Extending Family (House of Garner Book 5)

by Erin R Flynn

  It wasn’t a long nap from the position of the sun when I opened my eyes, and I was pretty sure the smell of dumplings was what woke me. Matilda was waiting with a large plate of them. I thanked her and accepted it after checking on my hand.

  “Does it hurt?” she asked, nodding to my hand.

  “Yes,” I answered, not wanting to lie to her, but wincing when I felt emotions spiking around us.

  “You never told us that,” Cerdic growled. “How?”

  “You know that moment your body realizes it’s injured and that flare of pain?” I waited until they nodded. “That second after, where it hurts, but it’s not the initial depth. That’s what it feels like the whole time I have the cut.”

  “Shit, Inez,” Jaxon hissed. “Days of that? That alone is a huge stress on your body.”

  I nodded. “And the power is more this time.”

  “Oh, we know that,” Kristof drawled. “I was miles away the first time, and I felt the ground move beneath my feet. It’s a good thing Darius designed the castle to not be affected by earthquakes. We had a lot of everything falling off tables and breaking.”

  “Crap, I didn’t even think of that,” I groaned.

  “Neither did we and we promised to handle it all,” he reminded me. “And we did, so do not feel guilt. I was simply explaining we’ve felt it too, not only you.”

  I nodded, moaning as I ate the dumplings. They must have served several different types already as I had half a dozen each of four varieties.

  “Fifty of the wild hogs were eaten,” Matilda told me.

  My eyes went wide. “Gluttons.”

  “Yes, some, but they’ve been without, so it’s understandable, even if valid you’re miffed they invited themselves,” she said. “Forty were delivered to your outposts to share, and the last ten were carved for leftovers so Nick and the staff can have a few days off once the guests leave.”

  “That’s perfect, thank you,” I sighed.

  “Thank you for trusting me to handle anything after how my family and court have treated you,” she said under her breath. She cleared her throat and went to stand, flinching when I grabbed her hand.

  “I’m sorry. I know he did it to me, but I’m sorry you’re going through this. You deserve better, Matilda. You deserve to be happy.”

  She gave me a sad smile. “I’ve never known a princess to actually find happiness and do what she should, but I pray you are the first and being leader of a coven doesn’t ruin you.”

  I let her pull away, knowing she meant it and to be nice, but my heart hurt. That was such a horrible tradeoff and responsibility left to us. We didn’t ask for this, we were born into it. Granted, I thought many could do better, but I was starting to understand how some could become such bitches and coldhearted.

  Then again, some people were just born that way and evil.

  I didn’t think I was included in that, and I really hoped being a princess didn’t change me for the worse either… Anymore than maybe it already had.

  16

  Another round of fun, another seed, and another scoop of gelato, and I was out for a nap. This time when I woke up, I asked for one of my knights, wanting more blood without the fire burning. Kristof gave me a look to warn me something was going on before Trisha came over. She undressed and knelt before me.

  And then she kissed me. I mean kissed me, moving my uncut hand to feel her up and everything. I was so shocked, I went with it, but then realized it wasn’t just the princesses who were trying to get in with my knights and offering favors.

  No, nobles were probably starting shit with my female knights as Henry had done with me. When I realized that, I got into the ploy too, fisting her hair until she gasped as I bit her hard and massaged her naked ass. She moaned and orgasmed, not even having to fake the show we were putting on as I drank a lot.

  “That will have to tide you over until I’m done bleeding and loving on my nobles, but soon we’ll put your tongue to good use again,” I said to her for the ears around us.

  She did well hiding her shock as we’d never done anything besides the normal chaste kisses before they shifted. She gave me a very non-chaste kiss before shifting and heading out.

  I wasn’t sure why they were doing that, but then Cerdic murmured in my ear that their sense of smell was better in their animal form, and they were doing laps of the expansive party to make sure no one was up to anything bad. So far so good besides someone sharing pot out by the pool.

