Jessica McBrayer
Other Books by Jessica McBrayer
Stained Series
Stained
Murder of Crows
Raven’s Tale
San Francisco Vampire Series
Sucking in San Francisco
Hell Hounds are for Suckers
Sucking Bites
Suckers go to Hell
Suckers Bite Back
Little Suckers Bite Too
Suckers Lost and Found
Audibles
Sucking in San Francisco
Hell Hounds are for Suckers
Sucking Bites
Suckers Go To Hell
Stained
Murder of Crows
Raven’s Tale
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used facetiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or to events or locations, is entirely coincidental.
Cover art by Marik Berghs copyrighted © 2014.
Copyright © 2014 by Jessica McBrayer
ISBN 13: 978-09899530-4-7
Published by Mess of Geckos Publishing
810 Seaview Drive, El Cerrito, CA 94530
For Hannah
The real one.
August 28th 1991 – October 29th 2011
Too little time with someone who was
bigger than life.
I miss you.
CHAPTER 1 . HANNAH
After all the craziness of Manda disappearing and Diel’s long flight from Italy, we finally make it back to our bungalow and relative calm, at least as much as a Hell Hound can allow. Diel pulls me aside. I know he is holding something back and about to explode if he doesn’t tell me what. He is smiling and twitchy. “Okay, spill it. Whatever it is that has you in a tizzy. Out with it.”
“I’m a demon. We don’t do tizzies.” He looks affronted.
“Diel, you are making me nervous. What’s going on?”
He asks me to sit down. I am starting to really freak out. My mind plays a million different scenarios of what could be wrong.
“Hannah, honey, when the doctor examined you after you were drugged, he disclosed the sex of the baby. Do you want to know what it is or do you want to be surprised?” he asks me with a proud papa smile.
“I think I want to know. I mean, we only have a few more weeks to go and I could so do some major shopping in that time.”
He laughs loudly and scoops me up from the chair.
“It’s a boy, Han. We are having a little boy,” he howls. His joy is contagious. I start laughing as he spins me around and then I start crying as is my usual lately. Fucking hormones.
“I c-can’t believe it. I can’t wait to meet him. Now. We can name him, Diel. We still haven’t decided on one except for the middle names. Aidan or Lilith. I guess this is little Chase Aidan.”
“Hmm… sounds good but he might be teased. Chase this and Chase that… I could see it happening. How about Zack? Or Dax?” he suggests.
“I don’t know. We’ll keep thinking about it.” Okay maybe that was an ‘Oh Hell no’ answer. I guess I’m learning to be tactful. But Diel is way ahead of me.
“That’s code for “I don’t like it,” he says smiling. The ridiculous grin has not left his face.
“The real question is should we tell Aidan and the manse fam?” I ask.
“I think we should tell Aidan for sure. He needs something good to focus on. I’ll call him now.”
“Put him on speaker phone, babe, please.”
“You got it, Ganja Momma.”
“Hmm… I like Gunnar…”
“Nope, you dissed Zack. I’m dissing Gunnar.” Fair enough, Gunnar was a throw-away.
“Oh, just call Aidan already…” I stretch up on tippy toes to kiss him but lose my balance. I am a little heavy in the front these days. Thank goodness a vampire – demon pregnancy only lasts four months. I’d die if I had to go forty weeks. Anyone can go sixteen, right?
“While it’s tempting to keep kissing you, the phone is ringing.” I step down but Diel keeps me in his arms, tight against his hard, strong body.
“Hello, Diel? Is something wrong with Hannah?” Aidan asks. It says too much about how awful Aidan’s life is right now if the first thing he thinks is something is an emergency.
“No, rest easy, my brother. She is fine but we do have some news about the baby.”
“Hi, Aidan. You’re on speaker phone,” I say.
“Hannah, love, what is this news? I’m waiting with baited breath.”
“We found out the sex of the baby,” I say. I almost hear Aidan’s smile.
“Hold on,” he says. And the next thing I know he is standing in front of us, sweeping me into his arms. “What is this miracle going to be? A boy or girl?” He grins widely. The most I have seen him smile since Manda disappeared.
“It’s a boy, Aidan,” Diel says grinning as broadly as Aidan. The two act like they are giving birth. There’s an example of male bonding – I do all the work and they take the credit.
Aidan spins me around, being careful of my stomach.
“We haven’t told you the best part yet,” I say.
“What is that, my love?” he asks.
“Were giving our son the middle name Aidan after you,” Diel says.
Aidan hugs me close and grabs Diel in the hug and whispers, “Thank you. I am so honored.”
“We love you, Aidan. It is only fitting. If it had been a girl we would have chosen Lilith for a middle name,” I tell him.
“I think you should let her know that, even though it’s a boy,” Aidan says as he rubs my belly with awe on his face. “Such a miracle and I am to be connected in this way. I am so thankful.”
“Enough of the mushy stuff or I will cry like I do at the diaper commercials these days. We are trying to think of a first name. I like Berkeley,” I say.
“No,” both Aidan and Diel say at the same time.
“Okay, geesh, it was just a thought.”
“How about Lucas,” Aidan suggests.
