Chapter Nine #2
“I like you. I apologize for the crudeness. Now, it remains to be seen if Esmeray will be happy with you. If it appears he is, what is your plan?” Draevus took another bite, chewing slowly, pink gushing between his sharp teeth.
“My plan is to adjust my life accordingly to make room for a partner. If we aren’t compatible or he seeks comfort with another partner, I will do my best to make arrangements for his comfort.
I still need to introduce him to my goddesses to seal his protections.
And, honestly, I realize my genetics are non-ideal.
If children are part of the plan, I’ve always thought about adoption or a genetic donation from an acceptable source.
” I cleared my throat. “I won’t take offense.
But Esmeray is who I will discuss that with. ”
Esmeray paused in his eating, put his knife down, and patted my leg while he hastened chewing and swallowing. “That’s a nice sentiment, but I’ll evaluate in time. Father?”
Draevus shrugged. “There’s prophecy about my line. Nowhere does it say who has to sire your children or what the line must hold. The importance is your continued survival and happiness.”
“He’s got a prophecy?” That caught my attention and I blinked over at him. The thought of the prophecy bothered me more than finding a sperm donor for a child to make sure it didn’t inherit my complicated genetics.
“All children of greater lords of hell do. His part to play in the ongoing route to the eventual apocalypse is to be an orator of law and stand among the gods. Which, if he inherited your goddess’s contracts, that fulfills it.” Draevus took another bloody bite of steak.
“I suppose that answers my questions.” I went for more carrots and avoided the asparagus on my plate. I did enjoy the vegetable, but the aftermath would not be kind to two males with a new mating bond. I noticed Esmeray did the same.
Esmeray placed his fork down and ceased eating with a soft sigh. “Gre is acceptable for now. I don’t need nepotism to make my own way. I won’t be handed anything.”
“But what about you, Gre, was it? Fancy some nepotism?” He grinned wickedly.
“Would it really be nepotism, or would it be a strategic choice on my part to facilitate my own success, as we have no ties and my ultimate happiness or success has no real impact on your son?” I grinned and Esmeray elbowed me sharply.
“Okay. Nepotism it is, and apparently I despise it. Nasty stuff. No, thank you.”
Esmeray grunted in agreement and I took a quiet bite of food as the butler came in and loaded up plates whether I was done or not.
“Fine, then. Allow me to replace your car, at least.” He smiled so wickedly and Esmeray sighed in defeat.
“I’ll allow that much. What happened to my car, by the way?” Esmeray stared his father down.
“It was towed when they closed off your apartment. Your things I had delivered to a storage locker. Go get what you wish to take,” Draevus said while pulling out his phone to text. “Just sent you the details.”
“Towed to where precisely?”
“It was a 1992 Geo Metro.” He stared Esmeray down as if the very thought of the car was abhorrent.
“It was reliable and I could do anything needed for it myself!” Esmeray growled in frustration.
“The thing looked like a rusted doorstop and I have golf carts with stronger motors! I hated seeing it in the parking lot at the firm!” The argument Draevus continued felt like an old one that wouldn’t be solved.
I patted myself down and pulled out my wallet, thumbing through a few cards of people I knew.
Most of them, men, owed me favors. Owed me favors their wives would emphatically demand they fulfill.
I handed the card to Esmeray. “Would you object to a Mazda? They’re not the classiest on the market but they are rather nice. ”
Esmeray stared at the card, brow furrowed.
“The owner of this particular dealership owes me greatly. Since I now know you can drive stick, they always have terrible trouble moving manual transmission cars. He’d sell you one for a bit of nothing.
” I shrugged and Esmeray snatched my phone from my pocket before pulling up his bank statement and showing it to me.
He made very little and his account had about eight thousand in savings, nothing more.
“This doesn’t buy a new car.” He glared at me.
I took the phone back, drew up my banking app, and flashed it toward him. “This does. And since we’re mated, it’s not nepotism or charity or unearned. I want you to be comfortable and for your father to like me.”
Draevus nodded as if that were a good goal.
“Fine.” He grumbled, looking away. “But I’ll pay you back. We’ll budget tonight before bed and discuss my contributions.”
“My building has been paid for. Property taxes are three hundred a month. My electricity is offset by solar, so I pay a pittance monthly for that. Water, gas, and trash run me about a hundred total. Internet is tied into my cellphone so don’t worry about it.
