Chapter 1

"Ready for an adventure of a lifetime?" Dave asked his mate who was smiling hugely.
"Absolutely!" Livia said enthusiastically.
Livia had her son in her arms, though at the moment he was sleeping. Dunston was only two years old, so they had brought the nanny that had been hired along to look after him.
As for their older son, he was six and was a bundle of mischief and energy.
Livia was now 33 and due to take that potion in a couple of years, as she wanted to be at least 35 and closer to Dave's apparent age before she did.
Dave understood this and so agreed with Livia's desire. Besides 35 wasn't really that old in what was the 21st century and so long as Livia was healthy Dave wasn't going to protest about taking the potion earlier. Now, if she was close to dying, that would be different or at least develop a disease like cancer, but since that wasn't the case, Dave said nothing.
Livia had been ecstatic to get another son, but she knew that Dave wanted more children somewhere down the line and that they were bound to get a daughter at some point. Despite her fears, she was really looking forward to finally having a little girl, though she certainly wasn't looking forward to any of her daughters having her ability. Still, over the years that she and Dave had been together, they had had many discussions about how her ability was a gift and not a curse and how any children there were would never be left alone to deal with it like she was. Livia had finally to come to see her ability, as a gift rather than a curse—well, mostly.
There were still times where her old fears, reared their ugly heads, where Livia went into a panic attack when she imagined any of her daughters getting her abilities. She knew how hard her gift had been on her and how she had no one to help her with it. While she knew logically that any of her children would never be orphans like she had been that didn't help her old fears, which occasionally caught her by the throat to where she felt like she couldn't breathe.
Kendra Holloway was the nanny and did a good job of reining in Sebastian's energy and looking after their youngest son Dunston. She was a godsend, which is why they had brought her along on this cruise instead of leaving her and the children at home.
Besides, this cruise was geared towards families, not couples, which meant children, so if they had wanted to be alone Dave and her should have signed up for a couples only cruise.
Kendra was a sorcerer and did a good job of looking after the two children and would defend them with her life. She was also loyal to a fault, and they paid her quite the hefty amount to look after Sebastian and Dunston and to keep them occupied. Her job was to keep an eye on Sebastian in particular, as he had more energy than any three kids, and to make sure he didn't fall overboard due to his enthusiastic running from one place to the other.
Dave had laid down the law to Sebastian in particular before they had left for the cruise and that was, he was to obey Kendra, him and his mother at all times and if they told him to stop, he was to do so no questions asked. Dave had promised Sebastian a reward for behaving and Sebastian who loved his father didn't want to disappoint him.
Still, boys will be boys and Sebastian's enthusiasm for life was both a joy and a strain, as that enthusiasm could easily get him in trouble to where he put himself in danger. Sebastian didn't always watch where he was going, and he could easily run into a street in front of a car or fall overboard as the case might be. While being run over wouldn't likely kill him, because he was a dragon shifter, like his father, he could still be seriously hurt.
This trip was one for Dave and Livia and since they had decided to bring their kids along the adults had decided on a family cruise instead of one that was more intimate and romantic.
"It's time to board," Dave told Livia and everyone else.
"Sebastian, come on! Quit running around! It's time to board!" Livia called to her son.
Sebastian didn't listen and so Kendra, who was keeping an eye on him, said her voice sharp with command, "Sebastian Walter Rossi you will listen to your mother young man! Quit running around like a wild animal! It's time to board the ship. You don't want to miss our boarding time and cause your parents to miss the ship as well."
Sebastian instantly stopped running around and came over to his parents, looking rather chastised.
"Why does he listen to Kendra, but not to me?" Livia said aggrieved.
This was an old question, as Livia asked it every time that her son listened to Kendra, but not to her. Dave responded in the same way he always did. It had always been that way, their oldest son, listening to the nanny, instead of to his mother.
