12. Benoit enjoyed pulling my tail.
TWELVE
Benoit enjoyed pulling my tail.
During dessert, Eugene decided he had a death wish, attempting to pilfer a piece of my cheesecake.
With twin hisses, we transformed into cats and went for each other, claws out and teeth bared.
My brother had me beat in size, but I battled him with little remorse or care if I cut him, tore out his fur, or otherwise mangled him over the theft of my treat.
Not to be left out, my other brothers joined in, although they limited their participation to harmless swats.
Well, for the most part.
Benoit enjoyed pulling my tail.
The first time I crashed into Emerick’s chair, he sighed.
The second time, he reached down, pulled me out of the mass of furry bodies, and hauled me onto his lap. I hissed at my brothers, who complained in yowls over the interruption to our battle.
Emerick fed me a piece of my cheesecake as he’d already vanquished his. “I see we’re going to have to plan gatherings so she can play with her brothers.”
“That might be wise. Those sons of mine are quite energetic, and I’m sure Pepper will be their equal soon enough.
She has plenty of time to adapt to being part of the family.
Boys, please shift back and eat at the table properly.
You’ve embarrassed yourselves enough for today.
Pepper, you can stay in that shape. It’s good for you to have practice shifting and staying in that form. ”
I purred, made myself comfortable on my husband’s lap, and listened.
Soon enough, I expected to have to play a front and center part of our gambit to end Jeremy Breckenan once and for all. I would chase after peace when we weren’t making our preparations.
My brothers obeyed and returned to their seats. Eugene stabbed a piece of his cheesecake with his fork and offered it to me.
I accepted the treat with even louder purring.
“Dad, what are the odds that this Breckenan fellow can catch us by surprise?”
“With my uncles on the hunt and Pepper’s influence over stakes?
It wouldn’t surprise me if we escape this with a few cuts and bruises.
Broken bones are possible if someone takes a fall.
Freak accidents can and do happen, but the likelihood of a fatality on our side is slim.
The hard part isn’t going to be getting us out of this alive,” my father replied, and he made a thoughtful sound.
“The issue is Breckenan’s other victims. We have evidence that some of these vampires are under sway.
If at all possible, I would like to free them from his influence and rehabilitate them.
It might not be possible, but they are victims. The ones that have made the choice to serve Breckenan deserve their fate.
But the ones who were forced? There is no justice in their murder. ”
In a way, I regretted being a cat; I wanted to ask my father many questions regarding the nature of Breckenan’s victims and what we could do to help them.
Emerick stroked his hand along my back, and he sighed. “My brood is not positioned to handle such trauma, especially not with us working to help Edgar.”
I sat straighter on my husband’s lap, peering over the edge of the table in time to witness my father wave away Emerick’s concern.
“That is a matter for my uncles to address. If I had my way, none of you would be involved with this. The reality of the situation is that if we want this to end, we must all be involved. Breckenan has the potential to force history to repeat itself. And unlike us, there is nothing pure about his devotion. His beliefs are dark and terrible things, and he feeds on misery and fear as much as he does on blood.”
“What can you tell us about his necromantic background?” Eugene asked, and he stabbed a piece of his cheesecake before offering it to me.
Not only did I accept the treat, I rubbed my head against his hand to show he had my favor.
Emerick laughed, and he scratched behind my ears. “My wife operates on mashed potato volcanoes and cheesecake.”
“I will teach you the art of adding blood to gravy,” my father promised.
“I believe that the mashed potatoes fill her mortal needs while the infused gravy fills her preternatural needs. And as we would make her massive mashed potato volcanoes as a child and praise her for conquering them, it is one of her comfort foods.”
In retrospect, I realized my father was right.
Tired of being unable to talk, I hopped off my husband’s lap, braced, and went about the tedious process of changing back to human.
While harder than assuming my feline form, I accomplished my task with grace and all my clothing, although I landed on my rump rather than bouncing to my feet as my brothers had done.
As nobody seemed to care about my lack of dignity, I returned to my seat.
