Making Demons Purr (Flushed and Fevered Book 2) (20 page)

The door opened as soon as they reached the first step. Francine stood in the entryway. Tension pinched her features and turned her lips into a thin line of pink.

“Mother.”

“Leave your pet snake outside. We have to talk.”

To her credit, Mysta didn’t react.

“She comes in with me,” Sera said, “or we do this out here where your neighbors can listen in.”

“Fine, but wipe your feet.” Francine turned away, leaving them to follow her.

“You heard her. Wipe your feet.” Mysta followed Francine up the steps, making a show of running the soles of her shoes on the welcome mat before she entered the house.

Sera trailed after her. As soon as she was through the doorway, her childhood hit her square in the chest. The living room had remained the same, right down to the curtains framing the bay window. Her mother didn’t like to redecorate. It made Sera sad to see that nothing had changed. It was as if Francine had tried to freeze time the way it was when she’d been happy—a time before the children and the divorce.

Sera could only shake her head. This only proved Dina’s point. Francine was truly stuck in the past. She wanted to take things back to a time when the leap was prosperous. In reality, she was destroying the very people she claimed to care about.

Francine sat down in her throne—as Sera called it—a wingback chair covered in gold-colored leather. “Well? Tell me why.”

Sera took a seat on the powder-blue couch and leaned forward. “Mother, a change needs to happen. The leap is stagnant and you’re part of the problem.”

“The leap? What do you know about
the leap
? When did you start caring about your people? You’ve turned your back on us for your
demons
and your
witches
and your
pets
.” Venom dripped from her words.

Sera felt as if her skin had been scalded. She reared back and almost got up to leave, but Mysta clamped down on her shoulder and held her in place. Determination sparkled in the snake shifter’s dark brown eyes.

Taking strength from her friend’s presence, Sera straightened up and faced her mother. “I may not be interested in leap politics, or in ruling, but I grew up with these people and they are suffering.”

“Who? Dina? Please. Her family can always bail her out. But that’s what she gets for going out on her own.” Francine shook her head.

Sera knew the comment was directed at her, but she brushed that thought aside. “Yes, Dina and
others.
But that’s one of many problems. Do you deny having a suitor lined up for Vivi?”

Francine snorted. “Vivi doesn’t know what’s good for her. I do. Just like I knew what was good for you. You had to go and ruin it all.”

“Why? Because I didn’t want to live your life with your ideal black panther shifter? Your pureblood prince? Because I wanted to make my own choices and live and fail on them? Because I wanted to be happy? Vivi and I aren’t the only ones suffering. Ask your leap! They’re hurting. What about the daycare center set up to help the working mothers of the leap? Where is the money for that? What about the big breast-cancer fundraiser? Where did that money go? What about those private jets and trips to the Bahamas? The cars and clothes? You need to straighten your house, mother, and the only way I can see is to call for a battle royale. As a member of the ruling family I have that right. I came here to be fair and tell you before it’s done so you can prepare. I will be announcing it at the full moon. Be ready.”

Silence filled the room.

Sera rose to leave. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, but if we are to survive, if Vivi and I are to survive and be happy, this needs to be done.”

“I never wanted you and I never wanted to marry your father,” Francine hissed. “I wanted a son and I wanted someone else. But I made do. You and your ungrateful half-breed of a sister will pay the price once I’m out of power. Once I’m gone there will be no one to protect you. No one will care. Your demons, your witch, your pets—none of them will stand by you.”

“Actually that’s where you’re wrong,” Mysta declared. “But then I don’t expect you to listen to a pet. Good luck, Francie; you’ll need it. Come on.” The snake shifter led Sera out of the house.

“Thanks,” Sera whispered.

“Do you know how long I’ve been dying to call her Francie? I should be thanking you. Now let’s go. I need a shower from being in that house, and you need your men; am I right?”

“I do but after work. I need to finish up at the office.” As much as she wanted to feel the comfort of being with her men, she had things to do and she refused to abandon Bridget, regardless of what had happened with her mother.

They arrived at the office to find smoke billowing out of the open front door. Lana and Bridget stood out front, waving away the dark gray plumes and coughing.

