Making Demons Purr (Flushed and Fevered Book 2) (15 page)

“Calm down.” Carver prayed that Thorn would reel it in by the time they got to the office.

“Where is Sera? Why didn’t she stay? Who knows what could’ve been on the prowl last night? Who knows what the necromancers raised up?” Thorn grabbed a cup of coffee and downed at least half of it in a few swallows.

Carver winced but knew Thorn would barely notice the scalding heat. “She has work to do, just like us. I thought we could bring lunch to her office and check in on her. Maybe inform her that she’s in for a punishment for leaving us without waking us up.”

Thorn paused. His eyes took on a steely look and a wicked smile curved on his lips. His features began to relax little by little until all evidence of stress was gone. “I’m fine with that.” His shoulders sagged. “And I like the idea of taking them lunch. We know they work hard over there, and a little pampering for Sera isn’t a bad idea. She deserves it. Besides, it may give us an in with her friends. And yes, I know it could be construed as a bribe, but there’s nothing wrong with greasing the wheels a bit.”

Carver thought about Sera’s co-workers. Bridget, Mysta, and Lana had never been hostile to them. If anything they were more polite, courteous, and considerate than their other customers, event their demonic brethren. But Carver wasn’t so sure a food bribe would work, even if they threw in Thorn’s Triple Death By Chocolate Cake. Even Lana wouldn’t accept them so easily. They were a tight-knit bunch, that much he knew, and demons were generally distrusted.

Carver glanced at the clock and put down his empty mug. “Time to go. We’re late enough as it is.”

Thorn shrugged. “What’s your hurry? There’ll only be a few people out and about at this hour. You know the usual holiday food crash, especially with sugar involved. I doubt we’ll see anyone in before noon.”

“I know, but if our regulars show up they’ll be hungry. Ready to go?” Carver grabbed his jacket and moved toward the front door.

Thorn sighed. “This is why we can never take a vacation. You would worry about the TJD too much.”

Carver ignored him and headed out to the driveway. Thorn followed without saying a word. With no one else on the streets they got to the café in record time. It looked like someone had bewitched the street signals to hold the green light longer.

A cleaning crew was already out taking down the toilet paper that hung everywhere. “We should send out some coffee and food to them,” Carver suggested. “They have a long day ahead of them. At least the TP hasn’t been magicked.”

Thorn shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe it has been. Like, it now can’t be flushed away or disappear or be burned. But yeah, that’s a good idea. You get the stuff ready and I’ll bring it out to them, unless one of the Orphans shows up.”

Once inside The Java Demon they were met by the staff, who were already hard at work baking and mixing and putting away the morning’s delivery. Pride swelled in Carver’s chest at the sight. “Looks like we won’t need to cook up anything for them.”

Thorn gestured to the crew. “Yup. And see? We didn’t actually need to come in.”

Carver snorted but headed to the front of the house. Three customers had milled in behind them as they had entered, but he wasn’t fazed. They slipped into their usual rhythm easily. Carver took orders and poured coffee, checked on the tables and rang up orders, while Thorn and a couple of the Orphans went out to the cleaning crews to deliver food and coffee. Thorn came back to announce they’d decided to bring the crew out lunch too as the TP was indeed bespelled. Also, someone had let loose a bewitched slug-like creature on Lord and Lady Park.

Carver groaned. “Get as much salt as we can spare and send it over.”

Thorn shook his head and Carver frowned. “They already have the blessed salt. Just need to find the damn thing. The slime trail evaporates as soon as it hits air apparently. Only reason they know about it is a couple had an itch to fuck in the park last night and they woke up covered in secretions. The creature was trying to, um…well, perform some suck and pull on one of the men’s dicks.” Thorn chuckled. “To say he was horrified was putting it mildly.”

“And Sera could’ve been attacked by that thing? She has truly earned her punishment.” Carver began to list all the things they would do to her. A mere spanking was too mild.

The excitement died down and the morning limped along. The cleaning crew had found the slug and put as much salt on it as they could. Even a few local witches had come out to help, but Bridget hadn’t been one of them. Word had it she had had one hell of a fight with a rogue vampire at Ruby’s Inn. As new customers trickled in the story grew. Apparently, Bridget hadn’t just taken on one but five rogue vampires and had used a flaming sword and a bow that she’d stolen from a fallen angel during an estate sale.