  Yeah, I didn’t care about that. If people wanted to get high in the apocalypse, I couldn’t think of a better time. It wasn’t like there were police to arrest anyone, and even if there were, I couldn’t see them caring anymore.

  I made sure to drink from Maggie as well, giving her a bit of TLC, and then I actually felt better, hydrated at least, plus the naps had helped. I went to the bathroom and found Kristof waiting with a large tray of food for us.

  And he wasn’t alone.

  “May we join you?” a princess asked, gesturing to two nobles I assumed were hers.

  It took me a second to catch up but then I nodded. “Sure, Marta.”

  Her eyes flashed shock. “I did not think you knew my name.”

  I winced. “I don’t know everyone’s, and there have been a lot, plus a lot of my own coven to learn. I heard your name from Nora’s people since you’re working with them and it’s going well.”

  “It is, yes, on our end as well.” She waved to the people behind her. “May I present our gift to you to celebrate your receiving oaths of two fine nobles that many have tried for, but could never win over.”

  I knew she meant it in the nice way so I didn’t bristle. She made it sound a bit like I’d won a bid at an auction instead of falling in love, but that was how most princesses and courts saw all of this.

  Plus, I was really interested in what she had.

  A few chairs were brought out, and she sat while cases and cases of stuff were set around us. The first lid was taken off and a gigantic wheel of cheese was lifted out.

  “Nummy, blue cheese?” I asked after seeing it looked like one of Nora’s options and smelled sort of the same.

  “Gorgonzola, which is a type of blue cheese,” she answered. “And only a few regions of Italy can make this specific type of cheese. Ours in Lombardia has a history much longer than the humans ever acknowledged. We have been able to make some still using the old ways, but we hope to fix that with your help.”

  I nodded, accepting the plate that had a few slices. Kristof and Cerdic were already sitting as well with the loaded tray of dumplings that was probably the start of the seafood buffets. I offered some to them and then tried it, moaning at how good it was. It was pungent, overpowering even, and certainly not something that you could have a lot of.

  “I haven’t had this in so long,” Cerdic mumbled, looking thrilled as he took another bite. “This is the fancy, fancy stuff that costs boatloads. It’s worth it though.” He let out a groan. “And so is that caviar.”

  “Thank you,” Marta said, beaming at the praise. “We have started harvesting some again, but mostly we focused on keeping the sturgeon in our caviar farms alive and protected. We also worked hard to preserve as many animals as we could when humans grew hysterical and slaughtered them, thinking they carried the virus. Or for food, but then could not preserve them.”

  “And you wish Inez’s help for what?” Kristof asked as he tried the cheese to be polite, but it wasn’t his thing. He’d said it more than once that we washed to not be stinky, not put stinky in our bodies.

  Goof.

  “We do, but the gift is separate for inviting us,” she said firmly, meeting my gaze. “And while we understand that caviar isn’t an important focus in the apocalypse, it is our heritage. I cannot let it be destroyed as so much else has been. Besides, we need to be able to enjoy that we survived one day.”

  “I agree,” I promised before she felt she needed to defend it more. “Gelato certainly isn’t needed, but damn if it doesn
’t make people super happy.”

  “Exactly. I knew you would understand how it gives hope to life being more than pain again.” Another plate was given to me with small tins and a funny looking spoon. She explained what they were and the differences between them, clearly into it like some people were wines or other complex products.

  It was all really good, and soon we had others joining us to see what was going on.

  “Given our speed and abilities, once we have more settled, we simply do not plan to only go back to gorgonzola and sturgeon caviar as the world has changed. But we do know fish farming, and that can be expanded so we never overfish our waters again. Roe from salmon would be a nice product to trade for as well. We also plan to take over an olive oil facility as we could easily farm groves of olive trees.”

  “And you want Inez to put it all back online when she visits you,” Kristof surmised, figuring out the end goal before I did.

