Chapter Five #3
“Extremely interested in sex. She’s just not letting it rise. Her body will soon enforce it. Dark fae are always insatiable in their final trimester.”
Jennel asked, “Okay, how do you know all this?”
“You can tell by the way she chews. She could probably bite through the fork with little effort.”
Jennel blinked. “Oh. Well, at least I know if I am in that shape, you will be watching.”
“Yes. Dem-rah would peel the flesh from my bones if I didn’t.”
“It’s good to have family.” Jennel smiled and got ready to go visiting.
The guys grumbled and stomped down as Jennel’s break in what had become part of the routine was keenly felt. No rolling around in bed to start their night. They were going to be grumpy. She pitied the criminals of Redbird City just a bit.
They were wearing their black shirts and trousers but no vests. It was a nice concession.
Jennor compressed himself and said, “I called Solor. He’s awake and willing to chat with the neighbours. He is curious, though. We don’t normally socialize.”
Jennel blinked as she was boosted into the back of the SUV. “Why not?”
“Because he has his court, and I have mine.”
“Court?”
“Yeah. He’s a wildling king. My horns are sturdier.” Jennor chuckled.
Reymark got behind the wheel. “Though Day-ek may be tied for prettiness.”
They buckled up and drove to the end of the long drive, took a right, took a left, and were heading down another long drive.
Jennel muttered, “Are you kidding?”
Day-ek laughed. “Oh, come on. That was just funny.”
“Right. I was planning an appreciative quicky when we got home, but that has now stalled.”
Jennor snorted. “We promise to be on our best behaviour. We really will deserve to be appreciated.”
“Uh-huh.” She crossed her arms.
The drive was just as long as the one to Jennor’s mansion, and this building was of a similar size, but the fae influence was stark. Light and dark twists of stone covered the side of the building in a forest of leaves and vines.
A sleepy-looking man with a dark burnish to his skin, in the standard XIA uniform, was standing on the steps. When they pulled up, he looked curious. “Hey, Jennor, what’s up?”
“I don’t think we have introduced you to our fourth. Jennel, this is Solor, king of light and dark fae shifters. It’s a niche market.”
Jennel bowed. “My king. It is good to see you being useful.”
Solor laughed. “Jennel, I had heard you had returned to town. How is Corit?”
“Doing well, Solor. He’s graduating this year, as is Jennor’s niece. How is your little sister?”
Solor chuckled. “She’s a trial. Graduating with her master’s in architecture but plastered all over the radio and streaming services. Her arranged engagement should be formalized this summer.”
Reymark said, “You have a little sister?”
“Yes.” He frowned.
“Why didn’t you ever mention her?”
“Because she’s got enough to deal with without adding fending off advances from more dark fae than she can shake a wand at.”
Jennel grinned. “She got her witch qualification?”
“She did.”
Day-ek rubbed his head. “You have a little sister?”
“Shut up, Day-ek.”
The orc snorted. “Wait, where did you meet Jennel?”
Solor sighed. “She had to swear fealty to me as she entered the city before the moving trucks arrived. I gave her the authorization that she took to Matthias to indicate that our kind wasn’t hunting her.”
Day-ek frowned. “I don’t like owing you for my mate.”
“You don’t. She came here with a plan, and I was just a part of it.” Solor shrugged. “Come in. You have serious-talk face.”
He walked into the house, where the white-and-black theme was joined by gold and silver. Jennel smiled and said, “Who is your decorator? This is amazing.”
He paused. “My sister redid the interiors for her sixteenth birthday.”
Jennel smiled. “Big party?”
“No. She doesn’t make friends easily. The decorating was her party.” Solor grimaced. “It is why the council decided to ease her into an engagement.”
Jennel sighed. “Just be sure that it doesn’t blow up in your face. From what I remember, Myor is a little headstrong when she wants to be.”
Jennor froze. “Myor? Singing sensation Myor?”
Solor sighed. “Yes. And no, you are not getting an autograph.”
Jennor chuckled. “I was thinking of Greta; she’s a big fan.”
Jennel grinned. “So is Corit when he thinks I am not watching.”
Solor snorted. “This is interesting and all, and I am sure that Myor would be happy to meet and greet or sign some stuff. That isn’t why you are here.”
He walked into some kind of sitting room and settled in the chair near the fireplace. “Okay, so why are you here?”
Jennel wrinkled her nose. “Do you know Medic Mills?”
He sat straight. “Nylora? What about her? Is she okay?”
Approaching footfalls distracted her, and she recognized another of the night shift XIA agents by sight.
Jennor cocked his head. “Demuel, I am surprised you are here?”
“Why? I live here.”
The man looked almost like a dark elf, but there was something about the angle of his ears that was wrong.
Demuel walked in. “What are we chatting about?”
Solor was vibrating with tension. “Nylora. Jennel wanted to talk to me about her.”
Jennel sighed. “I am just going to say it. Did you and Nylora have sex about six months ago?”
Demuel and Solor looked at each other. “Yeah.”
Jennel blinked. “Wait. Both of you?”
Solor shrugged. “There was a satyr rising and a lot of sex magic in the air. We burned out the magic, and then we left.”
“You left. You and Demuel left.”
“Correct.”
Jennel nodded, and her chimera began to flicker a little. “Well, that explains why she didn’t tell you. Either of you.”
Demuel frowned. “Tell us what?”
Solor leaned back. “She’s pregnant. It can’t be ours. She isn’t showing.”
Jennel wrinkled her nose. “To quote Akkas, she’s carrying deep. She’s also wearing a binder to flatten her out. So, she’s six months along.”