“Too suburban,” I say. “How about Cal,” I counter.
“Too close to Berkeley,” Diel says, straight-faced. I stick my tongue out at him.
“We’ll think of something. After all, we have three weeks left,” I say. Our faces freeze in panic. Three weeks is suddenly too quick.
“You could just make his first name Aidan…” Aidan says innocently. What an act.
“We love you, but we don’t need two Aidans running around. One popping in and out is enough.” He grins. Busted.
“It was just a suggestion,” Aidan says smiling. “When are you telling everyone else?”
“Now. Do you want to listen?” Diel asks.
“I’ll do you one better,” Aidan says as he grabs our hands.
Next thing I know, we are on the front steps of the manse, with Aidan ringing the bell. Andrew answers the door and smiles widely, stepping up to give me a hug.
“Ms. Hannah, Mr. Diel and Mr. Aidan. It is so good to see yo
u. Everyone is home and in the library of course. Please come join us. I’ll make some of that mulled hot cider you like, Ms. Hannah. It’s cold out,” Andrew says as he ushers us in.
“Thanks, Andrew. It is colder over here than in Berkeley,” I say as I shiver in my maternity retro tee. Aidan summons a shawl for me. It’s beautiful and so warm. “Thank you, Aidan. It’s perfect.”
“Anything for you and your sweet baby,” he says with a wink.
“Let’s hurry and get in there before you two spill the beans,” I say, giving them the stink eye.
“Spill what beans?” I hear Lily ask. She emerges from the library, looking like a strawberry – blonde goddess. She is immaculately dressed as always and right now she is looming over me in her high heels. She bends down and kisses my cheek and hugs me hard. The baby kicks. He likes her voice. “Oomph, I felt that one. You poor girl, you must be black and blue.” It’s so good to see the self – actualized Lily. She went through Hell and came out a tough cookie.
“Nah, besides it will be over soon and I will miss having the baby inside me. I like the feeling that I have its back right now.”
“We have some news for you all,” Diel says.
“We’re waiting,” Lily says, looking at us expectantly.
“We’re having a boy,” I squeal.
Lily jumps up and down holding my hands while the rest of the family descends on us.
“Congratulations, petite maman,” Sebastian says. He kisses my cheek and shakes Diel’s hand. Enthusiasm warms his handsome face.
I’m enveloped in Helena and Julian’s arms. Andrew wipes his eyes discretely while Liam puts his arm around him.
“What name have you decided on?” Julian asks.
“We haven’t yet. We know the middle name will be: Aidan. If it had been a girl it would have been Lilith,” I say.
“Oh, damn… I was so close to having a namesake,” Lily says. She maintains her light manner but I know how much she wants a baby.
“Relax, sistah, we plan on having more children,” I say. Diel wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close to him. I love his warmth and constantly snuggle him to warm up my body. Oddly, the baby has kept me warmer than usual. Most likely because it is half demon.
We still don’t know which one of us the baby will be like. It will have both Demon and Vampire genes, but we don’t know which species he will favor. The baby could be warm blooded and also drink blood. Or he could be cold blooded and eat food like his dad. The only thing we are sure of is he does not have a tail or horns. Thank. The. Goddess. Not that we wouldn’t love him no matter what he looks like. But from what Diel says, it’s a sign of a lesser Demon and he will come from royalty so it would be a bad thing. Also it would require we live in Hell so he isn’t seen topside. So don’t want that.
But all is good and we’re having a boy. I’m so happy. I’m going to try and not make him a mamma’s boy. Well maybe a little bit. I’m still a kick-ass vamp so if he is a mamma’s boy he will be a force to be reckoned with.
Andrew hands me mulled cider and we talk about names for a while and the impending wedding cruise for Lily and Sebastian’s wedding. Lily and Helena head off to kickboxing so Aidan zaps us home. By the time we are back home, Aidan’s sadness and anger have returned. It’s how he’s been since Manda was turned against her will by the Queen and was taken who knows where. It tears us all up to see the fire spirit that lives on positive energy suffer like this.
“I love you, Aidan. Please come over anytime. Especially if you need a break. Promise me,” I beg him.
“I promise, Ganja Mamma,” Aidan says. “I love you too.” He gives me a big hug and pats Diel’s hard-broad shoulder before he transmanifests out of here.
“I can’t get a read on her,” Diel says as he watches the spot where Aidan had stood. “Manda is out there somewhere. But dammed if I know where else to look.” He rubs a hand across his face. “It will destroy Aidan if we don’t find her.”
“It will. And Lily can’t pick him up this time. I know she will try but it will destroy all the work she, Sebastian and Aidan have done,” I say.
Diel kisses the top of my head and walks into the kitchen as I think about all the implications. I follow him, as he builds a fifteen story sandwich. Demons burn through fuel fast as a fire through tissues. I decide to have a little snack too and when he sits down I take a little nip at his neck.
Diel moans.
“Babe, Goddess that feels good. How ‘bout I skip my sandwich and I reciprocate?”
“But you need to eat, Diel,” I say, wiping my mouth. “You need to keep your strength up.”
