Chapter Four
Paris
Mountain Lair
Kitchen
Same Time
H oly Hell’s bells! It took a while, but they’d managed to get Flynn to the point where he could face his parents. He’d wanted to stay in the locked down hidey-hole, where nothing could reach him, but they wouldn’t let him.
No, this wasn’t easy, but as a family, they would have to face this down.
Unfortunately for Jolie, Jacques had to leave, so he did, off to do Death’s work, and that left her to get this handled.
She was driving the bus, and hopefully, it wasn’t going to crash, explode, or burn.
When they appeared back in the kitchen, Vanth was there with the two humans, and she was playing babysitter.
It was shocking, since she was being on her best behavior as she was listening to stories about Flynn.
That was likely why she wasn’t trying to eat them. Vanth was stupid in love with Flynn, as in he was the father figure she always wanted. Because of that, she’d never hurt his parents.
As for the two Brogans…
Well, apparently, their memories weren’t completely gone.
“So, he hit the ball so hard, it broke out the lights on the scoreboard. As he was running the bases, he had everyone cheering. My son could hit a ball like no one’s business!” his father John admitted.
Barb beamed .
“He was the best kid. Flynn never did anything that would get him in trouble. We knew he was going to be a cop from the beginning. The boy was a rule follower.”
Well, that was a false statement once he fell into their world. Now, he spent his whole life in trouble.
“We’re back,” Jolie said, as if she had to announce their arrival.
As soon as they appeared, Vanth was up and hugging Flynn. She could feel his trepidation, and she didn’t like it when he was worried.
So, she kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear.
“Father, your Mom and Dad are just like you. They have your sense of humor. They were telling me stories about you. I like them. Thank you for letting me spend time with them. I now understand you more.”
Jesus.
He was without words on this one, so instead, he hugged her back not sure how he should feel about any of this.
It was clear Vanth got that.
She stared into his eyes, hers swirling like a normal demon’s would.
“It’s okay, Flynn. We have you. I love you. You’ve gotten us all through so much. Let us carry you. It’s going to be okay. This wasn’t Fate. They didn’t come back to hurt you. It was done out of love.”
He held her tighter.
Flynn needed that reassurance.
Right now, he was feeling anything but stable. It felt more like a freefall where he was going to hit the bottom at any second.
Thank you, Vanth.
Anything for you. You’re my father. They aren’t lying or being deceitful. They legitimately don’t know how they got here. You’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.
Setting her free, he knew what needed to be done. He couldn’t run from this. His parents were back, and he needed to handle it.
When he looked over, Jolie nodded .
It was clear that she would be by his side now that he needed some time with them.
Jolie took that as a cue.
“Vanth, can you check on the babies? They should be getting up soon. It’s almost time.”
Vanth nodded.
Then, without warning, she popped out, leaving them there to babysit their company.
“Son,” his mother said, trying to get his attention.
His whole being revolted at her calling him that. He knew if he opened up to this, he was going to get leveled at some point.
When he had to kill them.
Because that was FATE .
He was going to have to mourn them all over again, and that was brutal.
While Fate might not have brought them back, if she got wind of it, she’d put them on Jacques’ reaping list, and he’d have to take them.
There would be no way to stop that.
Yeah, she was a bitch, and there was no doubt she would use this to fuck with him.
If she found his biggest wound, of his past, immediately, she’d begin picking at it.
What next?
Being locked in a crypt?
“Please don’t call me that,” he stated. “I need you to call me Flynn.”
Immediately, tears filled her eyes.
That was a shot directly to a mother’s soul, and while Jolie understood it, she wished he wouldn’t be so callous. If they only had them for a short time, he’d want to make the most of it.
If someone brought her parents back…she’d want every second with them, but Flynn was a different breed.
He was paranoid, and with good reason.
They’d.
Been.
Burned .
“I don’t understand,” his mother said, looking around in confusion.
Flynn and Jolie took a seat at the table, opposite them. Inside, Flynn could hear Rinnon offering him soothing words to reassure him.
It’s okay. I can make them disappear if you want me to. Just let me know. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. I’ll handle them. I’ll do anything for you, Flynn. You’re my mate and best friend.
Honestly, he wasn’t sure what he wanted.
Deep down, he knew he should be grateful that he was getting time with them, but he wasn’t. This didn’t feel good to him, and Flynn liked to be secure—especially as of late.
Basically, he was always worried Fate was going to screw with them.
No, I’ll handle it, Rinnon, but thank you for offering that to me.
Are you sure?
There was only one answer he could give.
Yes.
Staring from across the table, he decided to get this done. He couldn’t take the risk that his heart died because of this. These were, supposedly, his parents.
He wished he had some sort of reassurance that if he loved them again, he wouldn’t lose them.
He was, after all, carrying a God. He could keep them alive.
Right?
