Chapter Three #2
Isocar blinked. “Oh. Right. He’s an incubus. Well, not stuck there anymore, but when I babysat, it was always a worry to Mom and Dad. They got over it, but it was a definite thing.”
Nylora said, “Now, does anyone know why I told you this story?”
“You want us on the same page?” That was Kaitha.
“You want me to tell Solor and Demuel?” Myor smiled weakly.
Dia said, “You want it recorded?”
Isocar sighed. “You want the baby to know in case having it kills you.”
Nylora smiled. “That’s a correct answer. Here. Have a cookie.” She reached over and handed Isocar a cookie.
The other ladies were still.
Kaitha laughed weakly. “You can’t still be on this. You will be fine. You have an excellent team.”
Isocar reached out and put her hand on Bump.
“Nylora has a lot of power, but it is trickling into the baby. When the final bit of growth happens, Bump will be pulling hard at her. If she were part of a dark fae community, it would be different. The women would donate bits of energy to the baby, but by the time Bump emerges, she will be exhausted and have nothing left to draw on. She can not ask for a gift of the heart, so I will give mine freely. If I can’t be at your side, I will provide you with an object that can give you some energy. You have me at your side.”
Dia slid down and held her hand. “I will give you what you need. You will have me by your side. Mom is going to come as well. Emily will probably give you a tattoo that transfers her magic to you.”
Myor said, “I can’t give you energy, but I can call everyone else.”
Kaitha looked at her. “I can’t give you what you need, but I can feed those who do.”
Nylora smiled. “Which is why you are the godmother.”
Kaitha gasped. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Who is the godfather?”
“Zerul. This baby is his fault, after all.” She smiled. “Thankfully, he won’t be able to come here for any showers.”
Dia laughed. “Interesting.”
Isocar smiled. “Okay, I need a back story on that one. Do we want to adjourn to the deck? The house has made some lemonade and iced watermelon.”
They got up and headed to the back patio, where the sunset was just starting to stain everything gold. Nylora looked around. “This is very peaceful.”
“The Gangers live one property over. The immediate property is being occupied by Hannah Lee and Neekil and his relatives. They are having their big housewarming tomorrow. I still have to come up with something to give them.”
Nylora smiled. “Would you like a suggestion?”
“Sure.”
“Why not some living wards? I can totally manage to set it, and you can do the living wood thing.”
“And I can do them right now. Let me get some containers. That way, they will be portable.”
What followed was amusing. All of the ladies added their own certain something to the four saplings, and when they were done, the four young trees vibrated with power.
Isocar grinned. “Can anyone make a second set? These are so cool. I want some for the house.”
Nylora smiled. “I am good. Anyone else?”
Myor smiled. “I love that I get to sing an incursion alarm.”
They laughed, and Isocar got more containers for the seedlings, and they all got to work. It wasn’t going for mani-pedis, but it was definitely a bonding experience.
They were all in one car and heading for tacos. Myor had gotten a text from Solor, and the guys wanted to meet up at Dem-rah’s.
When they pulled up and parked, they exited, and the XIA who were on break stared at them as the female mage clown car let them out. Dem-rah came out and hugged Nylora. “Little wanderer. I have been looking into you. I checked my old records, and boy, can you eat.”
She grinned. “Thank you.”
“Do you want the same as before?”
“Yes, please. Thank you, Dem-rah.” She inclined her head. “How much is it?”
He looked insulted. “I would never charge you, little wanderer.”
“You are going to go broke being nice to all dark fae.”
“There are too few of you out in the world. You and Jennel are daughters of my heart.”
She blushed. “Fine. Thank you. May I have two of the quesadillas, please? And lemonade?”
He pinched her cheek, nodded to the other ladies, and headed back to the truck.
Kaitha grinned. “I am getting in line.”
The rest of the ladies headed that way, but Nylora went to sit at one of the picnic tables.
She checked her phone and saw a few texts from Solor and one from Demuel. A familiar voice was behind her. “You don’t check your texts, do you?”
“Nope. Not when there are people with me.” She turned and smiled at Demuel. He kissed her gently and pressed his forehead to hers.
“You are smiling. A real smile. Not the tense one you give us.”
“I spent the evening doing charms with the ladies. It was a lot of fun.”
“Good. I am going to get in line.” He kissed her cheek and got up to get into the ever-increasing line.
She was only alone for a moment before Dem-rah handed her the food box with a huge container of lemonade. “Thank you, but I don’t want anyone to fuss.”
“You have had insufficient fuss aimed at you, child. Have you chosen godparents for the child?”
“I have.”
“Does the father get a vote?”
“He does not.” She smiled. “I have chosen Isocar and Zerul.”
He chuckled. “Sensible.”
“I am usually sensible. The ladies and I had a very blunt conversation today, and they are offering to be my energy proxies on the big day.”
