Chapter Seven
Krys eventually came up for air, and her companion was smirking.
She sighed and patted his chest. “So. Why didn’t you want me driving my car?”
“Your family was down the block, watching. They are following us now. I didn’t want you alone in your car.”
“I see. But you are fine sending your guys?”
“They are undead. They can only go so far.”
“Anyone breaking into my house will suffer a severe hypothermia that can only be mitigated by me or the XIA.”
“Interesting and specific.”
“Yes, well, I figured they would call for help if they get zapped. They know who they are attacking.”
“Yes, but why are they focused on you?”
“Uh, I may have redirected their irritation to me instead of Vaia. She needed a few quiet days.”
“That was not a wise thing.”
“No, but it was necessary. She needed safety more than I did, and I could have done more than send them home.”
“When did you get illusion certification?”
“At college. It was considered a party certification, but I can boost it to a bizarre degree, so yay.” She chuckled.
She was draped over him, and it felt alarmingly right.
Of course, that was what her senses had been telling her since the first day she saw him, but it was nice to have confirmation.
She had already held out longer than her mother. Restraint was not in her genetics.
“I feel like I should be wearing a seatbelt.”
He tightened his arms around her. “I’ve got you.”
She chuckled, but then they turned into the drive of the Grunwald mansion, and she was free to flick a spell at the gates.
They drove to the house, and there was a crunching sound behind them.
“Hah! Suck it!”
“What did you do?”
“Threw a severe tire damage spell for anyone who has hostility toward the occupants of this house.”
“You are a frightening menace.”
“Yup. You still have a grip on my ass, though.”
“I like to keep menaces close.” He smiled and kissed her nose.
She chuckled, and the vehicle slowed to a stop in front of the grand entrance. Krys looked at Reynal and smiled. “This is my stop.”
He sighed. “Dinner tonight?”
“Aren’t you oversaturated with me?”
“That would require you to get wet, and that is on my schedule.”
She blinked, blushed, and the door opened. Vaia was standing there with a grin. “Oh, hello.”
“This is where I get off.” She pushed away from Reynal.
He leaned up and whispered, “Remember that.”
She looked at him, put her hand on his face, and used her grip to boost herself out of the car. He laughed when she was out of the car.
The driver that she hadn’t met unpacked her bags and handed them to Reynal when he left the SUV.
Vaia chuckled. “You two are moving quick.”
Reynal smiled. “Her particular branch of your family is not known for their prolonged courtships. I am trying to keep up.”
Krys shrugged. “If it’s a strain, let me know.”
“I am made of sturdy stuff. Now, Vaia, where would you like her to stay?”
“I have a room ready on the other side of the mansion. Just in case the soundproofing doesn’t hold.” Vaia grinned.
“Thanks for that.”
Reynal crooned, “Yes, thanks for that.”
Krys snorted and followed Vaia in. “Yeah, you can just shut up now.”
He chuckled, and they headed inside, up the stairs, and in the opposite direction from the private residence. The guestroom was plain but functional.
“Azreen found some of the furniture in the carriage house. A quick clean-up and you should be comfortable. So, what the hell is going on?”
Krys paused. “Oh, you know how money hungry your family is? Mom, stepdad, and half-brother?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“They came here last night to try and get money out of Azreen. I intercepted them and sent them home via wind gust. They came back and trashed my car. So, the XIA filed a report on the damage, my, uh, lawyer got them arrested, they got out, and are now stalking me. So, since they were hanging around my house, Reynal recommended that I not stay at home. Ta-da.”
Vaia paused. “Is that it?”
“Your mother struck her.”
“And didn’t die. There is that.” Reynal set her carry-on and garment bags at the end of the bed.
Vaia paused. “Right. I am calling my bio-dad. He fucked her. He can deal with her.”
Krys blinked. “That’s... right.”
“Come on. Let’s head downstairs. There has to be some benefit to being his daughter.” Vaia led the way to the kitchen, where Azreen was sitting at the counter and playing with his laptop. Vaia caught him up while taking her phone off a charger and sent a text. “Now we wait.”
Krys smiled at Azreen, and he nodded back while sipping his coffee.
“Well, if things settle down after this, I will be disappointed.”
Reynal said, “Krys’s aunt is fixating on her and using her as an outlet for her rage at Vaia. That is a problem.”
“Indeed. So, nephew, what do you think we should do about it?”
Shadows moved from the corner and roiled into a man with black hair with silver at the temples, red eyes, and a very nice suit.
“King Kremoryn, good afternoon.”
