“No. I feel great, except that your son is kicking me in front and back. I don’t know how that is possible but he is. He must be doing gymnastics in there.”
“Not my son. He’s playing rugby or doing push-ups.” He looks horrified at the thought of his son doing something like gymnastics. It makes me laugh and he scowls even more.
He gets up and kisses me on the forehead. The doctor walks in.
“Ahh, you’re up. Excellent, let me examine you one more time and then I will sign the release orders,” Dr. Hildebrand says.
“Awesomesauce,” I tell him and he gives me a funny look, shakes his head and starts the exam.
“Hannah, you are still three centimeters dilated so that is good and bad. The contractions have stopped and you haven’t dilated any more. But you are susceptible to infection so I will be looking for that. I don’t want to start you on antibiotics yet. No baths and no sex,” he says giving Diel a stern look.
“Don’t look at me. I had nothing to do with this,” he says pointing at my belly. “It was all her.” I smack him.
“Thank you, Hannah. I thought I was going to have to hit a Duke,” Dr. Hildebrand says. Diel roars with laughter. I can tell he is more relaxed and carefree knowing everything is okay for the moment.
“I’ll go sign those papers. You can get dressed. A nurse will be in shortly to go over everything with you. You have my number if anything happens.”
Diel helps me get dressed in a long, grey, stretchy skirt and a dark-blue wool maternity sweater. I slip my swollen feet into a pair of mules and am ready to go. Aidan, upon Lily’s insistence, had sent fresh clothes over last night. I will have to thank them both. I’ll feel really good after a shower, but clean clothes are almost as good.
The nurse comes in and goes over my discharge instructions and gets my signature on a million forms. Then we are free.
“Should we call ahead or just surprise them,” Diel asks.
“Surprise them.”
“Excellent,” Diel says, smiling.
Our drive back to the house is uneventful. I take in the beautiful landscaping with wonder. Maybe we should buy this house so we have a permanent place in Hell. We’ll have to come often to see the pediatrician and to let the baby have a firm grasp on his legacy as a Duke.
“Is this house for sale?” I ask Diel. His forehead wrinkles in concentration, maneuvering the beast of a SUV into the long drive at the beginning of the property.
“It is. What are you thinking?” he asks.
“I’d like to buy it, with everything in it. We need a permanent home here and I love this place and its seclusion. I think the baby will be happy here too. There is so much to see and stimulate him. Besides, he will need a house one day if he decides to make Hell his half-time home.” I take Diel’s hand and squeeze.
“I agree. Let’s buy it. I’ll make the necessary phone calls after we get you settled.”
We wind our way up the drive and are surprised to find a luxury sedan in the driveway.
“Shit,” Diel says under his breath.
“What is it or better who is it?” I ask a little panicked.
“Don’t get worked up, babe, please. It’s my parents.”
“Fuck, just what we need,” I growl. “And too late. I’m worked up.”
“I’m going to carry you up stairs and get you settled then I will talk to them in one of the sitting rooms.”
“Okay, I want to take a shower and I am sure that Lily will stand guard for me. She’ll also probably dress me up like a doll. I’m not sure I like this new assertive Lily,” I say with a grim countenance. Diel laughs at my frown and kisses me when we park.
He gently lifts me out of the SUV. Taking me straight in the house, past his waiting parents and the rest of our brood.
“Lily, Hannah wants to take a shower. Can you stay with her?” Diel asks quietly so his parents don’t hear, knowing Lily has exceptional vampire hearing and will follow us. Demons hear better than humans but not quite as good as vamps. Diel merely mumbled what he said to Lily and she was on our heels.
Lily streaks past us and has the water running, my toiletries unpacked and into the shower before we even get there. The bathroom is starting to steam up and she turns off the monitor.
“I don’t think you want your parents to hear Hannah take a shower,” she says by way of explanation.
“Oh gods, I’d forgotten about that. Thank you. Just to be safe, I’ll turn the monitor off in the sitting room I take them to.”
