Invision (13 page)

“No fears, Ms. Gautier.” Kody smiled. “We'll see Nick home and make sure he's taken care of. You two go and have a great dinner. Don't worry about anything.”

“Not a puppy, people. I can walk and tie my own shoes and everything.”

“I wouldn't take that bet,” Caleb mumbled under his breath. “Your shoes have been untied all day.”

“That's called a fashion choice.”

“It's called a broken leg waiting to happen, but far be it from me to correct your delinquent behavior. I can use the laughter when you trip and fall, and bust your…” Caleb glanced at Cherise as he barely caught himself before he spoke profanity, “rump.”

Bubba laughed at them.

His mom just shook her head at Caleb before she spoke to Bubba. “Give me an hour and pick me up?”

“We can go now, if you want.”

She smiled sweetly. “Michael, I'd like to take a shower and get the smell of fried grease off my hair and change out of my work clothes.”

“Why? I think you smell real good, and look even better.”

Nick groaned. “Hello! Do you mind? Son is present and choking on my own bile! Gah! Old people. Y'all are so gross!”

His mother glared at him. “Eat your pudding and shush.… And I'm
not
old! I'm barely over thirty. You'll be here before you know it!” She turned back to Bubba. “See you in an hour.” When she went to kiss him, Bubba pulled away.

She gave him a stricken look.

He jerked his chin toward Nick. “Trying not to antagonize the most important man in your life.”

“I'm not looking,” Nick groused. “I already threw up in my mouth. And Ma, I don't want no grief from you the next time you come into a room and I'm innocently leaning too close to Kody. 'Cause I
know
we're not doing anything, and I don't want to know what you two do or don't do, and you better not be doing nothing. That's all I'm saying.”

She shook her head and sighed. “I have raised a rotten child.”

Bubba grinned. “Nah, he's a good one. It's why I've let him live this long. Though drowning is still an option if he ever gets too lippy. I do know how to dump a body in the swamp where no one will ever find it.… gators got to eat, and all that.”

Laughing, she paused at the door. “You want to come on home with me, Boo?”

“Can I finish my food?”

“I thought you were sick?”

“I am sick. You know the saying—starve a fever. Feed a cold. So I'm feeding it this bread pudding while it's still warm.”

She pressed her hand to her forehead. “Thank goodness I work for a restaurant and a kindhearted boss who doesn't mind it when I take food home, otherwise I'd never be able to afford groceries for that boy. I swear his legs are hollow.”

“My mama always said the same thing about me. That and that I was a reincarnated tapeworm. But it's all the football drills your boy runs, Cherise. You've gotta feed that metabolism.”

“Just don't let me forget to bring home leftovers for him after dinner.”

Nick groaned at her. “Again, not a puppy, Ma. I don't need a doggie bag.”

“Says the boy who will be starving by the time we get back tonight.” She gave Bubba a quick peck on the cheek. “I'll see you shortly.… Nick, behave!”

“You, too.”

As soon as she was gone, Bubba scratched uncomfortably at his jaw. “You sure you're okay with this?”

Nick hesitated. Honestly? He was a lot of confused about it. His mother was a sacred entity where he was concerned, and he didn't like sharing her with other people. Ever. He never had. Even as a kid, it'd bothered him to see her holding another baby, even at church.

But he was getting old enough to appreciate the fact that his mother had never dated, and that he'd selfishly taken up her entire life since the moment he'd been born. Like she said, she wasn't old. But he'd hogged every day of her youth.

She deserved to be happy and to find a decent guy who would treat her like the queen she was.

When all was said and done, he couldn't think of anyone better than Bubba, except Kyrian. But Nick knew from Ambrose that Kyrian had another destiny waiting.

Another woman he was meant for.

And Bubba deserved another chance to find a woman who could love him. Since the day he'd lost his wife and son, he hadn't dated, either. He'd been locked up in this business and zombie hunting with Mark. A lost, lonely soul.

