Demon's Vengeance The Complete - Jocelynn Drake Page 0,7
at me as if he was uncertain about leaving his wife alone with a walking natural disaster. “Watch over her,” he said and then started to the long line of kids waiting for their turn to speak with Santa.
“And don’t glare at those boys anymore! Paola is handling them just fine!” Ellen called after her husband, who raised one hand in a halfhearted wave to acknowledge he had heard her. “He’s not listening to me,” she muttered, voicing the very thought running through my head. Her scowl instantly dissolved when she looked up at me again. “Gideon didn’t tell me you were going to be here.”
“Probably because he didn’t know. I offered to help with the donation drive and then talked some friends into being Santa and his helper.”
She laughed a loud, joyous sound and I instantly understood why Gideon loved this woman so much. She didn’t take any crap from the warlock and was filled with happiness.
“I’m guessing you were just as surprised to see Gideon here.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
She giggled softly. “I’m a nurse. I help out here and there with the Shining Hope Foundation when they give some parenting or first-aid classes. I come to this every year because they like to have a nurse or doctor on hand just in case. I’ve never been needed, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe.”
I could understand the Foundation’s preference for having a nurse on hand. A werewolf or troll child plays too rough with a human child, and someone is bound for the emergency room.
“How’s Paola? Is she adjusting?” I asked when my eyes finally tripped over the young woman standing in line next to Gideon’s daughter Bridgette. She was smiling down at the girl, a look of affection on her face. Paola was one of the runaways. She along with four others had escaped from the Ivory Towers, where they were training to be witches and warlocks. It had taken a little bit of arranging, but Gideon and his wife had agreed to take in Paola, while three others were settled in other homes. Alice, one of the five, had been killed before she and her younger brother James could reach a new safe haven.
“Wonderful. Despite the ten years between her and Bridgette, they’ve really taken to each other. She’s a little quiet at times, but I think she’s homesick and missing Étienne.”
“Really?” I arched a brow at her in surprise. Étienne was the oldest and had been the leader of the little band. The young Frenchman was now staying with my parents along with Tony.
Ellen gave a little snort as she looked back toward Paola and her daughter. “You men don’t notice anything.”
“That’s true. How’s Bridgette? Gideon hasn’t . . . mentioned . . . anything recently,” I said haltingly, trying to be somewhat vague since I was sure this was a potentially sore topic. In September, Gideon admitted that he was concerned that his daughter was going to show a similar magical talent, which would draw the immediate attention of the Ivory Towers.
The pretty blonde gave a sigh, dropping her voice closer to a whisper. “She’s good. Nothing has happened yet, but we’re all keeping a close watch. Gideon has put some protection over the house so that she can’t be detected, but the concern is if it happens outside of the house.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, feeling bad for her. “If something should happen and you can’t reach Gideon, do you know how to reach me? I can give you my cell—”
Ellen laughed and looked up at me with shining eyes. “Oh, Gage. I’ve got your number and address already. Gideon gave it to me years ago, just after we married. He gave me a list of people to contact if there was ever trouble and your name has always been at the top of the list.”
Shock coursed through my veins, tensing all my muscles. Gideon trusted me with his family? Hell, Gideon trusted me? The man had put on a good show of hating me for close to ten years. It was mind numbing to hear that I was the person he trusted to protect his wife and daughter.
She gently patted me on the arm. “That man has said nothing to you, has he?” I shook my head and Ellen gave a little roll of her eyes. “Stubborn. Gage, he worries about you and he trusts you.”
“Thank you.”
Sliding her arm through mine, Ellen stepped close but her eyes were on her husband as he