“I wouldn’t like it,” Gunnar mutters, and I snicker. I don’t know what it says about me that he thought I would ask them to fuck each other. Oh well, I accepted I was a twisted bitch a long time ago.
I stand up and saunter over to Grim. His eyes track my every movement, and that’s how I know what I’m about to say is true. “You’ll give me whatever I want anyway, Loverboy, and I’m still going.” I plant a tiny kiss on his lips then flounce away—well, as much as I can flounce anyway.
“Stars!” Grim grouses.
* * *
“Areyou sure you wouldn’t rather stay home and open up a fresh gallon of yogurt? I got cookies,” Calix cajoles.
“Yogurt doesn’t even come in gallons, that’s ice cream.” I can’t help but give him a little bit of fruitless hope. “What kind of cookies?”
“Oreos, and chocolate chip, the chewy kind.”
“And the brownie ones you like,” Gunnar adds.
“Since we’re already halfway there…” I pretend to weigh my options.
“Damn it, I told you, you should have said something before we left,” Gunnar snaps.
“If you think some yogurt and cookies are enough to get me to say home, you don’t know me as well as you think.”
“And that’s why I didn’t even really try.” Calix sighs. Gunnar grumbles under his breath, and I swear I hear a few curses. I reach over and take Gunnar’s hand to show him I was just teasing with my comment about him not really knowing me.
“Does the school know we’re coming?”
“No, I think it’s better if we just show up. Plus, we can tell them we’re looking into different schools for our little monster.”
I immediately wrap my arm over my big belly. “I’m not sending her away to school!”
“Of course not, it’s just a good excuse to get into the school and tour some classrooms. Last time we were there, we barely got to even see the kids, let alone speak to them about dark magic and promises from a witch.”
The baby kicks, and I get a silly grin on my face. “It feels like she has claws when she goes at my guts. Do you think she’ll have sharp teeth?” I’m so excited to see her. When we went to the initial ultrasound, she looked just like any other baby blob on the screen. I wanted to get one of those 3D ones now that I’m further along, but the guys talked me out of it.
“Damiana, she will most likely be born a human baby. Even born shifters are born human,” Calix tells me, bursting my bubble.
“Gods willing, she will look just like you. Can you imagine a female version of us?” Gunnar shakes his head as if the thought is terrible.
“I think she would be lucky to have your teeth, or Calix’s ability to shift. Maybe even be able to portal like Grim.” We all talk about her like she will have a piece of each of them, and she will, just not genetically speaking.
“We’re here,” Gunnar announces needlessly, as we pull up to a gatehouse. A uniformed guard steps out of the little building. He gives the car a superficial onceover while Gunnar rolls down the driver’s side window.
“Help you?” he mumbles. His suit is generic, and so is everything else about him. Considering how many times I snuck out of this place as a child, I don’t think they put any more effort into the security staff than they did back then.
I lean across Gunnar and give my belly a little rub for emphasis before saying, “We’re here for a tour.”
The guard’s brows dip low. “Open house is in July.”
“Oh darn, we just returned to the area, and this is where I went to school, so…”
“You’re a legacy?” He scratches the side of his face with his stubby fingers.
“Can you just call us in and tell them we’re willing to make a sizeable donation to ensure the acceptance of our child?” Gunnar taps his fingers on the steering wheel. His patience is already waning.
The guard nods his head knowingly and steps back into the little brick building. I catch sight of a television as the door closes. “Takes his job seriously, that one.”
“Money talks,” Calix remarks from the back seat.
I turn and grab the seat so I can see Grim behind me. “You’re awfully quiet back there. Everything okay?”
