I Dated a Legal Devil, page 17
“Auntie Drin knows everything. Even stuff my mom doesn’t know. Like, when my mom has a birthday, Auntie Drin reminds me, and my mom is always surprised.” He scrunched his shoulders and giggled, pressing against Drin’s hip.
Varun looked from Vaken to Drin. “You took care of them.”
“Of course. They were going to be Vaka’s family. Him being gone didn’t change their lives moving forward. Despite Shisha crossing her legs, this little guy made his way into the world on a stormy night and has been the centre of the universe ever since.” She stroked Vaken’s hair. “Just like his dad was.”
Niseth swallowed. “You really are Drin. You look so different.”
“Ah, yes. This was the side I wouldn’t let Vaka have. I loved him, but he wasn’t supposed to be mine, so I hid this part of me from him so long it was second nature.”
Niseth murmured, “He loved you.”
“And I loved him, but I wasn’t going to have little Vakens with him. That was why it was so painful to see Shisha mourning the man she loved.”
Vaken curled against her, and he patted her hip. “It’s okay, Auntie Drin. You have the uncles now. They make you happy, so you can stay sparkly-pretty instead of tired-pretty.”
Varun looked surprised. “The uncles?”
“Um, yes. Vikor assembled a family for me to help me deal with my hunger issue.”
Niseth snorted. “My son would never do that sort of thing.”
Drin felt her appearance fading. She stroked Vaken’s hair, but Techor, Vikor, and Ekron walked up behind her.
Vaken made the introductions. “These are my uncles.”
Varun stared at Techor, and Niseth stared at Vikor as he wrapped an arm around Drin’s waist and pressed a kiss to her neck.
Vikor smiled. “Hello again, Dad. Hi, Mom. I did, indeed, create a consortium to take care of Drin. It was about time someone took care of her.”
Niseth stared. “But, she’s your brother’s best friend.”
Drin looked at her. “It has been Vikor for me since I activated. Keeping that from Vaka was difficult. It was a lot easier to just pretend that I didn’t feel anything for anyone. That kept Vaka calm. When he left us and I was legally cut off from Vikor, it hurt. A lot. But, he had never reciprocated as far as I knew, so I just focused on Vaken.” She ruffled her nephew’s hair. Varun was staring at her and Vikor.
Vikor chuckled. “And then one day she showed up at my club, and I wasn’t going to resist any longer. Ekron had just vented his own desire for her a little, and she hadn’t reacted favourably. So, I went to rescue a familiar damsel in distress and found the woman I had been waiting for. She didn’t seek me out. She was doing the singing challenge for her sister-in-law.”
Vaken looked up. “Did she win?”
“She won the singing and lost the sportsmanship. She put her knee in a sensitive spot on your uncle Ekron, and he fell down.”
Ekron smiled. “But she apologized very nicely, and we danced together to show that there were no hard feelings.”
Vaken nodded. “Apologizing is important when you do something that hurts someone else.”
Varun looked at him. “You are absolutely right.”
Niseth nodded. “I think so, too. Excuse us, Vaken. We are going to need a moment with your mom.”
The grandparents walked toward Shisha, and Ekron lifted Vaken into his arms before Ekron kissed Drin. Vaken muttered, “Eww.”
Ekron kissed her again, and Drin heard the curious voice. “Auntie Drin, can you breathe?”
She gave him a thumbs-up, and he giggled. The kiss went on and on, and at some point, Vikor took Vaken, and there were other voices. Ekron’s kiss was a warm golden glow around her, and when he lifted his head, she was limp but knew she was back to being all sparkly again.
Techor smoothed a hand down her back, and they all headed inside the playpark. Vikor and Techor had to show their identification, but Ekron slid his arm around her and said that they were planning to visit a lot over the next few months. Drin’s eyes went huge as he intimated that they were pregnant.
Vikor was snorting as the dazed woman led Ekron and Drin to a lovely table in the parents’ watching area, where Shisha and the grandparents were sitting at another table. Red eyes were seen all around.