” I stared him down as he frowned and rummaged a pen and paper from Satan knew where, on his body.
“We’ll do it right here, then.” He snatched my phone and looked up my building’s worth, made calculations that I flat disagreed with.
“You’re not paying half that. I use the building for business.” I huffed, and he asked square footage and did some math based off that.
“Fair market value for my rent and contributions… Let me see your electric and solar bills?” He thrust my phone back to me as I pulled up my email. I owed eighty-five a month on my panels and grid fee and never an electric bill over twenty bucks. He studied my paperwork and thumbed through things.
“Any mailbox fees or association fees?”
Dammit. “Just my coven ones and a building association fee. It’s negligible and mine to bear because of my business.” I grinned, and he let it slide.
“Subscription services? Insurance?” He asked and I answered. He made some notes. “Groceries…”
I pulled up my delivery app. Vincenzo handled that much. His powers allowed him to hold a status and order as he wished within reason.
“Very reasonable. Okay.” He nodded and sketched out some notes before presenting me with a paper with a hasty budget.
“I anticipate groceries doubling so I’ll hand over that much.
Food is worth it, especially since my cost of living will be decreasing significantly.
I’ll give you this much for bills, mortgage, and contribution to the household and this much to be allocated in a shared account we’ll make.
You will allocate that much a month as well into it and we’ll use that for incidentals. ”
“I can probably add you to my car insurance. My agent gives me a very nice discount.”
Esmeray stared me down and raised a brow. “After the explosion?”
“If I don’t file a claim?” I grinned.
“Fair. Lemme see.” He awaited my paperwork and nodded sagely. “Same people I use and that is a nice discount.”
Draevus watched us with amusement twinkling in his eyes. “I’ll wear you down eventually, Gre. Nepotism is profane.”
“Now, there’s the matter of me getting a loan on—” Esmeray started but I held up a hand.
“That sort of discount doesn’t get a loan.
I’ll pay for it, and what you contribute in rent will go toward the car.
Okay? You moving in might cost me a little money on my water and electricity.
You’re paying for your food. Enjoy the car.
” I put my hand on his thigh and squeezed, inching my fingers toward his inner seam.
The pulse beneath my fingertips fluttered.
“Okay.” The fight left him as his breath softened. “That’s… That’s.”
“If I’m committing myself to you, I cannot split hairs.” I kept my tone low and soft while my fingers circled in place, an invitation and a threat. Ausmius peeked up, a head sliding from a corner with blinking eyes. Draevus’s brows rose up his forehead.
“Chores?” Esmeray cleared his throat.
“I have a pixie that feeds on ambient magic that does all the sanitary things. Bathrooms and crumbs and dusting. Vincenzo keeps the kitchen immaculate. I do laundry and fold clothes while listening to my audiobooks, and I won’t be gainsaid on that because I have a new one by Maxwell Hump that I’m dying to read.
The shop is all mine, so I suppose if you want to be the one that runs the loads and changes the sheets, we can call it good.
Organization we can split up areas as needed, but I generally don’t let things get far from their places.
” I withdrew my hand and crossed my arms.
“Knowing Esmeray, that’s practically filthy talk to him.” Draevus huffed and glanced toward the door as the butler arrived with dessert.
“I’ll give you two the town car for the time being, and I want to see you in the office Monday morning with that new Mazda, am I clear?” Draevus pointed at Esmeray, and he grudgingly nodded.
“Good boy. Fate had an interesting choice to make, and I’m glad it did.” Draevus took a bite of a small parfait and hummed with pleasure as we ate ours in silence.
And like he promised, there were keys in my hand at the end of dinner, a promise of security escorting us into my home, and further monitoring until the threat abated.
While we walked to the car that had been pulled up front for us, a sleek black thing with a leather interior, a light turned on at the house next door and an older demon stepped out onto the porch to watch us with curiosity.
Draevus cupped his hands and shouted the squintable distance away. “Go to hell, Calamisis!”
“Fuck you!” a small voice retorted.
“He likes me.” Draevus smiled and waved, earning a finger in response. “He’ll be out by the end of the year.”
I wouldn’t hold my breath. Esmeray seemed intent on anything else but accepting his father’s aid. But I couldn’t blame him. I admired it.
Maybe I’d come to love that stubborn side.
In the meantime? I could definitely fuck it.