Warlocks & Warfare_A Grimmer Legacy novel Page 8

  “I’ll be fine, I’m a big girl,” I assure him, reaching to cup his stubbled cheek.

  His frown deepened, “No, I want you with me.” He sounded very strict, which only served to amuse me.

  “I’ve got a job to do.”

  “You can call in sick.”

  “Despite popular belief, Avon, my life’s ambition is not to be a concubine.”

  “It’s a matter of safety.” He sounded totally reasonable. It was annoying when men did that.

  “If anything my father is one of the few people I don’t actually have to fear, he’d never kill me and he’s proven a reluctance to hurt me.”

  “He might not intend to hurt you, love, but that doesn’t mean he won’t.” He cupped my face with both hands, his eyes filled with compassion but also anger, although the latter wasn’t directed at me.

  I tilted my head to kiss his jaw, I find that when men are being annoying it’s sometimes best to distract them. If he kept it up much longer I could always show him my boobs. “Would it make you feel better if I team up with someone?”

  He looked thoughtful for a moment, “Who?”

  “I don’t know, Tia, maybe.”

  “I’m not sure, you think she can protect you?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Tia is very powerful, just like all my siblings.”

  “Powerful enough for me to entrust your safety to her?” he asked seriously. He was being very protective. It was kind of cute, but also annoying.

  I kissed him briefly, “She’s family.”

  “That’s not always enough,” he reminded me, eyes shadowed. When it came to family, the guy had his own demons, both literally and figuratively.

  “For me it is, there’s a difference between relatives and family. Misha will never be a part of my family because I choose who I consider family, and they don’t have to be blood-related.” I rested my hand against his chest and felt the steady beat of his heart.

  He held my gaze for a long moment, still seeming conflicted but I could tell that he was softening. “Do not leave the house until she comes to get you,” he said firmly.

  “I like it when you get all bossy,” I told him, teasingly.

  He nipped at my chin, “Oh really?”

  “Really... doesn’t mean I’ll always listen to you, though.” I had to set some boundaries.

  “And that, love, is why you deserve the spankings I give you.”

  I felt myself flush at the reminder and he grinned at my reaction, cupping my breast through my thin cotton robe.

  “If you wish I can stay and give you another spanking,” he said seductively.

  “Go, now, you ass,” I ordered. Those wicked eyes would surely get me in trouble if he stayed much longer.

  He bent closer, “Your’s is the only ass I’m interested in.” He licked my cheek and then walked out.

  “Ew, I hate it when he does that.” I rubbed the sleeve of my robe against my cheek before picking up my phone. I called Tia. “Hey, can you come get me?”

  “Sure, I’ll be there in half an hour. The house or apartment?” she asked.

  “Apartment.”

  She hung up without further questioning. That was one of the good things about family, they always have your back.

  By the time she pulled up outside I was waiting by the door. I had gotten dressed but skipped breakfast. I knew it was bad but sometimes putting food together just seemed like a hassle I could set aside for later.

  “Sorry for the short notice,” I said as I slid into the driver's seat.

  “No worries, I’m actually glad you called. It’s been awhile since we’ve... talked.”

  That sounded ominous, and we were driving in the opposite direction to the office. I hoped that whatever this was it wouldn’t involve a lecture. “What’s up, T?”

  “Well, there’s just this thing, a small thing, really. I just- I need to get it off my chest.”

  Maybe she was quitting, or maybe she’d taken up smoking. Given the way she was dancing around the subject, it was probably something bad, and juicy. “Go right ahead, anything you need to say.”

  She took a deep breath, then blurted, “I’ve been in a relationship for three years now.”

  “What!” Why didn’t I know that?

  She nodded, “We got married last year.”

  “What!”

  “That’s not all.”

  “What?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  “What!?!?”

  “Take a moment.”

