Chapter 1 #2
“She’s coming to town as well. In fact, I’m expecting her anytime now.
She said that she wanted to get some things from storage to bring to Calla, but she didn’t say what she would bring.
I can only hope that it’s nothing from my childhood.
She’d be the only one who could embarrass me like none other.
” He laughed at the image of Mother Smith bringing out things that Brew had made her when he was no more than a babe.
It would do him a world of good to see the big vampire embarrassed, and he told him so.
“Did you know that when I became king, we got some faeries that came to the house? I’ve never seen the like of them.
There are quite a few of them around us at all times, but the most important thing is that they’re here only to serve us.
The household has never been so full before. ”
“I heard how your lady wife went over your books and found that you were paying a dead woman’s family.
And quite a few other things you were overpaying for as well.
Good for her. If I didn’t do my own books, like I told you to do several times in our lives together, I’d be worried as to what she’d find in my books too.
” He was told how she went over Conri’s books and found a great deal of money when the adding had been off by thousands of dollars.
“Good for him. I’m sure that his pack could use it.
Are they still looking for work around the town?
I’ve seen in his future that great things are coming his way for himself and his pack. ”
“He’ll be happy to hear that. I know that I am.
” He didn’t say anything more and was glad that Brew didn’t ask him about it.
There would be some bad that came with the good news, and he was sure that his friend knew that.
“When can we pick you up? I’m sure that you might have told me, but let me get it straight in my head. ”
“I will be at your home in one week. I’ve some things that I have to take care of once I’m off my trip here, and then I’ll be on your doorstep.
I’m to understand that you’ve made some improvements to your home since I was there last. I will need to be invited in because of the status that you now have. ”
“You are very welcome, and you know it. Forever if you wish.” He didn’t take the bait in telling him that he’d not be around forever because he was finished with this world.
Instead, he told him that he was looking forward to meeting his mate and seeing their friends again.
That was the best he could do under the circumstances.
“I will see you in one week then. And until then, you enjoy your trip. Know too that I love you like a brother and will, no matter what happens.”
He had a moment of worry when it occurred to him that Brew could now order him to live.
He might well be planning that, but he doubted that it would come to that.
Brew was a good friend and knew the trials of living for so long.
He’d been lucky in finding his mate, and he wanted the best in the world for them both.
He put his book away in favor of doing one of his errands now and left the train.
There were several investments that he’d made just before deciding that he wanted to die.
Looking over the books in the newest adventure, he was satisfied that things were going the way that he thought they should.
He couldn’t see the futures on things like investments, and it had taken him a long time to get as good as he was with them.
But once he decided on something like this little venture, he knew that he’d be making money until the end of time.
And leaving everything to Brew as his king, he knew that he’d put his money to good use when the time came.
He only hoped that he’d forgive him for leaving things the way that they were and do what he wanted.
Some of his money would go to his best friends, and the rest would be for Brew and his lovely new mate, Calla Lily. What a beautiful sounding name.
~*~
Brew watched as Calla put on a robe. He knew her body as well as he did his own and loved every inch of her.
They’d made love for the third time today, and he could never get enough of her.
As it was now, he was getting very little done in his office because he wanted to spend time with his mate.
She turned to look at him as he stared at her fine ass.
“There is more to life than just making love, you know.” He asked her if she had enjoyed it.
“I came five times, I’m sure you know that I did.
Are you fishing for compliments? I have them for you, but I fear it will go to your head and you’ll try to outdo yourself.
I don’t know that I can take much more of your lovemaking than I have right now. ”
“You love me.” She said that she did, with all her heart. “And I love you too, my dearest Calla Lily. Soon you’ll be fat with our child, and I’ll have to take better care when we make love. No more roughhousing when we get in the mood.” She pouted, and he laughed.
“You’re perfect for me. I love the way we roughhouse, as you called it.
It makes me come all that much harder.” He felt his face break out in a large grin.
She could do that to him, make him happy with just a word or two.
“Your mother will be here soon, and we need to get going to be ready for her. I’m glad that she agreed to stay with us. We certainly have the room for her.”
“She’ll still think that we’re being put out.
But she has magic that will change the room should she want to.
And I’m sure that she will if only to have a few of her things around her while she’s staying here.
” When she nodded and continued to look out the window, he knew that she was distracted and decided to see what he could get away with while she was.
“Sirous is planning to die once he’s here.
I hope that he’ll do it when we’re not around while his body will turn to ash. ”
“That’s nice.” She turned to look at him.
“There is something out there that I can’t see.
” He asked her what she meant. “I can feel a presence, but I can’t see them.
It’s not the wolves. I can feel them and where they are, but this…
well, this thing is out there and can’t get into the house without an invite. Could it be one of your friends?”
“They’ll be your friends soon enough, and let me see what I can find out.” He reached out to the others and asked them if they had arrived. “It’s Rutger. He’s surprised that you can feel him. He was trying to hide in the event that we were too busy to mess with him right now.”
“Does he mean sex?” He nodded. “Well, tell him that it wouldn’t matter if he was at the door or not, I’d finish, then come let him in. Come on, get dressed so that we can meet him. Kenneth is in the living room watching something on the television. He’ll be happy to see the other vampire.”
Brew was happy too to see his old friends and hurried to get dressed.
Once he was, he ran down the stairs, picking up Calla as he went, and carried her to the door.
Putting her down just as the door opened with his magic, he looked at his friend and nearly burst into tears, much the same way he’d done when Kenneth had arrived several days ago.
“I invite you into my home forever.” As soon as he stepped over the threshold, Brew pulled him in for a long hug and hardy embrace while fighting the tears that threatened him a great deal of late. “I’ve missed you.”
“And I you.” They hugged tightly for another few minutes, and when they released, they hugged once again.
“I want you to meet my wife, Calla Lily Smith. Calla, this is Rutger, one of the few friends that I can count on to come when I want to see them. Rutger, Calla is my queen and best thing that has ever happened to me.”
“I can tell.” Rutger got down on one knee before Calla. “I pledge to you, my queen, my life and all that goes with it. I shall forever be at your beck and call from now to the end of the ages. You are my queen.”
“You’re supposed to do that to the king.
” He said that Brew already had his loyalty, but he wanted her to have his life.
“Thank you, Rutger. Hopefully, I’ll never need you to lay down your life for me.
And in turn, I would do everything within my power to make sure that you’re safe and well, as your queen and hopefully friend. ”
Rutger hugged Calla, and he found that he wasn’t jealous at all for her being hugged by another man, much less a vampire. As they separated, he asked about the babe, and it was with a huge grin on her face that she told him that she was going to have a baby in the early spring.
“I just went to the doctor for our kind this morning and found out. He said that I had to eat more food for the baby, but otherwise, I was in good shape to carry it to term. He said that he could tell us what it was, but we already know that it’s a boy.
I’m so happy to be having Brew’s baby that I could about bust.” Her charm was infectious, and soon Rutger was gushing about the baby as well.
Calla had that sort of charm to her when she wanted to be. There were times when she’d be so upset that he feared for the other person on the receiving end of her anger. But she was calm and cool when dealing with others, and he loved that about her, too.