Wolves at the Door - Lidiya Foxglove Page 0,52
that was what I liked to hear. Ka-ching. Billie would love me. “Of course, they’ll pay you in gold or gems or something,” he said. “I’ll let Queen Morgana know. But I hope you’re capable of guarding the spot in the meantime.”
“Yeah, I have a whole crew here. Two werewolves, two incubi, a vampire and Billie. It’s beginning to look sort of like your household.”
“So mostly Sinistrals. Be careful. It’s only a matter of time before you’re banished from Etherium with that sort of company. What does Bevan say about all this?”
“Oh, Bevan never says much of anything, you know him.”
“He probably should say something. Sinistral is dangerous. When Alec was banished to Sinistral he got trapped in a castle with demons outside and…”
“Yeah, yeah, cool story bro,” I said. He always had some wild tale these days. “I’ll try not to get banished, but if I do, you’ll help me fill out the application to be a faery witch, won’t you?”
“I’m sure I could pull some strings. But Wyrd is the weakest realm, so I wouldn’t recommend it.” He paused. “So do these incubi have tattoos?”
“Tattoos?”
“To control their magic?”
“Ohhh.” Right. Harris’ bond-brother Alec had tattooed arms that were also control spells that helped him control his sex drive.
“Because if you’re there hanging out with two unfettered incubi all day…”
“Well, you’re one to talk if you think I might be getting action from two incubi.”
“Oh, please. You wouldn’t survive a day in this lifestyle.”
“Is that what you think!?”
He paused and then chuckled. “Oh, shit. You are involved with both of them. Or more. You left a man or two for Billie, right?”
“It’s—it’s—well, one of the incubi is a ghost, so…” Yeah, this was not the advice I wanted but it was about the advice I expected from my little brother. “But you can’t judge me. You did the same thing.”
“I didn’t do the same thing. I’ve been best friends with Alec and Monty since I was a kid. It just made sense that we would keep sticking together. I don’t want to think about my sister—especially knowing how much you like to be alone—being in that situation.”
“The situation your own wife is in? Being adored by four men? How awful.”
“It’s not an easy thing, that’s all. Charlotte wasn’t so sure about it either, at first. It takes a lot of open conversation and discussion of everyone’s expectations in the relationship and none of that seems like something you’re very good at. I’m not either. No one in our family is. It only worked because…well, my best friends dragged me along.”
“Charlotte must be delighted with how romantic you are,” I said sarcastically. “But I’m not really a loner. I’m just someone who ended up being alone…”
He paused. “Did you actually call because you wanted to talk to me about this?”
“Nooo.”
“Oh, shit. You did.”
“I didn’t.”
“I would have been more serious about it.”
“I didn’t! I don’t need you to tell me what to do.”
“Well, I’m still unsure if you can really handle this lifestyle, but I will say that it’s been good…for me. I realized how much our childhood environment was perpetually hostile. We had good times, for sure, and I think we both try to remember the good times more than anything, but with our kids now, they don’t have to deal with all the toxic crap our parents pulled. I don’t care what they do with their lives. I just want them to be happy. And good kids. It really feels like a family.”
“I don’t need your advice,” I said, but in a tone that meant, Thanks, I actually needed to hear that.
“If I speak to the fae, how soon will the house be ready?”
“Five weeks,” I said, optimistically.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“You’re the best.”
“I know.”
“Okay, I’m hanging up on you, jerk.” That meant, I love you.
Billie and Gaston came in, splattered with paint, as I was stepping out into the kitchen of the future. I would feel a lot better once this part was done. Five weeks, I said. And Billie was spending her whole time messing around with an out building!
“It looks great,” she said. “Even if Gaston got half the paint on himself. I thought vampires would be more neat and tidy.”
“There’s nothing in the vampire handbook that says that,” Gaston said.
“Perfect,” I said. “I hope you can help us out in the main house now. We could really use it. Some faeries are going to tour the place in five weeks.”
“That’s awesome! Well, the front hall is