by Susan Stec
Marcus rumbled beside me.
JoAnn started crying again. "Susan, I'm trusting you with my child! You better not let anything happen to her or I'll kill you myself when I get home!"
"Don't worry, JoAnn, I'll even set up another bed right in our room, so I can keep an eye on her at all times."
"No sex—you hear me?—I'm not going to worry about therapist visits when I get there. And don't let her wander around the lake by herself, either!"
"I won't, and Marcus will help me."
Marcus sounded like a wave hitting the shoreline in a storm, even before I slapped the cell shut. "I have no parenting skills," he protested.
"Hey, it was your idea. Deal with it," I said, a smile on my face. I headed downstairs to see if Resi and Jeni were back from Walmart. "I can't wait to tell the girls Lily is going to be living with us!"
~~~~
Chapter Seventeen
~~~~
"Wake up, Chick, it's after four—the sun will be down in about three hours," Christopher said as he walked out of the bathroom in the motel room, a towel wrapped around his chest. He hiked up one side; the other dragged on the carpet as he headed for his Spiderman backpack on the floor by his bed.
"We're not leaving until seven. Gimme another couple of hours."
Christopher dug in the backpack, pulling out clothes and tossing them on the bed. "Why the hell not?"
"Because when we get there, we just have to get another room. The vamp emailed me—said the shape-shifter got a call from his pack-master and had to leave to take care of some business. He might have to meet us alone. Also said he decided not to meet us in public, so the bar thing is off. He suggested a place in the woods by some river; that way, no one can listen in on the conversation."
A damp towel landed on the bed. Christopher stood, only visible from the chest up. He was silent for a minute, his eyes locked on Chick. He leaned over, grunting into his jeans. "I don't like it. We don't know this guy. I say we do some scouting around for a couple of days before we meet him. And I’m damned sure I want to see that meeting place during the day."
"Jesus, you sound like a scared old man." Chick got up on one elbow, dragging two more pillows under her head.
Christopher gave her a pair of pissy eyes before he pulled a royal blue, Angry Birds t-shirt over his head. "I am an old man. I've hung with immortals a hell of a lot longer than you have. That makes me smart—not scared."
"If the shifter can't make it, he's just one vamp, probably with no special powers. I can take him if you wanna wimp out on me."
"Bullshit! I'm not wimping out," Christopher said, walking around the bed with his Marvel Heroes tennis shoes in his hands. "I just want to know what we're getting ourselves into." He climbed on his bed and proceeded to put his shoes on. "Think about it, Chick. For once in your life, be smart, not impulsive. All you know is, he first said—actually wrote it in a stupid email—that he only has a panther-shifter coming with. That's friggin' bad enough, but suddenly, he says he might have to meet us alone, in the dark, in some bayou! Probably on his turf."
"Big deal, he told us his friend has an issue with his pack. I know how that goes. Look at the group I have to deal with—the idiots—so his friend can't come tonight, so he wants to wait for him. Maybe he's just as concerned as you are. He hasn't met me either."
"Why the swamp, then—not a bar—if he's legit? I mean we're only negotiating funds, no big deal. Right? All I'm saying is you don't know if he's gonna bring others along. You don't even know if he's who he says he is. And you sure as hell don't want to meet him out in some swamp, alone. He could be the leader of a rogue band. Hell, he could be my long-dead father."
"Like I said, he's probably thinking the same thing as you," Chick said, tossing the sheets back and hopping out of bed. She walked over to a small desk by the dresser and fired up the laptop.
"If he is, he's thinking stupid. A public place would be much safer. Suggest it again. Tell him you want to play it safe since you don't really know him. See how he responds to that."
Chick dragged out the chair in front of the desk and plopped down. "I just don't wanna piss him off."
Christopher jumped off the bed and strutted over to stand behind her. "Better to piss him off than have him show up with a couple of friends."
She clicked on her email box; then threw up her hands. "Okay, so I can see your point. But we're vamps, and I'm telekinetic. How much harm can they do?"
"If he shows up with ten rogues… hey, did you give him your real name?"