"Sebastian knows that you aren't likely to spank his butt for disobeying you and he's smart enough to know that Kendra will follow through on any threat she makes," Dave responded automatically. "He also knows that we'll back up any punishment Kendra decides is necessary to get him to cooperate and since he got his parents brains, he knows that cooperation is better and also what he can get away with.
"You don't like to discipline him unless you absolutely have to, even though you understand that discipline is necessary that doesn't mean you believe in corporal punishment. Sometimes, however, getting physical is the only way to get children to behave and listen to their elders, especially if the situation can turn dangerous in an instant."
Livia rolled her eyes, but otherwise didn't respond to her mate's statement because she knew he was absolutely correct and there was no need to rehash that old argument today when they were about to take their first cruise with their children.
"Let's go, Sebastian," Dave told his son gesturing for the boy to get in front of him and Sebastian, listened to his father, unlike his mother.
The family walked up the gangplank with Sebastian in front of Dave to make sure the boy couldn't get up to mischief before he was even on board the liner.
"Welcome aboard. Glad you could join us," the Captain whose name was Reginald Bocardo greeted Dave, Livia, and Sebastian and as for Dunston he was asleep in Livia's arms.
"Thank you, Captain," Dave said, shaking the man's hand formally before he led his wife away from the gangplank, because it was still a long line of people waiting to board.
"Let's go find our suite," Livia suggested. "We need to get Dunston settled down for a nap and Sebastian could probably use one too."
"Aw mom! I'm too old for naps!" Sebastian protested.
"I think a short nap will do you good or you'll be tired by dinner tonight. I mean with the way you run around as if you're Speedy Gonzalez," Kendra said referring to the old cartoon by Warner Brothers Studios.
Sebastian pouted but didn't protest again.
The family went to find a steward who could show them to their room.

~~~Dave and Livia~~~

"Wow Dave! This is something else!" Livia said, as she explored the suite that Dave had reserved for his family.
The suite was two levels with more than enough bedrooms for the five of them, especially since she and Dave would be sharing
"Here is a TV for Sebastian," Livia said.
"There should be plenty of entertainment for Sebastian as well as us," Dave said. "We can use the nanny services at least some of the time as Kendra deserves a chance to enjoy herself too."
"I've bought several games since I didn't know what was going to be available to keep Sebastian entertained," Kendra put in. "I bought Uno, dominoes and checkers."
"It was good you thought to bring those just in case," Livia complimented Kendra. "I mean they're small and easily portable and don't take up a lot of space in a bag."
"Exactly," Kendra agreed, smiling, thinking that she really enjoyed working for the Rossis, as for one thing they always paid her expenses whenever she joined them on one of their vacations and only asked her to pay for her personal souvenirs. They also gave her some time to herself by hiring a babysitter usually another paranormal, since Sebastian had the habit of changing into his dragon form at the drop of a hat.
Still, Sebastian was old enough to behave himself, but sometimes he forgot he wasn't supposed to transform when he got really excited and if a human saw him, it was Kendra who used her magic to make that person forget what they had seen.
Sebastian had been absolutely forbidden to transform in public and knew he would be severely punished if he forgot and as for Dunston, he was still too young to know any better, so Kendra had used her magic to stop him from transforming temporarily until he was older and more responsible.
Dave blessed the day that Kendra had to come to work for them as a nanny recommended by Alifair, who had become a major part of the children's lives.
"So, what do you want to do first, before you spa treatments tomorrow," Dave asked Livia.
"I don't know why you signed me up for the spa. I've never been to a spa a day in my life," Livia rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"It's good to try new things, sweetie," Dave told her firmly. "If you don't enjoy yourself, you never have to go back once we get home, but I thought this was an opportunity for you to try out their services. They also have a salon, where you can get a facial, pedicure and get your hair done. You might actually enjoy it."
"I've heard they also do massages," Kendra put in knowing that due to Livia's background she never would have imagine trying something like going to a spa because the treatments were so expensive and way past her price range until she had met Dave, that is. Considering that Livia had grown up in foster care, she had never learned about the joys of having facials or pedicures, or any other treatment that made a woman even more beautiful than they were and helped to relieve stress.
