Extending Family (House of Garner Book 5)

by Erin R Flynn

  Right in the middle of all the fun and very publicly.

  It took about three seconds for the first troublesome bitch to make her move. Princess Camilla, as I learned was her name, was the one who had started shit the first night about wanting to drink from Vitor and how I wasn’t allowed to do whatever I wanted. Yeah, she wasn’t done trying to make moves.

  She should have paid more attention instead of looking down her nose at us.

  “My party will be leaving soon, so if you would ready your plane for us along with having your kitchen box up the food we requested. They made it clear they wouldn’t without your permission and they were very rude about it,” she told me as if she couldn’t believe it. “And as long as you’re already cut, I will jar up some of your blood to lure corrupted that we will kill in droves, of course.”

  I didn’t need to look at Vitor to know she was full of shit. I wasn’t sure what else she could use it for, but there was probably some blood transfer to adopt a princess and my guess would be that was the goal.

  I blinked at her for several moments, playing up the fun and rising tension before bursting out laughing in her face. I calmed down but then started all over again until her rage was about to boil over.

  “Listen here, young princess, you will learn how things—”

  “You will leave here with your lives and be grateful I allowed that,” I snapped, smirking when her eyes flashed with shock.

  “Is it not customary to leave with a gift bag from a party?” she taunted me, clearly looking down at me that had I allowed anyone not invited to stay and not pulled the “bitch” move they all expected.

  “Well, seeing as you weren’t invited, I think you’re lucky I didn’t kill you for entering my territory without permission,” I purred. “Let’s drop the act and shit that you didn’t know what you were doing or it was all a mistake as I have people who can tell you’re lying. You wanted me to react and give you reason to slap me around. Here’s the funny thing: you wouldn’t have been able to.

  “But I’ve made friends and real alliances with people who tripped to start, so I gave all those not invited or abused my kindness a chance to pull their heads out of their asses and come around to the way things are now. But no, you’ve been plotting from the moment I let you stay.” I rolled my eyes when she raised an eyebrow at me. “Your arrogance will be your downfall.

  “It wasn’t hard to overhear all you’ve been plotting.” I held up my finger to cut her off. “First, no, I won’t let you use my plane as I didn’t let you use it to come here. And you’re an idiot to think I would just ignore that you were going to keep it and my pilot. Second, no, you can’t have my blood. I’m sure you think you’ll just use it to perform whatever ritual to adopt me, but we both know it lacks intent.

  “I’m not anywhere as stupid as you think me and you can’t trap me. Just ask Safie of house Darbandi.” I snapped my fingers. “Right, you can’t, because I killed her.” I smirked at her when she flinched. “She was more powerful than you, right? Oh, I would be worried too, as you’ve pissed me off.” I glanced around at her court with her. “I killed Safie and set her nobles and coven free.

  “Tell your friends that’s the kind of princess I am. So, if you wish to be free of Camilla and her thirst for power instead of doing what’s right for your coven, just let me know.” I winked at Camilla. “I’m sure I can make that happen. Easily. Because I don’t underestimate people.”

  “You have now, as I am much older than you,” she seethed. “I could kill you now and…” She trailed off and blinked at her chest, all the rifle dots dancing around on her.

  I moved over to Kristof, pressing myself at his side as I rubbed my hand over his chest. “Have you met my husband, Kristof? He has many gifts, one of which is illusions. He can change perceptions and hide things. Show her, my love.”

  He nodded, holding out his hand not on my hip possessively and focused, pulling it towards us like he was removing something physical. Instead, he dropped the illusion he’d put up, that everything people were seeing was the scene from yesterday. It was like pulling back a curtain, and on the other side of it was hundreds of my coven armed to the teeth along with a dozen assault vehicles.

  “You were saying how stupid I am?” I taunted Camilla, chuckling when she simply blinked at me. “You will leave here with your lives and thank me for them as you knew what you risked when you came here to pick a fight you can’t win.”

