by Amber Lynn
Night Finds
By Amber Lynn
Copyright © 2013 Amber Lynn
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Warning: This book is the musings of a foulmouthed female assassin with Violence for a middle name.
I want to start this book off by saying thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read one of my books, whether it was one in this series or my other series. I have been receiving notes from fans and each time I read one I cannot believe that someone is actually saying these amazing words about something I wrote.
I also want to let everyone know that, yes, I am only planning seven books in Nyx’s crazy world, for now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t come back to visit her in the future. I have other ideas for plots not only for Nyx, but also for stories centered on some of the other characters. Who wouldn’t want to read a book from Clyde’s point of view?
For now, I will just stick to getting Nyx through her rise to greatness. She has taken me on a wild journey and even though she is a fictional character, I have to thank her for making the trip so much fun.
Chapter 1
A giant pink elephant
“Jake, if I have to tell you again not to bring me more pink baby things, I am going to take whatever item you are holding and stuff it in your mouth. Then, I will make you walk around the store with it like that. Peanut is not going to be some little frilly girl.” It is bad enough that we are in the closest human city with a baby store; I don't need him flashing more pastels in front of my eyes. I am hoping to provide my little girl with the best of everything, even if that means torturing myself by being in my current environment.
A lot has happened in the two weeks since my mother, otherwise known as the Devil, revealed that I was pregnant. Two days after the fact, we caught the first sounds of Peanut's little heart beating. Sebastian started crying again and Alex started making crazy baby sounds at my stomach. It is really sad when the woman in the relationship has all of the testosterone. I would offer to share, but it is kind of funny to watch them sometimes.
So far, my pregnancy is nothing like any book describes. That makes it really difficult to make any plans. A week ago, I went to bed like any other night and the next morning I woke up with a beer gut. I have been skinny all of my life and to suddenly have none of my clothes fit was a rude awakening. Not only that, but the very same day Peanut decided I would make a nice punching bag and has since kept me up most nights showing me her mad kickboxing skills.
I am convinced for some reason she isn’t happy with me being her mother. I don’t know if she found out there was a time I swore that I would never have children, or if it was the fact that I am generally afraid of humanoids shorter than me, but she has started communicating with both Sebby and Alex, leaving me in the dark. Somehow she figured out how to block me from the communications. I am going to go out on a limb and say she gets her deviousness from her maternal grandmother.
“What if she pops out of you and she wants to only be dressed in little pink lacy dresses?” Jake asks taking a good look at the little pink elephant he is holding. “I think you should have some pink things to have on standby just in case.”
“Sebby, has she ever indicated to you that she has mental issues?” I ask. He is the mate on baby patrol with me today. Alex is off rallying troops, or something.
“No, she has all of her marbles lined up in a nice, neat row. She even showed them to me once. I think you will find that she will be more like you than any of us are prepared for, so you don’t have to worry about her taking a liking to pink or dresses.”
Peanut likes hearing her daddy’s voice and starts her own chorus line against my belly. I would almost swear there is more than one of them in there, but I only hear one little heart beating. She must be getting her feet and hands in on the action this time.
“You know, she probably won’t be in there for more than another week. She told me yesterday she was ready to come out and meet all of her uncles,” Sebby adds as he puts his hand on my stomach to feel the movement.
“All the more reason for us to make a decision on which crib we are taking home with us. With all of those uncles I doubt she will ever see her own bed, but I would really like her to have one,” I reply looking at a beautiful antique cherry crib. I have been looking at cribs for twenty minutes now and I keep coming back to this one.
It looks less institutional and more homey than the other ones I have been studying. I really think it is the one I want. I love the color of the wood and the lines of the bed in general are really working for me. I run my hand along the back curve of it and feel the movement in my stomach stop.
“What’s wrong with her?” I ask Sebastian worried something has gone awry. She has been moving nonstop for so long that it feels weird not to feel her. The books may have not been too helpful on her development, but they did a great job of filling me in on all of the things that can go wrong. Talk about things keeping you up at night.
“She approves of your selection. To show her support she has decided to take a nap. The crib is nice, but where do you think it will fit in the penthouse? Our bedroom isn’t big enough for something this size and all of the other furniture that you probably want.”
It is still a weird arrangement for me, but the guys have both moved into my bedroom and somehow we are able to share the space without either of them freaking out about the other one being there. Like the beer gut, I awoke one morning to find both of them sleeping in the bed. I don’t know how they do it, but we have a huge bed and, so far, there haven’t been any weird touches between them in the middle of the night. I should know, since Peanut likes to keep me up all night. This is probably the first time she has actually slept.
