Page 2 of Courted by the Sabertooth (Mori’s Mementos #3)
Mori
Pierce’s Family Estate
I’d woken up the night before every time my pregnant brother had gotten out of bed to pee.
His pattering penguin waddle down the hall wasn’t the quietest sound and the closer he crept to delivery, the lighter I slept.
Our parents had offered to come and stay with us, but Preston didn’t want to put them out.
They had tiny kids at home and a community to lead and nurture.
Still, in lieu of being here, they video called us multiple times a day as if we were hiding something.
I mean, Preston had hidden his pregnancy all through his first trimester but that was all out in the open now.
All that and the annoying frequency Dern had begun to pull me into his Other World kitchen wadded me up into a tissue ball of tired Mori.
That was why I was going to make slippers out of whoever was banging down the front door.
We’d moved all the way to the middle of nowhere for peace and quiet and to be with our cousin, his mate, and their new baby, Hex.
The latter was the reincarnation of an evil elven queen, but so far outside of crying whenever she was sat down, she’d shown no signs of being evil this time around.
“Mori? Who’s killing the house?” Preston called out, whiny as ever.
“Patience. He’s carrying around a bear cub that’s set up a mansion inside of him,” my wolf yawned, ever more patient than I was.
My brother was consumed by hunger and restlessness.
The only thing that made him happy was eating a big snack while he put his feet up.
It was as if the baby was multiplying inside of him and consuming each bite of his food as soon as it passed over his tongue.
The baby’s sire was currently doing community service in Moonscale London with no intention of being a daddy.
The baby’s grandma was on the run after trying to blow us all up with magic because Preston wouldn’t come live with her and hand his unborn baby over.
So, it was us and Crilus and Pierce. Plus a few other friends who stopped by now and then.
My best friend, Ni, was pregnant with his second, or he and his mate and firstborn, Zinnia, would’ve moved here by now. Juda, knew we had the space for them.
Growling under my breath, I swung my feet off the bed and shrugged on my robe. It was red and fluffy and so fucking soft that it made me want to melt back into the sheets and sleep until noon. I glanced at my step-counting watch. It wasn’t even fucking seven yet.
“Slippers. We’re gonna have new slippers,” my wolf grumbled.
I opened the front door to empty air and swore under my breath.
I squinted looking around for whatever spirit that decided to bang my door down without sticking around to get aid.
Two vehicles were parked in front of Crilus and Pierce’s house.
They always pulled into the garage at night.
One was the unmistakable minivan Clarence and Medwin Moonscale had been driving around, and the other was a standard issue Moonscale Guard car.
The breeze carried the scents down to me and I swore under my breath.
Whatever Clarence Moonscale was doing he was about to being eaten by a vampire.
You don’t knock down the door of someone with a newborn baby this time of the morning.
“Shit!” I swore under my breath and sprinted across the estate’s well-kept lawn.
Pierce stood in the doorway with his long fangs bared at Clarence.
Two guards stood behind the alpha dragon but neither of them smelled keen on fighting the vampire.
I couldn’t predict the future at the drop of a hat, but I didn’t fancy their chances of winning.
Pierce’s eyes were red and Crilus was tugging at his arm trying to pull him away from the door.
Had he lost his shit and Crilus called for backup?
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked and tried not to wince at hearing my carrier’s voice tumble off my tongue. This wasn’t Nightshade Bear Territory but that didn’t give Clarence Moonscale the right to storm personal property.
“Trying to talk to Crilus but Pierce has lost his fucking shit,” one of the guards said over his shoulder. “Been threatening to rip Clarence’s throat out for the last five minutes. We’re at a standstill. He’s not budging and neither is Pierce.”
“Why do you need to speak with Crilus?” I asked.
“Because---” the guard started but Clarence shot him a look.
“Suit yourselves and get drained. I don’t care. Just do it quietly because you woke up Preston. So, tell me or not, but if not, I’m going back to bed.”
“A cheetah shifter was found without his hand down by the river this morning. He’d nearly bled out before a jogger tripped over him.
He’d been at The Raven Perch last night and we know he hired Crilus for some of his ‘secret’ magic.
Now, he shows up assaulted saying it’s by some big demon cat with elephant tusks.
Sounds like a conjured-up animal if you ask me. ”
“So, you’re here to question all of us? I’ll go call my parents,” I said.
“What? I’m trying to talk to Crilus because elven magic---” Clarence started but I didn’t have enough energy for his bullshit.
“No,” I shook my head. “I could do that. I could call a ghost of a saber cat to attack him. I could call one right now. Crilus can’t do that. His magic isn’t with the dead, you pig’s dick.”
Clarence turned to face me and pursed his lips, making himself look like an angry, overgrown duck.
“Did you attack that cheetah?” he asked.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about. So no,” I rolled my eyes.
“But do you realize how ridiculous you sound right now, Clarence Moonscale? I know the elves used to beat you up for stealing their treasures, but sheesh. You can’t make accusations like that!
That’s how people like Ginger Barrel came to be.
Do you really want to found another hate group? ”
“You’d say anything to get me off your cousin’s back,” Clarence said.
“No, I’d say anything to get you to take about five steps forward and let Pierce close that door before he chomps into you.
He’s been extra territorial recently. Hex is still so small and now you’re trying to manhandle his mate.
You’re lucky I came out here and not Preston.
He’s taken to carrying a jug of sweet tea in one hand and a jug of milk in the other.
Getting walloped to death by gallons of drinks isn’t a good way to go out. ”
He opened his mouth intent on telling me how much I sounded like one or the other of my parents but thought better of it.
“Either way, I need to question him. There were several large transfers to his account a few months ago from the victim and…”
I stared him down.
“And?” I crossed my arms.
“Now, I don’t know,” Clarence admitted.
“It’s not illegal to perform magic for money, right? And his spells keep people from beating the shit out of dirtbags and scumlords. Would you rather have physical violence?” I asked.
“No, but—”
“No buts. Crilus was here all night. He was home with his baby who is still chest feeding,” I said.
“Are you really going to take a chest feeding carrier in for questioning because he had a business deal with this guy? Do you know how much it hurts to lose a hand? Don’t you think maybe this guy is in shock and perhaps you should be working with his doctors to get a real statement from him?
Maybe checking the five bajillion cameras you have all around London? ”
“People are doing both of those things,” Clarence conceded.
“Now, if you want to talk about ghost cats you can come and talk to me while I cook Preston breakfast. If you behave, I might feed you too. I’ll be happy to consult on this case, but you can’t go throwing serious accusations around without concrete evidence.
Clarence, you’re old enough to know this. ”
I had no doubt in my mind that Clarence would follow me back to the guest house.
I also had no doubt that he was more afraid of my carrier than of me.
There was a time when that would’ve bothered me but now, whatever got the job done was good enough.
Crilus wasn’t a lily pure caster but there was a huge difference between charging an asshole hush money and whacking off a guy’s hand.
I let out a silent sigh of relief when I heard my cousin’s front door shut and Pierce hadn’t sunk his fangs into anyone.
I wasn’t sure how to make a vampire stop biting someone and Pierce’s parents were on another trip.
This one to old Italy to see more ruins that might’ve belonged to ancient shifters.
I’d help Clarence if I could but if what attacked the cheetah was ghostly, he pissed off someone willing to do a lot darker magic than I was.
“Hey, had he ever crossed Sharon Claudis?” I asked as the raging shebear came to mind. “It sounds like something that unhinged woman would do!”