  “Before you argue that, we have jets in the air with missiles locked onto your coven,” James warned her, nodding he wasn’t kidding. “You so much as look at our princess funny again and we will bomb it off the map before you can stop us. Do you understand?” He waited until she nodded. “Good, because this goes for all princesses and covens.

  “Our coven and its outposts aren’t open territory. They will be treated as they should from this moment forward. You step foot on them without permission and you die unless you are a messenger bringing a message that better not include something bad. If you do, Princess Inez’s orders are very clear to bomb your covens. You came here with egos and assumptions and you learned nothing.

  “She is Aether’s champion. The princess of the Niagara Falls coven is dead for trying to kill Inez. Princess Olivia fell ill and was dying for trying to trap Inez into an adoption and take over all she had. Inez easily killed Princess Safie, and even Tian of house Liu, but revived him at Kristof’s request. So, you are not the heavy hitters here, no matter your age and house prestige. Understand that or it’s your funeral.”

  “That was why you were so insistent Olivia come to this,” Matilda chuckled darkly. “Bury the hatchet and all of that, right?”

  I shrugged. “I honestly hoped she would see how happy I made Cerdic and decided her jealousy or lingering annoyance at me not falling for her traps wasn’t as important as him. I hoped we could all just have some fun and we were past the bullshit and drama. It seemed a smart ace in my pocket that people could hear it directly from her.”

  “There was no way she could have guessed this would be what happened,” Kristof defended. “None of us imagined this sort of insanity of several covens just crashing the party like they owned the place. You would never allow that. You would kill them, but they don’t fear Inez as she didn’t inherit, which is stupid as she’s a new bloodline. Her tree is her tree, not the house’s.

  “People saw her tree give seeds, which none have done before. For people to keep underestimating her is insanity, but still people will do it as they cannot see past their own egos and self-inflated values. My princess was kind and willing to look past the insults and bullshit, but she will not risk the safety of her people as half a dozen are plotting to take all she has, and her to rule all fourteen of you that have alliances.”

  “Well that’s lovely, because we’re apparently insignificant as we would simply allow it,” Hanna drawled, rolling her eyes before giving me a curious look. “You’ve had spies watching them this whole time?”

  I snorted. “Of course. I let them through the door so I wasn’t the bitch that they could have some bullshit reason to strike out against at the ‘insult’ it would be or whatever. But more than that, I wanted to know what they were really up to. There were so many people all around that they couldn’t tell one extra shifter in little cat form sleeping in the hallway.”

  “Plus, we have working electricity,” Trisha added with a smirk. “All of the hotel rooms, trailers, and places in the castle are bugged. We now know all your secrets.” She smiled at Nora, dipping her head. “I think you are a gorgeous woman as well, Princess Nora.”

  Nora burst out laughing, wrapping her arm around her stomach and giving me a loving look. “Every time I think there’s no way you could keep up with all the insanity around you, you disprove me once again. Darling, I am honestly in awe of how distrusting you are, even with such a kind heart.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t find them to be mutually exclusive.” I kissed Kristof’s cheek before moving ove
r to Vitor and Petre, giving each of them a soft kiss that lingered, making it clear they were mine, even if it was for show with Vitor. “And since you were so open to just dropping in, a few of mine did as well on my behalf.” I smirked at the shocked princesses. “And they did bring gifts, unlike you party crashers.”

  “What did you put in their covens?” Matilda asked, looking seconds from bursting out laughing.

  “They can’t even get mad or retaliate when they did it to you and they stand on your lands,” Nora whispered, letting out a snicker. “Tell me they bugged their covens.”

  “Did they? You didn’t tell us that,” Jaxon muttered, glancing between us.

  I shrugged. “You would have said it was starting too much trouble, but I figured if things went well, I’d never need to use them. I have absolutely no faith that it will ever go well though, and several people agreed with me.” I smiled at the princesses. “Did you know DoD satellites still work? Those weren’t destroyed.”