Carver ignored all of it. Ruby had come in midmorning to tell him the truth: one vampire, a small fight, and Bridget had managed to get out unscathed. It still made him uneasy. Ruby hadn’t mentioned whether Bridget had been alone. Sera had been working, as well as Lana and Mysta. Any of them could’ve been involved.

The morning crawled along only to stop dead in its tracks when the door opened and Carver’s Uncle Jasper stepped into the shop dressed in a silk shirt, cashmere pea coat with plaid scarf, sunglasses, and slicked-back hair. His strong, angular features were tense and his lips were thin lines. A tingle of demonic energy filled the air as Jasper made his way over to his nephew. From behind the sunglasses, Carver felt the weight of Jasper’s gaze like a boulder on his shoulders. The old man moved forward like a lion cutting through high grass, no wasted movement and no time for nonsense.

“Nephew.” Jasper nodded and slipped his glasses into his pocket. He placed his hands on the counter. Just because Jasper was unarmed didn’t make him less dangerous. When it came to firepower Jasper packed it in spades—from the powers he was born with to the ones he had learned from the witches and druids who lived in the area. Rumor had it he also had a few tricks from some less savory sources. Up close, Carver could see some white at his temples, wrinkles around his eyes and at the corners of his mouth.

Worry gnawed at Carver seeing his uncle like this. Jasper was a workaholic who didn’t have a social life. He lived for the family law firm. As far as Carver knew, Jasper was a loner, a rarity of their kind, with no friends outside of work.

“Uncle.” Carver tensed, waiting for the anvil to fall. Had someone died? Was he needed? Was it his mother? Last time he’d seen his family the matriarch had been healthy and happy. Well, as happy as a demon can be.

“Can we talk?” Jasper nodded toward the back. His tone was subdued.

“Sure.”

Carver opened the swinging door and Jasper followed him into the back of the café. When Carver spotted Thorn he jerked his head toward the office. Thorn joined them with only a raise of an eyebrow as a response. Once all three men were in the small space and the door was shut, Jasper exhaled and leaned against the wall.

“The Morning Star has declared an edict. The men of the Demonia must be mated within five years. No specific species. Just mated, not married. It appears the population is much lower than we thought and the demon hunters are getting the upper hand on us. I’m screwed.”

Carver and Thorn burst out laughing.

Thorn recovered first. “That’s it?”

Jasper frowned. The dark slashes of his eyebrows came down as his eyes narrowed. “What do you mean ‘That’s it’? I don’t have anyone on my radar. I can’t marry the firm can I? It’s been years since I’ve been on a date. I don’t even know how it’s done anymore. Do people even meet anymore or is it all on the Internet? And I’m in the middle of negotiating a merger. How can I think about marriage when I have to deal with all the points of law here?” He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up.

Carver shrugged. “No clue. Maybe you should move here?”

Jasper’s frown deepened. “I don’t understand. Why would I do that?”

“Because of the population of single women here. You’re sure to find someone. And anyway, why are you in such a hurry? You have five years.” Carver didn’t get why Jasper had to do it now. He had time.

“Faster I’m mated, the faster I can refocus on work. May not be romantic but that’s how it is. There are too many responsibilities for me. And besides that, unlike the rest of our kind I don’t share. Why aren’t you two worried? Last I checked neither of you were married either.” Jasper’s gaze moved from Carver to Thorn and back again, suspicion in his dark eyes.

Carver could see why Jasper was so stressed. He too hated anything that took away from his job, but Sera was the perfect reason to take a break. “We found our mate already. She’s for both of us.” Carver couldn’t help but gloat a bit. It would be amusing to watch all the unmated or unconnected demons running around trying to find their significant others…and possibly failing. Most demons were either like Jasper—too focused on work to think about themselves—or arrogant bastards who thought they were the be-all and end-all. Pride cometh before a fall and all that. Let the games begin. Carver rubbed his hands together as Thorn preened.

“Sorry, we won’t share her with you.” Thorn clapped Jasper on the back and gave him a toothy grin, somehow managing to show every pearly white in his mouth. He looked sort of like a satisfied shark after a big meal—creepy and reassuring at the same time.