  She didn’t deny it but continued. “There are vineyards that survived and need tending to them could make Italian wine again. Plus, we saved many bison, which famous mozzarella cheese was made from in southern Italy. It’s all food we would be able to trade to keep this friendship alive and well many, many decades into the future.”

  Now that, I liked the sound of. “You’re saying the fifteen of us who are playing well together form some sort of trade group like the European Union was, sort of? We have our fortes, and we eventually work towards some import/export deals with my ships so not everyone has to figure out how to make everything again?”

  “Yes, I propose exactly that,” she said, knowing we had more ears. “Nora’s coven has a tanner that none can rival and she received many pelts from you. She has herbs most of us let fall aside, plus now she has acres and acres of potatoes and onions being planted. Why should I worry over the same when we can trade? Peacefully. Cutting through the bullshit as you have shown us and believe.”

  “That sounds lovely and something most of us would be interested in, but it’s contingent on Inez visiting you, which is Pandora’s box we do not want opened as while you have the best of intentions, others will not,” Nora said.

  “But maybe there’s a way to balance it,” I muttered, shocked when she gave me a look that I was being silly and it wasn’t going to happen. “They have a dairy farm and bison. They know how to repopulate animals and—”

  “So do we and yet we didn’t need you to visit,” she reminded me. “We were able to get everything online without you physically coming there.”

  “We have whole facilities that need to come back online,” Marta argued. “We cannot take them all apart and bring them here for her to fix. The energy and time could be used in so many better ways, including killing more corrupted so humans live. We have been doing this. We have been helping them as I agree with her that we owe it to those weaker than us to give aid.”

  “One trip to us and she could fix everything in a matter of minutes,” someone agreed. “We wouldn’t risk that or her.”

  “Yes, but several would do anything to keep her then,” Nora cut in. “And you might, but let’s be honest that some of your relatives who joined you this visit aren’t to be trusted as far as Inez could throw them.” She gave Marta an unwavering look. “We had the same problem. We did, but we did not pull apart the whole facility. We took out the broken pieces and sent them to her to fix.”

  “Yes, it’s more taxing and annoying than her coming and fixing it, all but it also respects she’s not our little genie to use as we wish,” Hanna added. “She has vast lands and much that’s coveted here. Her security would go with, and someone stupid would try to take over, even with a day trip, as she would have to fly to you.”

  “That might be what we need help with then,” Marta said after a moment. “We do not know which of these pieces to take out or replace.” She glanced between Nora and I. “You had engineers who helped you pinpoint the parts and locations, yes?”

  “Yes, a few of mine worked with several of hers, and it was a matter of opening the backs of machines and pulling out fuses, circuits, or other components that I do not understand either.” She leaned down and tried some of the caviar. “A small gift of one of your sturgeon’s eggs and maybe a wheel of your gorgonzola, and I’m sure mine can give you a day or two of their expertise pulling out all the parts to be fixed.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Marta sighed, looking relieved. “We plan to have many acres of wheat now that we have the machines with electric engines and many, many acres of solar panels being put in, but we have so much established that it would be a waste to ignore it.”

  As they talked, I was happily eating shrimp and dumplings, the tray almost completely eaten by me.

  Kristof leaned in and ate the shrimp out of my hand. “You will get sick if you have too many. They are very rich. I know you do not remember them, but you can have them as often as you want.”

  I nodded, liking how his lips had felt on my fingers. And if I had to guess, he knew that. Dirty old fart.

  His eyes flashed amusement. “Yes, but I’m your dirty old fart.”

  I felt my whole body flush as I realized I’d said that out loud and in front of so many. It was even worse when he leaned in and kissed my hand he’d just eaten from.

  “I hate to interrupt but I need to speak with my princess,” Nick said from the back of the group. People made a hole for him to get through, and his eyes went wide as he took in the large present since it was fancy food, and that meant he got to play with it.

  “It’s a wonderful gift,” I told Marta. “Thank you. I have no problem fixing those items you send, like I did for Nora and Hanna for their facilities.”