  “And Princess Inez fixed the systems that communicated with them on several of the vessels we have,” Trisha added. “So bugs that give burst transmissions are the least of your worries as you don’t have the working equipment to find them without power, but those tiny little signal enhancers are exactly what very big bombs lock onto to find locations.”

  “Meaning we can wipe out all of your covens in one shot if we so much as feel you on our continent,” Wilson purred, not military, but one of my engineers of the apocalypse who helped with that stuff.

  “So, thanks for being the assholes I hoped you wouldn’t be. Talk to Olivia if you want, but I suspect some of you woke feeling ill after deciding you were going to pull what she tried to, but then get the fuck out of my castle and leave my coven,” I said cheerily. “And don’t come back. Ever.” I sighed like I was happy to get that off my chest. “Now back to my plans of consummating my marriage all over my castle.”

  I walked back over to Kristof and kissed him before moving over to one of the wicker chaise lounges with lush cushions. I gave him an inviting look over my shoulder as I untied the nightgown and let it slide off my shoulders. Then I got on all fours on it, ignoring the gasps and whispers. Oh no, not something submissive, like it mattered as people overreacted.

  “I’m not ashamed I give my husband everything he wants and I enjoy every second of doing it,” I told him firmly. “He’s worth more to me than pride or stupid whispers. We know what our relationship is and it doesn’t include anyone else.”

  18

  He was there before I even finished the last word. He knelt behind me and feasted on me, driving me crazy as he did everything he could to push me over the edge again and again. When I couldn’t hold myself up anymore, he stood and plunged his dick in me hard, holding me in place as my shoulders dropped to the cushions.

  “I love you, Inez. I love you so fucking much, I don’t even know what to do with all I feel. I would rather slaughter them all now than risk they touch one hair on your head. I know I promised I would never cage you, never put you in a bubble like they would, but it takes everything I have not to lock you in your tower so you’re safe. You have to be safe, my love.”

  I couldn’t even get enough air to answer, his thrusts and pace gaining speed and force. I couldn’t even moan, I was gasping so much as he worked out his demons on my body. My vision went fuzzy after yet another orgasm.

  “Come,” I managed, mentally smirking when I felt his body respond to me. He bellowed out my name as he finished deep in my body. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to stand with him still inside of me.

  “Only you can make me feel as no other has, and I want no other ever, only you, Inez.”

  “Good,” I panted, sagging against him. “I loved that. Don’t apologize.”

  “I was too rough,” he whispered, his voice tortured.

  “Yes, but I still loved it,” I promised. “Gentle next time.”

  “Always. Always more gentle,” he swore to me. “I forgot to tell you of my gift.” He pulled out of me slowly, gingerly, as my well used body was tender. He turned me and lifted me in his arms, kissing my forehead. “I slaughtered a million corrupted in South America that would have eventually made their way up here for you. I’ve said the one thing I can give you is my protection, and I meant it. Always.”

  I smiled, nuzzling his neck. “I want sweet in the pool. Now.”

  “You need to rest, My Princess.”

  “Now,” I growled in a bratty tone, glad he couldn’t see my smile when he chuckled. “I’m hot. I want to cool off in the pool and play with my husband. If you deny me, then I’m going to find a unicorn costume and make you wear it all week.”

  That was it; he snapped, tossing me towards the pool, high in the air. I gave an undignified squeal as I went flying, landing with a huge splash in the water. He was right there to bring me to the surface.

  “There, now you’ve cooled off, but it’s August, middle of the day, and you are very pale,” he said as he moved towards the ledge. “So, yes, I will dress up as a damn unicorn all next week, but I cannot stand to have you all sunburnt again. You don’t heal as fast as we do and I love your skin. And you need rest. A nap in the shade under your tree.”