Drin looked at the play area, and Vaken was playing with other kids already, and everyone was laughing. Suddenly, he turned and smiled. “Auntie Drin!”
He waved his small arms and smiled. Then, he turned to his new friends and explained who she was. They all waved at her, yelling, “Hello, Auntie!”
She grinned and walked down to the play area, crouching to introduce herself.
She shook small hands, kissed Vaken on the forehead, and then returned to the guys.
Techor took her hand. “You are very good with kids.”
“It is just patience and practice. Vaken makes it easy. He’s a really good kid.” She took a sip of water.
“So, any idea when you will be ready to start a family?” Techor sat back and grinned as a cup of coffee was delivered.
Drin coughed. “What?”
Ekron grinned. “Yeah, when are you going to want to have kids?”
She crossed her arms. “When you grow up.”
Techor laughed, and Vikor scooped her up and sat her on his lap. “You can decide this in your own time.” He nuzzled her neck.
Drin caught Niseth’s look, and there was a smile and hope in her eyes. It had never occurred to her that the family had been worried about Vikor.
Niseth smiled. “You make a cute couple. Were you seeing someone before you and Vikor connected?”
Drin bit her lip. “Yes and no. It’s complicated, but I wasn’t in a romantic relationship with anyone before he snagged me in his club.”
Niseth asked, “How is your family, dear?”
“Just me and my brother. My parents passed three years ago.”
Niseth had a stricken expression. “Oh. Did you have someone?”
Drin looked at her soberly. “Do you want that answer?”
“Oh. Sweetie, I am so sorry.”
Drin shrugged. “They had affection for me in their own way, but my brother got the house and all assets, so I came out of it with no physical baggage.”
There were a thousand other questions in Niseth’s eyes, but Drin smiled. “I can also answer a lot of questions about Vaken if Varun and Shisha are busy talking about schools and colleges. He might even qualify to join the Aksalla agents.”
Niseth swallowed. “I don’t know if I want him on a team.”
“It will be up to him, but he’s going to be activating early and will have years to get control of himself before he makes up his mind.” She sighed. “I wish he could stay small and cute. Boys are so much more manageable at that size.”
Niseth laughed. “Vaka was only two years older than Vaken is now when he met you.”
“Yeah. The music lessons were fun, but we liked doing math when no one was looking.” She chuckled. “That and racing.”
Vikor whispered in her ear, “I have not seen her this calm in years when talking about him.”
She smiled slightly. “Is there anything you would like to know about your grandson?”
Niseth’s eyes lit up, and the questions started. Vaken was different from Vaka. He liked different colours, played the drums, and only had three vegetables that he didn’t like, but he would still eat.
By the end of the conversation, they were standing together and watching over the play structure, slides, and swings.
“He’s good with the other kids.”
Drin nodded. “He is. He’s a natural-born caretaker and leader. Pretty impressive for a guy that needs help some days tying his shoes.”
Niseth chuckled. “He’s so different. He’s more like Vikor was.”
“That will probably be a good thing in the long run. Vaka was a people-pleaser. He needed to do everything that people expected of him, and I tried to help him when he asked for it. It wasn’t enough.” Tears ran down her cheeks.
Niseth looked at her and made a low sound. The hug was unexpected, and they stood there holding each other for minutes before their grief had met and matched. Shisha joined them, and Drin pulled her in. In this moment, she stood between Shisha and Vaka’s family. She was not fond of being the bridge, but if it would smooth the transition, she would do it.
When Vikor pulled her out of the hug, Shisha and Niseth clung together. She wrapped her arms around him and burrowed her face into his chest. He pulled her against him and soothed her. She took in his scent and let it calm her down and comfort her.
A small body hit her in the butt. She was startled into laughing. “Hey, little buddy.”
She turned, and it wasn’t Vaken. One of the other children was wrapped around her. “Oh, hey. Miihan, right?”