“Are you jumping on the we should move into a bigger place bandwagon, too?” I thought the conversation wouldn’t go past the Nyx doesn’t like the idea stage, but the guys have started leaving hints around the house. Newspapers opened to the real estate section with homes circled, an influx of cardboard boxes appearing, and Clyde actually packing all of his toys into one of those cardboard boxes have all occurred. I am about ninety percent sure they have picked out a new place and are working out who gets the short straw and has to tell me about it.
Even if I don't want to move, picking out a place without my input on the matter isn't exactly a brilliant plan. I have some very specific needs when it comes to my personal space and I think staying in the apartment and kicking everyone else out sounds like a great idea. My stomach doesn't agree and starts thumping again. That nap didn't last long.
“She is as vocal about her opinions as her mother,” Sebastian says and guides me towards the bedding part of the store. “Now that the important decision is behind us, what color do you think we should have our little girl sleep on?”
“I thought we were discussing where we were going to put the crib. Is that not an important decision anymore?” I avert my eyes from the traditional blue and pink blanket offerings and focus in on the yellow. I would love to get something in black; however, I don't want to totally traumatize the kid. I can see it now; black everything and a mobile of knives twirling around above her head. Perfect for someone like me, but maybe a little
much for a baby.
“I wasn't the one that drew the short straw, so I thought it was best to just kill the conversation. I really like the simplicity of that one,” he says pointing to a yellow bedding set that has a plain, rich yellow sheet matched to a quilt in the same color with little white polka dots.
“I could go for that,” I reply and grab one of the packages. “Were only you and Alex in on the straw draw, or do I have to wait for one of the guards to grow a pair and tell me about the move?”
Crib and bedding are off of the list. We just have clothing, stroller, diapers, car seat, and the list goes on for about forever. I know it didn’t take this much thought and preparation to get pregnant. As it is, I am intent on getting everything we need in this one trip. I tried to do the shopping online, but I wanted to verify the quality of the products that would be cradling my little girl.
“Technically, there wasn’t a draw. He volunteered to be the one to not only tell you about his plans, but also pick out the new living quarters.”
“How upset am I going to be about the new location?” At this point, I know I really don't have much choice in the matter. I can pretend all I want, but as big as I thought the penthouse was when I first walked in, stuffing close to a dozen people in it just isn't going to work anymore.
“Thankfully, you are an expert at adaptability. It shouldn't be that traumatic, so you don't need to get all worked up over it. I have seen the place and you will be happy with the improvements that Alex made for you. Our bedroom is a lot bigger and the three of us will each get our own closet. Peanut has her own room directly off of ours and other than Clyde's room, which is close by, the rest of the family is off in another wing. The non-essential guard units have a bunkhouse on the premises and will stick to securing the perimeter. That should keep them out of your way.”
It all sounds too good to be true, not that he has given me a ton to go by, and I could go with Alex and Sebastian finding their own rooms, but I know that my one moment of weakness allowing them both in opened the flood gates and I don't have the energy to close them. It helps that I wake up to one of them rubbing my feet most days.
“Just how far away is my commute into work going to be? I am going to be hauling around Peanut soon and she has informed me that she doesn't like to ride in the car with her mother,” I say while I try to figure out receiving blankets and burping clothes. I think I might be a lost cause. Peanut hasn't spoken a word to me, but from that fact alone I am drawing my conclusion on us carpooling.
“I did mention that Alex was the one that was supposed to be telling you all of this, didn't I?” Sebastian asks as he grabs a few packages of yellow and white receiving blankets. They are followed closely by matching everything else in sight. “You are taking too long. Peanut will be born by the time you make any decisions. We have the money, just grab everything.”
“Fine. Let's go get her some clothes, unless we plan for her to go around wearing little togas. Back to your question, Alex isn't here and you are. So get to talking.” As we near the racks of clothes I become very afraid. An overload of pink is staring at me and there is lace too. Why doesn't Tango Charlie carry baby clothes? Believe me, I checked there first and they had nothing smaller than what I wear.
“You won’t have far to drive. I am sure you have heard of Nantucket Manor. Alex has owned it for a while and he recently acquired all the land around it. Giving us about twenty acres. With it being on the edge of town, Clyde will even have some grass to himself.” He ventures past the wall of pink that is holding me in place. Jake wandered off again and I am terrified to see what he brings back this time. A lot of things are frightening me at the moment.
“Of course I have heard of Nantucket Manor. Alex really owns that eyesore? I don’t think it has had anyone banging around inside, except maybe a few ghosts, since before I was born. You guys really think I am going to want to move into that place? I have heard tons of stories that would keep little Peanut up at night.”
“Here, these clothes should be a good start,” he says as he comes back with an armload, pink is nowhere in sight. “Alex has had workers going nonstop to get the place up to code. You won’t even recognize it. Now, let’s get the stroller and car seat and then get out of here.”