  “Nope, fun in the pool,” I argued, wrapping myself around him like a monkey so I was rubbing my body against his dick. “You don’t want me in the pool?”

  He gave me a look not to be stupid. “Of course I do. We can tonight when you will not burn from the sun.” He kissed me when I tried to argue. “Don’t make me feel guilty for being rough with you.”

  “You old fart,” I sighed, letting him win.

  “Thank you, My Princess,” he drawled.

  “Ancient old fart that’s really, really, really old and—” I burst out laughing as he started tickling me. I deserved it. “Fine, fine, that third one was overkill.” I decided to pull a mean trick of my own. “I’m hungry.” We were out of the pool before I could blink, sitting on a chaise in the shade with a towel wrapped around me and another around my cut hand. “I love you too. Thank you for my present.”

  “I would kill them all so you never suffered another ghost, but I know you want that energy,” he said, giving me a funny look when I shivered.

  I shook my head that it was nothing, not wanting to think about what had happened earlier with Safie. I needed more sleep and less stress was what had happened. Definitely.

  I really fucking hoped so.

  I swallowed a laugh when Olivia gave me a look like she wanted to strangle me as she was still answering questions. I shrugged. “Hey, you can come back anytime you want and have fun at the Team Inez castle or whatever our name is this week.” I frowned. “Just don’t bring Dennis. Ever. Like ever, in my presence again.”

  She gave me a shocked look. “All these insults they’ve given you, and more, I’ve heard you brush off, and what he said was so horrible?”

  “Honestly?” I asked, waiting for her to nod. “No, he’s just a snake. I felt slimy being near him. It’s not what he says so much as how he says it and treats everyone around them like they’re shit of shit if they don’t agree with him. He’s toxic.”

  She seemed to really hear me, which I found shocking, but she shrugged. “Not all of us could find love and build our courts on that alone.”

  “Oh, I think the pressure was on me just as it was on you, even if our situations were different. I was completely on my own, and I didn’t have a coven yet to rely on me, but I can’t stand and judge how you let it happen, but you did let it happen. That was your choice. No one said it has to be the end of your story though, Olivia.”

  “You mean find love now?”

  I shrugged again. “Why not? You’re the princess who will rule and be the coolest girl in all of England, right? Why not have it all?”

  She glanced behind me and I realized she was looking at the chaise lounge I’d just had sex on. “Do you allow my brother to—”

  “Nope, no, you’re not ask
ing her questions about our sex life,” Cerdic cut in.

  I gave her a wink and held my finger up to my lips when I saw Kristof coming back with a tray of food for us. He set it down and I frowned at the towel. “You’re not wearing my gift.”

  He went over to the other chaise and picked up the pajama pants, sliding them on under the towel and taking it off. He came back to me and sat on the chaise with me.

  “Will you get that stuff for aches and rub it on me after breakfast?”

  “Of course. What else can I do?” he asked as he handed me a plate with a huge burger and piled-high fries.

  “Comb out my hair? I like when you play with my hair.”

  “I can do that,” he agreed, leaning in and kissing my neck.

  “Can I sleep on you and snuggle?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can I—”

  “You can do whatever you want, my love.” He glanced over to Oliva. “And the point she’s trying to make is we ridiculously spoil her rotten when she lets us get aggressive with her as it’s every vampire’s nature now and again. She’s saying if we weren’t willing to give as much as we took, she’d never allow it as that’s how women get walked all over and mistreated.”

  “Exactly,” I chuckled, but then frowned at what I saw. “I said you could talk to Olivia but then you were to leave. I said to get the fuck out of my castle and territory as I’m not playing this charade anymore after one of you burst the bubble. There is no going back to what we said and you lose your comfort food. We’re bringing the extras to my outposts where lots of old vampires would sense if you even came near.”

  “And we would blow up your covens,” James reiterated with a smile. “It’s so much more fun to deliver the threats in person and bluntly instead of all the political dancing. I always hated that.”