Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,4

bad?"

I opened my mouth to deny it, but I couldn't. Not after how much help she had been. Her and Nana both. "I did. And I won't lie to you, Nestor. I might need her for a bit longer, but I'll send her back as soon as she's done."

"Don't bother. We don't need her." He got up from his stool and wobbled off toward the bathrooms.

There was one thing for sure as shit. I didn't want her, either. She was my mother, and I loved her, but I would be much happier with her several states away. Plus, Ashville needed her, despite Nestor's proclamation.

Gulping down my drink, I tossed a twenty down on the counter and waved goodbye to Mr. Connors. I needed to get my shit together and get her back where she belonged. For both our sakes and my sanity. And for the safety of Cedar Falls. Having her and Nana in the same city was never a good idea, no matter how much they pretended to get along. They had to be up to something…

Chapter 2

Yuki was glaring daggers at me over the back of the couch while the coffee maker sputtered behind me. Jaeren and Ellis, both coloring, were looking intently at the books sprawled out on the table in front of them. That was their excuse not to look at the impish vampire glaring daggers at me, and me pretending not to notice. I was sorting through the mail like there wasn't an absolute fucking thing wrong in the world.

"Anybody want ice cream?" I asked without looking up from the stack of mail on the counter.

"What is ice cream?" Ellis whispered the question to Jaeren.

"Frozen milk from cattle with fruit mixed into it. Or sometimes chocolate. It is quite delicious."

"What is chocolate?"

"A sugary confection made from the nuts of a tree."

"Yes, I'd love to try some," Ellis called to me over Jaeren's head.

"Rocky Road?"

"What is–"

Jaeren silenced Ellis with a wave of his hand. "Yes. For both of us, please, Lady."

I chuckled under my breath. Maybe Ellis would be good for the overbearing king. Hard to be an asshole when you're stuck teaching elves about the mortal realm. Ellis had taken to him like the older brother, even though they were as different as night and day.

Jaeren didn't seem to be harboring any open hostilities toward his unseleighe cousin, either. I was shocked and pleased, almost crying when he offered him some of his color sticks and books.

"I'll be back in a little bit," I said to them, grabbing my purse, and heading for the door.

"There's seven different flavors of ice cream in the fridge, Master." Yuki got up and walked into the kitchen, pulling out the freezer door and showing me our stock.

"Huh. No Rocky Road. I'll be back in a bit."

"There's fudge nut brownie. Put some of the little marshmallows in it."

"Not the same."

"It is and you know it."

"You want to go with me?" I asked as a peace offering. She had been more than pissed I'd traveled halfway across the country, unsupervised and without her.

"Can I drive?"

"I've seen you try. Let's go with no, you can't."

"Oh, come on. I'm getting better."

"Tell that to the seven squirrels."

"I can't. They're dead."

"Exactly."

"They weren't people."

"Had there been any by the road, I'm sure you would have found some way to get them caught up in the wheel well. You coming?"

"Fine." She huffed and headed for the front door.

"Hey, Yuki?"

"Yes?"

"Want some hot cocoa?"

Her frown turned into a grin and she ran out the door.

Emo vamps were so easy. I laughed and grabbed my keys, tilting my head as a realization came to me. My little Yuki wasn't so emo anymore. She was even wearing a bright, lime green shirt. Her hair was still purple, but it wasn't spiked, and she had forgone the heavy black lipstick and eyeliner for a while. I sniffed as I walked out the door, pleased. My little Yuki was turning into a lady.

"Did you really want to buy me a cocoa, or are you just checking on the store because you haven't been there all day?"

"Little bit of both," I said as I got into the car. "It's the day after Christmas. The place should have been a madhouse. I want to survey the damage."

"Think there's a body count?"

"I doubt it. Jason is one smooth ass talker when he wants to be."

"If the customers were female. Betcha there's ten dead guys stashed in your office."

"I'll just reanimate them and send them home. Their