You could. I mean, we could. Jolie brought them back, and they haven’t gone rogue. That’s a good sign. Maybe necromancing out of love has a different outcome. If you need me to mark them, they can’t be taken. I’ll do that for you.
He hesitated.
Is that what Fate wants though? Is that what she expects us to do, and then we have two dead zombies who look like my parents forever safe from even you?
And that was a problem .
I can’t answer that. She hates me enough to go for you through me. I’m sorry, but if she finds out about them, she will use it to hurt you.
Yeah, and that was his big issue.
Instead of going there, he focused on the people across from him, and opened the line of conversation to get through this.
“You’ve both been dead a while,” he admitted.
His mother stared at him.
“So we’ve heard. Are you really carrying a demon in your body, Flynn Xavier?” she asked, immediately going there.
His mother only called him that when she was unhappy, or he’d done something that pissed her off. Well, she was about to become angrier.
Only, with this, the truth was the truth.
He didn’t deny the reality of the matter. He’d been chosen to be Rinnon’s vessel. Basically, he was possessed, and his Catholic mother was NOT going to accept that easily.
“Actually, yes, I am. I willingly accepted the offer to be his vessel.”
His mother just stared in silence, and that spoke volumes. Next, she’d be crossing herself, which was going to be counterproductive with The Big Scary.
I hate that name.
It’s accurate though.
Point made, Flynn.
“What happened, Son?” his father asked, getting his attention. “We are missing pieces of this. I don’t remember much.”
Because they were his ‘parents’ , and this was his duty, he carried it. With Jolie’s hand on his thigh, he had a little strength to do it.
“Mom died after fighting cancer, and you quit living to follow her. Oh, and you both bailed and left me here alone. I moved on and found a life I love. This is my life now.”
It was the Cliff Notes version of the story.
Clearly .
His mother reached across the table, and immediately, he moved his hands away from her.
Why?
It had nothing to do with being afraid of them. He was Rinnon’s vessel, and strong.
Instead, touching them…hurt.
Maybe that was very human of him, but he had learned through much pain that he was going to get his heart handed to him over and over again.
“Son…”
He stopped that again.
“No. I can’t do this again. I can’t watch you die and mourn all over. Please don’t ask me to. I had to say goodbye to you guys back-to-back, and it took years to get over it. I had to stand there alone and say goodbye. I have to protect myself from that!”
His mother watched him, and then, she went there.
“But we’re your parents,” she finally said, breaking that silence.
“And I was your son. I was the one who carried you to your bed when you couldn’t walk, and watched my father give up on life and me. Yes, you were my parents, but now…I don’t know what the hell you are, and that’s a problem.”
His father took umbrage to his tone.
“Don’t talk to your mother like that! She gave you life,” he said, standing up and pointing at his son. “We are all suffering through this!” he borderline shouted, slamming his hand on the table.
And that was a mistake.
A big one.
Rinnon roared and the whole cave shook at his anger. He was fighting to get out of Flynn. His skin actually rippled, as he tried to contain the demon God.
Both of his parents gasped.
Flynn tried to calm Rinnon down.
I’m okay. They don’t scare me that way. Please. Let me handle this, Rinnon.
The Big Scary wasn’t amused .
They insult my mate. They insult me. I’m not just some demon you found in a strip club. I’m the demon God of all demons!
Flynn didn’t make a joke when he normally would, and that told them all how he was feeling.
Yeah, this had damaged him way too much for him to be amusing.
Rinnon, please. I have a headache, and I think this is a game for Fate. I don’t trust this, and I need you to believe in me. Please, my love. If you care anything about me, you’ll give me this.
By calling him that, it did what he needed it to do. It calmed Rinnon down.
I can’t let them hurt you. I swore to love and protect my mates. I’m sorry if I am making this harder.
You’re not. There’s no way this can be more difficult than it already is. He’s not wrong. I can’t make a connection with them, and they clearly need that. I can’t give them what they need.
Yeah, he was seeing that.
“What was that?” his mother asked as she looked around at the vibrating cave. “Why did your skin do that?” she inquired, seeing it ripple.
You’d have to be dead not to feel the power surging all around them. The hanging lights were swinging, and his body was fighting to contain something they couldn’t stop.
He explained.
“That was Rinnon, the demon God I vessel for, and you’ve insulted him, well, your husband did. May I suggest you don’t show any aggression to anyone here? He doesn’t like it.”
It makes me want to eat them.
Jesus. I need therapy as it is, Rinnon. Can we not add that to the mix? Please?
He went silent.
The man who looked like his father glanced around the lair.
“I don’t understand any of this. Why won’t anyone explain what’s going on? ”
Yeah, well, take a freaking number. It seemed that he had to start at the beginning since they deserved an explanation of sorts.
Here went everything.
Thankfully, Jolie was holding his hand in reassurance under the table. It wasn’t lost on him that he’d had a moment like this with her where he said he’d missed them.
And here they were.