“Aidan will be with you if need back up,” Lily says while she gently pushes Diel out of the bathroom. I’m already starting to undress. “Send Helena up if you get worried or need to tell us something.”
“Thanks, Lily.” Diel gives her a quick peck on the cheek.
“It’s what I’m here for and I wouldn’t trade a minute. Now go. They have already been here three hours and refuse to leave until you talk to them.”
“Oh Goddess, get rid of them, Diel, please, or I may have to start having morning sickness again all over them,” I beg. The thought of them in my new home is unsettling.
“I will, babe. Take your shower. You’ll feel better,” he promises and then gives me a kiss on the forehead. I watch him leave then pounce on my friend.
“What have they been doing for the last three hours? By the way, thank you for dealing with them. I know how awful they are.” I take my sweater off as it is heating up in the bathroom now. “Well, Doxie isn’t so bad. But he lets Millicent call all the shots so he can’t be trusted either.”
“They’ve been quizzing us about you and Diel. Trying to find out if you were pregnant, how far along you were, etc. It wasn’t hard for them to conclude with all the baby stuff around. We still didn’t confirm anything,” Lily explains as she helps me out of my skirt so I don’t fall over. She so has my back. I love her so much.
“Devils. They are just plain scary. I don’t know what they are up to and we had better find out soon.” I’d had more than enough of my devious in-laws at Christmas – more than enough.
I get into the shower and it is heaven. All my things are here making me more comfortable, allowing me to forget about everything while I concentrate on washing my hair and the rest of me. Just as I turn off the water and am starting to get out, I hear a roar coming from downstairs. Lily quickly wraps me in a heated towel and puts another around my hair. Then we hear Diel yell for Aidan to deposit my in-laws into the lake and send their car home. Damn. I’ve missed something good.
Lily won’t let go of me so I can check it out. Instead she methodically dries my skin and towel dries my hair. She helps me into fresh clothes and bundles me up onto the over-large chair I had been in yesterday. She scoots the ottoman up and carefully lifts my feet onto it. I sit nervously waiting for Diel to come up and tell me what is going on.
“I wish we had monitors on so I could hear what is going on downstairs,” I complain.
“I’m sure Diel will let you know what’s up when he gets rid of his parents.”
“Don’t count on it,” Diel says as he storms into the room. Just after that we hear a large splash in the lake and Diel gets a huge smile on his face. I can’t help my giggle and try to hold it in but end up snorting.
“That’s what I want to hear,” Diel says. “Maybe I’ll have Aidan fish them out and do it over and over again.”
“Nah, it would get boring after the twentieth time or so.”
“Twenty times seems good to me,” Diel says darkly, still smiling.
Lily is bent over laughing until tears come.
“Let it out girl or you’re going to explode,” I tell her.
“OMG, OMG. I can’t believe you did that, Diel,” she says laughing so hard that Sebastian comes in looking worried. When he sees she is fine he smiles indulgently at her.
“Well it was that or exterminate them and I thought I might get into trouble,” Diel says sheepishly.
“What did they want, Diel?” I ask in a tone that s
houldn’t be argued with. But he does.
“No, we’re not going there.”
“Diel, spill it. You’ll just piss me off and get me riled up thinking the worst.”
“Hannah, babe, you don’t want to know. It will piss you off and you will worry. I don’t want that and it’s not good for the baby,” he says trying to soothe me. It doesn’t work.
“Don’t pull the baby card or try to patronize me, Diel. Either way I’ll be upset. Better I know what they want than be in the dark.”
“Okay, you win.”
“Do you want me to leave?” Lily asks.
“No, everyone else already knows. I’m surprised you don’t too,” Diel looks at us puzzled.
“Shower was on,” I say explaining.
“Ahh, well it’s as bad as it can be. I need to make a million calls now,” Diel says stalling.
“Sidiel! Tell me what the hell they wanted. Now.”
“They want the baby.”
“What? How?” I ask, stunned.