Yet whenever Bubba was around his mom, a light came on in his eyes. His cocksure friend lost a lot of his composure. It did Nick's fragile ego good to see that he wasn't the only oversized male his tiny mom cowed and unsettled. Besides, he really did admire Bubba.

“Yeah. I'm just busting your chops, Triple Threat.”

Bubba grinned at his old football nickname that only Nick used these days. “All right. I meant what I said, Nick. You're both important to me. And you're definitely the most important thing to Cherise. Last thing I want to do is cause problems between you. Say the word and we go back to how we used to be.”

“It's all good. Really. Now, go get dressed. Don't keep her waiting. She can't stand that. Trust me. I've still got the hand prints on my butt to prove it.”

He snorted. “Your mother's never laid a hand to you and we both know it.”

“Not true,” he whimpered playfully. “Her harsh words singe my soul.”

“Okay,” Bubba said with a laugh, “fine. Mark's watching the store tonight. If you need anything, he can get right over to you. My dad is out with his friends, but he should be back before much longer. And you know if you need anything, me and your mom are just a quick call away.”

“Yes, sir. But unless Caleb gets frisky with the stove, I'm not anticipating any problems.”

“Frisky with the stove?” Caleb scowled. “What fresh lunacy is this?”

“You know? Your house? I saw your kitchen. Looked like Mark came through it with his flamethrower.”

“Mark
did
come through it with his flamethrower, chasing demons!” Caleb said indignantly. “Dang near burned it down. Remember?”

“Oh yeah. Never mind.” Nick grinned at Bubba. “We'll be better off without Mark, I'm thinking.”

“Considering the fact the boy almost fried himself to God with his cell phone cord and burned his Jeep completely up with it … yeah, I'm thinking you're right. Don't call Mark, on second thought.” He jerked his head toward his bedroom. “I'm going to change clothes. I'm taking your mom to Brennan's if you need us.”

Nick made the sound of agony at the thought of them going there without him. He was already salivating. “Bring me back some dessert.”

Bubba laughed. “A'ight. Will do.”

As soon as he was gone, Nick slid his gaze to Kody. “Menyara's?”

“Yes. I'll get Xev.”

Caleb made a sound of total disgust. “Why?”

“This concerns him.” Then, Nick froze as he realized something. “Holy crap, Caleb! You're my uncle.”

He curled his lip in that surly way only Caleb could manage. “No!”

Kody laughed. “It's worse. He's the half-brother of your
great
-grandfather.”

Caleb glared at her. “You're not helping.”

“No, but I'm entertaining myself at your adorable expense.”

Nick snickered. “Yeah, y'all are missing the important fact. To a Cajun, that makes him my uncle.”

“Great. I always wanted to be a monkey's uncle. Nice to know I finally succeeded.”

“Now, why you want to go and hurt my feelings?”

“Mostly 'cause I can't break any of your bones or feed off your blood.” He got up. “C'mon, sport. Let's go see if Menyara has any insight into this.”

“Sure thing, Uncle Cay.”

“Ah gah,” he groaned. “Don't call me that. It could cause an involuntary reaction.”

“Such as?”

“Repeat stabbing.”

“When did this escalate to violence?”

Caleb arched a brow. “Remember our earlier encounter with Bubba's father? He called me an Esme Daeve?”

“Yeah. What of it?”

“They're the rage Daeves, Nick.” Kody stood up. “Much like a Malachai, they live in a state of perpetual ire, and are always looking for a fight or are trying to start one.”

Caleb nodded.

“That explains so much about your personality.”

“Yeah. I'm just like you. Irritating from my first breath to my last.” Caleb clapped him on the back so hard, Nick stumbled. “Good to be alive.”

“I really need a book on this. I miss my grimoire girl.”

Kody frowned. “Where's Nashira?”

“Don't know. Both her and Aeron have abandoned me. I haven't seen either one in forever.”

Caleb passed an irritated grimace to Kody. “Define
forever
. Three hours or three days?”

That tone pissed him off. “Two days on Shira. And you knew about Aeron.”

Caleb cursed. “I didn't know he was the second one to go missing.”

