Demons Don't Always Tell The Truth (Kate Storm Series Book 3)
Page 19
I kissed him. "Oh, Al."
"It killed me to see ya so unhappy, Doll." Al nuzzled his head against my breast. Ash picked him up and moved Al so he was tucked in between the two of us.
"I promise to make her happy from now on." Ash scratched Al between the ears.
"Ya better demon. I'll be right here if ya screw up."
I snuggled into Ash's heat, pulled Al up into my neck and just breathed. Coming back down from hysteria. Amazed the crisis was over and processing Al's grudging acceptance. It was more than I'd hoped.
I'm not sure how long we stayed like in that position. Ash finally shifted, lifted Al and I up and stretched out his legs.
"You know, Al, Drake and I were talking about a hunting trip next week."
"Going after some more quails?" The excited quiver in his tiny body betrayed his sneering tone.
"We haven't decided yet. You could come if you'd like."
Immediately a million ways Al could be hurt shot through my mind. Ash slid his hand into my curls and rubbed my scalp. I sighed.
Al would have a blast and Ash would keep him safe. I was going to have to learn how to let go. At least a little.
"There is one condition though."
I bit my lip. Ash was right. I hadn't thought it all the way through. Despite his former occupation, Al really couldn't carry or shoot a gun now. He'd have to set aside his unrealistic aspirations and accept the facts. Again. I hoped he wasn't going to be too disappointed.
"Yeah? What's that?" Al curled one lip.
He was just going to have to accept it. He couldn't shoot a gun and that was that.
It warmed my heart to know how much Ash cared. To include Al as one of the guys and to look out for him at the same time.
He was such a wonderful demon.
"You have stop calling me Ass."
31. Beer and Karaoke.
"Here, Sugar." Désirée Norma-Sue set a paper bag on my desk. "I forgot to give this to you."
Désirée was dressed head to peek-a-boo heels in royal blue today. Blue rhinestones glittered in her sapphire pigtails and along the edge of her blue leather crop jacket. They even lined the hem of her matching leather skirt.
Cobalt satin ribbons criss-crossed her calves up from her heels. She'd even added coordinating rhinestones on each of her indigo toenails.
Apparently Phil had confessed it was his favorite color. Which meant my secretary had requested the afternoon off for another shopping trip.
Life was back to normal.
"What's this?" I pulled the bag closer, moved the pink tissue paper out of the way and pulled out a stunning dark teal wrap around top.
"It's gorgeous!" The material was soft and plush and had a nice give to it.
Ash, Al and I had ordered Italian last night. Both Al and Ash had ganged up on me to make certain I ate. It felt like any weight I'd lost had already returned. And I wasn't sure how I felt about their new male bonding.
As the only female witch in the apartment, I was at a definite disadvantage.
I rubbed the material over my cheek. "I thought you were going to look for a new t-shirt."
"No offense, Sugar, but you have plenty of t-shirts. What you need are some different style tops." Désirée tapped one midnight blue nail on my desk.
"Some pants other than jeans wouldn't hurt either."
I would have winced at the gleam in her eye, but I had to admit the top was stunning. And I could actually picture it on me. The cleavage would emphasize my best parts and the wrap around style would help minimize the rest. Plus it was stretchy.
A shopping trip with Désirée Norma-Sue might just be what this witch needed.
"How much do I owe you?" I put the top back in the bag and reached for my purse.
"Nothing." Désirée wagged her finger at me when I tried to protest. "Nope. It's my gift to you, Sugar. I'd still be on the run and scared, without any hope, if it wasn't for you."
I blinked back against the sudden welling of tears. "Désirée . . ."
Her finger wagged again.
"Just accept it, Sugar. You accepted me knowing I had trouble on my heels." She sighed. "I'm safe now. I have a wonderful job and my Sugar Bear. I'm one lucky fairy."
It turned out Désirée Norma-Sue came from a very large family. She had another cousin who ran a bounty hunter/bail bond service. He'd been more than willing to take the prince off our hands.
His brother was the one who owned the gator farm. And he'd assured us that we wouldn't have any more trouble from the prince. The brothers planned to have a long talk with prince Derek regarding Désirée.
Apparently they had a lovely spot in the middle of the gator farm that seemed to really encourage positive outcomes with their talks.
"Désirée . . ." I tried again. She was under a severe misconception that I'd helped her. Désirée Norma-Sue had accepted me right from the start, not the other way around.
"Nope." She smiled and winked at me. "I'm not going to argue about this. You did something special for me and I wanted to do something for you. It's what friends do."
It was? Morgan and I had traded gifts before, but usually it was in the way of knives, blood or beer.
Maybe different friends had different ways of showing they cared? I didn't know. This was all new territory for me.
"Thank you." I moved the bag to the side of my desk where it wouldn't be in the way, but I could still see it. "Are you and Phil coming tonight?"
Morgan had suggested meeting at Got Fangs? later tonight. She was a little put out over missing all the daytime action and wanted details.
"Absolutely." She spun on one heel, shimmying her way out of my office. "I've got some celebrating to do and I feel like dancing."
I felt the same way.
****
"Did Lolly hire a band?" Désirée Norma-Sue squealed. "Perfect! I so want to dance!"
I looked at the long line in front of Got Fangs? in slight shock.
Lolly was a cheap warlock. He hired bands on Friday and Saturday nights period. I could not see him splurging for a week night band.
I know he overcharged Morgan and I for the repairs after our last bar fight. The bathrooms had been updated at the same time and the fight hadn't extended there.
I tucked Al more firmly under my arm. "We're not waiting in line. Come on."
