Page 26 of King’s Obsession (Obsessions #5)

Dougal

“Is the king all right?” Baal hissed urgently. “Did the birth process affect his mind somehow?”

“Nope. He’s fine.” Dougal gently rocked their sleeping daughter as he watched his mate stomping around the throne room. “Asmodeus just wants to be sure that the demon realm is safe and comfortable for the new princess.”

“There’s a queue of people outside waiting to see him. It’s been weeks.” Baal was very dedicated to his job, and Dougal appreciated that, he was also prone to dramatics.

“It’s been four days, six if you include the weekend, and during that time your king, my mate, has given birth, and learned to adapt to a small person in his space, and none of that was easy for him to do with you pinging him every day wanting to speak to him over ridiculous pettiness.

” Dougal eyed the Baal, making sure he understood he was serious.

“We’ve talked about this. The demons in this realm have to learn patience.

It’s a skill that will help them in all aspects of their lives going forward. ”

“Tell that to the demons who’ve had to wait,” Baal said darkly. “I hope you brought earmuffs with you because there’s going to be some raised voices in here today, especially as the ten o’clock appointment has been here since nine, and it’s already close to ten thirty.”

“No one will raise their voices.” Asmodeus clicked up a huge sign, complete with a heavy stand, and plonked it down in the middle of the floor.

“There will be no touching of the princess.” Another sign got plonked next to the first one.

“No one will stress me out when I am holding the baby, or if my blissful one is holding the baby.” He delivered the last sign with a thud to the floor.

“Death, do you hear me?” Asmodeus glared at Baal. “You’d better tell them I will wreak death, or worse, on anyone who upsets my princess.”

“Yes, Sire.” Baal bowed in jerky movements. “I’ll tell them, but—”

“There is no butt more important in this realm except that of my princess,” Asmodeus' whisper-roared. “If my precious needs her diapers changed, then we will change her diaper, here in the throne room. If anyone, and I mean anyone, dares to suggest her poops aren’t anything but the most wonderful scent of freshly grown daffodils they’ve ever smelled, I will smite them, too. ”

Dougal quickly lifted a hand to hide his chuckle.

Asmodeus was adapting to life as a new parent very well.

He could handle the lack of sleep caused by a perpetually hungry infant, he understood Elara seemed to have a sixth sense anytime Asmodeus got horny, and would immediately start to cry the instant things got interesting.

The one thing he still struggled with was the mess Elara made in her diapers.

“Were you going to put in a crib so Elara can sleep while we’re seeing the people who are demanding your attention?” Dougal reminded his mate, keen to move things along as well.

They had talked extensively about Asmodeus going back to work.

Dougal had offered to stay back in the forest with Elara, but Asmodeus vetoed that idea.

He pointed out, rightly so, that Elara was the princess of two territories, which meant the demons Asmodeus ruled would want to see her. Would need to see her.

“They’ll think she was a figment of my imagination, or I had some terminal growth in my belly or something, if she doesn’t make an appearance.” Asmodeus had grumbled but Dougal could sense through their bond how proud the king was of their daughter.

At barely a week old, she was already aware of things around her, and cooed a radiant smile every time she saw her parents, or the trees around their home.

Admittedly, she also cooed and waved her chubby little hands at Silas, Wanda, Christa, Peni, and Scott. She adored tugging at George’s beard.

The funniest interaction Dougal had seen so far had been when Dakata finally held Elara, being so careful with Silas hovering at his side.

Merihem had stepped close in his demon form, as though he deliberately wanted to see if the baby would get scared as he loomed over her.

Dougal had held his breath—he was protective, too—but there was no need to worry.

The air rang with the sound of a smack at the time.

A very distinct sound of Elara’s hand whacking against Merihem’s cheek.

The big red demon had jumped back, rubbing the spot, his eyes wide.

“That’s just her way of saying hello. Babies don’t have a lot of control over their limbs when they’re tiny,” Dougal had said, releasing his breath as he had gone and claimed Elara as Dakata had tried hard not to laugh.

Merihem and Dakata had both bowed at Elara’s cot when they left, and he and Asmodeus shared a long chuckle when they were alone.

“It was a bitch slap.” Asmodeus had been thrilled. “Admit it. You saw it too. Not even a week old and she bitch slapped our controller.”

