Open-Haunted-House Read online

  “If you aren’t successful?” She cocked her head.

  Krisfel shrugged. “We will apply to the XIA. Independence is preferable, but if it is not possible, we can work with others.”

  Hannah nodded. “Sensible.”

  Benko smiled. “Where do you think I can find models for the statuary?”

  She laughed. “I can help you advertise for volunteers as long as you keep your hands to yourself.”

  Morith grinned. “Excellent.”

  She chuckled. “Just don’t tongue the marble in front of them until you have had sex a few times. If they don’t have nerves of steel, you might have a problem.”

  Aberan smiled. “We won’t have a problem with them losing their nerve.”

  She raised her brows. “If you use chemical seduction on them, I will tattoo the words my new sister is a bitch on your chests using lightning. I am not good at lightning control yet, so it might injure you more than I would originally intend. You will engage in a polite and modern seduction using charm and proximity. The ladies in question will have to make the first move.”

  The four brothers looked at Neekil. Krisfel said, “Brother, can’t you tell her how things should be?”

  Neekil grinned. “She knows how things have been, and that is why she is changing the rules. Modern women have lives, responsibilities, and families. Simply seducing and stealing them is no longer appropriate. The XIA would be asked to investigate, and you would be arrested for chemical seduction. Are we clear now?”

  They frowned.

  Hannah smiled. “And you have to get your mate’s permission to permanently move her to the caverns, or the XIA will apply to retrieve her. So, permission at all stages of progress, and then, you will have a mate you can keep.”

  Neekil laughed. “Don’t worry. There will be plenty of opportunities for you. The fact that the women can choose also means that if they do set their sights on you, they don’t have to consult or gain permission from a patriarch.”

  “That’s true; also, casual sex is very much a thing. You and they can try each other on for size... so to speak.” Hannah smiled.

  The brothers were all enthusiasm and smiles. Hannah finished her food and grabbed dessert.

  She ate her banana pudding happily, saving her happy groans for the moment. Neekil looked at her curiously, and she flicked her glance toward his siblings.

  He laughed.

  The last thing she wanted was for his siblings to hear the sounds she made when she was really enjoying herself. Getting over her self-consciousness was going to take time.

  When the food was gone and the plates and utensils were disposed of in the fire pit, the guys got back to work, shaping the stone into their chosen patterns. Mainly, it was a lot of couples having sex.

  “I hope that the artistic effort is worth it, or I am going to have to commission a screen to hide the design.” She was looking at it, and she smiled. It was a beautiful mix of stone. Only when she got close to it could she make out the figures.

  Neekil chuckled. “Let them finish it and head home. They can come back tomorrow for final touches, and perhaps we can go out for a drink.”

  She twisted her lips. “We would either need both cars or a bus.”

  He grinned. “We have a day to work it out. What are you doing tomorrow?”

  She groaned. “I am visiting Dr. Melcher and probably getting bloodwork done. You can guess by now how I feel about bloodwork.”

  Neekil nodded. “I can guess. Well, I have a physical for the XIA tomorrow. I need to get there at dawn to pick up my documents and find out where I need to be.”

  She stared at him. “You do?”

  He grinned. “I do. I found out Friday, but we were otherwise occupied.”

  “Oh. Right. That.” She chuckled. She reached out and took his hand. “I keep forgetting about that.”

  He kissed her fingers, and then, she jumped as he licked between them. “Oh, you had the hot sauce.”

  She shivered violently as he went in search of any other traces. When he got to her other hand, he found some dessert on her thumb, and she squeaked as her body reacted to the hot, wet swirl of his tongue.

  She focused on even breathing, and then, he relaxed his grip so she could slide her hands away. “Enough. I am not dessert.”

  He licked his lips. “I beg to differ.”

  His eyes had heat in them, but she shook her head. “I still haven’t gotten the okay for normal activities from my doctor. A few more days. That’s it. The change in my body is going to be enough of a shock for Doc Melcher. Or not. You never know with trolls.”

  Hannah glanced at the brothers, and they had paused to stare, probably while she was making the soft noises when he had his mouth around her thumb.

  She narrowed her eyes, and they grinned and returned back to their work.

  “Right, well, if no one needs me here, I am going to head home to study for my physical.” She turned to leave, but Neekil pulled her into his arms again.

  “I need you.”

  She conceded. “Fine. I am not necessary to this process. I thank your brothers for the effort they are engaged in and look forward to seeing them again tomorrow or later today. How late is it?”

  He checked her phone. “Nearly midnight. Take the car. I will return home later.”

  She nodded and sighed. “Right. I have to be up and out of the house at seven thirty, so no shenanigans when you get home.”

  “Of course not. I will save them until after your appointment.” He grinned.

  She beckoned him in and kissed him quickly, backing away before he could wrap his arms around her. It was intensely frustrating, but she meant it to be.

  He could take out any irritation on the granite. She had to drive back to her house and quickly do some computer searches on birth control for dark elves. This was not something she wanted to be surprised by.