Demuel staggered and leaned on the back of a couch. “You aren’t kidding.”
“Nope. She had to talk to Matthias, and he spotted the double heartbeat, hers and the baby’s. Leo is planning a baby shower.”
Solor scrubbed his face with his hand. “Shit. I have been trying to ask her out again, but she’s been dodging me.”
Jennel cocked her head. “She calls you Stomp?”
“I was half shifted when we...”
Demuel nodded. “Me, too.” He snorted softly. “She calls me Bonehead.”
Reymark said softly, “Have you actually exchanged names?”
The guys both paled.
Day-ek sighed. “And there it is. So, paternity is unknown.”
Solor murmured, “I am the father.”
Demuel nodded. “He’s the father.”
Reymark chuckled. “On a first encounter? Ballsy.”
Demuel snorted. “I was not going to insist; I was happy where I was.”
Solor frowned. “Do any of you have her number?”
Jennel shrugged. “Sure, but she’s heading to work today. You might have a better chance of finding her on shift.”
Solor sighed. “That is why I moved to nights when she did, but her rig is fast, and they are good at what they do. She doesn’t even get out of her rig at Dem-rah’s anymore.”
Jennor snorted. “I would bet Jennel’s engagement ring that it is because of heartburn or nausea. Ambin was miserable when she was pregnant.”
A female voice said, “Pregnant? Solor? Are you going to tell Mom that you aren’t a virgin anymore?”
Jennel looked past Day-ek and saw a young woman who was so graceful that it looked like she was fluid. She had dark brown skin and dark hair with thick waves of metallic gold. Her eyes were astonishingly green.
Solor muttered, “Myor, this is Jennel, you know Jennor, and that is Day-ek and Reymark.”
“Hello. So, who has my brother gotten pregnant? It isn’t Jennel.”
Solor muttered, “Damn your hearing.”
Myor smiled and walked forward, her jeans and tee no barrier to her grace. “So, who?”
Jennel opened her phone and showed the image of Nylora flying the night before. “Her. She’s six months along. You are going to be an aunt.”
Myor smiled. “Does she know he knows?”
Jennel shook her head. “No.”
Solor sighed. “I will find rig fifty-one tonight and talk to her.”
Jennel paused. “If you talk to Skip, he will stall for you.”
Demuel asked, “Is she fully dark fae?”
“No clue. She and I just spent three hours chatting and eating. She can eat a lot.”
Demuel blinked. “I really want to say something there, but I am not going to.”
Jennel paused and picked up her phone, wandering into a hallway. “Hey, Nylora.”
The other woman’s voice was wary. “Jennel, how nice to hear from you again.”
“You left so early that Akkas didn’t have a chance to give you the bag of treats that he got ready.”
“You have my attention.”
Myor grinned, eavesdropping.
“Yeah, so if you could come back to the mansion, I will get you those snacks. Are you good to come back?”
“Sure, but I have picked up the rig, and it is going to be lights and sirens. ETA six minutes.”
“Cool. Cool. See you soon.”
Myor laughed. “You can make it back in six minutes?”
“Yup. Reymark, we need a mass transport. Solor, can you walk between?”
He snorted. “Of course. Where are we going?”
Myor grinned. “Minotaur mansion. Jennel lured Nylora back there, and she is coming with lights and sirens in six minutes.”
Day-ek said, “I will drive back.”
Damuel said, “I will drive over. Meet you in seven minutes.”
Solor walked over to Reymark, and Jennor held Jennel. Myor jumped into the group as the shadows wrapped them, and they moved between and ended up at the mansion. Jennel ran toward the kitchen. “Akkas, we need a takeout box for Nylora, and we need it in four minutes.”
There was a lot of cursing in goblin, but in four minutes, Akkas walked out with a lunch kit, and Jennel beamed. “Thank you. Now I am not lying to a new friend.”
Akkas chuckled. “Tell the king. No, not that one. The important one.”
Jennor flipped his hands skyward and grinned. “She’s almost here. Solor, stay back until we get her close enough to the door to cut her off from the ambulance.”
Solor stomped his foot, and Jennel grinned. “I get it!”
He paused and sighed. “Yes, the stag is irritated. I am not too far behind myself.”
Jennor smiled. “I will block the ambulance so that you can talk to her.”
Jennel sighed. “You are going to use yourself.”
Reymark kissed her hand, “Of course he is. The ambulance is on the drive, and Day-ek and Demuel are behind her.”
The noise cut off as Nylora pulled up near the steps, and she hopped down from her vehicle and walked toward the stairs. She was looking toward the door, and Jennor left the house and said, “Jennel’s inside, and she just got the bag in her clutches.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Jennel watched Nylora approach through the crack in the door, and she held her breath. She couldn’t lie much... and betrayal of the innocent was impossible.
Nylora knocked, and Solor moved behind the door and opened it.
“Oh, hey, Nylora. Sorry to call you back for this, but Akkas felt bad about not feeding you up as much before.” She extended the pack in her arms.
Nylora took the bag and grinned. “Thanks. Eating for two is a pain in the ass and the hardest part of my job.”
“Well, drive safe, and may all of your stops today be simple.” Jennel walked over and put her hand on her shoulder. The luck spell was hard to stick to dark fae skin, but she worked at it.
Nylora laughed. “Don’t worry. The baby is providing protection, whether I want it or not.”
“You don’t look pregnant.”
Nylora clutched the snack bag and slowly turned. “Oh, hey, Stomp. In the neighbourhood?”
He smiled slightly. “You could say that.”