I am all for that idea so I hurry to the next stop. As fast as Peanut is growing inside of me, I am not sure how quickly she will grow once she escapes. She might be a teenager a week after birth and that has to be even scarier than anything else my mind has thought of in the last hour.
“Just when are you guys expecting this move to take place? You claim the baby is going to be born here soon and I don’t know how easy a big move will be with her in tow.” I think I am hesitant to travel at all with Peanut. I would have guards with me to try to help if she started wailing, but I wouldn’t be comfortable driving while she was in distress. Me being chauffeured around is not even an option, so don't ask.
“I don’t think you want to know the answer to that. The way it was supposed to work was we get done here and I drive you over to the new place. Everything should be moved in by then.”
I stop in my tracks and my jaw is probably through the floor with how low it drops. “Oh, words I don’t want Peanut to hear. You have got to be kidding me. That is why only you and Jake came out shopping. I should have known something was up. Ever since you guys found out about the baby, the guards have been hovering even more than usual and all of a sudden today they all disappear.”
“Remember your blood pressure effects Peanut, so try to keep it in check. Alex isn’t going to be a biological father, yet, but he does want to do something special for you and the baby. Making you this new home is him trying to show you what a good father he will be.”
“He is aware I am going to be mad at him about that, right?” I ask and it is really a rhetorical question. I start moving again. Arguing with Sebastian isn't going to get me very far. To tell Alex off like I truly want to will have to wait until Peanut is born and I can get him in a bubble somewhere that her ears won't fall off from all the bad words dripping out of my mouth.
“Once you see the place, you aren't going to have a second to be upset about it. I promise you will feel like the kid in the candy store cliché. I think this is the car seat I read about on the Internet. It had the highest reviews and scored really well in the safety tests. I imagine with us as parents she will be pretty durable, but I won't risk testing that theory.”
He won't get any arguments from me about that last statement. “Grab the car seat. Do you have a stroller you like too?” I did a lot of online pre-shopping and I bet he saw all the same things that I did.
“I will grab the one I want and meet you up front if you want to go try to track down your errant guard. I am getting a little worried about him. I don't think there are a ton of eligible women just wandering around the store, so something shiny must have caught his eye.”
Jake has been trying really hard to get his act together and, as far as I have seen, he has halted his annoying habit of chasing anything female with a pulse. Peanut is making all of us try to put our best face forward. Pushing my cart around, I don't see him in any of the aisles I pass.
“Jake, where are you?” I ask in my normal voice, which garners a strange look from a lady nearby. She is holding a breast pump up to her chest trying to gauge its size and I am the weird one. Go figure.
“Sorry, sweetheart, I will be right there,” Jake says in reply. I start heading towards the voice wanting to see how hard he hit his head this time. “No, I wasn’t talking to you. I heard my mistress calling and I have to go help her. It was really nice of you to help me find the perfect gift, but I do have to go.”
“But I thought you said the gift was for your sister, not your girlfriend,” a whiny voice replies.
“Yeah that was before I figured out you were a psycho,” Jake mumbles under his breath. In his regular voice he says, “Nope. She is definitely not my sister. Here she is now. You can see that we look n
othing alike.”
Unless his dad at one time mated with a gnome, he is right. I don’t like to hear others call me a gnome, but I can joke that my mother was one now that I know she is Lucifer. I don’t see any major defects with the woman in front of me, other than the fact she is trying to hang onto Jake. She has dark hair, not quite the blackness of mine, but close. Everything else looks pretty average. Not too skinny or chubby, medium skin tone, and muted green eyes. She looks like someone Jake wouldn’t mind getting to know a little better. I did mention she was female.
“How is our little princess doing?” Jake asks rushing over to me. He has something in his hand he is trying to hide, while I am trying my hardest not to break out laughing at the situation. Jake actually running away from a girl is a new one.
“Love, has he gone delusional again?” Sebastian questions joining us with the stroller he found.
“No, now let’s go,” Jake says grabbing the cart out of my hand as he hurries to the checkout. I am going to have to find out just what little miss helpful said to get him moving. It might be useful later. If nothing else, I can taunt him about it.
“I guess that is our cue to leave. He forgot his meds,” I explain to the woman and follow after him. I hope he doesn’t damage Peanut’s new things. As fast as he is moving, he is most likely going to run into something. When we get to the checkout he is buying whatever he was hiding from me and a lady is ringing our cart up.
“This yours?” she asks not halting her scanning.
“Looks like it,” I reply and head to the keypad to scan my card. I am a little afraid what the bottom line is going to be on this haul, but it is for Peanut, so no amount is too much. The lady gives me the total and I hit the necessary buttons to draw this excursion to a close.
I cannot wait to get back home and start in on Alex. I don’t know if the thirty-minute drive works in his favor because I will have plenty of time to stew about being moved into a new home without being told.
