Damian laughed. “There’s only one way to solve that.”
“What’s that?” Mal asked.
Damian raised a brow, his eyes slanting toward Velimai. “Move in.”
Chapter Forty-six
Mawmaw, I appreciate it, but you really can’t be here.” Creek scraped a hand over his head. “How did you even know anything was going on?”
His grandmother flicked her gaze onto Annika. “Your sector chief invited me.”
Creek spun to face her. “You had no right.”
She shrugged. “I wasn’t sure you’d have a second.”
He clenched his hands. Fighting a woman seemed a little more doable right now. “I was starting to feel unsure about my decision to leave the KM.” She’d done this on purpose and he knew that, but it didn’t make her actions any easier to take. “Not anymore. Let’s do this.”
“As you wish.” She smiled, infuriating him further. Damn, she was good. He’d always been on her side, and hadn’t ever really seen this aspect of her, but she hadn’t gotten to be sector chief by winning the KM lottery. She unzipped her jacket and threw it on the floor, revealing a set of biceps that would make most teenage boys weep with jealousy.
He pulled his shirt off. Behind him, Mawmaw inhaled sharply, reminding him she’d never seen the brands the KM had burned into his back.
They began to circle each other, her smile never faltering. “You really mean to do this, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
Her hand lifted toward the button that raised the shades blocking her stone gaze. Before she reached it, he twisted into a roundhouse. His foot connected with her shoulder, knocking her sideways. She bent back, catching herself with one hand and pushing upright.
Instead of retaliating, she straightened, put her palms together in front of her chest, and bowed to him. Then she looked up toward the sleeping loft. “That’s enough. I’m satisfied.” She held her hand out to Creek. “It was a pleasure working with you. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Uncertainty settled over him. He stared at her. “What the hell are you talking about? What happened to fighting my way out? Was this some kind of test? What?”
She snagged her jacket off the floor and put it on. “A small test. To make sure you were serious about leaving. That you wouldn’t back down.” She looked past him at his grandmother before continuing. “I also wanted to make sure those scales got used up.” She lifted her face to the loft. “I assume you used all of them in whatever potion you made to protect him?”
Dominic didn’t answer.
Creek held his hands out. “So the whole fight was just a setup?”
“No, the fight was real.” She turned to leave.
None of this was making any sense. “But you stopped it.”
“Because your bond price has been paid.” She yanked the door open. “You have twenty-four hours to vacate the premises. Enjoy your new life.” Without a glance back, she slipped out and was gone.
Creek turned to face his grandmother. Dominic and Mortalis were coming down the steps. “One of you want to tell me what the hell just happened here?”
The three of them ignored him as if he wasn’t even there.
Dominic nodded in deference to Creek’s grandmother. “I trust this settles things between us.”
“Settles what things?” Creek asked. Nothing but crickets.
She stood and held out her hand. “It does.”
The vampire lifted Mawmaw’s hand and kissed the back of it. “As always, a pleasure.”
Frustration pushed Creek. He grabbed his crossbow off the kitchen counter and aimed it at Dominic. “Somebody start explaining or it’s going to get dusty in here.”
“Thomas Creek,” Mawmaw snapped. “Put that down this instant.”
“Not until I get an explanation.”
She raised her eyes to Dominic. He nodded, then lifted a hand. “
Creek held the crossbow where it was. “I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“No.” Dominic lifted his chin. “Your grandmother did.”
Creek let the crossbow drop. “Why would you do that, Mawmaw? I will never be able to work that off.” She’d doomed him to the same life he’d just left. Always owing, never able to get free.
“There is nothing to work off,” Dominic corrected. “The debt was owed to your grandmother. She simply asked me to do this with the funds instead.”
Creek stared at his grandmother and slowly shook his head. “You’d better start from the beginning.”
Still yawning, Chrysabelle padded through the hall toward the sound of sniffling that had woken her. She found Lilith sitting up in bed, sucking her thumb, cheeks wet with tears. Chrysabelle sat on the bed next to her and took hold of the little girl’s free hand. “What’s wrong, pumpkin?”
“Mama,” she sobbed. “I want mama. Wanna go home.”
Chrysabelle opened her mouth, but there was no answer for this problem. Not one that involved Tatiana. “We’re going to take you home soon, baby. Don’t cry, okay? I’ll be right back.”
She hurried out into the hall. “Mal? Where are you?” There were voices in the kitchen. His and Damian’s. And laughter. Good to know they were getting along. She headed down the steps.
“I’m here,” he answered, meeting her in the living room. “You didn’t sleep very long.”
“Lilith was crying. It woke me up.” She sighed. “She wants her mother and to go home.”
Mal nodded. “Poor kid. She’s been through a lot. You get dressed, I’ll tell Jerem we need the car.”
“Thanks.” She ran back upstairs and dug through the bags Fi had brought her, utterly grateful for them. At this point, she doubted her belly would fit into any of her old comarre trousers. She came back downstairs in new maternity jeans and an ivory tunic sweater, Lilith’s little hand firmly in hers. “Is the car here?”
Velimai and Damian were sitting in the living room.
“You want us to go with you?” her brother asked.
“No, thanks. We won’t be long. Sun will be up soon anyway.”
Mal opened the front door. “Ready?”
She nodded, then looked down at the child beside her. “Let’s go, honey. Let’s get you home.”
Thumb secured in her mouth, Lilith followed gamely along and finally let go of Chrysabelle’s hand to hop into the car. Chrysabelle went in after her, then Mal. Lilith patted the seat beside her and commanded, “Sit.”
“Me?” Chrysabelle asked.
“Uh-uh. Hims.” Lilith pointed to Mal.
“Yes, ma’am.” Mal did as he was told. He grinned at Chrysabelle. “Bossy, isn’t she? Kind of reminds me of someone…”
“Hush,” Chrysabelle whispered, laughing a little. Mal was a different man with Lilith. A man who was going to be the exact kind of father she’d dreamed he’d be. Sweet, gentle, protective, loving. Her smile grew. Actually, he was the same with Lilith as he was with her. “You’re so good with her.”
A flicker of sadness shot silver through his eyes. “Sophia was…” He swallowed. “She was everything good in my life. The thought of being a father again…” He glanced out the window. “I feel like I’m getting a second chance.”
“I know.” Sentiment made her voice husky. Her hand drifted to her stomach. There were more emotions in her soul than words in her brain. “I know.”
She sat watching Mal and Lilith until Jerem finally pulled the car to a stop. He powered down the glass divider. “We’re here. Mal, if you want, I’ll go in with Chrysabelle.”
