Page 21 of Courted by the Sabertooth (Mori’s Mementos #3)

Mori

Pierce’s Family Estate

Since Preston faked baby troubles to help Annila get away after beheading Jon and Chard we hadn’t left the house much.

No one accused him of what he’d done but I knew, and it made me wonder what else my brother did.

Growing up we’d always been close, and it was only after he’d gotten pregnant that I realized he had a whole secret life that I knew nothing about.

Slowly but surely, that was coming out since we lived together again and didn’t know many other people in the Moonscale Dragon Flight Territory.

There was Pierce and Crilus who now dedicated all their time to Baby Hex and the Raven’s Perch.

Morvan and Rho, whose baby was growing ever quicker in his lion gargoyle form, were already expecting another.

A new little stone had popped up on the back side of his bicep and neither of them were leaving the house or accepting visitors except for Teal at this time.

Preston had his feet up and a bowl of chips resting on his stomach.

I would’ve sworn he was having twins except every ultrasound only showed a single little bear cub.

Preston had refused to go back to any of the Moonscale Hospitals and insisted that the GGB doctors came here to see him now.

They obliged him and every week we added a new sonogram to the book.

I’d been uneasy since hearing about how Sharon Claudis aided Annila in escaping from Clarence and his guards too.

She was already linked with my brother as the grandmother of his baby.

She was dangerous and no one seemed to want to do anything about it and I still wasn’t sure what Dern wanted me to make of the scene in the scrying bowl.

“She’s watching us,” Preston sighed, picking up my thoughts over our twin link. “How else would she have known what I did to help Annila?”

“It has to be more than that, though, right?” I asked almost stealing a chip but thinking better of taking food from a pregnant bear.

Preston handed me a chip and frowned at me, “when it comes to that wolf, I don’t know, Mo.

I really don’t. Venal hasn’t been in touch but I haven’t reached out to him either.

I’d like it if both of them kept leaving me alone, so I don’t think about them much, especially when we’re at home.

If I can’t eat her, I’m pretty sure, Pierce will for just coming onto the property with his baby. ”

I bit the inside of my cheek and cursed Dern. Baby Hex was another secret I had to keep because of that old, dead wolf.

“Look, I only have another six weeks before this baby comes, if Philip McCoy is right. From what I hear, he’s usually right about babies. If you really want to chase her down after the baby comes I’ll go home.”

“I’d rather have you than her, but I’ll understand if you want to go home.”

“I’m homesick,” he shrugged. “Is Sharon your actual mission? I thought that was getting Crilus to realize he wasn’t bad because his grandma was a nut job?”

“I’ll have to ask Dern what the hell is going on the next time he yoinks me over there,” I sighed.

“Here.” He handed me another chip. “How’s the paranormal investigation going? Any leads yet?”

“Not yet. I don’t know why I thought it would be so easy.”

“Because everyone kept asking for your help before but now, they’re not.

I don’t know what’s happened but I’m sure someone will hire you eventually.

Maybe the universe is waiting for Ni to have his next baby.

I talked to Teddy the other night while you were out and he said they’re going to name this little girl Peony.

That made me decide that I wasn’t going to name my cub after dead people or flowers. ”

Preston was named after our adopted brother’s younger brother who died before Colton was ever adopted into our family. I was named after our carrier’s dad. I didn’t blame Preston for not wanting to continue that tradition.

“What are you going to name him?” I asked.

“I don’t know yet but no dead people and no flowers. Probably no stars either. Maybe I’ll just call him Bob and get on with it,” he chuckled.

“Bob? Really? Bobby?”

“Shit. Why are the simple names taken too?” Preston laughed. “We should order a pizza. Maybe a couple of them.”

“I can do that,” I nodded. “Just don’t name your baby Pizza.”

“Of course not! I’d name him after a topping. Pepperoni or mushroom or something.”

“No to both of those!” I teased, picking up my phone to place the order only I never got to because the world went black.

I sighed laying on Dern’s Other World Kitchen Floor.

He stood above me as if I took too long to come to this time.

For me it always felt instant but apparently it wasn’t.

He held out his hand and I begrudgingly let the old dead wolf help me to my feet.

Outside a single hell hound ran in circles chasing its tail.

“I heard you talking about me,” he said as we took up our normal seats at the table.

“And?” I blinked at him, wishing I trusted the tea he brewed but he was no longer someone I could take at face value.

“You still haven’t put it together, huh?” he asked.

“That she’s watching us?” I asked.

“Why not? Let’s go with that one,” Dern leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out under the table. “Why is she watching you?”

“Because she wants to steal the baby.”

“Why?” Dern asked.

“Because she’s crazy.”

“Why?” Dern asked.

“I won’t play that game with my little siblings. So, I’m definitely not playing it with you. What is my next assignment anyway? Unless Sharon Claudis is it.”

“Not yet. You wouldn’t find her anyway. You don’t get it enough,” Dern shook his head. “Stay where you are. At least, stay in London.”

“Why? Is someone else having a reincarnated asshole for a baby?” I rolled my eyes.

“Get over it, Mori, and grow the fuck up,” Dern said.

“I said it from the beginning that I wasn’t a nice guy.

Everything I do is self-serving. Dying hasn’t changed that.

She got reborn and they love her to pieces.

Maybe that’s what she needed before. The hell if I know.

The world isn’t as black and white as you think it is. ”

“No, everyone hides in the shadows keeping secrets,” I rolled my eyes again.

“Maybe they keep secrets from you because you’re Mister Judgmental. I mean you took it so well when you found out Preston was pregnant,” Dern flashed me a sinister smirk.

“Did you call me here just to mock me because you’re bored?” I asked him.

“No, I called you here because you were talking about the vision. Which is fine. Not everything is a secret. I thought maybe you wanted to toss around ideas, but you’ve already made up your mind that what I showed you wasn’t important.

Stick around. You already know what you’ll help with next if you think about it. I mean, you are Xenos’s son.”

“Does he know you’re an asshole?”

“He doesn’t think I’m an asshole, kid. We’re friends.”

“Aren’t we friends?”

“I wouldn’t stand by and let a dragon bite your head off,” Dern shrugged, “but I’m your mentor more than your friend.

Believe me, one day you’re going to look back and be grateful about that.

If you were my friend, I’d tell you that of course you were right and that Sharon is watching you.

You should take care of that right now and then I’d probably go to your funeral after I killed her for killing you, but I’m your mentor.

That means we have bigger fish to fry than shebears who are biding their time.

Stick around. It’s coming soon. Well, soon for me, but then time passes differently when you’re dead.

You were dead before. You know that much. ”

“I don’t remember being dead.”

“That’s a good thing,” he said and patted my hand. “Go on. The pizza’s almost there.”

“But I didn’t get to order it!”

“Preston’s pregnant, not helpless,” Dern chuckled. “I can’t wait to see you pregnant. Think that’s still a ways off though.”

“Do you know how I’ll meet him?”

“No clue but it probably won’t be in a dead man’s kitchen,” he shrugged and waved his hand, dismissing me.