  She took a photo of the progress and walked briskly to the door while Neekil glared at her with his arms crossed. She gave him a jaunty wave and then sprinted down the gallery hall. She knew what to expect when she got the door open and stepped outside, but smacking into Neekil full force was still a bit shocking.

  The kiss was intense; he held her head with his hand cupping her skull and his fingers in her hair.

  When he pulled back, she dragged in air, and then, he kissed her a second time. He pulled her hips forward with his free hand, and she was riding his thigh.

  The contact was electric, and she dug her fingers into his chest as he used his hand to move her against him. The seam of her jeans went from structure to torment, but her body didn’t bother debating clothing design.

  The few days of proximity to him had kept her body at a steady simmer, and this deliberate contact was all she needed.

  She gasped and bucked against him as her orgasm hit. Her body was still twitching when he eased up on the kiss and relaxed the hand at the base of her spine.

  She slumped against him, and when he leaned back, she pressed her forehead to his chest. Hannah flexed her hands and patted his shoulders. Her voice was hoarse when she whispered, “Your brothers are a bad influence on you.”

  He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “I will be parted from you for hours. I wanted to make sure you were thinking of me.”

  She felt a deep throb internally, and she exhaled slowly. “You could have just said so.”

  “I thought this was more effective. It was certainly much more enjoyable.”

  She straightened and looked up at him. “I am not going to forget this.”

  He grinned and stroked her cheek. “I am counting on that.”

  She stepped away from him and got in the car, driving back to the house with her body still humming. Hannah hoped that sleep wasn’t as far away as she imagined.

  Chapter Three

  She had skipped breakfast in case she needed fasting bloodwork and hauled her un-coffeed butt into the med center next
to the XIA headquarters.

  She smiled at the receptionist. “I have an appointment with Dr. Melcher. Hannah Lee.”

  The elf receptionist smiled gracefully. She did everything gracefully. “Please have a seat, Miss Lee.”

  Hannah sat down and flipped through an architectural magazine. She had only gotten through four pages when Dr. Melcher came out and smiled then looked disappointed. “Hannah?”

  She got up, looked to make sure that the waiting room was still empty, and she showed her dark elf face. “Looking for this?”

  He beamed. “Excellent. Come this way.”

  She followed him, his medium grey skin with its elephant-like texture moving surprisingly easily. His lab coat was crisp, and his dark grey hair was slicked behind his jaggedly pointed ears.

  He ushered her into a large exam room and handed her a gown. “Hop up on the table when you are ready.”

  She sighed, and the moment he was out of the room, she stripped. The gown was on, and her clothing was neatly folded in ninety seconds. All her years of physicals never stopped the fear that someone was going to barrel in through the unlocked door.

  She sat on the paper and kicked her feet idly.

  Dr. Melcher came in and smiled brightly, showing his lower tusks and upper fangs. He had some orc in his ancestry, and it made for a delightful smile.

  “Well, Hannah. You have gone through a few changes since I saw you last.”

  He sat down on the rolling chair and scooted himself over to her.

  “It was an eventful week.”

  “Tell me about it, and explain why you are now sitting here as a dark elf war companion.”

  She blinked. “You can tell by looking?”

  “Certainly. I have seen one or two before. Companions to elves who are too delicate as humans and need a few armoured layers. The sacred pools recognize the attachment and the need, and they shape you accordingly.”

  She explained the situation and showed him the images of herself hanging in the entity’s grasp as it drained her of blood.

  She told him about the venom deposits, she told him about Neekil, and finally, she asked him the question she wanted the answer to. “So, what are birth control options for dark elves?”

  He chuckled. “Are you prepared to have me take a look?”

  “It would not be the first time.”

  Five uncomfortable minutes later, she was sitting with her knees together again, and she raised her eyebrows. “Well?”

  “Your physiology remains primarily human, so standard methods should continue to work. If you have any hormonal spikes or hot flashes, come back, and we will get something sorted.”

  He finished drying his hands. “So, I am going to order bloodwork, and we are going to continue to monitor the venom levels in your system. You will have an outstanding lab order. I want a draw once a week for the first month. We will go to every month and then every six months after that. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of things without you having to resort to herbicide.”

  She snorted.

  “Your skin has thickened, but it moves like human skin. So, your nerves and all other tissue remains your own.” He smiled. “The sacred pool protects you, but it didn’t mess with you.”

  Hannah exhaled slowly and rested her head in her hands. “So, what does that mean for my life span?”

  The doctor shrugged. “Time will tell. Literally.”

  She nodded. “Right. Okay. So, bloodwork and then checks for the venom. Hormones if I need them.”

  “That’s it. Anything else?”

  She looked at him. “Know any pressure points to knock out dark elves? It might come in handy.”

  “Sorry. You are going to have to find those out for yourself. It is a matter of XIA security.”

  She was wary. “There is only one XIA agent of dark elf origin, and he is currently suspended.”

  He grinned. “He’s my eight-thirty. I can’t spill XIA secrets.”

  “If I hand you seventy-five bucks, can you give him a stealth vasectomy?” She blinked hopefully. “I know it wouldn’t last, but it would buy some time.”

  He stared. “Seventy-five bucks?”