Ash led the way and Désirée, Phil and I followed. People moved to the side to let us through. A demon lord is very useful in many situations.
"Tiny!" I hadn't seen him in ages.
The big gargoyle turned his bald gleaming head away from the thin redhead in front of him and beamed at me. "Kate."
He wore a white wife beater tank and white pants with slits down the sides crisscrossed with a silvery metallic cord that highlighted his café au lait coloring.
The front of his tank displayed two fangs outlined in black glitter with red glittering drops dripping from the tip of one fang down to where he'd tucked his shirt in.
I'd based all my impressions of gargoyles on Tiny until I met Phil.
"What's going on? I didn't see any flyers for a special event." Dang it. We wanted to celebrate and have a few drinks. By the looks the line, we wouldn't be able to get a table, much less a drink.
Tiny bent to kiss my cheek. "Karaoke night is out of control. Don't worry, Morgan reserved a table. She's already inside."
All this for Karaoke? I didn't get it. At all.
"Phil." Tiny held out a hand. I swear I heard rock grinding against rock when they shook.
Tiny rubbed Al under the chin and stepped to the side to let us all by.
The inside was pure chaos. We had to skirt a ridiculously long line to find our table. It turned out the line was for the Karaoke. At least twenty people waited their turn.
Crack pots. Each and every one of them.
Aunt Tabs sat next to Drake in a tight leopard print top and drinking something with an umbrella in it. Her finger tapped in time with the music.
"Isn't thi
s great?" Morgan grinned. "I've already put our names in. We're thirty and thirty-two."
I shook my head, but didn't say anything. There was no way I was getting up there. Morgan would just have to live with the disappointment.
Désirée, Al and I sat down. Ash and Phil went to get drinks.
Morgan and Drake were both wearing black. A little clichéd for vampires. But there is a reason vampires tend to wear it a lot. They were stunning. The black emphasized their pale skin and green eyes.
Absolutely mesmerizing.
Beautiful and deadly combined in one exquisite package.
"Hey, Kate. Désirée."
I looked up to see Snake and a very attractive brunette standing beside my chair.
Snake looked my secretary over closely. "You're looking good, Désirée. No more problems?"
Désirée Norma-Sue smiled. "No. All's good now. Thank you."
"Great. Good to hear." Snake turned towards me while keeping a hand on Martha's waist. "Martha and I have been meaning to call you. We wanted to thank you for getting us together."
I have to admit, I peeked. It wasn't a conscious decision, but my eyes were drawn to her chest. The black leather corset disguised any nipple piercings. A leather bra would probably do the same. Her class of six year olds were safe.
Then the matchmaker in me went aawww. They were perfect together. Now that I could see them in person, the orange and pink fairy dust glittered all around them.
True Love.
Aunt Tabs gasped. I looked around to see her wiping surreptitiously at her eyes. I didn't blame her, my own eyes were welling.
"You are more than welcome, Snake." I sniffed. "It was my pleasure." It always was.
"I gave your number to some of the boys." Snake nodded at me then leaned down to Martha. "Come on, babe. We're up next."
They headed towards the stage.
Sweet Spirits. What were they going to sing? Britney Spear's "I'm A Slave 4 U"?
Morgan narrowed her eyes at Désirée. "Spill. I want all the details." Aunt Tabs leaned forward on one elbow.
Al trotted across the table and sat down in front of them. I'd already told him what happened, but he's a hit-man through and through. He could listen to stories involving blood over and over again.
He'd been rather disappointed that neither Ash nor Phil had fully disposed of the prince. However, he still held out hope for the cousin.
A gnome began belting out the lyrics to Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass." I had to admit, she did it well and she had the bass to back it up.
Ash and Phil returned with our drinks. Ash pulled my chair up against his and wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he and Drake began discussing their next hunting trip.
It looked as though all four of the guys planned to go: Ash, Drake, Phil and my Chihuahua.
I wasn't aware there was a bird called a Snipe. Nor did I know it was considered a delicacy among gargoyles.
I planned to Google it when I got home.
I took a sip of my beer and looked around the table. Somewhat bemused by all the changes in my life in the past couple of months.
I may never host a party for thirty of my nearest and dearest, but that was okay. My nearest and dearest were right here with me. It was more than I'd ever expected.
True, I had my scary aunt to contend with at some point. She wasn't simply going to accept Ash's decision to forfeit their agreement. More than likely she would come looking for him and if she found him . . .
Maybe I should have been a little more concerned about her. A teensy bit worried. For the past month or so I've had to deal with assassin vampires, Bigfoot, being framed for murder and a crazy fairy prince.
I guess I'd grown somewhat immune to threats against me. Not that I didn't take them seriously, but I'd survived quite a lot in a rather short period of time.
My confidence level in myself was finally growing.
I still was not clear on the details of how Ash and I were going to make our relationship work. As for our immediate future, it wasn't an issue. Ash said he didn't feel any compulsions yet to return to hell.
I planned to take it one day at a time.
We were in love. Al was adapting. Désirée was safe. Morgan and Drake were happy. And I was safe for the moment.
Life was good.
I was ready to celebrate.
The details beyond this point were not too clear.
Although Phil singing "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" will probably go down as one of the most memorable moments in the history of Got Fangs?. There wasn't a single female sitting upright by the time he was done.
Al sang back up.
And my view on Karaoke might have changed a tiny bit.
Let's just say that apparently there is a certain amount of beer that will get me up on a Karaoke stage.
The video of Morgan and I singing "We are family" has almost fifty thousand views to date.
The End . . . For Now.
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Copyright © 2015 Meredith Conner
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