The little girl nodded. “You had a sad. I am hugging the sad away. My mom says I am a good hugger.”
“You are an excellent hugger, Miihan. Is your mommy around?”
Miihan pointed, and a woman was at the end of her direction, with a hand covering her mouth. The woman mouthed, sorry.
Miihan looked at her and said, “You still have a sad, but it is smaller when he is hugging you.”
Vikor asked, “Then, I should keep doing that?”
The little girl grinned. “Yes. The sad is deep. It is going to need lots of hugs to stop hurting.” The little girl with huge purple eyes and thick black curls smiled.
The mom walked over. “Sorry about that. She’s from a family of early activators. The empathy came in first.”
Techor smiled, and the little girl’s eyes lit up. “I can hear him!”
Ekron smiled. “Sorry about that. He’s a telepath that wakes up when he sees another psychic. We have tried to housetrain him, but it doesn’t work.”
Miihan giggled and walked over, sticking out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Judge Techor, and I am hoping that she does. Vaken wants cousins.”
The little girl laughed brightly and ran back to play with the other kids.
Miihan talked to Vaken for a moment, his face fell, and then he perked up, and they ran off to play on the swings.
Vikor hugged Drin, and she looked up at him. “You have a deep sad?”
“Yeah.”
“Me, too.”
They stood there, and she felt something that had been aching in her soul loosen up. Vaka had been a good friend, and he had been part of her life for over sixteen years. She missed him.
Vikor murmured, “I miss him, too.”
She started bawling, and he held her until she sniffled to slow sobs, and then, he brought her over to Ekron.
She heard Shisha talking. “She held me for days after it happened. I think this is the first time she’s been able to grieve.”
Ekron’s arms got tighter, and she put her head on his chest and hugged him. The active hugging was nice.
She dozed off at one point, and hunger woke her up with a jolt. She smelled hot dogs.
Ekron laughed. “Someone’s hungry.”
There was a dark undertone to his words, and she looked up at him. “How long was I asleep?”
“Two hours. Techor had you for a while, and Vikor went to play with Vaken and ended up being a climbing frame for the little kids. He makes a good uncle.”
She jolted. “Two hours?”
“Yeah, Techor gave you an assist. Your brain is processing a lot of grief, and seeing Varun and Niseth ripped it wide open.” He caressed her head.
She felt the scratchy itch on her face that said she had continued to cry while sleeping.
Shisha was sitting nearby, and Niseth and Varun were gone. Shisha grinned at her. “Three of them?”
Drin was still dozy. Ekron chipped in. “Four. You know Klauz’s in the Kruak building?”
Shisha blinked. “He works there?”
Ekron smiled. “He’s Klauz.”
Shisha looked at Drin. “Can we go for lunch or dinner or water?”
“Not today.”
Ekron whispered, “Why not?”
Drin couldn’t come up with a good answer.
Techor had been speaking with Shisha, and he sent a message.
Ekron did the same, and Techor got the answer first. “Lunch for five adults and one child is definitely doable at his table. Anytime in the next hour, and we can spend as long as we want.”
Shisha’s eyes lit up. She was going to stand up, but Drin squirmed out of her comfy seat. She said, “I will get them.”
She kissed Ekron’s cheek and headed toward the play area. She walked up behind Vikor and wrapped her arms around him. “We are taking a break for lunch.”
Vaken ran to her. “Really?”
She ruffled his hair. “Really. Have you had fun playing with your uncle?”
“He’s just as big as in the pictures.”
“Sweetie, you have no idea.” She held him where he clung to her hip.
Vikor turned and gave her a hot look. “Would you care to repeat that?”
She grinned. “No.”
“Auntie Drin, your teeth are getting pointy.”
She slapped a hand over her mouth. “Probably because I am hungry. Come on, buddy, we are going to eat, and the chef is another uncle. The last one, I promise.”
He laughed. “It’s okay, Auntie. It’s better that you have people around. You have been alone for as long as I can remember.”