  I did, it was a long silent moment, during which she seemed to become tenser as the seconds passed. It was a lot to take in, I had a brother-in-law, and I was going to be an aunt. This was a huge, life-altering thing and she hadn’t freaking told me. “Tia! I’m so happy for you!”

  Her eyes misted over a little and she blinked rapidly, “You are?”

  “Of course I am, this will totally get mum off my back about becoming a broodmare.”

  It was a joke and luckily she laughed. “Well, he is powerful enough to be the father of a Grimmer.”

  Wow, he had to be a powerful supernatural for her to think he could handle the Grimmer Legacy. “I want details, missy, you’ve been exposed to the male in my life I expect the gesture to be returned.”

  She grinned, “It’s not the same for me. I’m an adult, you’re the baby, everyone needs to protect you.”

  I ignored the tease and my eyes widened, “Do you realise what this means!!”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “I’m not going to be the baby anymore!” I turned my attention to her stomach, “Whoever you are, I adore you already, you precious son of a witch!”

  She giggled, the sister, not the infant. “You’ll always be the baby, sis, that’s just the way it is.”

  “But why?” I asked with dismay, being a tad more theatrical than was necessary. “Why dub a grown ass woman ‘baby’ when you have a baby to call ‘baby’?”

  She laughed again and the tension that had been riding her evaporated completely. “I’m more worried about how you’ll handle it, young children usually react badly when the attention is taken from them by a newborn.”

  “Oh, so now you’re calling me a child. I assumed you wanted me on your side when you made the announcement, apparently, I was wrong.” I raised my chin and pursed my lips.

  She smiled good-naturedly at me. “I thought, well, I figured- maybe we could swing by my place first.”

  I gasped, “Will he be there? Wait, won’t he be at work?”

  She bit her lip, “He works nights.”

  My draw dropped, “Did you snag yourself a baby vamp?” I demanded. Vampires could only reproduce in the early months of their transformation, but if she had been with him for years that didn’t make sense. Unless he’d been turned while they were together.

  “Not really.”

  That wasn’t quite an answer. I stared at her, waiting patiently.

  “He’s a dhampir,” she finally caved and told me.

  “You’re shitting me!” No way.

  “Language!”

  “Sorry. Wow, I mean- wow. If you said you’d got a pet unicorn I’d be less surprised.”

  She beamed, although she tried to hide it, “He’s incredible, I adore him so much.”

  In our family ‘adore’ meant the same thing that love meant to other families, we were just all hardasses who naturally shunned such proclamations of affection.

  “A dhampir, though, and one capable of reproducing? Such things are the stuff of legends.” Dhampirs came of two sorts, one was a shifter who was turned into a vampire, very rare because often their body fought off the virus, sometimes to the degree that it killed them. And then there was the even rarer kind, where a baby vampire impregnated a shapeshifter, those, rare as there were, could be fertile.

  “Coming from the Grimmer who’s dating a Demon Blood.”

  She had a point. “I guess it proves we’re just both special little snowflakes.”

  She la
ughed again, “Absolutely. I get the feeling the family will have a similar reaction to the one they had over your guy.”

  “It can’t be as bad as banging Demon spawn,” I insisted.

  She smirked and shot me a suggestive look. “I imagine few things are as good as banging Demon spawn,” she said slyly.

  I laughed, “Damn straight. He does have demonic powers in the bedroom.” I bit my lip, my body practically humming just at the memory of those powers.

  She sighed softly, “Richard also knows how to rock a girl's world.”

  “Goddess, I’m happy for you. I sometimes worry that fate conspires to keep everyone in our family single.”

  “That’s silly,” she told me.

  I shrugged a little, “Think about it, the only people who are married are mum and Jackie... well, and now you. Gordo’s single because he’s a hound dog but the rest of us don’t really have an excuse.”

  She remained thoughtfully quiet for a moment, “Maybe it’s because we’re looking for a partner, an equal and so few people could live up to our powers.”