Yeah, he had to learn to be careful of what he wished for going forward.
That was the bottom line.
“Vampyres are real. As are sirens, wraiths, demons, angels, Nephilim and just about everything there is a story about. I think Gnomes are the only thing not on the list.”
Rinnon interrupted.
They exist. They eat your face off when you fall asleep in the woods. They are mean little bastards who like to stand completely still so you can’t find them to squash them like bugs under your bone boot. I once saw a gnome pull a full vampyre underground to eat it.
Flynn paused.
What the fuck, Rinnon? Why the hell would you create something like that?
Well, I was bored, and the fairies needed buddies to play with so…
Flynn didn’t want to know.
Not.
At.
All.
Clearly, there was a lot of shit that had to go back into the box, and it was going to be a long twenty-one years.
Flynn tried to continue.
“Humans are only part of the ecosystem, so to speak,” he said. “A while after you died, I came across a case where women were being killed. As I worked it, as a cop, I ran into Jolie.”
They stared at her .
That’s when he chose to make the introductions. He was wary, but it needed to be done. The last thing he wanted was his wife thinking he was not proud of her.
I wouldn’t, my love. I know how hard this is for you. Don’t worry about my feelings now. Let’s worry about yours instead.
He appreciated that.
“This is my wife, Doctor Jolie Harcourte-Degaul-Brogan. She’s a psychologist, and an expert in deviant behavior. Also, she’s my partner, and she’s not human.”
They both laughed as if it was a joke. Clearly, their senses of self-preservation were not as good as Flynn’s, because when he first met Jolie, and Jacques, he knew something was off.
That’s why he dug into her past.
Uh, which part are they laughing at? I hope not the wife part.
He reassured her.
Baby, I’m sorry. I never imagined having to do this. It’s weird and unsettling.
I know. I’m sorry. I brought them back, so I’ll swallow it.
He continued on.
“She was a vampyre, and now, she’s a demon. We fell in love, and the man who was here before, the one with the green eyes…”
“The fancy French gentleman?” his mother asked, interrupting him.
He nodded.
“Yes. Jacques.”
He felt the tickle to his brain.
I am very fancy. I kind of like her.
She didn’t mean it the way you think. It was more about you liking dick and being light in the loafers than how you dress, mate.
I don’t understand. I don’t wear loafers. I wear very nice Italian leather shoes. The comfort…
Flynn knew he was joking, but he just didn’t have it in him to joke back .
“What about him?” his father asked. “That Jacques, fellow?”
Flynn went there, knowing what was going to happen. He could see this train coming and it was about to lead to shock, horror, and a lecture.
“I’m married to him too. We have a relationship.”
Both of his parents stared at him, and neither said a single word. It took them a good minute until the silence was finally broken.
Then, his father went there.
“As in you and him and her…? Together? In a bed at the same time?”
He nodded.
“They’re my family, so tread lightly. I won’t tolerate anyone insulting them, and Rinnon really won’t. You’ll make him angry, again, and then I can’t keep him contained. This is his home, and he’s strongest here.”
His mother laughed.
It was clear she didn’t believe him.
“You always were a kidder. Come on, Flynn. What’s going on? We haven’t been dead for years, she’s not a demon, and you aren’t having sex with men and women. I raised you better than that.”
And this was exactly why all those years ago, even if he missed them, in a way, he was grateful that they were gone.
This.
Right.
Here.
Instead of commenting, he closed his eyes, and needed his partner to tag in.
Oh, and he didn’t mean Jolie.
Can you please? he asked.
Truth be told, Flynn was exhausted. They’d just come off a case, and it had been full of Sirens and angst.
Absolutely.
When Flynn opened his eyes, they were swirling and black. There was no Flynn there. There was only demon and Demon God .
They all heard the wings shake out, and the breeze blew over them.
As soon as she saw his eyes, his VERY Catholic mother gasped and tried to move away from the table.
“Welcome to my home. Mind your manners, and all will be fine,” Rinnon said, making two cups of hot tea appear before them, and for Jolie.
Flynn got coffee.
“Oh, Jesus,” Flynn’s mother whispered, horrified and trapped. “He’s possessed.”
Jolie watched, and she would give anything to not have to see him suffer like this. He was doing the same thing she’d done to him once.
Flynn was scaring them with the intent to get them to see the truth, and that hurt the person doing it just as much. She knew they needed backup.
AGAIN.
Jacques, we need you.
There was no reply.
NOTHING.
Jolie continued trying to reach their mate before this did irreparable damage to Flynn.
With a blink of his eyes, Flynn’s body relaxed, and when he opened his eyes, they were icy blue.
“We married, and I became a vessel for Rinnon. He’s a demon God, so you are partially correct, and one of the Horseman of the Apocalypse. He created it all.”
He could feel Rinnon get really proud.
Until…
His mother went there.
“The Bible says…”
And that did it.