“I plan on eating.” He grins.
“Oh, baby,” I gasp.
Diel puts his sandwich in the fridge and throws some meat to Hades, our Hell Hound, to keep him occupied. He was less than impressed he had stayed home while we went to the manse. Diel picks me up and kisses me deeply. I run my fingers through his hair, gently pulling it.
Diel groans into my mouth, it’s so sexy. I suck on his bottom lip and graze it with my fangs. He sets me on top of the dresser and pulls off my pants. He pokes his thumbs through my panties, ripping them and throwing them to the floor. I grab my t-shirt and try to get it off, Diel helps and then he unclasps my bra and grins lasciviously at me. He loves how big my boobs have gotten.
“Diel, baby, don’t leave me hanging here,” I pant.
“Never, babe.”
And he doesn’t. It’s hot and hard on top of the dresser. When we’re done he carries me to the bed and sweetly finds me some new clothes. He picks out a t-shirt that says “I want out!” over my belly and a long stretchy skirt that somehow works with the t-shirt. He has great taste in clothes. Our baby is going to have more clothes than Lily.
“Diel, we have to go to Hell tomorrow for another checkup. Are you caught up on work?”
“Yeah, still working on this Dominic thing. I am going to meet with his father tomorrow after our appointment to see if we can negotiate something first. If not I will get the banishment orders completed. I’m only meeting with him as a favor since Dominic and Mark’s dad is the mayor. Otherwise I would throw the little punk into a section of Hell much worse than the city he would be banished to.”
“I hate Lily and Sebastian having to watch their back all the time,” I say. I absently rub my belly. My little guy is excited and moving a lot after all that sex.
“We’ll figure everything out, Hannah. We’ll keep them safe.”
CHAPTER 2 . DIEL
While Hannah sleeps the next morning, I drive us to the public portal to Hell in Bakersfield. Hannah has to use them. Our Hell Hound, Hades, is required to get a live, or in this case undead, soul into Hell. I can open a portal anywhere. But since Hannah is not a Demon she will always need Hades. I’m not sure about our child. Another question to ask the doctor.
We get to the portals just as Hannah wakes. She looks so peaceful in her sleep, her tummy extending at odd angles as the baby moves around. It amazes me that she is not bruised but she assures me she only feels pressure. She loves it. She is such a natural mother.
“Are we there yet?” Hannah asks as she stretches.
“Yes, babe, just got here.”
“Perfect timing as usual, Diel,” she says and yawns.
She is so adorable. I love that she still sleeps because I will have the baby to myself while she sleeps. Otherwise I know she will hog him.
“When does our portal open?” she asks.
“When I say it does. Benefit of the Duke and Duchess thing, babe.”
Han grins.
“I must say, I like this perk.”
“Me too,” I lean down and whisper in her ear, gently tugging on it with my teeth.
She moans softly into my chest. She is so sexy and smart and funny. I have no idea how I am lucky enough to have her as my mate. I swat her butt and take her hand. She has Hades’ leash in her other hand. I grab our bags and we head into the building, which is unassumingly disgu
ised as a manufacturer for a pyramid make-up franchise. The Pink Ladies or something like that.
I punch in the access code and then we’re in amongst all the demons that have to travel public. I’m not a snob but I do hate to travel this way. It’s so much easier to open a portal and step through without having to do all this.
Hannah and I walk Hades right to the front of the line and are greeted immediately.
“Your Graces, you honor us with your presence,” a stately demon with purple hair and a pinkish hue to his skin says as he scrambles to meet us. Some sort of low level administrator.
“Thank you, we will travel quickly and leave you to your work,” Hannah says.
“You bring us good luck, your Grace. Bringing your heir through here is very special for us. Blessings on you and your child.” He bows low as do many people around us. I’d never heard that before. But then again, I’ve never had a child before.
“Thank you for your blessings. We will go through the portal now if that is acceptable,” I say.
“Of course, of course. I am sorry I delayed you. Please forgive me.”
“Nothing to forgive,” Hannah says. She is rubbing her belly and looks pained. That panics me and I pull her into the portal with Hades immediately. We pop down under.
“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” I ask her while I rub her tummy and then kiss her temple.
“I just had a small twinge. But they have become more frequent. I think it is good that we are going to see the doctor,” she says. She looks nervous and that throws me into a total panic.
I hail a taxi and throw everything in before I help her carefully into the back. I tell the driver to step on it and give him Dr. Hildebrand’s address. It takes us all of fifteen minutes to get there and that is twelve too many for me. By the time we get there, my foot is twitching. I’m doing an annoying thing tapping my fingers on the handle. Hannah finally takes my hand, kisses it then squeezes it, reassuring me. I get it together. I should be reassuring her. Man, labor is going to suck. I’m glad Lily will be in there with me. She’ll keep me in line.
We arrive and I grab our bags and Hades and still manage to give Hannah my arm as she gets out awkwardly. She’s at that cute waddling stage now and I just want to wrap her up in my arms and snuggle her. I know, not very demonly.
Little Suckers Bite Too (San Francisco Vampires #6) (Vampires of San Francisco series) Page 1
