12. My grandfather? Also an incubus.
TWELVE
My grandfather? Also an incubus.
Quinn
Nothing made sense anymore.
While finding Bailey had turned my world upside down, I’d viewed my life as relatively normal. Well, as normal as someone with my heritage could get. I loved my family, but I’d grown up with a rather skewed perspective on life.
Having a rather untraditional number of grandparents ensured that, although I was grateful I had the traditional number of parents. I’d seen my mother’s birth certificate. It redefined complicated.
Leaving the hotel with two children wrapped around my legs and a wolf puppy who wanted to prove she loved me, too, once again turned my world upside down.
I’d seen fathers with their families, but I hadn’t truly understood their expressions until trying to check out while juggling Beauty and Sylvester and a wolf puppy, all in need of tender loving care from me.
Perkins rescued me from Sunny, taking her leash. “You’ve already mastered the harried look of a man whose wife is not around to help with the kids. Well done!”
“The day you and Tiffany have a child, I will be present, and I will be smiling,” I promised.
“Tiffany’s barren.”
Well, shit. My brows rose at that. “That’s not what I expected to hear today.”
“I think it’s part of why she became a mad scientist. She couldn’t become a mother, so she went for the next best thing.”
I stared at him, and when he didn’t read my mind and figure out he was talking to someone with a higher than normal percentage of demonic genes, I asked, “You realize I’m part incubus, right?”
Perkins blinked. “Well, yes.”
“My grandfather? Also an incubus.”
“And?”
“Merry Christmas.” I chuckled at that, shaking my head over how simple it was for me—or my grandfather—to solve a problem I hadn’t known existed. “If you want kids, I can take care of the problem.”
“It’s not that simple, Sam,” he hissed. “She doesn’t have eggs. Her ovaries are a complete bust.”
“Still not a problem,” I promised. “Sure, it’s a little harder to do the work, and I might have to ask my grandfather for help, but it’s not a problem.
He’s been teaching me so we won’t have kids unless Bailey’s ready for them.
It’s the same principle but reversed. While demons come bundled with all sorts of problems, they aren’t without redeeming qualities.
She could have a complete hysterectomy and my grandfather could reverse it. ”
Perkins sucked in a breath, and he stared at me with wide eyes while I handled turning in our room keys and paying the parking fee.
Once I had the hotel room sorted, I untangled the children from my legs, gave them one of the wheeled suitcases so they could help while not being too burdened, and gathered the rest of our bags.
“I’m not joking, Arthur. I wouldn’t do that to you.
I just had no idea she’s barren. I don’t snoop all the time like most incubi.
If you’re not comfortable with an incubus, I can inquire for a succubus.
Either can do what needs done. If she’s not producing hormones properly, she’ll need a few sessions with one possibly.
That happens sometimes, but even if she needs daily boosters throughout the pregnancy, it’s not an issue. ”
“I think she became a scientist trying to discover if she could fix herself. Turns out medical science can do a lot, but it can’t make something from nothing,” he replied.
A lifetime of anguish burdened his tone, and I wondered how long he’d been carrying that deep, dark secret around with him.
“You have several options, I think. One is a permanent fix, which will throw her for a complete loop. Her body will have to adapt to the changes. The other option is temporary, although she’ll have to adapt for the duration of the pregnancy until she’s done nursing.
Miracle kids, if you will—and yes, incubi and succubi can control the number of kids.
We can even determine gender, but I think you’d prefer that to be a surprise, right?
We can also ensure the pregnancy goes well from start to finish.
That’s the one thing humans forget. Sex demons aren’t just about the sex.
They’re about the children, too. Right up until birth is their domain.
My grandfather’s probably a better choice, but if she needs some basic regulation, I can take care of that.
Bailey had some issues, too. She didn’t know about it, but I took care of it. ”
“Issues?”
“Hormonal irregularities. It happens in a lot of women. She wasn’t producing enough estrogen and needed a boost.” I grimaced.
“Don’t tell any ladies in the office this, but I’m a bit of a meddler at the station.
I just never saw Tiffany with any obvious symptoms when I was checking in on everyone around me.
If I had noticed, I would’ve talked to you about this sooner. ”
“You’ve been meddling with the women at the station?”