Immediately, the whole cave shook, and Jolie had to reach out and stop a sword that flew off the wall that was aimed at Flynn’s mother.
“RINNON!” she said. “Stop that! No killing Flynn’s parents! We talked about this!”
Blasphemy! HE stole my stories !
Flynn snapped and the encrusted sword was back on the wall where it had once been.
“I suggest you don’t bring that particular book up, or the people in it. Once more, he gets cranky, and again, I have a hard time keeping him contained when he’s angry. This is his castle, and he is the king.”
The lights flickered.
“And he’s not amused.”
As they sat there, trapped, wisely, they stayed quiet.
Flynn kept going.
“I killed a lot of people, and we saved a million more. My job is to police the supernatural world, and I have a business that gives me cover— Tueur Antiquities . It looks like I hunt for artifacts to sell.”
“You gave up being a cop?” his father asked.
“I had no choice. The world is changing, so those artifacts are dangerous. I have to find them, and what I do with them is lock them away, so monsters don’t kill people or other monsters. I’m keeping the balance between the two worlds of humanity and the supernatural.”
They tried to understand, and honestly, he didn’t blame them. It took him a good year to believe it all himself, so asking them to figure it out this fast was asking a lot.
“And you’re married?” she asked, finally focusing on the gorgeous raven-haired woman beside her son. She had lavender eyes, and was calm.
Jolie rested her head on his shoulder and Flynn wrapped his arm around her to tuck Jolie into his body.
She handled this line of questioning.
“Yes, we are married, and we have a family. You have grandchildren.”
That was all she had to hear.
Immediately, her eyes lit up, and she was excited to get that news.
Oh, Jolie. What have you done? Flynn asked.
It was clear he hadn’t planned on telling them that. Now, that cat was out of the bag, and not going back in.
Oops.
“Wait! I have grandbabies? ”
Oh, Jesus.
Why was Flynn not surprised?
Can we not with him? I’m not adjusted to your parents being so…Jesus-y. You never mentioned they liked the other team better.
Rinnon, your team is team demon. Few people admit they want to play on that team. Half the time, I don’t want to be on that team, and I actually like you.
He sent Flynn love because he could feel he needed it. This man made him a kinder, softer demon.
Go figure.
Once you go demon, you don’t go back, Rinnon admitted.
Stop.
There was no humor.
Only tiredness.
And Rinnon got it.
Flynn was carrying a lot on his shoulders, and now, he was worried about Fate using this against him.
There was only a voice in Rinnon’s mind, and it was their missing mate.
I swear to you, again, it’s not Fate. Not this part. Rinnon did part of a spell. It was Jolie who necromanced them back. Don’t let her wish anyone alive until I get to the bottom of this.
Don’t we have an artifact to find? Rinnon asked. Maybe we distract Flynn with that.
Yes, but you can’t find shit if your investigator, Flynn, can’t do the job. So be calm, be patient, and try to help him through this. He is the one who solves everything. You need him.
He had a point.
Flynn knew he needed to address that.
“Yes, I have a child, and so does Jacques. They are twins, and little girls. We named them Azriel and Angelique. We share our children, so they are both ours.”
His mother was curious.
“Can we meet them?” she asked .
This was a tricky thing. Flynn wasn’t sure he wanted them near his children.
Mon Amour, they will be safe. I promise you. I swear on The Book of the Damned.
Well, Jacques had weighed in.
Because he needed to make sure Jolie was okay with it, he glanced over at his wife. He could feel Rinnon not thrilled with them, but that was mostly because they loved Jesus, and he…didn’t.
On top of that, he was more paranoid than Flynn, so he was leaving this up to Jolie.
You decide.
She had, after all, brought this up, so he was pretty sure where this was going to go.
“They’ll be up soon, and hungry,” Jolie admitted, wanting her children to have any grandparents that they could, and for Flynn to see this might be a good thing. “If you want, you can watch us feed them.”
Yep, now, Flynn felt sick.
He knew what they’d see.
BLOOD.
There was a wave of uneasiness, and Jolie felt it to her core. She had to know.
Are you ashamed of me? Jolie asked.
No. I’m ashamed of me.
What do you mean?
He was honest, and that didn’t sit well with him. Not at all.
I loved their memories. I can’t love them like this, Jolie. They aren’t real. They can’t be real. People don’t come back. If they could, wouldn’t we have had this issue earlier? I don’t want to love them. I’m ashamed of me for not having enough love to share with them. I want the proverbial five more minutes, but I know it won’t be good.
She tried to reassure him.
Maybe it will.
How could it be?
I have been burned too many times before to believe this will be anything but devastating to my heart .
She held his hand.
I’ll be with you through it. Let me walk beside you and navigate this for you. You’re lost in your emotions. I’m not. I’ll guide you.
For that, he was grateful.
Please. I need someone. I feel like I’m falling, and I’m waiting to hit the ground.
She kissed him on the cheek.