  “Thank you, Inez, truly, thank you,” she whispered, looking much lighter. Yeah, I knew the feeling of having so much on me, and I was new to being a princess and in charge. I couldn’t even imagine the stress and crazy of this all happening to an established one.

  “We’ve had some input on the menu tomorrow,” Nick told me, shaking his head when I frowned. “Not in the way you’re thinking. Most are on board with the more relaxed atmosphere and had some requests of food missed most.”

  “Like?” I sighed, wondering what they would ask for now after all the trouble started.

  “Cheeseburgers, and most are fine with it not all being beef, but some mixture of meat we have,” he answered. “Most haven’t had one in years and that sounds much better than sushi as we’ve been stuffing them with seafood today.”

  “That does sound wonderful,” Marta agreed. “Fresh grilled ones—such a comfort food.”

  Nick nodded. “And that seems to be what they want, comfort foods. We were also asked for our American fried chicken.” He nodded when I sighed. “Yes, but we can do it. If people allowed their teams to help us today instead of raiding or whatever was on the agenda, Vitor found an excessive amount of chickens down in Mexico that Safie was taking from.

  “Apparently, it was a ginormous Tyson chicken farm that someone thought to open all the cages before fleeing the farm from corrupted. The birds have done what birds do and made a lot more birds, feeding off the land like wild ones used to. We have the buttermilk too, and the walk-in fridges in Albuquerque where we could do it, but we need help making that happen.”

  “What about all the hamburger buns and—” I started to argue.

  “Seattle can handle it as people requested more gelato tomorrow instead of pies,” he cut in. “People basically want a cookout. Gelato and boozy cupcakes, punch fountains with burgers and fries, and fried chicken with whatever fixings we can come up with. Cole slaw for sure, but we can get it done. We brought the fryers here as backup and for some of the dumplings.”

  I had only one question then. “Which is easier for you?”

  He debated it a moment. “If we get the help grinding meat into patties and handling the birds so they come to us butchered, the fried chicken, grilled shark steaks, and burgers are. All the side dishes are easy, given we have help already that
can get things going. I mean, it’s not hard to chop a million potatoes for fries and we can have people on the terrace with the grills and fryers going like a regular cookout.”

  “Fine, as long as people offer help and promise not to be jerks that everything is being thrown together,” I agreed. “Plus, I want two from each court to give time to help as well. My court will be with the changes, my knights will probably wash potatoes and whatever else, so if they want this change, they can help for it. How are we on gelato?”

  “Good,” he promised. “It’s too rich for people to gorge themselves on, and Cerdic has the crew working again overnight so we will have more than enough. Cupcakes too. The booze is going fast and faster though.” He looked amused at that, smirking when I gave him a questioning look. “Everyone’s cutting loose during the first real party since the apocalypse. I would say the pool will need to be cleaned.”

  I sighed. “Non-humans are just pervs. I include myself in that.” I gestured around to my setup as if to say of course I was, given what we were doing under my tree.

  That seemed to amuse people, and they headed inside to have more fun or take care of the gift. Cerdic seemed about at his limit, so I wasn’t surprised that he was immediately on me.

  “You’ve been clothed too long,” he growled against my lips as he pulled off my nightgown. “And I want you on fire this time.” He didn’t tell me what he meant, but I realized I’d forgotten something.

  “You didn’t drink from me yet. You have to, to finish being mine. You should,” I said, it coming out in bursts as I panted in excitement.

  “Fine, but I’m drinking from your thigh,” he purred, smirking when I moaned.

  He moved me, but then I realized it was they as I glanced up and saw Petre there. My eyes went wide as I knew his blood would be too much for me.

  And so did they. Oh boy.

  Cerdic moved between my legs and feasted on me as Petre gave me a soft kiss, leaning way over so my hand was still on the ground. He turned a bit so I was mostly leaning on him, kissing me from above me. He nicked his finger on my fang and traced it over my nipple. I cried out as I came, holding Cerdic’s head to me and demanding more.