  “It’s all I have on me.” She bit her lip. “Feel free to tell him I made the request.”

  He stared at her and then started to chuckle. “I value my life, and threatening his sperm is not the way to continue breathing.”

  She shrugged. “It’s a fun joke. Your loss.”

  She got the documents, and he nodded. “Just toss the gown into the hamper when you are done.”

  “Great. Don’t let him sniff it.”

  Dr. Melcher laughed and left the room with his head shaking.

  She was back in her clothing and out the door with her paperwork in under a minute. She was the first patient of the day, so there was no other scent to mask hers. Neekil liked to simply keep his head next to her, breathing her in. She got to the edge of the hall before she was going to enter the waiting room and gritted her teeth when she saw Neekil sitting there, reading a magazine. It was the same architectural magazine that she had been reading.

  She straightened her shoulders and walked past him. She nearly got out of his range when he snagged her arm. She backed up and looked down at him. “Yes?”

  He looked her up and down. “You look very nice this morning.”

  She waited.

  “You forgot my kiss.”

  She leaned in, pressed a hand to his chest, and waited until her lips were less than an inch from his. “I didn’t forget.”

  Hannah straightened. “It is still morning until eleven fifty-nine, I can deliver a morning kiss any time in the next three and a half hours.”

  Doc Melcher came out and smiled at them. “Neekil Ar-Thuat?”

  Neekil got to his feet with his eyes narrowed. “Where are you going now?”

  “Bloodwork and breakfast.”

  He nodded. “Meet me at the diner across the street.”

  She paused. “I have an appointment at ten.”

  “Then, you should get going, Hannah.”

  Grumbling, she stalked out of the clinic and only remembered to put her glamour on when she got a stare from a passing XIA agent.

  “Shit!”

  She hiked down the street to the lab and waited with her requisitions. She was seen in five minutes and out of the lab in five more. The diner across the street from the med center looked nice and quiet. She brushed at her skirt and straightened her blouse cuffs to make sure that her marking wasn’t visible.

  The moment she pulled the diner door open, she wanted to strangle Neekil. Heads swivelled toward her, and she stiffened her shoulders and walked in, sliding into a booth while every XIA agent that had just gotten off the night shift stared at her.

  Shadows loomed at the edge of her booth. Kairek winked. Dremian grinned, and Emmers was snickering. “Miss Lee, what brings you to our corner of the city?”

  She looked at the menu, grinning at the calorie counts. “Just here for breakfast. Had some bloodwork done down the street and am famished. This place was recommended by an asshole.”

  Emmers laughed. “So, he’s back to normal then.”

  “Can he ever really be normal?” She looked the menu over and looked past the guys to the server. “Can I get a coffee and full breakfast with bacon, please?”

  The woman nodded with a grin and turned away.

  Dremian looked nervous. “You are looking better.”

  “Yeah, that happens. Neekil has insisted on monitoring my health. Please, take him back and get him out of my hair.”

  The asshole in question came in, and cries of greeting sounded from around the diner. He grinned, bowed, and then, he focused on her. He made his way through the diner, accepting smacks on the arm and claps on the back. He got to her and looked at his previous team. “Glad to see you. All the paperwork is done, just waiting on the results of the physical.”

  He s
tood next to her bench seat and leaned in. “Really, Hannah? A vasectomy?”

  She looked up at him and kept her eyes wide and innocent. “Just planning ahead.”

  His gaze went from irritated to hot, he then groaned. “You are killing me.”

  She patted his cheek. “No, that isn’t even on my to-do list right now. Sit down and have breakfast.”

  His team was staring.

  Hannah smiled as her coffee arrived. She glanced at Emmers. “What?”

  “Uh, women don’t normally react to him like that.”

  “Well, I have the peculiar situation of being in a peculiar situation with him.”

  He grinned and picked up his menu. “Wow, two peculiars in one sentence. Usually, you default to weird.”

  She grinned and doctored her coffee. “It is an excellent fallback position.”

  Emmers asked Neekil, “Are you back on duty?”

  “I will know in a few hours. I wouldn’t start until your next shift. You guys just went off, right?”

  Dremian blinked. “How did you know that?”

  “Kairek always eats a jelly donut on the last day of a stretch. He is wearing powdered sugar.”

  Emmers snorted. “And this is why we are eager to have you back.”

  Hannah looked at Neekil. “Are you sure you can’t start right away? I mean, you could do some filing. Shine bullets, that kind of thing.”

  Neekil’s three partners were staring with mouths open.

  Neekil cleared his throat. “Your glamour slipped.”

  “It didn’t slip.” She sipped at her coffee and slowly glared at every single man in her immediate eye line. That was seventy percent of the diner.

  The men met her gaze, and a few smiled and waved. She recognized Imara’s boyfriend and his group; there was also a triad of men with a single woman. Hannah recognized her. “Benny!” She waved.

  Benny grinned and toasted her. “Morning, Hannah. How’s Neekil doing?”

  “He’s recovered, and I am eager for him to get back to work so I can get back to work. He is rather distracting.” Hannah sipped at her coffee, and the diner at large was looking befuddled as they carried on the conversation over other patrons.