I have you, my love. Trust in our relationship, and know that I won’t let you hit the ground.
God.
He hoped she could do that.
“Can we please meet your children?” his mother asked. “I never thought you’d have little ones. You were married to your job.”
And he was.
Until her.
Jolie changed everything.
“My wife said it’s okay, so we’ll go meet the children. Remember, you wanted this,” he admitted, knowing what would be coming.
Chaos.
When they got up, he pointed at them.
“Follow me. Don’t touch anything in Rinnon’s lair. It’s magical, and I don’t need a bigger mess than I already have!”
The demon God reassured him.
Flynn, they can touch things. I won’t snap and kill them for admiring a painting or sword. They are your parents…
He stopped him.
No. There have to be boundaries until I work through this. They were my parents. I don’t know what they are yet, and I don’t know if I can allow them in.
They knew where ‘in’ was.
His heart .
Rinnon didn’t fight him.
Okay, Flynn .
In the living room, he motioned to Vanth. He felt better with her being there. She was like a watchdog over their children and a kill switch if his ‘parents’ tried to hurt the little ones.
“Will you get the children from their beds so I can feed them?” he asked.
She nodded and felt horrible for the man she called Father. His heart had to be hurting. What she’d learned was humans bonded, and that attachment lasted beyond death.
“Yes, Father.”
She vanished, and Flynn offered them a seat. Then, he poured himself some whiskey and kicked back the whole glass.
He.
Needed.
It.
The burn was what he was looking for since he couldn’t get drunk.
“Should you be drinking this early?” his mother asked. “It’s not good for you.”
Yeah, neither were vampyres, demons, wraiths, sirens, and Fate, but here he was, still trying to numb that fear and failing.
Rinnon apologized.
Sorry. I can’t get drunk. I’m the buzzkill on this one. I know you need to feel something.
Oh, and he did.
It’s okay. It’s more…it’s more to prove to them what I am. I’m hoping they’ll run and never look back.
To prove it, Flynn waved his hand, and more glasses appeared, but this time, for them.
“You’re going to want to drink those,” he said, using Rinnon’s gifts to make them levitate toward them.
They gasped as they went right into their hands.
“I told you. I’m not your son anymore.”
His father kicked it back, and his mother just put the glass down, but they were both smart enough not to say shit.
Good for them .
When they heard the babies coming, toddling down the hallway in their footie pajamas, Flynn was ready.
At the doorway, he scooped them up, and immediately, they cuddled into his body.
Jacques, your little one needs to feed.
I’m tied up with something. Can you handle it? If not, give me a few.
Rinnon chimed in.
I can feed yours, Death. I have my child to feed too.
Thank you. I’ll get them later today before they settle in for a nap or bed.
The connection was closed off so they couldn’t figure out what he was doing, and there was no doubt he wanted it that way.
I want them to see what I am, Rinnon. Is there a way you can let me show them? I don’t want them thinking I’m the same man.
You can here in the cave. It’s my domain. If you want me to come out, I can. Only, Flynn, it will scare them. Is that the route you wish to take? That’s not like you.
In this case, it was.
Good. They need to be scared. This isn’t the world they left, and we don’t know why they are here.
He tried to reassure him.
Death said it was Jolie. She necromanced them. Again, they are your parents, Flynn. It wasn’t Fate. He said it was a spell, and that’s likely my fault. Don’t hate me. It was to make us invisible to Fate and her game.
He was curious .
I don’t hate you, but we’re sure it was Jolie? Shouldn’t you feel if this was Fate?
He would.
Yes. Death said it was Jolie, and I can’t feel Fate. I don’t think she’s aware this has happened. When she puts a name on the list, she is done. Only Death would know if the name disappeared, and he’s not telling her.
There was actual relief .
That helps. Thank you .
When it comes to your parents, do what you want. I won’t interfere.
It was rare Flynn let Rinnon out fully on this side. In the demon-y realm, he was free. Only, now, in the cave, did he want his parents to see what they were dealing with when it came to their ‘son’ .
Passing the children off to Jolie, he did what he thought was best.
“My other half is going to come out. Remember, he’s the demon God, and he’s curious.”
And before Jolie could say anything, she caught their children, and there was a flash. That’s when they heard the wings. Oh, he’d let some of his form out in the kitchen, but this was FULL-ON Rinnon.
Bones.
And.
Death.
As the wings shook out, before them stood a being bigger than their son. He was covered in armor made of his conquests, and his wingspan was huge.
This explained why the cave was massive.
Rinnon wasn’t small.
Now, it was the truth behind the vessel, and he RARELY showed himself to anyone but his mates. Mostly, people could feel him, and that was plenty.
This time, for Flynn, he showed up to the party.
He stood at eight feet, and his eyes were sunken in Rinnon’s bone face and swirled.
“This is me now,” came Rinnon’s strong voice. “This is us.”
