Chapter 15

15

I'll admit I stared in shock at the sight of Cain and Vance standing on the ledge outside my cave. My dog uttered a short bark and planted himself in front of me.

"Hey," I stated, at a loss for words. "Is there a problem at the castle? Am I needed on a mission?" I noticed they'd dressed warmly. Mizuki must have warned them about my frigid locale.

"No problem." Vance shook his head. "We came to see you."

Cain pursed his lips as he glanced around. "Mizuki said something about you living in a cave, but we couldn't find it."

Could he not see the door? Guess my secret place didn't admit just anyone.

"Come on inside." I led the way into my home, Clover trotting heads high at my side.

The boys craned to peek with curiosity and Vance whistled as he said, "This isn't just a cave."

My lips quirked. "Technically, it is, but it's had some upgrades." I waved my hand as I named off rooms. "Bathroom. Bedroom. Library. Kitchen. Speaking of which, are you guys hungry? Smells like Isadora's got dinner ready and I am starved after the busy afternoon I had." Expending magic took effort and calories.

"Where were you?" Vance asked as they followed me into the kitchen.

"On another planet getting rid of a vampire." My nonchalant reply.

No surprise, Cain exploded. "Alone!"

"I had Clover with me." I didn't mention the fact Clover had been mesmerized.

"You shouldn't be going off into danger by yourself," Vance agreed.

"It wouldn't be the first time. You should have seen the demons I took out the last time I visited Topiia."

"Demons!" Poor Cain, his red face had me worried for his health.

"Don't worry. I handled them. Did you know Topiia doesn't have reapers and witches?"

"What is this Topiia?" Vance asked with a crease in his brow. "I don't think I've heard of it."

"It's another world inhabited by humans brought over a long time ago from Earth. Still living the simple life, no high-tech shit or crowded places. Pretty place but it has monster issues. Great place to practice my skills."

The boys blinked as I stepped past them to the basin of water to wash my hands.

Isadora squeaked. "I didn't know we were having guests. I will fetch some bread and wine."

Ooh, we had wine?

I turned to find Grim One and Grim Two glaring at me with crossed arms.

"Uh-oh, am I in trouble?" I mocked.

"What do you think?" Cain growled whereas Vance gave me that disappointed look.

I sighed as I slumped in a chair. "Must you both give me attitude?" I leaned down to scratch Clover's heads.

"We will when you take unnecessary risks."

"According to you. Meanwhile, there's a family delighted with the fact I saved their bacon twice." Which reminded, I really should get names next time now that I could understand them.

"What's going on with you, Sadie?" Vance slid into the only chair across from me. "Leaving the castle to live alone, going on dangerous solo missions."

"You know why I left, and honestly, best thing ever. I like the privacy. As to the missions, how is it any different from what you do as reapers?"

"For one, we usually hunt in groups of two or more," Cain lectured.

"We also let someone know where we're going and why," Vance added.

I rolled my eyes. "Excuse me, I didn't realize I needed permission to do my job."

Vance softened his tone. "We worry about you."

"Yeah, worry so much you were dicks when I popped into the castle yesterday," I reminded.

"We were a tad pissed you left," Cain grumbled.

"And thought giving me attitude would be a good way to talk me into coming back?"

Vance at least had the grace to look sheepish. "We could have handled that better."

"Ya think?" I drawled.

"I'm sorry," Vance stated.

"Me too," Cain grumbled.

"Sorry about what? Being a dick? Or the fact you wanted to kill my dog?"

"In my defense, I thought it might harm you or others," Cain shrugged.

Said dog currently lay on his back with legs in the air, looking triply hopeful about a belly rub so I slid to the floor to give him one. "Clover is so vicious, aren't you baby?" I crooned.

To my surprise, Vance crouched beside me and held out a hand for Clover to sniff. "He is cute."

"And better than a heated blanket in bed."

"You let him sleep in the bed?" Cain muttered with a grimace.

"Says a guy who obviously never had a pet." Neither had I, but I'd seen the videos and always wondered what it would be like to be so loved.

"Doesn't it shed?" Cain asked.

"Probably."

"What if it pees?"

I snorted. "Clover is potty trained." Luckily, he let me know when he needed to go. I wondered if I could get some kind of magic doggy door installed so he could pop out at will.

Cain didn't relent. "He might be nice now, but you never know when he'll snap." He clicked his fingers.

"If Clover snaps then you can say I told you so."

Cain uttered a long-suffering sigh, but Vance was grinning as Clover, with a new friend, went to fetch his three balls and dropped them in his lap, tail wagging like crazy.

"I had a dog growing up," Vance admitted as he stood in the kitchen doorway, tossing the balls for Clover to fetch. "But Polka wasn't very smart unless it came to food. I remember when he figured out how to open the fridge and ate the roast Mom was thawing for Easter dinner. She chased him around with a broom, yelling at him to drop it."

