Owed A Night (An Obscure Magic Book 12) Read online

  He paused. “Right. If no investigator is available, it is useless information.”

  “Yup. I can see what I see as a witness, but unless someone moves the investigation, it is pointless.”

  She wiped her hands on an alcohol wipe and nodded. “So, we are good?”

  “Yes.”

  “And I can bring my nephew to the XIA gym?”

  He chuckled. “It’s in your contract. You sure he is up for it?”

  She turned her phone’s screensaver to him. “He needs something a little more robust than a standard gym, and I am not allowed to enrol at the gym in the neighbourhood.”

  He looked at her and nodded. “Ah. Right.”

  “Well, I have to get some drapes up. You reminded me of my neighbours.”

  He laughed. “Fine. You are on the books.”

  She grinned. “Thank you. I look forward to working with the department.”

  Jen got her purse and left the facility, handing over her visitor’s pass and claiming her contractor’s pass at the security desk. She sighed and headed to the hardware store to find some cellular blinds.

  She waited until Corit was home from school and studying at his desk in the living room before she put Day-ek’s number in her phone, and she sent him a quick message.

  Apologies for the quick change. Forgot I didn’t have blinds. That has been corrected. Sorry again.

  She set her phone aside, and dinner was nearly ready when there was a knock on the door. Jen walked to the front door, and Day-ek was standing there. He lifted his phone. “It wasn’t a problem, though I did have trouble getting to sleep after watching a honey-coloured whirlwind with surprising curves so close to me, yet untouchable.”

  She bit her lip, and his eyes darkened to black. “Yeah, it took me a while to figure out where I had gotten the sexy orc poster on my wall, and then, I realized it was the window. I figured it out near the XIA headquarters.”

  He chuckled. “You flatter me.”

  “I think that you get all the attention you could want. Women get all swoony when you are mentioned.”

  He shrugged. “Attention is one thing; affection is another. Your house smells amazing.”

  She sighed. “Would you like to come for dinner, Speaker Tell?”

  He grinned. “I would love to.”

  “It’s lasagna. I make a ton of it and freeze it.” She sighed and stepped aside. “Come in.”

  He stepped forward and kissed her. It was a quick press of lips that got her blood pulsing but definitely a kiss.

  Corit’s voice rang out. “Hey, Mr. Tell. Having you as a neighbour is an excellent icebreaker.”

  She reeled her senses in and closed the door behind him. “Have a seat in the living room. I am going to be making garlic bread. Reymark doesn’t have an issue with it, does he? I know Jennor won’t. He seems the sort to eat anything.”

  “Reymark is fine with garlic. He’s a mix of undead and other stuff.” He followed her into the kitchen and sat at the table. He grinned. “I don’t want to disturb Corit’s homework.”

  Corit called out. “Homework is done. I am applying for colleges.”

  She grinned. “He means applying for more colleges. He’s already been accepted to three different schools across the country.”

  He called out again. “The Redbird City College is great and has all of the law courses I want to take.”

  Day-ek looked at her and raised his brows. “He wants to be a lawyer?”

  “He wants to be a lawyer.” Jennel smiled and sliced the bread, then added the butter and garlic toast onto the small slices. She opened the upper portion of her oven and slid the garlic toast in, the timer set for four minutes on broil.

  Day-ek asked, “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Um, get what you want out of the fridge, set out the salad, that kinda thing.”

  He grinned and set the strawberry shortcake out, front and centre, on the dining room table.

  She laughed and kept an eye on the garlic bread. When the timer went off, she pulled the bread out of the oven and dumped it into a basket. The next phase was a ten-pound lasagna carried over and set down on the pot holder. Corit scrambled out of the living room, and the table was set with plates and cutlery in a matter of a minute. He whizzed around Day-ek with the pitcher of juice and flask of water.

  The goblets came next, and she grinned. “Everybody wash up.”

  She dashed to the sink and scrubbed her hands, then Day-ek’s were over top of hers with a thick glob of foam running from his hands to hers. She exhaled sharply and muttered, “Messy.”

  He chuckled. “I promise to be more careful with you, Jennel.”

  She grabbed the spray hose and cleared her hands off before she blasted him. “Me first. Remember that.”

  He laughed and nodded.

  She dried her hands and tossed him the towel. He dried his hands, and they took a seat at the table. Corit joined them, and he grinned. “This feels weird. I am actually going to have some competition for the lasagna today.”

  Jen carved out a slab for herself, got the garlic bread, and then waved them on. “The rest is yours.”

  Day-ek snorted, but Corit sliced him a chunk and took a matching piece for himself.

  The salad was divided into three, dressing was put on, and Jen chewed her way through the salad. Only one of her ancestors ate greens, and it hadn’t been the first pick. She was happy when she got to the lasagna, and she sighed in relief as she nibbled and watched the remaining eight pounds of food disappear, and Day-ek’s expression was blissful. Corit chuckled and yelled, “Dessert!”

  He divided up the strawberry shortcake and handed Jen hers before he and Day-ek split the rest.

  She snorted and nibbled at her dessert while every scrap of food at the table disappeared.