Happy days indeed, but now Asmodeus had work to do.

“I’ll put the crib near the plants,” he said, clicking up a crib decorated in soft greens and pale lemon shades.

The wooden baby bed he made sure had a thick padded base, with the sole embellishment of a solid gold crown embedded in the wood at the head end.

“You can put her here, my blissful one,” Asmodeus said, “and perhaps move the plants closer. Elara will enjoy being able to smell them. It will remind her of the forest. Which reminds me…”

He clicked up a fourth sign. This one didn’t have a base, but a hook instead, and Asmodeus stomped over and shoved it against Baal’s chest. “That is to go on the door,” he said firmly, before striding over to the throne and sitting down. “I’m ready for my first appointment. Let’s make this quick.”

“Can I see that sign, please Baal?” Dougal placed Elara in the crib and stroked down her nose, making sure she continued to sleep despite all the thumping, stomping, and whisper-yelling.

“This isn’t going to make the waiting demons happy.” Baal slowly turned the sign around so Dougal could see it.

He chuckled as he read, “If you stink of excessive cologne or perfume, then you will get kicked out.”

“There’s nothing wrong with natural scents if a demon bathes regularly,” Dougal chuckled as he went to take his place in his seat next to the demon king.

They almost got through the session with few issues.

Most demons saw the signs, noted the crib, and quickly made their concerns known.

Asmodeus was on form—rattling off decisions with barely listening to any context or backstory, and Baal was there to shepherd the demon back out the door again in double quick time.

Baal was super-efficient, and that helped Dougal relax.

There had been one sticky moment when Lady Flora swept in, saw the cot and Asmodeus’s reduced stomach and immediately flew past the signs Asmodeus had left around Elara’s crib, reaching to pick the sleeping baby up.

Dougal didn’t have time to get out of his chair. Asmodeus was there, pushing Lady Flora back with a blaze of magic. “The princess is sleeping !” And that was that.

“I’ll come back when you’re in a better mood,” she said with a swish of her skirts. “You can get some pessaries for those hemorrhoids you’re clearly sitting on, you know,” she added before she left.

“I do not have hemorrhoids.” Asmodeus looked as if he was going to go after her, but Elara chose that moment to wake up, and Dougal told Baal they needed a five-minute recess to change her diaper.

When Asmodeus clicked the rather smelly diaper away, a huge grin appeared on his face.

Dougal felt he had to ask, “Please tell me you didn’t send that to land on Lady Flora’s head.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. I’ll remember that for next time.”

Asmodeus was smirking as he clicked up Elara’s bottle and popped it into the crib. Dougal heard a loud, outraged shriek coming from outside. He groaned and looked at his mate. “Where did that diaper end up?” he asked with a sigh, knowing it wasn’t going to be good.

“I sent it to a trash bag.” Asmodeus couldn’t even look at him as his lips quivered.

Clipping Elara’s onesie snaps closed, Dougal picked her up. “Was that a trash bag or a handbag ?”

“I swear sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference, but that might be my non-existent hemorrhoid speaking.” A smile was still hovering over his lips while Asmodeus went back to his throne. “Next!”

Dougal followed more slowly, Elara in one arm, the bottle in his other hand as he settled himself in his seat next to Asmodeus. Elara was a healthy eater, although she tended to be a bit of a guts, taking long sucks of her bottle and Dougal wanted to be sure she took in as little air as possible.

When Elara had wind, her screaming could bring down a tree, so he liked to ensure that happened as little as possible. Which meant he paid little attention to their last appointment of the day, although Dougal raised his head when he heard Asmodeus growl.

The demon demanding his attention was older, in his human form, and dressed in impeccable clothes that showed he had good staff, if not good taste.

“What’s the matter?” Dougal split his attention between Elara’s feeding and his mate.

“Lord Pencil Dick wants to file an application.” Asmodeus was still growling while he eyed the demon in front of him with anger.

“What for?” Dougal gently eased the bottle teat from Elara’s mouth. “Are you hiring more staff for the palace?”

“It’s Lord Pentagon, your majesty.” Pentagon drew himself up proudly. “I am here to lodge my application as a suitable marriage partner to the new princess of the realm. As one of the original bloodlines, who has connections to the royal family for over ten thousand—”

“ No .” Setting the bottle on the arm of his throne, Dougal raised Elara up onto his shoulder, softly stroking over her back as she nestled into his neck.

