"So whose kid is it again?" Harry asks, looking seriously uncomfortable sitting on the chaise in my bedroom. I don't blame him. It's been several weeks since the fight with Rumpel, and I've spent about half of it in my gross apartment above Dog Town.
Oh, and did I mention that Mrs. Johnson, the owner, actually works for a dog rescue?! After I caught her luring another stray in, I hid behind a dumpster and then followed her to a veterinarian's office. So I guess she doesn't serve dog meat then? I'm not ruling out pixie meat though, not yet. I did see her swat one the other day like it was a fly. Totally heartless.
"Uh, the magic went a little funky so..." I start, leaning back on the bed and waiting for Miri to come out of the bathroom. She's been trying on all my spelled dresses and trying to convince me to give her one. I told her she could have the white one for her future wedding with Harry and he got all weird on me. Dickhead. "Like, all of them?"
"All of them?" Harry asks, frowning, his tusks protruding from his mouth. "All three of them are the fathers?"
"Why is that so weird?" I say, still not sure how I feel about this whole scenario. It's hard to wear leather pants, and stab vampire royals in the throat when one's nine months pregnant. But I guess I'll figure that part out later? "They're triplets, Harry. And it's Rumpel Stiltz magic, so what did you expect?"
"What did I expect? You told me you couldn't have kids."
"Which I was pretty excited about," I say, pausing when the door opens and the House Stiltz liaisons walk in. All three of them. It's about three times the level of hotness needed for me to spontaneously orgasm, sooooo... Lucky me? "I didn't really want kids, but I guess this is sort of a one-time deal with the fertility magic and all that? With Rumpel dead, I can't really replicate the moment, so I guess it's cool."
"Aw, you're such a sweetie," Sorrow says, picking up a dirty towel from the floor even though there are plenty of human servants to do it. "I appreciate you doing us such a huge favor." He comes over to the bed and kisses my cheek. The sweet little gesture turns lascivious when he decides to lick me instead, and I bat him away. But his words, pretty sure those are sincere.
Wolfe sits down beside me on the bed, glaring at Harry. Now that the asshole vampire sort of likes me a little, he uses his scowling and grumpy attitude to chase off everyone around me instead of focusing it all on me, which is nice. You know, especially if I'm carrying his kid.
"We've had enough time to rest," Vyce says, focusing his attention on me. "It's time to teach you a few tricks."
"I killed Rumpel, didn't I?" I grumble, but Vyce just crosses his arms over his chest and stares me down. "I don't get a pass for being pregnant?"
"Not yet. Maybe later, just to be safe. But magic, you can do that no matter how...uh...big you get."
"Big?" I ask, chucking a pillow at him. He catches it and smoothly tosses it onto the window seat. I don't know these guys for shit, and technically, Rumpel burned our contract, so there's really no reason I have to stick around.
But I want to.
When I'm around Vyce or Sorrow or Wolfe—or especially all three of them—I don't feel quite so alone anymore. Plus, I like Harry and Miri is...you know, okay-ish. So for now at least, I'll stick around here. I want to see what happens with House Stiltz now that Rumpel's gone anyway.
Things are bound to get interesting in this city, especially now that I've learned I'm the second in line to the throne of House Verenim. There's a whole castle here filled with the history of my father and maybe a few more clues about my mother.
Now that I don't have to run and hide anymore, maybe I can track down my grandparents and learn a little more about her.
"If you're off to train," Harry starts when Miri comes out of the bathroom in a pink dress and flips her green braid over one shoulder, "then we should get out of here before the vamps decide to snap our necks and bury us out back."
I roll my eyes.
"You can keep the dress," I tell the ogre girl as her eyes flick between the three Stiltz brothers. "Go dancing in it or something. Apparently, I won't get a chance to. I have to 'train'." I make quotes with my fingers as Sorrow ruffles up my blonde hair and I slap his hand away. "I'll be sure to give you a white one when Harry finally proposes."
"Go to hell, Cameron," he snarls, standing up and taking his new girlfriend's hand. He gives me a curt nod on his way out that says love ya, kid in his own, unique gruff way. Once the door is closed behind him, I turn to the three men in my room.
I have no idea what's going to happen between us, not even with future babies in the picture.
But I plan on finding out.
"Training first...or sex?" I ask, and Sorrow pretends to think for a moment before snapping his fingers.
"Sex," he says as Vyce smiles wickedly.
"Definitely sex," he agrees, and we all turn to Wolfe.
He glares at the other two men in the room before putting his hand on my knee.
"Sex. But you two can get the fuck out and come back later."
"Who's the one that needs a lesson now?" I ask with a raised brow. "Didn't anyone ever teach you to share in kindergarten?"
"Good luck with that one," Sorrow says, scooting close to me, until our legs are pressed up together. "He's a stubborn one."
"I'm willing to try," I say with a grin, scooting back from the boys and into the mound of pillows near the headboard. The way they're all looking at me now, I'm not actually worried. Wolfe will stay and he'll have a damn good time. I'll make sure of that. "And try and try and try..."
Vyce takes off his coat and tosses it aside while Wolfe removes his weapons and Sorrow kicks off his boots.
I take a second to appreciate the moment.
Everything is calm; everything is okay.
But it won't last.
Nah. I'm going to get lucky right now, but I'm not that lucky.
I'm Cameron Darke, dhampir, Stiltz trainee, and...dating three dudes?
I've never had an adventure quite like this before, but I'm looking forward to it.
What woman wouldn't?