  I thought about it, “You might be right, Avon did kick my ass when we were sparring,” I confessed.

  “I do spar often with Richard, keeps things fresh.”

  I smiled and she pulled up outside a blue house. I had wondered why I had never been here before, though now it made sense.

  She took a deep breath, hands gripping the steering wheel, “He doesn’t know yet, although I think he suspects.” She gestured to her belly.

  “I won’t spill the beans, you can trust me.”

  She smiled and nodded, taking another breath before stepping out of the car. I climbed out too and followed her to the front door. It opened just before she reached it and a large man stepped out to embrace her.

  He was dark skinned, with short black hair and brown, honey coloured eyes. He glanced at me over her shoulder, “Who’s your friend, babe?”

  I nudged her with my elbow, “He calls you babe.”

  She glared at me, “I’m aware.”

  I took his arms and drew him into their living room, ignoring his question. I grinned as I released him and stepped back to study him. He was in good shape, “Where do you work?” I asked.

  He glanced at his wife, a little uncertainly. “At a bar.”

  “Are all bartenders vampires? ‘Cause I’ve always suspected.”

  He smirked. “I don’t believe so.”

  I pinched his upper arm, it was very firm, “How often do you work out?”

  “A few hours a day.” Now he just seemed amused. That was a good sign.

  I narrowed my eyes at him thoughtfully then glanced at Tia, “I could take him.” Then I spotted a photo album on a bookshelf and walked over to snag it. Because I was nosey.

  “This irritating human being is my beloved baby sister,” she told him as I flicked through the album.

  I beamed over at Richard, “You hurt my sister and I’ll tear your lungs out.”

  He chuckled.

  I walked over to hug him, he was a rather large man. He squeezed me a little before stepping back. “You would be the little witch?” he asked, resting a hand on the book I still held before opening it to one of the first pages.

  I glanced down and saw a picture of Tia and me when I was five and she was fifteen. It was Halloween and we were both dressed as witches. I gasped, “I was adorable!”

  Tia laughed, “Yes you were. Can I assume that you are done interrogating my husband?”

  “Nope. Your husband is now my half-brother in law and therefore I must induct you into the fold with one of my powerful mystic Wiccan ceremonies.”

  “There’s no ceremony,” she assured him.

  I turned to Richard, “Fair warning it involves a certain level of nudity on your part.”

  “She’s completely making this up.”

  “You will also be required to bring an assortment of chocolates and/ or wine,” I explained seriously.

  “Don’t listen to her.”

  “Also, you're part vampire, so I assume cold water doesn’t bother you all that much?” I made it sound like a question, all the while keeping my tone casual.

  Tia placed a hand over my mouth. “You want me to tell your Daemon what you're trying to pull?” she demanded.

  I grimaced, “I probably wouldn’t be able to sit for a week.”

  “What!” she demanded.

  I just smirked, “So, tell me everything about the wedding,” I demanded.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “We should go,” said Tia as she pushed to her feet.

  “If you insisted, but we should absolutely do a double date sometime,” I suggested.

  “I don’t know, your boyfriend is a Demon Blood, I’m not sure he can be trusted around civilized society.” Her tone was teasing so I didn’t really take offense.

  “Hey!... well, that’s probably fair.” He certainly hadn’t been very civilized last night.

  She grinned, “Come on, peaches.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulders before guiding me out of the room.

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Tia,” I called behind me.

  His smooth laughter followed us out the door. I wondered idly if he sang jazz, he had the perfect voice for it.

  “He’s a keeper,” I told Tia.

  She smiled, “That’s why I married him.”

  “Whoa, you’re married, like for realsies. That’s so weird.”

  She glanced at me, “You think you would ever do it?”

  “Profess my love for a Daemon to a God? Doesn’t seem like the best idea.”

  She laughed, “So the Daemon’s looking like a long-term thing?”

  I blushed suddenly, “I don’t know, I’m no Seer.”