She huffed and rolled her eyes. “Come on. Say goodbye to your new friends for today, and we will try to start getting out here every Saturday.”
His eyes glowed happily. “Okay.”
He darted off and said goodbye while Vikor put his arm around Drin. “So, you are going to haul us here every weekend?”
“Buddy and I can come on our own.”
Vikor snorted. “You still aren’t getting this. That’s okay. You will. We have time. We will make sure that you understand that you are precious and protected.”
She watched him pick up Vaken and head up the steps to the others. “I think I am beginning to get it. I might need reminding.”
He laughed, and she followed them. They were in the parking lot when the first shot rang out. She felt the burn on her arm, and the second caught her in the shoulder. The third was fired, and Ekron was between her and the attack. She watched him flinch, and then there was a roar from Vikor. Techor was standing straight and scowling.
She looked down at the blood streaking her torso. She murmured, “I am going to need to change clothes.” She leaned her forehead against Ekron’s chest and stroked his jaw. “Thanks for that.”
He nodded and held her against him. The wail of peacekeeper vehicles was approaching rapidly, and they were going to be late for lunch.
Chapter Seventeen
Ekron had called someone while he shredded a chunk of fabric off her skirt to tie around her arm and stifle the slow bleed in her shoulder. She grunted, and he apologized.
She asked, “Who did you call?”
“Salat. He and Khytten are still in town, so she is going to get you a healing vial.”
She blinked. “That isn’t necessary. I will heal in time.”
“We are not patient, and I am sorry that this happened, Drin.”
“You didn’t shoot me.” She widened her eyes and stared at him. “How are you? That last one would have hit me in the midsection.”
“I know. I had to crouch, so it only made a hole in my shirt.”
She nodded. “Good. I don’t want you hurt.”
He smiled, but there was tension around his lips. “We didn’t want you hurt either, but apparently, I have a fan who is about to find out how effective my legal counsel can be.”
The legal counsel in question had a ridge of spikes down his back, his horns were large and gleaming, and his teeth jutted out as he held the shooter, face first, onto the ground.
When the peacekeepers finally pulled up, the agents were landing.
The agents stepped in to handle Vikor, and when they took the shooter into custody and handed them to the peacekeepers, they tried to talk Vikor down.
Drin patted Ekron’s arm and said, “You can fuss more in a minute.”
She walked past the hero team and walked up to Vikor. “Hey, sweetie. You can calm down now. You did good. I have delayed our reservation with Klauz for now, but if you don’t get small enough to fit in the car, we are going to have to strap you to the roof rack. As it is, I am going to need to stop off at your apartment and see if there are any other clothes for me there. Or I can go shopping at a discount store.”
His blue eyes grew amused, and he started to slump, and his normal shape resumed. The agents behind her exhaled in relief.
She beckoned to him. “Mobility is limited at the moment. Come down here, and then, Ekron wants to finish tearing my dress into bandages. I hope he stops before he gets to the neckline.”
The kiss reassured both of them. Vikor knew Drin was alive and healthy, and she knew he was back and able to think for himself again. She touched noses with him. “The giant beast is kinda hot, but I am just getting used to the normal you, so no experimenting yet.”
He chuckled and kissed her again.
Ekron eased her away. “You are still bleeding, pet, and none of us is strong enough to heal you.”
“I can heal her.” Remark of the Aksalla agent team stepped forward.
She looked at Remark and swallowed. He had always been a little intent on her when she was there to see Vaka off.
“Uh, okay.”
Vikor held her hand. “Squeeze my hand if it hurts.”
Remark smiled slightly. “It won’t hurt, but you can’t be touching anyone else. Is the bullet still in you?”
She nodded.
“Okay, I have to get it out.” He unravelled the wraps, and to her embarrassment, he pressed his lips to her shoulder and sucked. A few seconds later and he spat it into his palm. A watching peacekeeper collected it.
He licked her blood off his lips and then smiled. “May I have your name, precious?”