"The real question was, did she save the roast?" I did so love a good rare one with gravy and mashed potatoes.

Vance's grin widened. "Nope. We ended up ordering in pizza."

Isadora suddenly bellowed, "Dinner!"

At times, my brownie accomplished impossible feats. Or so it seemed. For example, she had a skillet suspended over the fire on which seared some meat and veggies. The pot that used to hang on the hook sat on the counter and from it she ladled noodles. But here's the thing. I'd not helped her set up the skillet or move the pot. Just like I don't know how she suddenly found a baguette longer than my arm to slice up into chunks.

I wondered if brownies were like those shoe-cobbling elves in stories, using magic to do tasks but only when no one was around to watch.

We each grabbed a plate and used some tongs to add meat and veggies to the creamy pasta. I sat at the table across from Vance. Cain perched his ass on the counter and balanced his plate. Clover begged like a good boy and was rewarded by Isadora who tossed hunks of meat and veggies at each head.

For dessert we had strawberry pie. I didn't care or ask where Isa got strawberries from. As if I'd question the goodness melting in my mouth.

After dinner, she shooed us from the kitchen when we offered to help with dishes.

"Go spend time with your men," she stated.

My men? Ha. More like the pains in my asses. I still wasn't quite sure why they'd come. Cain still had a stick up his ass—normal for him—although Vance did seem a bit more relaxed. He'd definitely taken to Clover. We ended up in the main room where Vance played more fetch with my dog while I sat on the floor.

Cain joined me, stretching his long legs. "You could use a couch."

"Might be kind of hard to carry up the mountain," I quipped.

"Fuck carrying it. We'd toss some ropes around the frame and haul it up."

"It would probably be easier to portal one," Vance suggested.

I wondered what Fay would think of having the Continuum used to move furniture.

As Vance hit the floor to play wrestle with the dog, Cain murmured, "I am sorry about what I said about the dog."

"Does that mean you won't be trying to kill him the moment I turn my back?"

"Your dog is safe so long as he causes no harm."

"Fair enough."

His voice lowered. "I also should have stepped in when Nova tried to spell you. In my defense, I didn't expect her to do that."

"You and me both. She came here, you know, and apologized."

"She did?" A lilt of surprise in his reply.

"Yeah. I think it was more her way of getting a peek at my library."

"Mizuki said something about you finding some books."

"Yeah, a whole bunch, but they're in a language no one can read anymore. She's trying to see if she can figure them out. There's a few of them that might be useful as they seem to be about demons."

"What's there to say? Evil. Better off dead." Cain had a very simple view of things.

"Are they? You all thought Clover was a deadly killing machine." We glanced at my dog giving Vance slobbery kisses.

"You going to tell me those gray demon fuckers are just misunderstood?" Cain's sarcastic reply.

"No. They're bad news alright. However, here's an interesting fact, that book on demons that Mizuki borrowed? Didn't have my dog in it."

"And?"

"Don't you see? It means not everything from Inferis is inherently evil."

"Yeah, I don't know if I believe that," he drawled.

"I've got another tidbit for you. Did you know vampires are descended from demon princes?"

"Ha. Who told you that bullshit?" he scoffed.

"The vampire in Topiia before I killed him. We had a bit of a chat. Turns out he was born not turned. Nor was he undead. He said that demon princes who impregnate humans make vamps."

"And you believed him?" Cain's incredulity shone through.

I shrugged. "It's more plausible actually than it being a virus."

"What is?" Vance asked, joining us to flop on the floor, his new best friend splayed at his side, panting from all three heads.

"Vampires are born not made. Demon prince and a human woman equals a vamp," I stated.

"Hunh. That might explain why they don't seem to multiply at a crazy rate. What about the other demons?" Vance asked.

"Dunno. We didn't exactly get into that and once I cut off his head, he wasn't very talkative."

Cain barked with laughter. "That's my girl."

"Your girl? I'm sorry who says you get to be the one to claim me," I pertly replied to his statement.

"You're really going to be a stickler for the whole sharing thing, aren't you?" Cain stated.

"Fuck choosing. If I'm going to put my life on the line, then I want the whole damned cake."

Vance and Cain eyed each other. I couldn't decipher it and chose to ignore it.

I rose, stretching. "While this is fun, I really need a bath. I swear I've still got that vamp's pheromones or whatever he emitted clinging to my hair and skin. Join me, or don't. Up to you." I tossed the invitation and walked away, entering the bathroom but leaving the door open.

The tub remained full as ever and Clover dove in without waiting for me and paddled around, his furnace-hot body warming the tub water.

I heated it some more with magic until the surface steamed. Sinking into it had me sighing in pleasure. Nothing like a hot soak after a battle with a vampire. Pity I had to bathe alone, though.

Splash. Splash.

What the hell? I opened my eyes and gasped.

And flushed.

And tingled.

You would, too, if you had two naked reapers in the tub.