“They are going to sue us for custody on the basis that the baby is royalty and should be raised in Hell. They also mentioned something about a vampire not being a fit mother,” he mumbled.
I jump up, shaking with fury. Diel and Lily rush to my side to get me to sit down.
“How the fuck can they make these claims? Besides, who better to mother a half-vampire than a vampire?” I am in shock and hurt. “Do they have a chance?” I look between Lily and Diel. “Diel?”
Diel takes my hands and sits next to me.
“They might have a case on the royalty argument but our buying this house should squash that. On whether you are a fit mother or not they don’t stand a chance. Besides, Dr. Hildebrand can testify about how you’ve been up until the baby is born and also that a vampire is the best mother for our child. That vampire being you.”
“Thank you, honey, but I’m still freaking out. Do you have good lawyers? And a realtor?” I ask knowing he must. He’s always prepared.
“Yes. I need to make those calls now so we can get everything in place before my parents’ next attack. Is it okay if I go to the study to do that?”
“Of course, whatever you need to keep them away. Lily and Helena will stay with me,” I say, pushing him up and away so he will hurry.
“I love you so much,” he says and kisses me long and hard.
“I love you, too.”
“Go, Diel. Save your wife and baby,” Lily says gently. “Hannah will be safe with us.”
“Thanks, Lily.”
“Helena,” I say softly. She blurs into the room.
“Are you okay, is it the baby?” she asks with concern.
“No, I’m fine. Well at least physically. We just wanted more company, especially with the news that Diel just delivered.”
“Yes, that was shocking news and I am always happy to spend time with you, sweetling.”
“Thanks, Helena. What do you think about all this?” I ask.
“I think that it’s nonsense. You are a wonderful mother already and Diel is proving he will be a wonderful, capable father as well as a teacher for your son. He will know the ins and outs of Hell before he is five.”
“She’s right, you know. You will be wonderful parents. The royalty part is what scares me. I don’t know any of the laws down here,” Lily says.
“Me either. I’ll have to trust Diel on this, which I do,” I say.
“Me too.” Lily gives me a smile that says she will be with me no matter what happens. She’s got my back.
“Can you help me to the bed? I want to lie down for a while. I need to process and rest.”
“Sure thing, ganja mamma. Do you want me to go?” Lily asks while she helps me get up and stands close while I waddle to the bed. Yes, I waddle. This baby is huge.
Lily pulls back the blankets before I get a chance to.
“Thanks, sistah. No, I’d rather you stay as long as you’re quiet. Do you have something to read?”
“Give me a sec and I will get my iPad. I thought I might spend some time waiting down here so I brought it.” She settles me and flashes out of the room and back in a matter of ten seconds. I barely register she is gone.
I snuggle down into the huge bed and soft pillows. True to her promise, I don’t hear a thing from Lily. I am so mad right now, but trying to keep it together. Millicent and Doxie have some awful nerve. How dare they? This is Diel’s and my baby. Period. I will not go down without a fight that’s for sure. It’s not in me.
I don’t know how much time has gone by when I feel Diel’s soft but firm lips caress my forehead. I look and Lily has discreetly left. I smile up at my mate, my husband, the father of my child and he kisses my lips.
“How did your phone calls go?”
“They were amenable to my offer on the house. I’ll have to dip into my little hidden treasures but we won’t have to touch our investments. It pays off, living for so long and being a Demon who can find things,” he says with a wicked grin.
“We can afford it though, right?”
“Babe, we could buy ten houses on what I have stashed. And then there are our investments. Between the two of us, we have over seventy hundred and fifty million in those alone.”
My shock must have shown on my face.
“A decent amount of that was yours, honey. Why so shocked?”
“Sebastian has been managing them for me. I had no idea I had so much,” I whisper. “Sebastian,” I call out. The vampire of mention knocks on the door.
“Come in,” Diel says still smiling.
Sebastian saunters into the room the only way a French, three hundred and fifty plus year old vampire can.