“You two are bastards, you know that? Crowing about your luck in front of your poor uncle. But griping isn’t the only reason why I’m here. Carver, we need you back on the estate within the next month to settle your father’s will.” Jasper’s features relaxed as he slipped into work mode. “Everyone has finally agreed on what they want. No one is contesting the will, but there are a few last-minute items we need your help deciding on. Your mother is so busy at the firm, and she’s just getting used to being back in the swing of things so I don’t want to disrupt that. Think you can manage to pull yourself away from your café and your woman for a few weeks?”

Carver’s chest tightened. He hadn’t thought of his father’s death in months. In fact he’d completely forgotten about his loss. Pursuing and focusing on Sera had helped him a lot. He swallowed. Did he want to go home? Leave the fantasy and face reality with his family? He wasn’t sure.

Thorn moved over to him and squeezed his bicep. No words were necessary. It was time to rip off the bandage. And he could use the time to ease his mother into the idea of having a black panther shifter for a daughter-in-law. But before all that he had to figure out what to say to Sera. He didn’t feel comfortable leaving her and Thorn to face Francine alone.

“Yeah, I’ll be there. No problem.” A new weight settled on his shoulders and worry began to gnaw at him all over again. Was his mother OK? She hadn’t been calling in to check on him like she used to. After his father’s death, Carver had been her tether to her husband. They’d leaned on each other and talked about old times. But it had become too painful, like ripping open the wounds and salting them over and over until his heart couldn’t take it.

Most demon fathers were strict, unfeeling, and rarely attached to their progeny, seeing them only as competition for women and wealth and status, but not Marcel. No, he’d loved his family. He’d worked hard but spent every spare moment with his wife and children. He was proud of Carver when he and Thorn had opened up The Java Demon and had even invested in the business early on. In fact, he had been their first customer. He’d ordered a green tea with milk. No lemon, two sugars, with a dollop of brandy—which they’d sneaked in just for him.

“I need to call Mom. How is she?” Carver braced himself to hear the bad news. Maybe she was not eating or sleeping. Maybe she was overworking herself, losing weight.

“Actually she’s thriving,” Jasper chuckled. “She’s discovered a new hunger and she’s dominating the corporate law world. She’s channeled all of her emotions into that. You know, when your dad was alive her job took a backseat to raising you. She doesn’t regret that, but she did miss her office.”

Carver nodded. At least she was happy.

“Why not bring your mate with you when you come? Sylvia would like that.” Speculation gleamed in Jasper’s dark brown eyes.

“You just want to see if there will be friction. There won’t be. Thorn, can you hold down shop here? I would like Mom to meet her. Get her approval, you know?”

“Hey, sure. You think I can’t run this place by myself? Just watch me.” Thorn checked his watch. “Which reminds me, I hate to break this up, but we have to deliver a lunch order. Jasper, we’ll see you later.”

“Total cop-out from both of you.” Jasper shook his head. “I’ll see you later, nephew.”

Jasper took his leave while Carver and Thorn grabbed the food that was earmarked for Sera and her friends. Bridget’s business was only a few shops away. When they arrived, Sera was at the front desk working on a large pile of paperwork. Lana flitted around watering plants. Mysta and Bridget were nowhere to be seen.

When Sera glanced up she did a double take. Her throat worked as she swallowed and her pulse point thudded quickly under her skin. Her hazel eyes darkened and shifted to lamplight gold. A light perfume of pheromones lifted into the air.

Lana stopped mid-water to watch them walk across the waiting area. Her eyes were wide and full of curiosity.

Carver held up the bag of food. “We brought lunch, if you’re hungry.” The plan lost some of its luster in the light of day. Sera and her friends may have already eaten or they might not want what they had to offer. Or they might not all be around. He hated for the meal to go to waste.

Thorn brushed past him and around Sera’s desk to place a kiss on her cheek. “Hey, beautiful.”

Crimson patches appeared on her cheeks and she gifted them with a smile. “Hi. Thank you. Bridget and Mysta went home. Lana and I are here to hold down the fort for a bit. I’m just catching up on paperwork. Thank you for being so thoughtful. Lunch sounds wonderful.” She pushed back her chair and kissed Thorn on the cheek, then made her way over to Carver where she rose on tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. Lust simmered in her eyes. She ran her palm over the demon’s chest and down his stomach, only stopping at his waistband.