Jolie was pretty sure this was going to go bad. How could it not?
Only, then, the one thing she didn’t expect happened right in front of them.
Flynn’s mom stood up, walked toward Rinnon, and hugged him. She wrapped her arms around his form the best she could, proving a mother’s love was eternal.
Rinnon looked confused.
“What is this?” he asked, his voice booming .
The woman was honest.
“I don’t care. You’re my son. I don’t understand any of this, but I know my own child. I don’t care if you have a demon in you. Well, unless your head spins in a circle, and you start chanting in Latin. Then, I’m calling a priest.”
Rinnon stared down and tried to use Flynn’s humor.
This is my burden. The ladies like me even when I let the demon out. I told you. Once you go demon…
Flynn actually laughed.
You’re an asshole.
Ehhh, not wrong, but now your mother has the hots for me. This is your fault. You wanted her to see me in all my Godly glory. I’ll call this another Catholic converted.
Again, you’re an asshole.
Rinnon sent him a wave of reassurance. A happy vessel was a happy God.
She continued and stepped back.
“I mean, you look like you need to eat some cookies. Do you want cookies, Flynn? You know you like the ones I make.”
He stared at her.
“This isn’t appalling?” Rinnon asked, shocked that they would be this calm.
“Well, yes, because clearly, you’re not eating. You should be eating something. You’re literally skin and bones. Nice wings though.”
She looked at Jolie.
The look said it all, and Jolie caught it.
“Wait a minute. Did she just blame me that you’re bones?” she asked, trying not to laugh. “Me? Also another creature that doesn’t eat?”
Rinnon wasn’t amused.
“I’m not skinny. These are my bones, and my armor is from vanquished foes. I don’t have flesh, Mother of Flynn. I have terror and destruction.”
The woman shrugged.
“Honey, don’t you think he should eat more? The ladies like more meat on the bone,” she said, glancing back at her husband .
“HEY NOW!” Jolie said, actually laughing. “His meat and bone are perfect.”
Rinnon looked over.
“My Little One, in front of the Mother of Flynn?” he asked, phrasing it that way because it was actually amusing on the tongue.
From deep within himself, Flynn was entertained. Rinnon could feel the laughter. It was like butterflies in his belly.
Or where his belly would be if he had one.
Jolie threw a pillow at him, as their babies were crawling on her lap.
“I didn’t mean that meat and bone, Rinnon. I meant your body. Don’t be an asshole, and not in front of the children.”
He just chuckled.
Flynn’s father stood up, and he moved closer to stand beside his wife. He looked…skeptical.
“Speak,” Rinnon said.
“So my son is in there?” John asked. “Can he hear us?”
Rinnon nodded his large skull.
“He can. Do you wish to speak with him?” he asked. “I can tell you what he says.”
His father thought about it for a few seconds. Then, he knew what to talk about.
“Ask him about the blue lighter.”
Rinnon didn’t have to ask him. Flynn was sentient. He could hear them.
“He wants you to know that he didn’t steal that lighter from you. He stands by his story that you lost it, and unless you have proof, you’re shit out of luck. Evidence matters.”
The man laughed.
“Yeah, that’s my son.”
He headed his way and hugged Rinnon too.
“Father of Flynn, be careful where you put your hands back there. Jolie gets possessive.”
She snorted.
“Flynn is right. You’re such an asshole. ”
He bared his fangs in what they knew was a smile, since he would never give Jolie anything but that.
“I’m with my wife. You’re our child, and if this is the path you chose, we trust you. Flynn, you are a good man, and we raised you to do right. If you became this, there’s a good reason.”
They weren’t expecting that.
“Body of Flynn?” his mother asked.
Rinnon stared down at her.
“Yes, Mother of Flynn?” he inquired, knowing where Flynn got his humor from.
“I’ll feed you more. Now that I’m here, I’ll do that. Only, can I hold my grandbabies?” she asked. “Please, Body of Flynn?”
Mate? What is it that you want? Clearly, they aren’t afraid of me.
I have this.
Flynn let himself morph back down to his form, and his father was right in front of him. It was like looking into a mirror.
“Now, you know the truth. This is what I am.”
His father reassured him.
“This, we’ll accept,” he said, pointing at his body, “but we’re going to talk about the man-on-man action, Flynn. That’s not something…”
He wasn’t having it, and stopped him mid-sentence.
Oh, there was a few reasons too.
The most important was that he liked the man-on-man action. There was nothing he liked better, unless it was mating with Jolie.
“As a warning, Jacques is Death. I wouldn’t go there with him. He’s been known to smite for a lot less before.”
And it was true.
“Do you love him?” his father asked, trying to come to grips with it. This was his son’s life, and he had little choice but to deal with it.
All he remembered was giving up because he had a broken heart, and then, going to be with his wife .
“Yes. They are my soulmates. You had yours, and now, I have mine.”
Flynn’s dad shrugged.