“Their health is my concern,” I growled. “To be fair, I check in on the men, too.”
“While I understand that—wait. You’ve been fixing our sexual health issues?”
“Basically. I’ve been doing it the entire time I’ve been a chief.
Dowry knows,” I confessed. “I told him he could screw himself with a stick if he thought I wasn’t going to meddle when some of the women were in crippling pain while on the job.
Some of the men were having heightened testosterone production, too, which was impairing them to some degree.
I fix the actual problems and let the doctors do the rest. I am also the one who’ll tip off doctors if I think there’s a health problem I can’t fix. ”
Perkins’s eyes widened. “Amanda. She’d be practically green sometimes, and that eased up after a while. I haven’t seen her turn green in ages.”
“She had endometriosis. In that case, I asked my grandfather to meddle with it when he was in the station. He did a permanent fix because I couldn’t.
I’ve learned how to since, but I figured with a problem that severe, she was better off in the hands of an experienced incubus.
And not literal hands. He didn’t even have to touch her to meddle.
She could never get a correct diagnosis; I had her medical record pulled last year because it was harming her performance and concentration. That made it my jurisdiction.”
“I can’t tell if she’d thank you or kill you for meddling,” he admitted. “Secret’s safe with me. You can really…?”
“Help you and Tiffany have kids? Definitely. As soon as we catch up with our wives, if you’d like. Or even on Christmas. It’s looking more and more like we’ll be spending Christmas in Vegas. You’ll have to get her to stop drinking, though.”
“Unless I tell her, good luck with that,” he muttered.
“I can have my other grandfather meddle. He’d probably do it.”
“Which one?”
“The angel.”
“Okay, this I have to hear. Just how could he pull that off?”
“Simple. He can use an aversion. Anything alcoholic will turn her stomach.” I grimaced. “That is one of his favorite punishments for disobedient children and grandchildren. Misbehave? Favorite food rights are revoked until you’re ready to behave.”
Perkins snickered. “That’s brilliant. Do you think he’d be willing to do that until she figures out she’s pregnant?”
“I’ll ask.”
“We were talking about adopting.”
“You can still do that and have one of your own, you know.” I led the way to the rental.
“Once we get this mess settled, I’ll take care of the details.
I’m thinking I’ll recruit the grandfathers to watch the kids while we’re in Vegas, too.
Start getting them socialized with hives and keep them busy.
They’ll love it, and they’re old enough to start making new friends. ”
“You really think…?”
“I wouldn’t do that to you, Arthur. Really.
Yes, it’s possible, yes, I can make the arrangements by Christmas, and yes, we can keep an eye on her for the entire pregnancy.
My kind? We’re walking fertility clinics.
In case you didn’t know, most? Would do it if you asked.
No payment needed. Most humans don’t ask, though. ”
“Seriously? Why not?”
I shrugged. “Ask my grandfather. He’ll give you an entire historic breakdown of the prejudices of humanity. Haven’t you ever thought about why triads happen?”
“I just figured an angel really wanted to get it on with a human.”
“It’s much more than that. He loves triads, did you know that?”
That got Perkins’s attention. “Really? I thought he’d hate anything to do with one of His angels consorting with a demon.”
“A being of love can’t begrudge love, Perkins.
And ultimately, He is a being of love. That’s not how it works.
A triad is a true expression of the purest love.
For a triad to successfully have a child, all three must have nothing but love for each other and the child they’re bringing into the world. ”
“Huh. I never would have guessed.”
“Most don’t. It takes a special human to be part of a triad. That’s why triads are so rare.”
“You’d figure the demons would cut and run the instant the child is born.”
“With great love comes great sacrifice. Angels tend to suffer, too. They stay on the mortal coil as long as possible, their power significantly weakened for however long the triad lasts. He will call his triad angels back if He feels their health is suffering too much, but angels and demons alike pay a high price for their children. The human of the triad has it much easier, although they make sacrifices, too.”
“Well, I learned something new today. Let’s get this show on the road. Do you think Bailey will be able to get to Janet?”
“It depends on if she gets upset enough to call and ask for pet sitters. If she does, that woman has rockets strapped to her ass when she wants, and they’ve been making good time. Considering Bailey took her saddle with her, the saucy wenches were going to make a literal run for it.”