Chapter Two
N ylora fell asleep on the drive home. Demuel sat next to her in the back, and she slept on his shoulder. It had been a brutal evening, and there had been a death. She hated death. It threw off her groove.
She asked quietly, “Is Kaitha going to come pick me up?”
“No, we are going to try something different. You are going to spend the night with us, just cuddling.”
She blinked. “Solor doesn’t look cuddly. He looks mad.”
She heard the vest creak from the front as Solor turned to look at her for a moment while he drove.
“He has a lot of weight on his shoulders. Working for the XIA is a public relations thing as much as a workout.”
“Oh. Why?”
“His beast is powerful and very much wants a partner, but that partner needs to be powerful as well, or they won’t mix well. There aren’t a lot of that kind of woman around here.”
“Oh.” She leaned heavily against Demuel’s shoulder. “I am sorry that I get so sleepy.”
“It’s fine. I saw you in action tonight. I don’t believe those moves are suitable for someone in your condition.”
She chuckled. “But I have a lot of energy, and it helps me burn it off. But then the shift is too long, and I get tired. I am sorry I am leaning on you.” She looked down and stared at her hand. “Did I do the whole shift without my glamour?”
“You did. You remember when that little girl with the lung infection said she liked the stars under your skin? I didn’t know that solid dark fae have stars under their skin.”
“They don’t. I am not pure dark fae, but I have enough power to back myself up.”
“What is the other part?”
“Oh. Djinn. He’s a jerk, though. As far as he’s concerned, I am just uppity cum.”
The car swayed. She looked up. “What was that?”
Solor murmured, “Something in the road.”
“So, you met him.”
“Yeah. About twenty years ago. I decided that I wanted to understand who I was made of, so I went looking. My bio mom is married and hiding the fact that she had a lover who was a succubus. She’s the dark fae.
My father was a bored djinn who summoned my mother for a bit of exercise or relief or whatever he called it.
He summoned her for sex. He was very graphic about it.
” She made a face and didn’t feel sleepy anymore.
She sat up and looked straight forward. “He started picking clothing for me and telling me that he was going to invite some friends. If I were half as good as my mother, he would make a fortune.”
She swallowed. “So, I blasted him with moonlight until he couldn’t move, and I teleported to safety. I ended up in Redbird. I was stuck for a few days and contacted Kaitha. She took me in until I could recover.”
“Djinn have serious wards.”
“Yeah. I blasted through them like they were tissue paper.” She chuckled and tangled her fingers together. It took some effort, but she got her human seeming back on.
“Wait. So, you wear your human skin when you are uncomfortable?” Demuel put his hand on hers.
“Yup. I am uncomfortable most of the time. The glamour comes off when I sleep.” She looked around. “Where did all my food bags go?”
Solor muttered, “They are in the hatch. Why do you need to eat so much?”
“Oh. Easy answer. If I had a partner, I would take from them. So, all that dark fae hunger has to go somewhere.” Her fingers tangled hard. “That part is really embarrassing.”
“You knew who we were months ago.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t tell us.”
“No. You have your own lives. Solor is always flirting and getting phone numbers. I don’t want to interfere with your social lives. Plus, my body is about to get all bulgy and weird. You two should have partners who look normal. I am odd-looking coming and going.”
She saw the turn, and they slowed to make it. The SUV hurtled down the road, and she actually looked at the house this time. “Why is it so big?”
Solor chuckled. “You are talking about the house, right?”
“Yes.”
“It is used to host weddings and graduations and events for the communities. Folks can shift or half shift and be completely comfortable here.” Solor was speaking calmly and cheerfully.
“That sounds nice. I am nearly done with my comfortable place.”
Demuel asked. “You are building yourself a house?”
“Yeah. I am always welcome by my friends and family, but when they have friends over and they see me without the glamour, I get the hint. I want a place I don’t have to leave because someone is upset about the way I look.”
Solor parked in front of the expansive steps. “Home.”
The sunrise was brightening everything, and Demuel unbuckled himself and her. She sighed as he slid her over and lifted her.
She stiffened in surprise when he handed her over to Solor. She was up against the stab vest and all the pockets. He was standing still, and when she looked up to see what the problem was, he kissed her.
She was startled, but he continued the slow, warm kiss until she reached up to touch his jaw. He lifted his head. “Why did you wait?”
“Because I didn’t know what had happened until I hired the seer to see what occurred on that sheet set.”
“You had no idea?”