“Then, we accept it.”
His mother cleared her throat, feeling like this was a good time to point out the obvious. There were babies in the room, and she wanted to hold them.
“Babies. Cuddle time. Pronto.”
Well, that said it all. It was time to get this show on the road.
“Let me feed the little ones. There’s blood involved. If you can’t handle it…”
His mother stopped him.
“We can handle it, Flynn. You’re the one who seems to not be able to handle it. Feed your children, let me cuddle my grandbabies, and then I’ll make cookies. Or a steak. Or…”
There was no need.
“I don’t eat.”
She didn’t miss a beat.
“I know.”
Again, she side-eyed Jolie, as if it were her fault that Flynn didn’t need to eat. Uh, that would be Rinnon’s fault because he could eat now.
Honestly, the climate of the room went down a bit, so she would take it.
Do you want me to smite her, Little One? Because I can do it. You distract Flynn, and I’ll take her out. I know. Show him your breasts.
She laughed in her head.
You have to return the sense of humor back to Flynn when he wants it back, my love.
Darn. It gets the ladies so…
I’ll smite you if you try that with anyone but me.
They all heard the chuckle, and since this was Rinnon’s space, no one was surprised.
Because the babies were hungry, Flynn opened his arms, and he was ready to take care of their children. They weren’t really babies anymore, but toddlers. Still, to him, his daughter would always be a baby .
“Azriel and Angelique, come to me,” he said, and the babies leapt from Jolie to go to him.
Immediately, he compulsed them.
Why?
They had little impulse control and when they were hungry, they got bite-y.
Little ones, these are your grandparents. Show them how you eat on your best behavior, and don’t be demons. Give them a day or three to adjust.
Immediately, they settled down, and he sat beside Jolie to do what he needed.
With love, he gave each child a wrist. As they opened their mouths, Flynn’s mother gasped. It was clear they saw the teeth, and he had warned them.
They had rows and rows of sharp teeth that would fall out, and become their adult teeth. They would allow them to hide in plain sight, and only draw out their fangs when they were feeding or fighting.
Settled in, the babies fed.
Dadda.
My littlest demon. I love you. You are my sweet little girl, and I’ll never stop loving you.
His child fed voraciously because who didn’t like demon God blood?
Because Jacques couldn’t be there, he sent love into Angelique for her father so that she wouldn’t feel left out. They made a pact that the children would know nothing but love, so history didn’t repeat itself.
No one needed angry Death and Fate gunning for their fathers.
Been there.
Doing that.
As for the feeding, it didn’t take long.
When the two were done, they crawled up and cuddled into his body.
“Did it hurt?” his mother asked, finally breaking the silence.
“No. Not at all. They are learning to be gentle, and later, Jacques will feed them. We take turns. ”
That made her curious.
“Why?” his mother asked. “Is there a reason?”
Flynn didn’t mind answering since this was part of who they were. If for some reason, they were to live, they needed to be aware of his life.
There was no going back for him.
“It’s so that they get Rinnon’s blood and Jacques’ too. I don’t bleed anymore, and I don’t have any to give. I’m dead.”
His mother stared at him.
“Pardon?” she asked.
Flynn was honest.
“I’m a vessel. I died, and I’m carrying Rinnon. If he gets removed from me, I’m gone. My consciousness is here, and it’s my shell, but it’s Rinnon’s lifeforce. Flynn Brogan doesn’t exist anymore. He died fighting for humanity. He died trying to save the world.”
She didn’t say anything.
At first.
Honestly, Flynn expected a freak-out.
Then, she surprised him.
“I understand what that feels like, Son. I remember being sick, and then I had peace and good memories. I wasn’t anywhere but in those memories. I just felt this warmth of contentment. Then, I woke up here. It felt like seconds. Now, I feel disjointed and out of place in my body.”
Rinnon spoke to Flynn.
Then, she wasn’t evil. She was a decent person. There is no heaven or hell, per say, but the continuum that we create when we are gone. There is peace or damnation in Death’s dungeon. If she had peace, she is a good person, Flynn.
“Same,” his father said. “It was like floating in the warmest of water and a few times, I was able to remember fishing with my father before he died. I was dreaming, and happy.”
Flynn wanted to believe they wouldn’t be evil. He wanted it more than anything, and that scared him.
Can I trust them with the babies? he asked. They are vital and I won’t risk them .
Rinnon knew why he was asking.
Fate.
They feel like you, not anything evil. Go with your gut, partner.
He took a chance, praying it didn’t hurt him. He was putting his faith in his partners. Death and Rinnon were good judges of character.
“Want to hold Azriel?” he asked, cuddling his child as he tried to trust this whole mess.
He kissed his daughter on her dark hair, and she looked up at him with her icy blue eyes.
“If you’ll let us.”
Well, here went EVERYTHING .
“Go see your grandma and grandpa. They want to meet you. Don’t get bite-y.”