Chick turned around in the chair and stared at him. "Yeah, what's the big deal?"
Christopher shook his head and snorted air like a buck that just caught a scent in the woods. "If he is immortal, he's probably got connections, and I'd bet my undead life he knows exactly what he's up against."
* * * *
Zaire got Betty all set up in a room next to hers. Then both made ready for a trip to the gym where they were meeting Warren for a little mat time.
As they headed toward the elevator, Zaire continued a conversation they'd started about the rewards and pitfalls of being a blood mate.
"It sucks when your mate can see every friggin' move ya make—hear every damn thought— no matter where the hell you are. But the best part is; they can't do a damn thing about it, 'cause a blood mate can't make you do shit—goes both ways." Zaire laughed. "Here's the kicker; no one else can get in my head. No one can manipulate me through my mind while I'm mated, either. Not even Dorius—I friggin' love that shit—not even with the power of three. That's when three vamps—usually very old ones—join together to wipe another's mind clean and then put in what they want, and even direct them to do whatever they want them to do. So, not only would you give Dorius more strength in the field, and a shitload of security, but you'd have more…"
Betty grabbed Zaire's arm, cutting her short. "An' didn't ya say hookin' up with a mate is rare; that it took him fifteen hundred years ta run across the other two?"
Zaire smiled. "Yep. Hell, Marcus only ran into two in his immortal lifetime—he's as old as Dorius—one died eight hundred years ago, and Susan's the second."
Betty dropped Zaire's arm and thumbed her breasts into a nice wobble. "Check me out—I done hooked me a live one!" Betty danced a lewd circle, ended with a little hop, and a boob jiggle. "Man, Daddy-F'n-Warbucks, with five teams of rogue hunters to keep track of. Yeah, baby. That's my idea of a perfect, long-term jail sentence. 'Cause you know he's only marryin' this bitch to get all that mind-shit stuff—an' I sure as hell won't be a-cryin' by no window, waitin' for tires to hit the gravel. Hand me a debit card—get out of my face—screw me twice on Saturday an' we're good."
"You're forgetting he's a prick—hearin' your thoughts—witnessing your every move, through your own eyes. He could make your life suck—pardon the pun," Zaire said, starting down the hall again.
"Shit, girl, goes both ways. Remember? He's gonna be putty in my hands," Betty said with a laugh. "If I got ya right, he's all about power, and I'll give the prick all the friggin' power he wants—anyway he wants it—but it'll cost 'im. Uh-huh, I'm gonna be milkin' this fer all it's worth—don't give a shit who knows it—you can bet your sweet ass on that. Screw him—an' I can do that right proper, too. I doubt he'll mind spendin' the bucks to keep me happy and outta his face." Betty stopped short with big round eyes. "And ya say he's got a place in Italy?"
"Yep," Zaire reached for the door to the gym with a big smile on her face.
"You know I'm gonna be checkin' that shit out. Bet the shopping's go-o-o-d over there. Hell yes! An' they got them a company jet—piece-a-cake—ain't never been on a plane. Gonna put that baby ta good use, too!" Betty strutted through the gym door like she owned the place.
Zaire swaggered beside her. "Damn glad someone or something bit ya, Betty. You and I are gonna be real good friends. Now let's kick us some redneck-ass."
~~~~
Chapter Eighteen
~~~~
"Okay, so are you sure the moniker will bring her here?" I asked Resi, rolling back the rug in the living room to expose the pentagram drawn on the oak floor, while shooing Tootles away.
The dog snarled and jumped on the couch, settling in a smelly mound of matted fluff by Resi.
"Don't know. But we have every possible angle covered," Resi said, spell book in her lap. "Lilith, daughter of Raphael, esteemed warrior in the army of Lord Rahovart, tormentor of the affluent and companion of Satan."
"Christ, that's a mouthful," I told her as I placed the candles at each point of the star drawn on the pentagram. Tootles snorted a snotty trail of, agreement.
"I believe it will be sufficient, darling," Marcus said, handing me an orangewood stick, sharpened to a fine point on one end. He turned to Jeni as he took a seat in the leather chair near the circle. "Have you heard from my brother?"
