and the tail released him. He went back to his family to see Penemue and Wei Caihong at tables, cutting cooking ingredients. Han Shanyuan and Ryota and Han Fengfan were at Wei Caihong’s side, while Wei Zhaohui and Nathaniel were at Penemue’s. Nikola pulled his sleeves up, ready to help, but he was leveled with two stern looks.

“You will taste the food and pronounce the winner.” Said Penemue as she diced a carrot.

“Everyone else is cooking so we decided to make something too. All the excess food is going to go to the refugees of Pangong.” Said Wei Caihong, filleting a fish.

“And you two are making it a competition?” Asked Nikola, grinning. Penemue cooked best when she was jealous. And Wei Caihong always cooked well, even though he rarely did so.

“Only the children are allowed to help.” Said Penemue. “You may stock the fires.” Nikola chuckled at being allowed to do even this much and he began to cut wood to place in the cooking pits. The scent of duck came from Penemue’s pot and Nikola stole a peek into it. It was a stew with rice and vegetables. He was salivating at the sight of it.

Then the scent of fish soup brought him to the promise that he was going to get something warm in his belly. He could smell saffron from Wei Caihong’s pot. And something else, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint the scent. He placed more wood under both pots at the same time so as to not be accused of playing favorites and looked to where Marek was talking with Liu Ju. The albino woman had Wei Bao, or maybe Liu Bao soon, in her arms and both she and the tiger demon were humming to the little girl. Marek looked happy. Their eyes met and Marek nodded at him, placing an arm around Liu Ju.

Well, it seems that he was down to eleven children. Marek was not going to give up little Bao. He smiled at that. He would need to make sure that Liu Ju lived as long as Marek, if not longer. Didn’t Master Wang say something about a golden apple? He wouldn’t need it in his new body. And it would make Marek happy to grow old with this wonderful woman.

The sun rouse on the people. The refugees moved from pot to pot and received food from everyone. The money Nikola had paid the magistrate had gone towards the housing of the refugees and this cook off was entirely funded by the people of Yuzhang. The cleaver woman approached the Wei family and looked between the two bubbling pots. In the end the scent of saffron made her look pleadingly at Wei Caihong.

“Fair lady, do you have a bite to eat to share?” Wei Caihong smirked at Penemue and filled a bowl. The cleaver woman took it and went to eat it with the rest of the refugees. Then two bowl, one of fish soup and the other of duck stew, were given to Nikola.

“Time for you to judge.” Said Penemue. Nikola didn’t take the bowls but rather he leaned in and took a gulp from Penemue’s spicy stew. He grinned as he got a piece of duck to chew on. Then he took a gulp from Wei Caihong’s fish soup and he moaned. Darn, but he loved saffron.

“You win this time.” Said the angel to the vampire. “You get the first foot rub of the day.” Nikola grinned that the stakes were something so mundane. He finished both bowls as the children helped themselves to the food they have helped to prepare. Everyone was happy that morning, safe and with full bellies.