“Used too much eye of newt. Or maybe my batch had gone bad.” Bridget wiped away the tears from her eyes.

“Told you, you have to use them fresh,” Lana admonished.

“And they were fresh! Just got them a week ago.”

Lana rolled her eyes. “That’s not fresh. You’re supposed to use them immediately.”

“Not my fault. I didn’t have a spell I could use them all with.” Bridget turned to Sera and Mysta. “Got any good news?”

“My leap is going to war with my mother.” Sera hugged Bridget and Lana. “You guys OK?”

“Spell mishap. Should be fine in a few minutes. So, finally taking down your mother, huh?” Pride showed in Bridget’s eyes.

“No, not me. I won’t be in the fight, but I’ll be declaring open season for the title of leader.” Sera put an arm around Lana’s small shoulders. The pixie had gone to petite size so that she could flit around and blow away the smoke.

“Here you are, ladies.” Carver came toward them bearing four coffees. “And Thorn has the beignets—today’s special. On the house of course. Oh, can my Uncle Jasper call on Bridget to ask about matchmaking witches?”

Without thought, Sera went to them and kissed them on the lips one at a time. “Sure, any time. And thanks,” she whispered.

Carver gave her shoulder a squeeze while Thorn took her hand and kissed the back of it. Heat filled both their gazes.

“I wasn’t in the fire,” Sera reassured them.

“Smoke. You weren’t in the smoke. There was no fire,” Bridget called out.

“What she said.”

“Still, we’ll be checking to make sure you’re OK and you can tell us what happened with your mother.” Carver handed out the coffees. “Gotta get back. Come back after closing. We’ll give you a thorough examination.” He winked.

Thorn gave the bag of doughnuts to Mysta.

“Hey! I could’ve handled the doughnuts.” Lana pouted but amusement lit up her face.

“Not a chance, pixie.” Bridget took out a beignet, broke it in half, and shared it with Lana, who stuck her tongue out at Mysta.

“Not my problem if you have to scrape her off the walls.” Mysta took the last treat with her and headed toward the library. “I’ll go research a better spell for hobgoblins.”

“You just want to see your fox shifter!” Lana called after her.

Bridget swatted Lana on the butt. “Stop it or you won’t get more.”

Lana fell silent and Sera turned to her men. “I’ll see you later, maybe after a shower?”

Both Carver and Thorn nodded and headed back to the café.

“No use staying here.” Bridget sighed. “Go home and then go see your men. I’ll stick around here to make sure the cleaning elves get the smoke out of everything. I’ll have to call Joe and cancel our date.”

“All clear, Bridget.” Matthias, the gargoyle fire fighter emerged from the office with his team behind him. “Next time, use fresher ingredients, unless you wanted fermented newt’s eyes.”

“Thanks, Matti.” Lana flitted over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

The gargoyle blushed but didn’t wipe away the contact. “No problem. We’re out.”

Sera said good-bye to her friends, got in her car, and left for home. When she entered the brownstone the light on her answering machine was blinking like mad. She had ten messages. She hit play and went about cleaning up the breakfast dishes that she hadn’t managed to put in the dishwasher. The first few messages were from leap members, asking whether it was true that a battle royale would be called. The last five were from her mother, begging her to reconsider.

Anger simmered through Sera’s blood but so did sadness. There was nothing more she could do for her mother. The genie was out of the bottle and word had spread. She couldn’t take it back, even if Francine could come up with a good reason.

After a quick shower she dressed in jeans, flats, and a sweater before heading back out to The Java Demon. She looked forward to seeing her men again and allowing them to distract her from the current problems. Her heart hammered all the way to the café. She didn’t bother to drive all the way there, not in her state of emotional turmoil. Her decision had been made. She feared for her mother, but letting the situation continue wouldn’t help matters within the leap, or for her and Vivi.

“Sera! Hey, wait up.” Vivi’s voice chased after her as the gloaming set in.

Sera turned toward her sister and waited for Vivi to catch up.

The young shifter stopped and doubled over, her breath coming out in soft pants. “Gotta start cardio again. Jeesh.” She straightened up and brushed a hank of orange hair out of her eyes. “I heard about mom. Are you sure about this?”