Jeni looked up from the laptop in front of her on the picnic table in the dining room. "Dorius just emailed me. He said that I'll be in charge of Lily, until he can send someone for her."
I whipped my head in her direction. "What the hell? Is he nuts? You are not going to be alone with the demon kid! And he sure as hell is not taking her anywhere. I promised my sister…"
"Um… well, he is a bit preoccupied at the moment, and…" Resi started.
Everyone's head bobbed in Resi's direction.
I raised a brow and shook my hand in small circles. "And?"
"Since I can see everything… um… my mate does… or, well, hears, I know," Resi stammered, "… but I'm not supposed to say anything yet."
Marcus jumped right in. "Since when has that stopped any of you from keeping your…"
"Resi! Spit it out!" I shouted.
Resi scrunched her face up, lips spread, and showing way too many teeth, grimaced. "Man! Okay, but you didn't hear it from me. I'm not going to be… screw it, you're gonna find out anyway. Betty is a possible mate for Dorius."
Marcus sprang out of the chair and pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his jeans at the same time.
Resi's hand shot into the air. "Don't you dare call him! You wait until he tells you! I am not going down for this one!"
I swear Tootles looked like she was holding back a laugh. Her matted, little, poodle body bounced as she stuffed her maw under her paws.
Jeni burst into laughter. "Poor Dorius—first that sexual sadist, Erzsebet, then a stripper, now Betty. Maybe he needs to change his cologne."
Marcus reluctantly slid the phone back into his jeans. "It's not his cologne, Jeni, but it is his scent. Only true mates would not be able to resist the scent of each other. It's the first thing an immortal recognizes in a mate."
"And I smell Jeni!" Paul said from the garage door. A few seconds later, he waltzed into the kitchen with Gibbie on his shoulder and Jake cowering behind him.
Tootles' head whipped in Paul's direction and a deep, low growl simmered in her chest.
Gibbie shot into the air and buzzed circles around Jeni. "Who's found a mate this time?"
Jeni smiled at Paul. "Not me."
He smiled back, eyes moving to the pentagram, and then to Marcus. "What's going on? And what's with the talk about mates?"
My nostrils flared as I sucked in Marcus' scent, realizing for the first time that it was intoxicating. Here I thought it was his chest—lips—thighs—jaw line—everything but his scent. I pulled my nose away from Marcus and grinned at Paul. "Dorius. And guess who it is?"
Paul groaned audibly.
Jeni giggled noticeably.
And Tootles growled, well, because she liked to.
Jake burped a flame twelve inches long—thank God he aimed it into the kitchen sink.
"It's Betty!" Gibbie guessed in an extremely loud, squeaky voice. I really needed earplugs when the fairy was around.
"I didn't tell you," Resi sang.
"Christopher is going to go ape shit." I lit the first candle and pricked my finger with a sharp wooden stick. It was a lot easier than biting my wrist, but still stung. My first impulse was to suck on my finger, but I squeezed three drops by the base of the candle instead, and moved on to the next one.
"Who are we summoning?" Jake asked, sidling toward the fireplace.
"Lilith," Marcus replied, his eyes glazed over. I could hear his thoughts skittering around in his mind, with possibilities for his brother, as he took his chair again.
"Without JoAnn?" Jake farted.
Jeni got up from the picnic table, clearly breathing through her mouth as she fanned the air in front of her face. She walked over to the couch as she answered, "Raphael is aging Lily for the coronation. It seems she needs to be at least sixty-six to gain the attention of…"
"JoAnn's pissed, and desperate." I cut in. "It's a long story, but bottom line—we're babysitting Lily until we can get JoAnn home. Hey, any news on the rogues?" I asked Paul as I moved to the third candle.
"Nope. It started raining when we got there, covered the scent, but it wasn't leading us anywhere, anyway. I definitely caught the smell of a cat, though—a big cat."
"No vamp this time?" I said, standing. All three candles were lit, blood spilled. We were ready to summon Lily.
