28. Twenty Eight

twenty-eight

A few months later

The ring of the doorbell had me pounding down the stairs to answer it. I cursed as I got a face full of fake spider web.

“Who put this here?” I growled, swiping it away.

Unsuccessfully, I might add.

I sputtered, trying to get it out of my mouth as I flailed my arms. “What did I tell you guys about the decorations?”

Nathan popped his head around the corner. “That they look awesome and we’re doing a spectacular job?”

I glared. “I told you we had enough and to stop putting up more.”

Nathan pretended to consider. He shook his head. “Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell.”

He ducked back around the corner, busying himself with whatever it was he was doing as I stomped the rest of the way down the stairs, being careful to avoid the cauldrons someone had placed on the side of the steps.

“What are you even doing here? Don’t you have your own place?” I asked.

Since our return from Vegas, our lives had settled into something of a new routine. Deborah had survived the transition to vampire and was now learning the ropes of her new existence.

And I was figuring out what it meant to be a sire.

I wasn’t quite sure I had the hang of my new role, but I had help in the form of Liam and Connor.

Liam had embraced his role as House Travers’s enforcer.

A little too well.

His obsession with security was starting to drive me crazy. I was also pretty sure he’d taken to following me when I left to take care of the odd job.

We’d yet to discuss his stalkerish behavior. There’d been one too many coincidences of him showing up where he had no business being. Usually right before things took a dangerous turn. I had a feeling he was also the one responsible for a few of my more complicated jobs going off without a hitch. It was almost like someone was always one step ahead of me, smoothing my way to ensure I didn’t hit any snags.

That someone being Liam.

The biggest surprise was Inara’s survival.

No one knew quite what she was now. Neither pixie nor vampire but rather something in between.

I’d been afraid she’d hate me when she woke up, but so far, she’d been quiet. More thoughtful than morose.

It was a big deal for your species to change so I was trying to give her space to process.

Another thing that was new was that my house seemed to have become a gathering point for the enforcers. It was rare not to trip over one of them. Either sitting on my couch and watching my tv or roaming my woods. I’d mostly given up on asking why they were here except when they did something totally outrageous. Like fill the first level of my house with Halloween decorations.

It wasn’t even Halloween. That had been a month ago.

“I like the atmosphere here,” Nathan said, hanging another bat from the ceiling. “Plus, I didn’t want to miss the party.”

“What party?”

Were they throwing parties in my house now? Without telling me first?

Nathan flashed me a sharp toothed smile. “Movie night. Didn’t you hear?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. He knew I hadn’t. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be smirking at me like that.

“Liam!” I shouted, knowing he was somewhere around. “Get control of your boys.”

Nathan’s snicker followed me as I made my way to the front door.

Opening it, I paused to frown at the car peeling out of my driveway. Gravel spraying everywhere from the speed at which they accelerated.

Leaving aside the matter of my sister’s drag race impression, I frowned down at the child standing on my front step. “Linda, what are you doing here?”

“Movie night.” She handed an envelope to me. “Mom said this is for you.”

“Hold on just one second.” I gave my niece a tight smile before twisting to glare over my shoulder. “Since when are you and my niece phone buddies?”

“Not your niece; your sister;” Nathan called from the depths of the house.

I took a calming breath. “Since when are you and my sister phone buddies?”

Nathan appeared at the end of the hallway. “Ask Connor. He’s the one who gave me her digits.” He held out his hand to my niece. “Are you ready for our scary movie-thon?”

Linda giggled and darted forward, rolling her child size suitcase over the hardwood floor as she headed for Nathan.

“What’s with the luggage?” I asked.

“Read the letter,” Nathan ordered, bending down to smile at Linda as she reached him. “Okay—put your scary face on so the monsters don’t frighten us.”

Linda giggled again before waving at Connor, who’d appeared from upstairs. “Hi, Uncle Connor.”

“Hello, child.”

Connor took one look at me and decided to follow Nathan and Linda into the living room, leaving me to deal with this mysterious letter that everyone except me seemed to know about.

Opening the envelope, I withdrew what was inside and unfolded it. Skimming quickly, I stopped half way before going back to the beginning to read it more carefully.

Aileen,

Something has come up and I have to be gone for a little while. If you could watch your niece for me, I’d appreciate it.

Kisses and hugs,

Your sister

I fumbled for my phone, unlocking it and dialing the number for Jenna. Unsurprisingly, it rolled immediately over to voicemail.

“Get your ass back here,” I snapped. “Vampires do not make good babysitters.”