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"I'm married to three men. I may not know how to run your computer al that wel , I may not be able to kick ass like Menol y, my magic may be fucked-up part of the time, but trust me on this: I know men. And I know you."
She laughed, throaty and ful and rich, and my tension slid away like melting butter on a cob of corn. I inhaled a deep breath and wil ed the guilt to wash away, wil ed the pain to fade.
"So, even though Chase and I are . . . just friends now, you're saying that it's okay that I don't turn to Zach." I glanced over at her quickly, then back to the road. She was smiling.
"Think about it: Would you want to be picked by someone, knowing you were their second choice? In the long run, he'd hate you for it."
"That makes sense. For a while, I felt that Chase had chosen me only after you told him in no uncertain terms that he'd never taste your pussy."
"Oh no, you didn't!" She coughed, laughing. "I can't believe you just said that, Miss Priss."
I laughed along with her. "Hey, it's the truth," I said as I turned onto the street leading to Carter's. "Now, let's go have a chat with the demonmeister and then get you home."
And everything was okay. I might be alone again, but I wasn't lonely. I had my sisters and my friends with me.
CHAPTER 7
Carter opened the door, much to my surprise. It was usual y his foster daughter Kim who bade us enter. She was halfsuccubus, half-human--in particular: of Chinese ancestry. Her mother--a ful succubus--had abandoned her to be sold as a slave. Carter, demon of unknown origin, had bought Kim as a baby and raised her like a daughter. The girl was mute, though no one knew why, and she doted on her foster father, keeping house for him in the basement apartment of the ten-story brick building.
A narrow stairwel led to the apartment, but Carter had hired a powerful witch to erect a permanent grid of protection around the front of his home and the sidewalk and parking spaces near it. We could park in front of his place and never once worry about our cars being vandalized. I ended up half-carrying Camil e down the steps, afraid she'd fal if I didn't.
I glanced around. "Where's Kim? She okay?"
If he looked surprised to see us, he didn't indicate it. His red hair was in shocking disarray, but it was for effect, careful y groomed, and the long, curved horns rol ed back off his head, coiling like an impala's. Carter wore a brace on one knee and walked with a cane, but he was always elegant and suave.
"She's out shopping," he said. Bidding us to sit, he excused himself for a moment and slipped through the door that led to the kitchen.
Carter was an excel ent host, and his living room was nothing less than an old-fashioned parlor, with richly upholstered sofa and chairs and solid, handcrafted tables. In one corner stood a huge desk where he did his research. An elaborate computer setup covered one entire side of it.
Camil e and I sat down, gingerly looking around. This was the first time we'd been here without Vanzir accompanying us, and I could tel she was just as intimidated as I was. Carter's powers remained unknown--at least to us--and I wasn't sure I wanted to find out just what they were. At least, not the hard way. He was on our side, but with demons, you never knew.
Carter returned from the other room pushing a double-decker tea cart. Steaming tea and a plate of petit fours nestled on the top rack. On the lower, I caught a glimpse of two kittens, curled together, grooming each other. While both were predominantly white, one had cream markings on her and the other, a few splotches of black. Their hair was soft and medium-long and they were striking in their looks, solid for their age.
"You have cats!" For some reason this fact surprised me. Camil e looked around, and I pointed to the tea cart.
He nodded. "Aegean cats, yes. They like people. Feel free to pet them. The cream and white is Roxy, the black and white, Lara."
"Oh, how adorable! Look, Delilah!" Camil e scooped up the cream one and snuggled her face against its fur.
I gave her a long look. "Not a good idea for me to pet them. You pet them. Have fun." Although they were kittens, there was always the chance my Tabby self would get bent out of shape and protest. I smiled softly, wishing I could snuggle them, too, but better to err on the side of their safety.
Camil e turned to me. "Oh, I wish we could have a few of these around."
The look on her face sparked off a twinge of guilt, and I sighed. "If you stand ready, then hand one to me, and I'l see how it goes." I bit my lip, and she gently placed the black-and-white kitten in my hands and hovered over me.
The fur was so soft and the face so winsome. Even though a few of my defenses began to rise, I slipped under the kitten's spel . I was about to hand it back to her when the baby let out a loud screech, startling me, and I quickly set it on the sofa. Before I knew what I was doing, I abruptly shifted into my tabby self and leapt up beside it. That mew had been a need-Mommy cry, and there was no mommy in sight.
I grabbed the kitten by the scruff of the neck and jumped onto the floor, carrying it with me as I crawled beneath a nearby end table. I gently held the baby down with one paw as I began to groom her face.
"Hold stil ," I told her. "You need a good grooming, and you haven't been doing it right."
The kitten didn't say anything, but she stared at me with such huge eyes that I found myself wanting to do everything I could to protect her. She began to purr, and I groomed harder. When Camil e leaned down to haul me out, I growled. I knew my sister wasn't going to hurt her, but no way in hel were they taking this kitten away from me.
"Delilah, Delilah? Honey? You have to change back. Please, don't make us drag you out of there," Camil e said, holding out the other squirming kitten in her hands. "This little girl needs her sister. Come on out, Delilah. Now. "
Something about her tone caught my attention. Her voice was compel ing, and though I didn't want to listen, I had to obey. I tried to resist, but final y I gave in and slunk out from beneath the end table. The kitten fol owed me, batting my tail happily, and I didn't even swat it. I didn't even want to swat it.
While Carter corral ed the kittens and put them in a playpen, Camil e caught me up. She sat me on the sofa and waggled her finger at me. I batted it, and she laughed, petting me gently. As I relaxed, I realized that I was ready to change back and gently leapt out of her lap and off the sofa, crossing to an open spot on the floor.