  Corit was licking his plate, and she snorted again. “That does not count as doing the dishes.”

  He chuckled and set it down. “That was great, Aunt Jen. I think Speaker Tell is in a coma.”

  Day-ek was sitting with his eyes closed and a strange humming sound coming from him.

  Jen leaned over. “So, what do you think. Happy or prolonged gas?”

  Corit snorted and got up to clear the table.

  Day-ek opened his eyes and looked at her. “You cook like that and look like that. How it is that you aren’t strapped to an orc and having his babies?”

  She paused and smiled at him. “That is so sweet, but aside from you, I haven’t been socially available to orcs since I was a teen.”

  “Why I am different?”

  Jen looked at him and frowned. “I honestly don’t know. You just are. I know you have women throwing themselves into your path constantly, and aside from our obligation, I will try and keep out of your way.”

  “Do you know how many of those women I have taken up on their offers?”

  She grinned. “About 4 percent?”

  He opened and closed his mouth with a snap. “Um, yeah. How did you guess?”

  She chuckled. “It is just an average.”

  “Well, I am not seeing anyone right now, and I know that you are not because Corit told me, so we are both free to pursue whatever this is.”

  Jen stared at his slow smile, dark eyes, and neatly braided hair. Small silver clasps were dotted throughout his braid. The carvings and tattoos should have made him ferocious, but she found him hypnotic.

  She bit the inside of her lip. “I guess we are. How many ex-girlfriends are going to be burning my lawn and killing my trees?”

  He chuckled. “None. My relationships have been strictly for short-term gratification.”

  Corit paused, gathering dishes. “Is that a thing? Aunt Jen always said to keep things light until I could imagine myself with the same woman at every birthday for a decade.”

  “Uh, the speaker’s life is a little different. Relationships are closely monitored by the clan so that there is a better chance
of getting a new speaker in the next generation.”

  Jen sipped from her water glass. When Corit returned to the kitchen, she muttered, “Nice save, Day-ek. It’s nice to know I will be in the short-term gratification class.”

  Day-ek got up and pulled her out of her chair, setting her water glass down. “You are in a class by yourself, Jennel.”

  His kiss made her squeak, and she clung to the front of his shirt for balance. There was an art to kissing someone with tusks, and it only took two passes of his mouth against hers before she learned to angle her head and drape her arms around his neck.

  She heard a click and looked over at Corit. He was smiling and saying, “This is going to Aunt Riverbreak.”

  She turned pale. “Don’t send that.”

  Corit paused. “Already done. Why? She is always telling me to keep her apprised of your love life.”

  Jen looked at him and smiled weakly. “No reason.”

  “I am going to finish my application. You two... do whatever.” He was chuckling as he headed back to the living room.

  Day-ek caressed her cheek. “Problem?”

  She looked up at him and slid her arms down his chest. “There is going to be.”

  He frowned. “Would you like to talk about it?”

  “No, but I don’t want you to be surprised when they show up. Come on, let’s go to the backyard.”

  He nodded and walked with her into the backyard. She told him her story after a few false starts, and he was gray and grim when he jumped over the fence between their yards.

  She looked over the stone where he had disappeared and covered her face. They were coming, and she had just lost the one chance she had to get through this without causing a spectacle.

  Chapter Six

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Corit’s voice was anguished.

  Jennel whipped around, and she covered her mouth. “It isn’t something I ever wanted you to know. I told Day-ek because I brought this literally to his doorstep. When I am dead, and they take you, he is going to need to tell the clans what he allowed into their territory.”

  Corit came to her and knelt next to her. She hugged him.

  “No, why didn’t you tell me where I came from?” He was crying.

  “Because it would hurt you like it is hurting you now, and I wanted you to have a solid sense of self before learning about that night and what came after.”

  “Can you tell me? Did you seduce him?”

  She sighed and stroked his cheek. “How old am I?”

  “Thirty-two in a week.”

  “Don’t round up. Now, how old are you?”

  “Seventeen. Eighteen in a few weeks.”

  “Do some math.” She held his hands as he worked his way back to how old she had been when she got pregnant.

  He sat, and his eyes went wide. “Oh, goddess!”

  “She wasn’t there that night, and if she was, she was a cruel bitch. He attacked me at Reeda’s wedding dinner, and I was found unconscious and brought to hospital. They didn’t want to administer any hormone treatments as I was really badly messed up. Charges were laid. He pled guilty, but a seer came forward to say that she had just told him he would father the elemental’s child. She had no idea he thought it was an instant event.”

  She sighed. “By then, I knew I was pregnant, and Reeda and Jorik agreed to take my child on... immediately. She took fertility medications to sync up, and then, she transferred you over to her. It was early enough that no one except family knew I was pregnant. I returned to school. Reeda and Jorik pushed the wedding up with laughter from the community, and eight and a half months later, you were here, and I was your aunt, and I had just entered the tenth grade.”

  She looked at him and stroked his cheek. “I have never regretted your place on this earth for one minute. I just wished that you had a better impregnation story. When you find a mate, make sure that the story of your getting together is one that you don’t have to hide from your children.”