There was no anger or admonition. It was just a question.

“Yes. The leap is dying out. We’re not making money. Well
the leap
, isn’t. Mother and her friends are. Things need to change.”

“I get it. I’ve seen…things. Stuff that’s made me question what mother was doing. I never said anything. Didn’t want her to come after me.” Vivi ducked her head.

Sera didn’t say anything. Everything she’d needed to know had been right in front of her, but she hadn’t dared acknowledge it. She wrapped her younger sister up in a hug and held on tight, pouring all her emotions and apologies into the gesture.

“It’s OK, Sera. I’m just happy you’re in my life, and I stand by your decision. You won’t try to take over will you?” Vivi pulled back and stared at her.

Sera shook her head and grinned. “No. I’m not interested and have no patience for the political bullshit.”

Vivi chuckled. “I get it. Good luck. I have to go or I’ll be late for my shift at the library. Laters.” She moved around Sera and took off for the Literary District.

Sera didn’t ask how the job was going or why her sister was bunking with Mysta, but that would come later. With a light step, she continued on to The Java Demon and found the café unlit, the screens pulled down. She smiled. Were they expecting something to happen? Her pussy tingled and her body warmed to the idea of a quickie.

She pulled on the door. It opened on the first tug and she went into the murky room. “Hello?”

“Shut the door and close your eyes. Do you remember your safe word, love?” Carver’s voice drifted from a darkened corner.

She followed Carver’s directions. “Yes, I remember.”

She felt Thorn’s presence to her left. He drifted behind her. There was a snick of the lock, followed by the soft glide of silk against skin. She felt the press of smoothness and the warmth of the blindfold against her eyelids. Her shoulders came down as the stress faded away. Her men would take care of her, make her forget what she’d put into motion. She exhaled and leaned back.

Thorn’s touch drifted down over her cheeks, her neck, her shoulders and coasted along her arms until he held her hands. “Bring your hands behind your back.”

Without thought, she did it. The same silk wrapped round her wrists. Thorn came around to her front and led her with a finger hooked into her neckline. They moved around the tables and stacked chairs.

Carver’s hand caressed her cheek. She turned into his touch with a sigh. Behind her Thorn moved her hair to the side and placed kisses along her nape. He undid the silk cuffs and slipped her jacket off her shoulders.

“Lift your arms,” Carver murmured. His lips moved against her forehead.

Again, Sera followed his orders.

Thorn removed her top, leaving her only in her bra, jeans, and shoes. “Move your hands back to where they were.”

She obeyed and Thorn retied her bonds while Carver opened the button of her fly and dragged her zipper down. Then he yanked her jeans to the ground. Sera toed off her shoes and allowed him to pull off her pants. The floor was icy cold against the soles of her feet.

“What is your safe word, sweetheart?” Carver placed butterfly kisses all over her face.

A word drifted through the fog of her mind. She licked her lips as Thorn slipped his hands around her front to squeeze and knead her breasts. Pleasure slithered through her veins as desire swirled around her body. Pressure began to build as she felt herself moving inexorably toward the edge.

She sucked in air and tried to think. “Um…” she started. “Catnip?”

Thorn tugged down her bra, exposing her nipples to the coolness of the room. Carver’s lips ghosted over her chest and into the valley of her cleavage. Then he began to circle one breast. Thorn worked the other, teasing and pinching her nipple. Everything was enhanced—the air that danced around her, the heat coming off of Carver, the chill emanating from Thorn, the pain and pleasure that shot straight to her clit, the need to come.

Sera moved her arms back, making contact with Thorn’s groin. His erection tented the material of his slacks. Feeling naughty, she pressed her heel into the ridge. With light force she teased him. Her reward was the groan he made. She cupped his shaft through the khaki and gave it a squeeze.

He grabbed her hand and moved it away. “Wicked kitten.”

Carver released her turgid peak and slipped his hand between her thighs to tease her folds through the thin material. “Payback. Now stop.”

She stilled. Carver worked his magic, finding her clit through the barrier of her panties and pressing down. She sucked in a breath.

“Do you want to come?” Carver’s words were edged in a sinful richness that traced along her spine and wrapped around her body.

“Yes,” she hissed.