Kendra also knew that Dave took every opportunity to get his mate to try things she never would have on her own by signing her up for whatever it was without asking Livia first. This was what caused a lot of their arguments, because Dave knew that Livia would say no if he asked, and so he didn't bother and then roped her into at least trying it. Livia just wasn't the adventurous sort other than buying her motorhome and traveling from place to place before she'd met Dave.
"I also signed you up at the same time I signed up Livia," Dave told Kendra. "You deserve a treat considering you're always busy with Sebastian and Dunston and rarely take time to yourself."
Dave shot her a look over Livia's head that Kendra knew meant that 'You are to make sure Livia actually goes and tries the spa treatments and are not allowed to let her get out of it with excuses.'
"That was very thoughtful of you sir, and I appreciate it," Kendra told Dave happy at how thoughtful David Rossi was. She had worked for employers in the past that were nowhere near as thoughtful as her current ones. Of course, part of the reason that Dave wanted her to go was to make sure that his mate actually did go to the spa and didn't decide to hide somewhere for the whole day tomorrow until dinner time.
Of course, even if Livia was a no-show, Dave had already paid in advance, so those payments wouldn't be refunded, just because Livia didn't appear for her spa day. Kendra wasn't sure that Livia had realized that quite yet.
"It's a good thing, I love you or I would refuse to go be subjected to the torture that I will soon be undergoing," Livia told Dave being perfectly serious.
"It's isn't torture, sweetie," Dave told her his tone exasperated. "It's a way to relax forget about your worries, concerns and the children for a few hours. It's a way to detox from everyday life."
"I don't need to relax," Livia protested. "Besides, that's what this cruise is for."
"Yes, and most people find going to a spa relaxing," Kendra put in before Livia could start an argument with her mate who was very even tempered for the most part. Dave could lose his temper, however, though he rarely did so at Livia, but it did happen occasionally when Livia didn't realize that she was pushing every single one of Dave's buttons.
Livia could be resistant to trying new things that she considered a waste of money and also unnecessary. Mostly Livia had gotten over her money issues, but that early childhood training wasn't going away and she had grown up in that environment where she had never taken a vacation or gotten anything like spa treatments.
Livia could be very stubborn, although once she really tried something she never had before and kept an open mind, she usually ended up enjoying herself and liking whatever Dave wanted her to try. Dave was determined to give her as many experiences as he could, which was why the two of them clashed occasionally.
"Just give it a try and if you can tell me honestly, you genuinely didn't like it after you've tried it this once I'll never force you to go again," Dave promised.
"Fine," Livia said her tone resigned, telling the other two adults in the room that she knew she wasn't going to enjoy herself, that she just wanted to get it over with. "That's for tomorrow though, and I'm not even going to think about it until then. I think it's time we get something to eat, as I'm sure Sebastian is getting hungry and Dunston to no doubt."
Sebastian at the moment was busy exploring, the suite bouncing on the couch cushions and generally just being a kid.
"That's a good idea," Dave decided not wanting to push his luck, as sometimes Livia could be a little stubborn about trying things she never had before something he was well aware of.
"Here's a list of the ships amenities, including restaurants. There are several restaurants on board, including the main dining room and the ships buffet. They also have barbecue, seafood, several bars, Italian and several other places. It really just depends on what you're in the mood for. We'll have to try all of them before the end of the cruise," Dave said.
"I think the ships dining room for lunch will be fine," Livia said. "We can try another of the restaurants tomorrow."
"That sounds fine," Dave agreed without arguing.
"Sebastian come on. It's time for lunch, sweetie," Livia told her son who was still bouncing on the couch.
"OK, mommy," Sebastian said, as he stopped, bouncing on the couch and raced over to the adults and his baby brother that was now being held by Kendra.
The Rossi family finally left the suite and asked one of the ships employees for directions to the main dining room where they should be serving lunch at this time of day.

~~~Dave and Livia~~~