Jolie watched.
They may see Angelique too, Jacques offered. Since they never got to be held by my parents, they should know their kin.
Again, he went there.
Can I trust them?
Yes. They are safe. I promise you, Mate. This wasn’t Fate. We will work this out. I’ll be arriving soon. I’m handling a few things.
Because he knew Jacques wouldn’t risk his child, or Flynn’s, he carried Angelique to his father.
They each cuddled a satiated toddler, and they were natural at it. It would be a good hour before the two little girls went wild, tearing the cave apart as they hung from the ceiling with their claws.
Jolie watched.
Honestly, it was sweet.
Flynn’s mother cuddled their baby, and Flynn’s father did the same. This was a precious memory since none of their parents got to meet them.
Well, Mordechai, since he haunted the lair, and they couldn’t stop him .
“It’s amazing to get to do this. I can’t believe I’m holding a little person my son made,” Barb admitted. “She has your eyes.”
He was aware.
“They are demons like us.”
She tickled Azriel’s foot through the footie pajamas, making her giggle.
“She’s sweet,” she said. “Grandma loves you,” she offered. “I don’t care if you’re a demon. You’re my little demon. If anyone tries to hurt my baby’s babies, I’m going to get mean,” she offered.
Then, she looked up.
“Can they eat cookies?”
Flynn nodded.
“They can eat anything they want. We just don’t give them cookies.”
She smiled.
“Well, Grandma’s rules,” she said, blowing raspberries onto Azriel’s cheek.
Angelique burped and his father laughed.
“I love them this age. You can play hide-and-seek with them.”
Flynn warned him.
“Uh, I wouldn’t play hide-and-seek here in the cave. If you lose one of Jolie’s babies…”
She snorted.
“Just yell feeding time. They’ll come out,” she said, reassuring them. She wanted the babies to have these moments while they could. No one was guaranteed time with their loved ones.
Flynn went to stand by his wife, and they watched together.
It makes me want to cry, Flynn. They weren’t going to know their grandparents, and now, they will. They get their love too.
Immediately, he changed the subject, so she didn’t think about hers and bring them back too. That was the last thing they needed.
No more necromancing in the lair .
That had to be the rule.
It is nice. Jacques said they are safe, and this is not something from Fate’s trickery. Maybe I can enjoy this. Maybe we can find a way to let them stay.
She nuzzled him.
Jolie knew his fears, and it was watching them die again.
Because she had yet to feed their other baby, Flynn placed his hand on her belly, and Rinnon shoved energy into her.
Before they could say more, the room shimmered, and Jacques entered the room in his customary way.
“Oh, look. The fancy gentleman has arrived,” Flynn said, trying to be more like himself.
Jacques headed his way, and found his mouth with his, making his claim. He’d heard the whole conversation, and there was no way he was giving up the man-on-man action.
It wasn’t happening.
It was a deep, telling kiss, and Flynn didn’t stop him.
Then, when he broke the kiss, they stood side-by-side, and faced the rest of the room.
“Well, I never saw this day coming,” Flynn’s mother said.
Jacques lifted a brow.
“And that means?” he asked, willing to protect his relationship at all costs.
She explained.
“Flynn used to think he was the best dressed in the room in a suit. He’s not anymore.”
That made Jacques actually laugh.
“I have had many years to practice, Mother of Flynn,” he said, using the same term Rinnon used.
I’m calling royalties on that! the demon said and was promptly ignored. I dislike all of you.
Yeah, or so he often said to them.
Then, I guess you don’t want to have sex with Jolie and us, Jacques baited.
Uh, let’s not get crazy here, Rinnon stated.
Yeah, he didn’t think so .
Instead of continuing that, Jacques shared what he came there to say.
It was important.
“I have good news and bad news,” he said, as his sickle and The Book of the Damned appeared in his hands. “Call the family.”
Oh, boy.
This was going to be something.
It always was.
Death didn’t call a family meeting for shits and giggles.
Rinnon did what he asked, and they heard the footfalls heading their way. Oh, they all knew about Flynn’s parents, but they’d been giving them space until they were sure the mountain wasn’t going to crush them.
Rinnon got spicy when he was provoked.
The recently dead didn’t flinch at any of this, and that said a lot about his parent’s ability to adjust on the fly—and the babies were likely the reason. They were cuddling grandbabies.
Yeah, this might just work out.
“Is it bad news?” Flynn asked, already going there in his mind.
Jacques simply nodded.
Well, holy Hell’s bells, this was going to suck seven ways to Sunday.
Flynn could tell.
His mate’s energy said it all.
Jacques hated to be the bearer of bad news, but that tended to be his role as they hunted down trinkets for Pandora’s Box.
“We have two antiquities to find this time, and one of them is going to change everything if we don’t locate it. When I say change, I mean make our lives very short.”
Well, shit .
It looked like the family reunion was going to have to wait.
Duty called.
Again.