“Hot turkey sandwiches are the one true food.”
My father laughed. “Yes, it surprised me how much you enjoyed it the first time we gave it to you. Your mother would have preferred ham every holiday, but the first time we offered a ham instead of turkey, you tried so hard not to cry because all you wanted for Christmas was turkey.”
I remembered that. “You somehow made a turkey appear, too.”
“I had suspected you would reject ham, so I had gotten a small one so you could have turkey. With your dietary restrictions and issues, I was taking no risks. Don’t feel badly for your mother, by the way.
She got her ham every holiday. I just learned to make everything, that way the women in my life would not have a reason to go for my throat. ”
I snickered at the thought of us going for my father like we meant it, albeit for different reasons.
“What would happen if I were to return to meals like my childhood? Would it return my biological processes back to human standard? Or close to it? I ask because I am curious if it would help with women wanting to have children. If the blood is such a big problem, wouldn’t lessening the need for blood help with the pregnancy? ”
My father narrowed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and hummed. “Emerick, how many tries does it usually take your women to carry a child to term?”
“It usually takes two or three tries,” he admitted.
“The first is almost always a failure; it’s hard to get the right habits set up.
Lining up the donors is always an issue, although my brood has a good setup for that.
We go above and beyond the payment requirements set by the government for donations.
” My husband winced, and he glanced at me.
“I’ll admit I’ve been making sure the paperwork for that doesn’t cross your desk.
I didn’t know how you’d react to it. You were fairly pissy over the legislation as it is.
Your father has done our brood a lot of favors, however. ”
“Well, I was acting to make certain Pepper was secure in her future. It’s your fault for involving yourself.”
I snickered at the cordial war between my father and my husband. “My father has won that round, Emerick. Just accept it. He’s playing with a full deck of cards, he knows the rules, and you’re just trying to figure out his game. Just be happy he actually likes you.”
“I’m quite grateful he likes me, as I would be a smear in the location of his choice should he not.”
My brothers laughed, and Alisander grinned at us. “When our old man told us about you, we had concocted several ruthless plans to free you from that vampire’s clutches. Eugene was actually against the plan because he likes your husband.”
“I appreciate that, Eugene.”
Eugene grinned at Emerick. “They like you, but they’re going to posture for Pepper because they can. Our father was not happy with our constant requests for a little sister.”
That was one party I would be joining with enthusiasm. “Father, I demand you find me a good stepmother and provide me with a little sister.”
My father raised a brow. “Your brothers should not be a bad influence on you already.”
“They’re a good influence. With the new information I have at my disposal, I have come to the conclusion I am the perfect daughter. It’s not a mug, but you have my blessing to have another perfect daughter.”
Emerick snickered. “Your father is already going to be an instant legend for being your father, Pepper. If he has two daughters, the majority of the preternatural community will faint away from shock. If it was easy for vampiric couples to have girls, we would be rolling in daughters and have no sons.”
Alisander snickered. “It’s true, Pepper.
Most vampires want sons to protect the daughters they never have.
I know a vampire who has had over a hundred children, all sons.
Most of his sons are still alive, too—and they have had many sons without a single daughter in sight.
What are the current odds of having a daughter, Dad? ”
“I would say perhaps one in every hundred thousand births are a daughter.” My father shrugged.
“We had your ultrasound checked four times because we were shocked you were actually a girl. When the doctor asked, I simply said the last time I was checked, I had predominantly male sperm and was told I would never be having a daughter.”
I admired how my father lied while using nothing but the truth. “I guess we’re going to have to settle for trying for a daughter or two, Emerick. It seems my father is not up for the challenge of having a hundred thousand children hoping for another daughter.”
My husband burst into laughter. “Personally, I will be content with happy and healthy.”
Well, he had me there. “Happy and healthy is a good start. Father, I recommend that you encourage these brothers of mine to try for girls. If they are busy trying for daughters, they won’t be getting into trouble elsewhere.”
My father sighed and shook his head. “When they are ready to have sons and daughters, they will charm women, make the appropriate arrangements, and have them.”