"Always a vamp," Gibbie squawked.
Jake got up from the hearth and took little, quick steps toward the back porch. "The trail led to a river this time and I'm going to discuss it with Mort. I think he should check it out."
"You don't want to be here when Lily arrives?" Resi asked.
Jake burped smoke as he sidled through the glass doors, head shaking his answer.
"Everyone ready?" I asked, thinking I needed to call Christopher. I wasn't about to let Dorius tell him Betty was a possible mate. I'd give him that much.
"You need me to read you the chant again?" Resi asked as Paul settled himself on the couch, pulling Jeni down between the dog and him.
"Nope," I said. "We've gone over the changes—they're embedded in my mind—I think I got it this time."
Jeni pulled Tootles onto her lap. "Umm-hmm, but will you get who you're going after? Now that's the question."
All eyes were riveted on the floor in front of the pentagram as I pulled up my shield, encompassing all of us.
I read the chant.
From the otherworld, I summon you here
Drawn blood protects, harm brings no fear
You must comply with your mother's plea
Being my ward is what's required of thee
I summon you, Lilith, daughter of Raphael,
esteemed warrior in the army of Lord Rahovart,
tormentor of the affluent and companion of Satan
In my house you will stay
I am the one you must obey
Nothing happened. No one breathed. Now everyone's eyes were locked directly on the spackled ceiling over the deer head mounted on the wall behind the vacant leather recliner, where the portal usually opened.
I was just about to read the chant again when a roll of thunder filled the room, followed by a bolt of lightning that burst through a portal opening on the ceiling and bounced off my shield. We all bounced with it—about six inches.
Lily did not fall from the ceiling; she floated, encased in an ethereal ball of light, alighting gently to the floor in front of us. Her black hair was pinned back over ears with lavender barrettes and hung in soft waves to her waist. She wore a pink, floor-length dress that shimmered over her lacy, ankle socks encased in black patent leather shoes. Lily was as tall as Christopher, now, with a petite fragile frame.
Tootles yapped and leapt from Jeni's lap, scurrying to her side.
I anxiously looked up at the black, swirling portal. "Anyone with you, sweetie?"
Lily raised her hands and the light dissipated. Her lavender eyes twinkled as her lips spread in a smile. She casually petted Tootles, who was jumping up on her long, white dress. "If you are concerned about my father, you needn't be, Auntie Susan. He is in the bedroom with my mother, either fornicating or in a heated discussion. The secon
d is more likely since Mother is not happy with Father at the moment." She clapped her hands and the portal closed with a clatter of thunder.
I don't think I was the only one with my mouth hanging open.
Jeni found her voice first. "Well, aren't you a beautiful young lady! I hope you're as happy to see us as we are to see you."
Lily favored her with another smile. "That I am, cousin of mine, and I look forward to learning about your world."
Marcus said, "I hope you brought your manners with you. There will be no demon activity allowed in this mortal world without the prior sanction of our council. Do I make myself clear?"
"Extraordinarily clear, Uncle Marcus." Lily beamed at him. "However, I am under the control of Aunt Susan, am I not?"
"Yes," Marcus answered, "and Susan is under my control. Even more clear?"
Okay, so that got my attention. "You are so not the boss of me!" I said, giving my shield a kick. It disintegrated around us and melted into the floor.
Lily stepped lightly over to me, her tiny, black shoes gliding across the floor. She took my hand, and a cute, little giggle escaped her lips. "It seems this will be an educational experience for all of us."
Marcus sounded like a boat motoring slowly across the lake as he pushed, Susan, you must remember, although she looks like a child, she is a demon, and with your family lineage in her blood as well, a powerful one.
I got it, Fang-boy, I pushed back. Yeah, right. My butt cheeks were hanging onto my thong.
~~~~
Chapter Nineteen
~~~~
"Son-of-a-bitch!" Christopher shouted into his cell phone. "Can't I get a friggin' break?"
Chick eased up on the gas pedal, pulled her eyes off the road and looked at him. "What's going on? Did Susan call Dorius?"
