Betty thrust Leo out of the way and snatched the massive sea creature out of the air with one hand, nothing short of glee in her eyes. She then proceeded to drag it in the direction of the inn.
Luc blocked her path. “Betty.”
She glanced up at him and smiled sweetly. “Yes?”
He gave her a stern look.
She grinned more. “He’s not in people form. He’s dead in squid form. That isn’t breaking any rules, dear.”
He sighed.
Petey hurried toward them. “Betty, how about you let us dispose of him?”
She narrowed her gaze on him. “Finders keepers. It’s mine. I’m going to cook it. My family is coming soon. It will feed them for a little bit. They eat a lot.”
Luc glanced at Curt. “Get her back to the inn. Without the squid.”
Curt eyed Betty as if she might bite. “Um, uh, Betty, I’d love a cup of tea.”
She dropped the squid and went right to him. “Of course. Come on. Let’s get you some tea.”
He cast Hugh a desperate look.
Hugh laughed. “A tea party it is.”
Virginia looked back at the water to find the kraken was gone. “Sigmund! York!”
A hand appeared over the edge of the pier.
Leo moved to it quickly and bent. He pulled Sigmund, who was now back in human form, out of the water.
Her husband stood there, wet, and in nothing more than he’d been born in.
“Yoo-hoo, Virginia,” said her mother from behind her. “Oh my, Mother, look at that.”
Virginia spun to find her grandmother and her mother standing side by side, tipping their heads, admiring the view.
Grandmother glanced at her. “We came to see if the rumors about you being married are true. Tell us they are. He’s some catch.”
Her mother waggled her brows. “He certainly is.”
Petey laughed as he grabbed the discarded sweater and tossed it at Sigmund.
He caught it and wrapped it partially around his waist, shielding some of his nakedness from the group. He blushed and then looked at Virginia. “Are you okay?”
She ran at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He hugged her with one arm, the other he used to hold up the sweater. “I love you, baby.”
She clung to him. “I love you too. Are you hurt?”
“No,” he said evenly. “Just worried about you. I heard your song and came as soon as I could.”
Leo reached into the front pocket of his always-on army green jacket and pulled out Sigmund’s glasses. “Here. You tossed these at the marina. Figured you’d want them. Your clothes are out in my truck on the street.”
“You okay, sis?” asked York from the water. He had shifted into human form again but treading water, clearly naked as well.
She released her husband and nodded. “I am. But Morgan was hurt helping me.”
York paled and the next she knew; her brother was at the edge of the pier and making a move to climb out of the water.
“York, you don’t have on any clothes,” she said fast.
He paused in the water, wiping it from his face. “Where is she? Is she okay? Is she deader than normal?”
Luc was suddenly there, bending to help York out of the water.
Virginia squeaked and spun around, putting her back to her brother. In turn, she was gifted with a magnificent view of her husband’s exposed backside since the sweater didn’t wrap all the way around him.
York touched her shoulder and she closed her eyes to face him.
He grunted. “I’m covered.”
She peeked out of one eye to see he had Luc’s tailored suit jacket around his waist.
“Where is Morgan?” demanded York, worry evident on his face.
“Brother?” she asked, surprised to see the level of concern he had for the woman.
“Where is she? How bad is she hurt?” he asked.
“I’m here,” said Morgan with a laugh. “Enjoying the show. And what a show it is, York.”
Relief spread over his face as he stared in the direction her voice had come in. “You okay?”
“I am. Thanks for the concern,” she said. “Wow, Sig, I’d offer to go grab your pink polka-dot robe but it would be a shame to cover that bottom.”
Grandmother laughed. “It certainly would. Now, I hear we have another wedding to celebrate.”
“We do,” said Petey before he cleared his throat and shied away from her grandmother.
Mémé Marie-Claire put her arm out toward Petey. “I’ll be needin’ an escort, Peter.”
Petey’s eyes widened before he rushed over and took her arm gently. He nodded. “Of course, Marie-Claire. I can gather the food Virginia made for the dance which I’m guessing isn’t happening until they find a new high school principal. Hey, wait. Sigmund, there is a job opening!”
Luc laughed. “Perfect. Sigmund, as one of the heads of the school board, I can safely say the job is yours. If you want it.”
Sigmund glanced at Virginia and she saw the indecision on her husband’s face.
She went to him and took his hand in hers. “Do what makes you happy.”
He bent and kissed her lips tenderly. He then looked at Luc. “I’ll take it but we need to find someone to help oversee Leviathan. I can’t leave York high and dry.”
Luc grinned. “I’m sure we can talk Hugh into helping out. It’s his off-season in Maine and I’m sure his wife and the little one would love to come to some warmer weather. Wil, willing to spend a few months down here, helping out with things?”
Wil nodded. “I’d love to and I’m guessing Jolene would skin me alive if I said any different.”
Sigmund laughed. “I should call and tell her I’m mated.”
“And that you’re going to be a father,” said Luc as he went to walk back toward the inn.
Everyone stared at him.
He paused and glanced back at them. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”
“You did,” said her father sternly. He then leveled a hard gaze on Sigmund.
Virginia put a hand on her hip. “Daddy, stop.”
Her mother came to her rescue and got her father, tugging him back and hugging him. “Did you hear that? Soon we’re going to be bursting at the seams with grandbabies. I can’t wait.”
“Glad you’re happy because they are actually having twin boys,” said Luc with a smile.
Morgan laughed. “Ha! I called it.”
Sigmund swayed. “Twins?”
The next Virginia knew, her husband was on the ground, the sweater moving, covering his knee but nothing else.
“Impressive,” said her mother.
Virginia gasped.
“Kraken down!” yelled Leo.
Virginia bent and pulled the sweater over Sigmund’s midsection. “Honey?”
He didn’t budge.
Wil approached. “I’ll get him. He’s going to need a second. Figures he’d finally come to grips with his kraken side, embrace it fully, willingly end a Collective member only to have the news he’s going to be a father do him in.”
Morgan and Virginia laughed.
Wil tipped his head and stared harder at the sweater. “Uh, why is he wearing symbols that summon demons?”
The ground shook.
Luc groaned. “Oh goodie. Betty is getting the family reunion she was hoping for. This should be interesting.”
THE END
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Everybody Wants to Rune the World: A Happily Everlasting World Novel (Bewitchingly Ever After Book 2) Page 15