He grinned, his vicious teeth displayed. “So, you are finally not planning on dying?”
“Well, it wasn’t ideal, but I was braced for it. I have seen enough of that sort of thing at work. It isn’t pleasant, but pretending it doesn’t happen is stupid.”
“Very stupid, and I am glad you have shared your fears with those near you. Now, there is one more person who can help you on your journey. Jennel! Come over here. How would you like a free tattoo?”
Jennel perked up. “Oh, hey! Hi, Nylora. Whatever I can do. It’s only fair considering that I sprang that trap on you.”
“She needs access to another dark fae with power when she goes into labour. You have Reymark, but Demuel doesn’t have loose power. His is firmly tied to him.” Dem-rah nodded.
Jennel smiled. “Of course. When and where? Oh, is this with your niece?”
“Yes. I will text her and explain. Then we just need to see when she can fit us in.”
She typed with both thumbs, and there wasn’t even thirty seconds before a message popped up. Eat and show up, Aunt Nyl.
“Oh. Wow. Okay. She’s up for it tonight. Are you, Jennel?”
Jennel grinned. “I am. I did a consult at a crime scene. Found the right rock.” She chuckled. “Earning my pay.”
“Right, so while we are there, if you haven’t sent her all the marriage markings for the speaker and his partner, now would be the time.”
Jennel’s eyes got bright, and she sent Nylora all the marks, who forwarded them to Emily. Easy. If she has her guy come by, we can do him at the same time.
She smiled. “Does Day-ek have another break after this one?”
Jennel nodded. “He can put some time aside if needed to, I think. Why?”
“If he can spare an hour, she can do you both at the same time. All matchy match. She loves doing scarification. It’s faster.”
Jennel grinned. “Cool. When we have a timeline, I will ask them to pop by. I am just gonna go let them know.” She scampered across the parking lot to where the guys were getting out of their vehicle.
Nylora smiled and tucked into her specially made meal. It was turning into a really good night. “Thank you again, Dem-rah.”
“You are most welcome, little wanderer.” He winked and patted her head as he got up and returned to the truck.
The ladies joined them, and she explained the plan. Everyone was in. This would set Nylora’s mind at ease, and she needed all the ease she could get.
Demuel came back, lifted her, and put her down on his lap so he could eat. She snorted. “Perk of my being here?”
“A seat saver of my very own. Can you handle the smell?”
“The smell is fine. It’s the taste. My poor self can’t deal with the spice level right now. I am expecting a delivery from Dem-rah’s truck as soon as Bump is breathing atmosphere.”
Jennel grinned. “Done. He might even bring it himself. He loves babies.”
“Excellent. He gets to be an uncle on my side.” She smiled.
Dem-rah walked back with a second lemonade, and she realized that Demuel had stolen her first. He chuckled. “I would be honoured. Don’t let him have this one.”
“Thanks. I will start biting.”
Demuel paused. “Sorry. I should have asked.”
“Yup.” She held onto her second one, and Dem-rah walked away, chuckling.
The ladies ate their spicy offering and worked their way through the burn. It was quite the bonding day.
The two-car parade pulled up outside the small house with the modest flower beds and the huge oak shadowing it. As they walked toward it, Emily came out to greet her twin and aunt. Emily was opposite in colouration to Dia. Her skin was chalk white, and her hair was dark brown.
“This is your other aunt, my sister, Isocar. Isocar, this is your other niece, Emily.”
Emily walked up. “Hello, Aunt Isocar. You have a distinct lack of appropriate markings.”
Isocar lit up, her marks blazing under her skin, and Emily blinked. “I stand corrected. Themekor’s work, if I am not mistaken.”
“You are correct. Who does your gardens?”
“My neighbour. She’s a wisp and has a ten-year-old son.
They are great neighbours, so I respect them and use plenty of sound-dampening when I need to.
They do the gardens and grab fudge when they go out, and I have enough wards around our two properties to defend an invasion.
No one even knows they are there until she drives out.
” She smiled. “She’s a paramedic, Aunt Nyl. Just like you.”
“What’s her name?”
“I will tell you inside where we will finish introductions.”
They headed inside, and inside the house was huge. Dia grinned. “I am going to call Mom and explain what we are doing. I know she would want to participate.”
Emily nodded. “I can’t contribute because I am setting things up, but yeah, Mom would want to get in on this.”
Isocar and Jennel grinned. A spread draw would be easier and less chance of collapsing one of the support people.
The studio was expansive and pristine, and the ladies settled in while they flipped through pages filled with flash or scar designs for luck, love, and the tattoo for birth control. It was easy to fade on demand.
The design for the community protections for Nylora was there, and when everyone was on board and a small vial of the twins’ mother’s blood had appeared, Emily got to work.