“Third if you count Dagon.”

Caleb literally froze. He was so still that for a moment, Nick thought someone had cast a spell on him.

But after a few heartbeats, he blinked and turned toward the two of them. “Let me get this straight. Dagon, Aeron,
and
Nashira are all AWOL? At the same time?”

“Yes.”

“And you just now thought to mention this?”

“Didn't think it was that important. I assumed they'd be back.”

At least Kody appeared as confused by Caleb's overreaction as he did. “What is it, Caleb?”

“Aeron wouldn't have just taken off. Not if he had an assignment. Same for Nashira. She doesn't have family or friends here. It doesn't make sense that they'd head out alone like that. I would have been more vigilant going after Aeron, but I don't dare leave Nick alone while he's like this, because you and I know what happens when he's left to his own defenses. As for Dagon … Dagon's a bit more flaky. He might be visiting family on Olympus, but it's still not like him to not check in.”

Kody bit her lip as she turned back to Nick. “Are you still having visions?”

“Kind of, but they're weird. Not like the usual ones.”

Caleb ground his teeth. “Get Xev,” he said to Kody. “Meet us at Menyara's shop.”

Inclining her head, she vanished.

Nick was about to ask what Caleb was thinking, but before he could, Caleb took his arm and flashed them to Menyara's lapidary on St. Philip.

For the first time since his powers had come in, the trip nauseated him. Badly.

No sooner had they appeared in the back courtyard than Nick had to make the mad dash to the nearest bush and fertilize it.

Caleb made his own set of noises in response. Unlike Kody and Nick's mom, Cay had a sympathetic gag reflex. Which made no sense whatsoever to Nick given the fact that Caleb was a battle-hardened demon overlord who'd marched his army over the crushed bones of his enemies. Entrails, blood, brain matter, none of that bothered Caleb.

But you let a little bile up, and it was over.

Nick was on his knees, gasping for air and unable to control himself.

Still making a face at Nick, Caleb looked like he was about to join him at any second. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Whatever I got into I want to return. This is crap.”

“Just make sure you keep it over there.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “You're such a baby.”

“Don't make me zap you while you're sick, Gautier. You know I will.”

He would threaten to zap him back, but right now, he wasn't sure he could make good on that threat. So he kept his mouth shut and stumbled toward the door.

No need to aggravate the devil when all you could do was upchuck on his shoes.

And speaking of … a part of him was still angry at Menyara for binding his Malachai powers when he was born, and lying to him for the whole of his life … never mind setting up his innocent mother to incubate another Malachai without her permission. Because of that, his mother's life was, and would forever be, in danger.

It didn't matter that Menyara was an ancient god who claimed she only did it to protect others. No one should play with someone else's life like that. Nor should they make those kinds of decisions for them, without at least
consulting
them.

People weren't pawns. Or a means to an end. They were sentient creatures who deserved to be made aware of their choices and allowed to decide if they wanted to be jerked around or not.

Or used like broodmares.

Yet that being said, Menyara was the closest thing to a family Nick and his mom had ever known. She'd stood by them when no one else had, and had always made sure they had what they needed.

That alone allowed him to continue to speak to her.

After all, family was family. You didn't have to always agree with each other's point of view or actions to still care about the other person as a whole.

Not to mention, Menyara had taken his mother in and helped birth him on her own sofa. So it was hard to stay angry at her all the time. No matter what came, she would always be his Aunt Mennie.

Even when they were fighting.

It took several minutes before a tiny woman came to the back door and opened it.

She scowled at Nick who scowled back at her. “Can I help you?”

“Uh … you must be new. I'm Nick. Just here to see my aunt Mennie.”

A slow smile curled her lips. “Ah, Nick. I've been waiting for you.” Her expression turned dark.

Sinister.

Then the sclera of her eyes turned completely jet. “Malachai.”

Before he could move, she attacked.

 

CHAPTER 7

Nick threw his hands up to counter and fight as the mortent demon came at him with its messy, sloppy jaws snapping. Was it too much to ask for his telekinesis to be left intact?