“You called, ma petite mamman,” he asks. He gives me a sweet look.
“Sebastian, I just wanted to say thank you for how you’ve handled my money. I had no idea it had grown that much.”
“You are quite welcome. It’s one of the things I do well. But your husband has a quick hand and I willingly turned your affairs over to him. I do believe he has already made some improvements,” Bast says, looking at Diel who shrugs.
“How are you feeling, Hannah? Lily said you were tired. Is there anything I can get you?”
“No, Bast. I’m fine. I was just a little overwhelmed by my in-laws.”
He growls.
“I would have gladly eaten them, but Lily wouldn’t let me. I assume you’ve called your lawyers, Diel.”
“I was just about to tell Hannah that they are working on it. They assure me that my parents don’t have a chance. But we will most likely have to go in front of a magistrate. I asked them to pull some strings and throw my name around so that we could get this over with as soon as possible,” Diel explains. He looks grumpy. I don’t blame him.
“Will I have to go to court too,” I ask. I’m nervous about that. I don’t do well with authority.
“Unfortunately, yes, since your parenting in particular is being questioned. They will have to do it here though since you are on bed rest. It will only go to prove that you are being a responsible mother.”
“Yes, but it means your parents will be in my house again,” I snarl.
“Oh, are you buying the house?” Bast asks.
“Yes, Han likes it and we will need a place down under in order to teach the baby all things Demon. It will also show that we are establishing some roots down here, further ruining my parents’ plans.”
“How fast can the sale go through?” Bast asks. He looks worried.
“Fast. The owners are ready to sell and I just have to deliver the cash. They’ll sign everything over then. I expect to do it tomorrow. I need to ask Aidan if he will take me around to my bolt holes. Things move quickly down here thanks to bribery and corruption running rampant.”
“Did I hear my name?” Aidan says from the door.
“Come in, Aidan,” I call out.
“You look upset, Hannah. Diel, did you need me tomorrow?”
“If I can impose on you some more. I’
ve arranged to buy this house and I need to get to some of my stashes tomorrow so I can convert it all to cash,” Diel explains.
“You are never an imposition, Diel. I would be happy to escort you tomorrow. I haven’t seen any of your magick before. It will be a treat.”
“Dr. Hildebrand will be here in the morning with blood for Hannah and to examine her. Can we go after that?” Diel asks.
“Of course. With me taking you, you’ll be back to her in no time.”
“That was my underlying motive,” Diel says and laughs. “You know me well.”
“I know how I would feel,” Aidan says. His face is set in grim lines.
“Aidan, have you been looking for Manda? Have you had any progress,” I ask softly.
“Slowly. I was able to talk to King Basilio last night. He had thwarted my attempts before that.”
“He was always a supercilious fuck,” Bast curses. “Thinks he is unstoppable because of his age.”
“Well, I think he may be playing me right now. I don’t want to push him yet, but I am getting rather desperate. He knows something even though he pretends ignorance.”
“That sounds like Basilio. Let me know if you want one of us to go with you, Aidan. I offer myself but I think Julian or Helena are better choices,” Sebastian offers.
“Thank you, Sebastian. I might take you up on that.”
Aidan presses his hands together and gives Sebastian a little bow. Very un-Aidan-like. Especially when he is referring to Bast. I believe Aidan is humbled by all our love and true desire to find Manda. It’s all new for a Djinn. But he is making progress by leaps and bounds. I know he and Lily have talked many nights.
After they got their feelings sorted out – from lovers to dear friends, she has been his anchor. I know their feelings are changing for each other but they will always have an exceptionally strong bond. Bast knows that too and his whole raging jealous aspect has changed too. I think Aidan and Bast may become good friends in time.
It shows how much everyone has grown. We really were a motley crew a year ago.
“I’ll leave you to rest, petite mamman. Do you want Lily or would you like to spend some time with your husband?” Sebastian asks me.
Little Suckers Bite Too (San Francisco Vampires #6) (Vampires of San Francisco series) Page 5