  “You’re being defensive,” she accused.

  “There’s no way this will last, he likes to tell me what to do.”

  She gave me a look, “You love it when people tell you what to do because then it gives you a chance to do the direct opposite.”

  “Well, there is that,” I concurred with a small smirk. “If he asks, tell him I went on a number of dangerous missions alone today.”

  She raised an eyebrow, “So, tell him you did what you do every day?”

  I bit my lip and turned my attention to the window, letting my amusement drop for the moment. “He might have concerns regarding Misha.”

  Her expression suddenly turned fierce. “What did the Warlock bastard do now?”

  “He started sending me gifts.”

  “What?” she demanded.

  “Ambrosia and flowers.”

  “Ick. Is he trying to scare you or seduce you?”

  “I think it’s a kind of seduction, he wants to lure me to the dark side.”

  She shook her head, “Either way it’s a dick move, not to mention creepy.”

  I smiled and wholeheartedly agreed with her.It felt nice to spend some one on one time with my favourite sister. With work and personal lives we rarely hung out as often as we used to.

  “WHERE ARE YOU, RIGHT now?” asked Avon, his voice deep and surly against my ear.

  I didn’t sigh aloud, that would have made me seem like a lovesick fool. “At the mall.”

  “Are you having fun?”

  “I’m not sure fun is how I would describe it.” I lurched down and snatched another small, lizard-like creature out of the fountain with the hand that wasn’t holding the phone. I grinned triumphantly, bastard had nearly gotten away.

  Tia opened the lid to the large round tank and I dropped the creature inside. She then gestured for us to switch places so I stepped gracefully out of the pool.

  “I’ll come get you, is half an hour enough time to finish up?” he asked.

  “Absolutely,” I assured him

  “Stay safe,” He hung up and I opened the lid to the tank as Tia dropped another creature inside.

  “Sucker bit me,” she complained, frowning as I slid the phone into my back pocket.

  “Avon’ll be her
e in half an hour, he can heal whatever needs healing.”

  Her eyes sparkled dangerously, “Demon boy’s coming, maybe I should inform him about the induction ceremony.”

  I raised a hand, “Oh, my god. Yes! Why didn’t I think of this?”

  She laughed, “Because it’s not a real thing.”

  “I could make it a real thing, like a wedding ceremony except they just have to promise to obey us and tend to our every need.”

  She contemplated it for a moment, clearly, she was tempted. “They'd never go for it.” She sighed regretfully.

  “I could say it all in Latin, then they’d never know.”

  She laughed, “Don’t tempt me.” She reached down and snagged another creature. I opened the lid and she dropped it inside. “I think that was the last one, we should probably keep an eye out for a little longer though.”

  “How about you keep an eye on it while I go and grab us some coffee’s?”

  She smiled, “Sounds good.”

  I came back a few minutes with the coffees and two muffins to find her bent over the fountain, eyes narrowed at something I couldn’t see.

  “A couple of them are caught on a grate, think you could get them?”

  “Sure thing.”

  I had only just got a firm hold on the things when I heard a familiar voice say, “Damn, anyone got a camera?”

  I rolled my eyes but carefully pulled the creatures out of harm's way. Getting to them had involved kneeling in the water and melting a big enough hole in the grate to pull them through without hurting the suckers. My bottom half was completely soaked as was the front half of my shirt.

  Rising carefully to my feet, I turned to smile at Grant.

  He grinned back at me, the handsome bastard, “Hey, sweetie.”

  I glanced at Avon who stood beside him, eyes shining with amusement. “You said half an hour.” I waded over to them and Avon caught my arm to help me out.

  “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see you at work,” said Grant before Avon could respond.

  Tia smiled as she helped me put the lizards in the tank.

  “He insisted, little one,” said Avon, as if he were completely innocent, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

  “Well, you guy’s can just wait patiently while we take this tank back to the van and finish up.”