“King Consort, sir, I don’t think you understand.” Pentagon was persistent, but then the entitled demons usually were. “It is customary for all royal children to be bound on a marriage promise from a very early age—”

“You weren’t.” Dougal interrupted the man again, arching his brow at Asmodeus. His mate’s white-knuckled grip on the arms of his throne was threatening to break it.

“My father died before a marriage contract could be announced, and as I became a surly bastard thereafter, most applicants quickly withdrew their offer.” Asmodeus’s lip curled into a sneer. “They had commonsense. Pencil Dick, you seem to have left yours at home.”

“My name is not Pencil Dick,” he spluttered indignantly.

“Your Majesty, I must protest over your disrespect, not only of my family name, but the deep history behind my family’s attachment to this realm.

The princess will not be able to rule on her own, and at present, she is your only potential heir.

” He held up his hands, his face flushing.

“I’m not suggesting for a second that anything might happen to you or the consort,” Pentagon added quickly as Asmodeus made to get up from his chair.

“The rule of law in this realm has to be followed, even by the king. After deep consideration, I believe I am the best person in this realm to care for the princess should something happen to you at any time, and once she reaches adulthood, I can act as regent to rule in her name.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Asmodeus said casually, and Elara burped in agreement.

“You can’t kill me for reminding you of the law of this land.” Pentagon was visibly sweating. “The law states the princess will never be able to rule on her own—”

Asmodeus threw up his hand, and Pentagon’s words were silenced, even though his mouth was still moving. “Baal,” he yelled. “Get me Rote. Immediately. Now.”

“You yelled, Your Majesty.” Rote tumbled into the room less than two minutes later.

“We’re changing the laws of succession.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” A pen and scroll appeared in Rote’s hand.

“How do I put this?” Asmodeus leaned against Dougal’s side, stroking Elara’s cheek. “She’s falling asleep again.”

“That’s good,” Dougal smiled, finding the entire situation bizarre.

“Rote, if you please, in simple language, as the king’s firstborn, Princess Elara will inherit the kingdom, estate, and Asmodeus’s throne should anything happen to him or myself.

Is that clear enough, without being subject to people seeking loopholes? ”

“Demons spend their long lifetimes seeking loopholes, Consort,” Rote said briskly, scribbling madly.

After a few seconds he read, “It is hereby decreed that Princess Elara, as King Asmodeus and Consort Dougal’s first child, will inherit all estates, including the title and responsibility of ruling the demon realm as the full heir, and as decreed by King Asmodeus and Consort Dougal.

All I need is a signature and today’s date to make it legal. ”

“What about forcing the princess into an arranged bonding?” Dougal asked, more worried about that because he would not tolerate some asshole attempting to claim their child in this way.

“Is it part of demon law that we have to accept applications for that shit?” He pointed to Pentagon, whose mouth was still flapping.

Rote barely looked at Pentagon. “It is definitely not law, even if it’s considered demon lore, Consort.

In fact, even if it was law from the legal sense, King Asmodeus’s decree countered that law from after the ball, insisting that demons seek their blissful ones rather than engage in useless posturing and forced marriage bonds.

“In fact, I am sure King Asmodeus insisted in that previous decree that anyone looking to push a marriage application on an unwilling party that person will be guilty of treason against the crown.”

Rote met Dougal’s eyes. “That stemmed from the idea that demon families were only engaging in those marriages to strengthen their position in an attempt to overthrow the throne.”

“Makes sense.” Looking over, Dougal waggled his eyebrows at Asmodeus.

“No killing required. You can save your energy for something more interesting. Arrest Pencil Dick for treason, sign the new law giving our little princess her rights as your heir, and we’re done for the day.

If you get all that completed quickly enough, we might get five minutes to ourselves before our little lady wakes up again. ”

The scent of Asmodeus’s arousal flowed around the chamber as he signed the papers and called in his guards.

Dougal loved decisive men and sleeping babies.

Of course, he loved his king and daughter all the time, but some moments really stood out, something Dougal was keen to show Asmodeus when they got home, assuming Elara stayed asleep.