Kremoryn snorted. “Good for you. I had to leave my lover for this, and she is as energetic as she is powerful. She had a lot of fun at the wedding. So, what is going on?”
Vaia filled him in with short sentences, and then she asked, “So, can you tell her to knock it off? Assert yourself, or have some of your thugs keep the family in check?”
His gaze glowed. “I think I can manage something. Why now?”
Krys said, “My guess is that the payments that Azreen were sending to what he thought was Vaia stopped, and they heard about the wedding. They wanted to make sure the funds kept flowing.”
“No, why do you want me to help now?”
Vaia said, “You are my father, right?”
“Yes, my little ink spot.”
“Then act like it and keep my mother from continuing to abuse me. I am out of her house. Out of her life. It should stop now.”
Kremoryn’s eyes flared. “Abuse?”
Vaia looked at him. “Yes. Emotional, psychological, and occasionally physical. I was glad to leave, even if it scared the crap out of me.”
He nodded and touched her temple. The red flared again. “It seems you were not safe with your mother.”
“Not particularly, but I survived it. I have made it out the other side, but she doesn’t seem to know the game is over. If you could make that clear, it would be appreciated.”
“And you chose me because...”
“You are my father. You have the right to speak on my behalf, and after you, there is now a husband, and then there is me. If I speak on my behalf, I might not be as diplomatic as you are.”
He chuckled. “I see. And as you are considering me skilled in diplomacy, you must be controlling yourself.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, I do owe you some child support, so consider this an instalment on years one through three.” He chuckled.
“I will report back when it is settled. Thank you for asking for my help. I will not fail you.” He walked up to her and bent to kiss her cheek.
“I need to get practice in. I get the feeling I am going to have more daughters.”
Vaia gasped. “Is Hura...”
“Oh, not yet, but eventually.” He chuckled. “My seers have seen me trying to negotiate with a wave of angry daughters, which seems about right.”
She smiled. “Some might be granddaughters.”
“Even better. Off I go to restrain the beast.” The tendrils of shadow found a dark corner and pulled him in.
Krys cocked her head. “Creepy or fatherly?”
Vaia said, “I think both.”
Reynal nodded and said to Azreen, “Nice to know where the bar is.”
Krys looked at Reynal. “Have you met my dad yet? The bar is pretty high.”
He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her from behind, whispering, “From what I have heard, I just have to be faster than you.”
She blushed and mumbled, “You were paying attention.”
He kissed her neck. “I definitely was. Wanna race?”
“Oh, no. Not with a gala and a wedding this week. You are going to have to pace yourself. I would need at least two days to feel normal again.”
He paused. “What is today?”
“Sunday.”
“When is the gala?”
“Thursday, but I am sure you have a bajillion meetings tomorrow.”
He sighed. “Right. There is that. Thank you for being reasonable.”
“I am really not being that reasonable. At least two of those meetings are with me.” She looked up and grinned. “Have fun concentrating.”
“Where is your laptop?”
“Upstairs in my carry-on.”
“Up we go.”
He straightened and walked away with her.
Krys sighed as she was pinned, and he walked up the stairs again. When they were in the guestroom, he let her go.
“You owe me that spreadsheet, Krys.” His growl was low.
“Dude, your fetishes are really odd.”
“I know. Now, get the laptop out. I want to rifle through your columns.” He was grinning.
“We will need to head down to the kitchen.”
“Then, lead the way. I love to watch the walk.”
She snorted and left the room, letting her wings sprout halfway down the stairs. Her wardrobe was expensive because it changed with her, but waving the frosty wings in his face made it worth it.
She could feel the heat from his body as he moved close to her. She moved a little faster and dismissed her wings before she was in Vaia’s eyeline.
“Where’s the fire? Oh. Krys, what did you do?”
She slid into a chair at the table and got the computer up and opened a spreadsheet before Reynal had done more than pace behind her, growling softly.
“Uh, he really likes the wings. I thought it would be a fun distraction. Too fun, as it turns out. I don’t think he can sit down.”
Reynal suddenly leaned over her and began typing. The spreadsheet he wanted took shape under his skillful manipulation. He occasionally paused to kiss her neck, and she shivered as he got things ready.
Vaia cleared her throat. “Can I ask what this particular foreplay is in aid of?”
Krys took three tries to say, “People are after the venue. They want viewings, quotes, and all the good stuff that comes with a venue. I think we are up and running, and that is before Dia’s pictures come out. This is just from phone cameras and word of mouth.”
Vaia said, “How many?”