“Well, based on where the pain was, I had a pretty good idea. I am not saying that it wasn’t enjoyable. Based on my expression, it was, but the next day, I couldn’t remember you, everything hurt, and there was semen everywhere. ”
Demuel walked with them, opening the doors as they walked into the quiet house. Solor kept her tight against him and walked up a set of stairs that were monster class. She saw someone out of the corner of her eye as they walked past. Myor had a phone aimed at them.
Solor said, “What are you doing?”
“Kaitha wanted to know she made it home safe. She worries.” Myor smiled. “She’s a very nice person.”
“She’s engaged.”
“No. She broke up with Jacqueline last week. She was too hostile to you, so she broke up with her.”
Solor stopped so they could talk.
“Aw, hell. This is what I didn’t want.”
“She knew that you would feel guilty, but she said her ex is just a bitch, but she didn’t want to freak you out. You didn’t do anything. It made Kaitha wonder what kind of a parent she would make if she couldn’t share attention.”
“Oh. Valid point. Well, I am going to send her a text before I head to sleep.”
Myor chuckled. “She said to wait until you get up. She will swing by this afternoon. She said you are off until Monday night.”
“Yeah. The last two weeks, I subbed for Tonyos. He was off for a family vacation.” She shrugged. “I am on short weeks until the time catches up.”
Demuel said, “So, you have been working for sixteen days straight?”
“Twenty.”
Solor nodded, and they continued on to a bedroom where Demuel opened the door.
They were inside the door in a moment, and Solor walked to the large bed and sat her on the edge of it. He said softly, “Stay here.”
She watched them undress, and she looked away. “Don’t you guys eat after work?”
Solor paused and picked up his phone. He spoke quietly and nodded before he ended the call. He smiled. “Apparently, your niece has arrived. Your sister doesn’t trust us.”
Energy flowed through her. She stood up. “I want to go see her.”
“Sit. She will be here in a few minutes with a snack for you.”
Nylora fought the urge to clap her hands. Her niece, Dia, was ten years younger than Nylora, and she took after her mother. They had met when Nylora met her sibling, and ever since then, Dia had had a special spot in her heart.
After stripping down to black briefs, Demuel said, “How old is your niece?”
“Thirty.”
He exhaled. “Good. I didn’t want to stunt anyone’s development.”
There was a soft knocking at the door, and Solor went to open it. Dia walked in, and Nylora giggled at their expressions.
“My dad was a high court elf. My mom was doing a photo shoot with him, and he fell for the way she captured light. He was hooked, and she liked to pose him.” She was carrying a tray with fruit, crackers, cheese, and meat all under a freshness spell.
Dia’s hair was white-gold and braided into dozens of braids. Her skin was nut brown, and her eyes had the brilliant rainbow of the high court. The off-the-shoulder shirt and loose trousers were the only contemporary touch.
“Tremble has eyes like that,” Demuel muttered.
Dia grinned. “He’s one of my uncles.”
“Oh, so you are—”
“Half high court elf, some dark fae, and we don’t know what else. I am guessing sandman.”
Dia set the tray down on a table and turned to Nylora with her arms open.
Nylora lunged for her and hugged her. Her niece was about six foot four, and it must have looked strange, but it felt so good to feel dark fae skin.
Nothing felt as good as kin. Nylora felt part of her soul unlocking. She sighed. “You did that on purpose.”
“Of course I did. These guys would have been waiting forever. Mom said I should help them, now that you have found each other.”
Nylora snorted and leaned back. “Remind me to thank her.”
Dia grinned. “I am here as your companion and doula until after the little one is here. Then I am offering my skills as a nanny.”
Nylora paused. “You are staying?”
“Yup. I am also going to help my other auntie run errands as she recovers. So, for now, I am going to wish you a delightful snack and the food as well. Get some rest, Auntie... eventually.” Dia kissed her cheek and gave her another boost of wild magic.
With a bright laugh, her niece left the room, closing the door behind her.
Solor walked up to her. “What did she do?”
“Uh, she had a chat with my wild magic. It’s... uh...” She stared at the middle of his chest and bit her lip.
Demuel chuckled. “You can say it. We both have it.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Hungry. It’s hungry again.”
Solor stroked her neck and ran his thumb along her jawline. “Then, we should get you what you need.”
“I am not sure about this.”
“You need pleasure, right? I am fairly sure we can manage that without being inside you.”
She patted Bump. “Good. I am occupied.”
He smiled. “I know. I would like to see.”
She sighed. “I need to step back a little to get undressed.”
“No, we will help.”