  “What was his defense? Why did he do it?”

  She continued to stroke his cheek. “He said I was fertile, and he didn’t want to miss it.”

  Corit flinched. “Women are fertile all over the place. You don’t rape them or even seduce them against their will. Double if it’s children.”

  “And that is why you are my favourite nephew and the pride of my heart.”

  He smiled. “Can I be your son one day?”

  “As soon as the bastard who spawned you on me is dead, but he has his clan protecting him. If I claim you, he knows. The minute he knows, you are my son loud and proud.”

  “Why did you freak out when I sent the photo to Auntie?”

  “Ah, well, she is a clan member and friends with other clan members, and me making friends with other orcs has caused him to freak out and act with aggression toward my friends.”

  “You are worried for Day-ek.”

  She looked at the orc, who had been watching half their discussion from the shadows. “I am not. I am worried that the local clans will be forced to eject us before you can graduate or pick a new clan. I want you far away from them and safe with a sane clan leader and not a moron with impulse control.”

  Corit looked down and looked up. “Holy goddess. Artuan Bloodhammer? Clan leader of the Golden Claws? He’s insane.”

  Day-ek raised his brows, looked at Corit, and nodded.

  “Yeah. He is. I don’t know what he will do next, so I have just avoided pictures with other orcs. A picture of me making out with Day-ek is not going to go down well, and he is probably already getting orders to keep away from me.”

  Day-ek checked his phone and nodded.

  “Right. So, tonight I ward everything, and I escort you to school tomorrow. I’ll apply to the clan heads to allow you to go through the manhood rituals here, and we can at least get your first marks.”

  He smiled. “Can I get marks like you?”

  She chuckled. “You don’t need them on one-half of you. You can be covered head to toe.” She pressed her forehead to his. “My sister, Jarik, and I went through a lot to get you here. We wanted you to have a good life beyond your genetic start. What is your opinion of your life?”

  He paused. “Considering the new information, it has been fantastic. I have been safe, happy, allowed to be fairly normal, and aside from the occasional move due to the orc clans, I have had it pretty easy.”

  “If you think you need something else, there have been offers to foster you from some of the war clans. I am nearly ready to let you launch yourself into the universe.” She chuckled. “Nearly. But I would prefer law school.”

  He grinned. “Me too. Orcs get arrested a lot. I would never run out of work.”

  She laughed and pressed her forehead to his. “Good talk?”

  He nodded and stood up. “Good talk. Aunt Jen?”

  She smiled. “Yes?”

  “Can I call you mom once things are out in the open?”

  “Yes. But Reeda is the one who gladly took the stretch marks. Always honour that. If I had had to deliver you, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

  He chuckled and hugged her, quiet but calm. He was always calm. She had taught him calm. There had never been an orc elemental before, but now, he was about to stand in the sunlight.

  Corit sighed. “Sorry about the picture, Speaker Tell.”

  “It isn’t a problem. Your aunt really doesn’t socialize?”

  “Nope. If she wants you, it is a new thing. Wait, how old are you?”

  Day-ek murmured, “Twenty-seven.”

  Corit looked back at her and snickered. “Good. Something tells me that youth and stamina might win the day with her.”

  Jen covered her eyes. “Oh, for fucks’ sake.”

  Corit grinned. “Exactly.”

  “Go finish your applications, you overgrown lasagna-stuffed twit!”

  He laughed and left her alone with the clan speaker.
br />   She huffed and rubbed her eyes. “That went better than I thought.”

  She was suddenly lifted and then settled on Day-ek’s lap. “What is happening now?”

  He cuddled her against him. “I am sorry for your past. I am sorry that your first time was so violent.”

  She sighed. “Oh, a pity cuddle. Well, thanks for that. I was looking forward to finding out what sex not under duress was like, but I will just wall up the edges of my property and live in my wards for a few months. It does mean that it will be harder for Corit to join a clan, but I will give him our family marks when he is an adult.”

  He chuckled. “You have family marks?”

  She turned to him and dropped the final glamour. The glyphs and runes marched down the entire left side of her body. “I sat still for every drop of ink, every punch of the needle, every tap of the applicator.”

  “Your skin turns mint green when you drop the glamour, and I have an option for you to keep protection for Corit.”

  She warmed at the admiration in his gaze. “An option?”

  “Become my lover. Clan protection automatically extends.”

  “What?” She frowned.

  “Speakers and their lovers have special clan protections. The lover needs to be protected to keep the speaker from being influenced. Simple. Nice way around the rules.”

  “Won’t they know it’s fake?”

  He nuzzled her tattoos. “It isn’t fake. The first time I saw you was like a thunderclap.”

  “It was yesterday morning, and I was wearing dirty sweats.” Each tattoo contact was a plucked string down her body. She sighed and turned her head toward him.

  “And then I saw you in nothing, but your skin, and my breath was sucked from my lungs. You made your request very prettily.”

  She stroked a finger up his tusk. “Did you want to hear me beg?”

  He shuddered under her. “I have to leave for work in an hour. It isn’t enough time.”

  She licked at his lips and jaw. “I can beg right now.”