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I blew a raspberry. “I have no idea. My only plan tonight was hoping Jared wanted to have sex under the full moon with me.”
“Yes. Absolutely yes, and we can still do that, nugget,” he groaned, pulling me out of my chair and hugging me. “I think that a fitting victory party.”
“Do you want to be her familiar forever?” Jackson reminded him, throwing cold water on the moment.
“Fuck.” Jared apologized when I flinched, and they started bickering which turned into arguing, and I wasn’t sure they even knew what they were fighting about, just the tension and issues setting everyone off.
I snapped my fingers when an idea hit me. “I know what to do.” I raced to the summoning circle that was hidden under a rug in what was probably supposed to be a study. I cut my hand and activated it, focusing on who I wanted to summon.
Are you ready to let me help you, darling?
“Whoa, I heard that in my head,” Jesse whispered. “Okay, so we’re already that deep of familiars.”
I ignored him and answered the spirit. “I offer an hour on this side for some counseling. For now. Maybe this will be a regular thing, but we’re—we need some perspective.”
Add a glass of wine and I’m all yours.
Done. We made the deal and I let him possess me while Jesse went to get the wine, handing it to me.
“There’s only one place that delivers out this far and what I made is ruined, so I called for Chinese and you can just pick at what you want, okay? We all need to eat.”
The spirit nodded my head. “You’ve progressed well with your hate of food and eating. Well done, darling. Keep on the path you are and allow this patient man to help you realize that the chains and pain are gone. Food is too lovely to not enjoy.” He waited until I agreed, gesturing for the others to sit, using my memories to get caught up. “Ah, I see, yes, well, this is a pickle you are all in.”
“So you were a therapist?” Jackson asked, sharing a wary look with the others.
“I was a psychiatrist specializing in trauma and relationships. Unfortunately, one of my patients had a mental breakdown and stabbed me. Larissa made a deal with me to help work through that resentment and anger so I could focus on making sure my patient received the treatment he needed.”
“But you didn’t move on?” Jackson pushed.
“Another conversation for another time but right now, the focus is the four of you.”
I took a sip of the wine, feeling the spirit’s delight it was a good bottle. Tallulah didn’t make bad wine and I loved her new sparkling fruit wines.
“Now, first, you each need to come to terms with your part of the situation you are in. Thora was right and you have to take ownership.
“You did not run like Larissa warned you. You offered aid. You were willing to do anything to save her. Own it. She has her own side to own as well.
“From there, you need to decide if this is what you want. If a life with her, a woman you clearly care for, is what you want. Next, if you can share her with your siblings.”
“You’re going sort of fast here, man,” Jared grumbled, rubbing his hand over his head. “Slow down a bit.”
“I only have an hour, and I’m not saying you have to do it now; I’m laying out the healthy path that’s best over the foreseeable future. If you choose to walk it, that is your decision.
“Next, you also need to consider your siblings in your decision. One of you only deciding means leaving the others behind and a very weird situation with Larissa who would be your sister-in-law then.”
“Okay, yeah, she was right to call you,” Jesse whispered, bobbing his head as it sunk in the weight of the decision. “Next?”
“Once decided and you own those decisions, you need to start outlining what you need to make this work. Larissa must do all the same as you. She’s had a much,muchmore traumatic past than any of you and to depths you don’t realize. You need to accept that to make this work as the job of a familiar is to love and support their witch.”
“Give us some specifics,” Jackson pushed.
I shrugged. “I cannot give you all the answers as you need to know what is right for you. This will now be your home. You won’t leave after the job, and Thora and Gaia seem very intent that this becomes Larissa’s land.
“Fine, what do you need to make that work? I wouldsuggestyour own bedrooms so you have your space. You can go into hers, she can come into yours, but you understand there are boundaries.
“And I cannot stress enough that you need to focus on your relationship with her, not allow it to become a competition. You are siblings, so of course there will be some of that, but you need to accept it’s a challenge and not let her become a triplet shiny toy to bicker over as she’s already felt that and it hurts her. Deeply.
“She will be afraid of three men as you met the monsters she was supposed to be with. So understanding for the foreseeable future you are not a unit, but individuals, and that will helpyouaccept this as well.
