Page 36 of Minding the Minotaur (Monsters of the Labyrinth #1)

SAMMY

We’re all sitting around in Digger’s Diner, celebrating.

I’ve just had my first scan. It was done by Tippy’s cousin, who is an obstetric wixen. She lay her hands on my belly and could immediately tell from the vibrations that our baby was healthy and growing beautifully inside me.

She even knew the sex. But we chose not to find out.

Things have gotten a bit tight financially since Arlo stopped working at the clinic. His cousin Rob has taken over. He’s a young fit minotaur, but soon the humans are going to realize his production is not nearly as enzyme rich as Arlo’s.

But I can’t help being relieved. Now we’re a committed couple, it would feel wrong for Arlo to spread his seed around, especially knowing that Marsha Winters and Dr Petronis have far more evil intentions than merely increasing human fertility.

Because of the fiscal belt tightening, we’ve also had to let Tippy go.

She immediately got work at Digger’s Diner, where she’s busily transforming the menu with green smoothies and the like.

Arlo and I are sharing the cooking at home, but I have to keep an eye on him—he’d add fries to every meal if I let him.

We’ve cut back on the lighting in the house and garden too, so things are a bit dim, but I kind of like it that way.

It’s cozy, just us two in our love nest.

As for above ground, we’re hearing that there’s more sinister activity afoot, more guards being posted to the Periphery, more exports of munitions.

Jax fills Otis in, and Otis tells us—some of it.

I’m pretty sure he shields us from the worst.

I worry about Clem being up there, working at DeVines with that evil woman at the helm. I worry about my parents, too. Clem has told them I am safe and happy, but that’s all. They must be worried sick, but how can I tell them what’s going on?

How can I tell them they’ll soon be grandparents?

Times are uncertain, and trouble is brewing. But I am not going to dwell on all that. I am in nesting mode with my beloved minotaur, and maybe all the pregnancy hormones swilling around inside me are protecting me from worrying too much.

As if he senses my thoughts, Arlo reaches over and folds his big hand over mine, squeezing it reassuringly, his smile full of love. I return the smile, knowing he will do everything to protect me and our youngling.

“Time for a toast,” Arlo announces, as Digger arrives with glasses of grappa, and orange juice for me in a little shot glass. I smile a thank you at him, and he winks. Everyone is being so kind, so caring toward me, especially now they all know I’m pregnant.

As Arlo passes around the glasses I say, “We have to wait for Otis and Jax.”

He growls about them never being on time, but we both know they are doing important work, keeping the Labyrinth and its monsters safe.

Just at that moment, Otis stomps in. He looks completely exhausted, his eyes dark rimmed, his hair disheveled. He apologizes, sits down and grabs a glass, but he’s more pre-occupied than usual.

Behind him, in saunters Jax in his usual leisurely fashion.

In comparison to Otis, he looks as if he has all the time in the world, that the idea of taxing himself to move any faster would be an infernal bore.

It’s hard to understand how he gets things done, but I know he does.

Very efficiently, moving in the shadows, all smoke and mirrors as he slides between two worlds.

And while I know little about Jax, after the events of the past few weeks, I agree with Clem that he can be trusted wholeheartedly.

Jax Summers is one hundred percent a friend of the monsters here.

Arlo passes around the glasses of grappa.

“To the health of our youngling.” He places his hand on my stomach, and I place mine over his. We smile into each other’s eyes as all assembled raise their glasses and everyone says in unison, “To Sammy and Arlo’s youngling.”

“Got a name yet?” Kazmo asks.

I shake my head. “We chose not to find out the gender.”

They all throw around names for both girls and boys. It’s fun, and I make a note to remember a few.

Otis doesn’t join in. He’s still frowning, toying with his empty glass.

“What the matter with you?” Arlo asks him when we’ve all settled down, clearly a tad miffed at Otis’s lack of enthusiasm.

“I can’t get the coding to work on the new surveillance system.” He huffs a sigh. “I could work it out if I had more fucking time, but I have a desk full of sheriff duties piling up, and my deputy can only do so much.”

“You need an assistant,” Arlo says.

“I fucking know I need an assistant. You try finding one around here. They’re all working for higher pay down on the lower levels.”

Jax takes a vape. (Yes, he’s succumbed to vaping, with Tippy in his ear and me being pregnant.) “I can get you an assistant,” he says.

“If you’re thinking of a human, it would be too risky.” Otis’s face flushes dark green as he realizes his faux pax. “Present company excepted, of course.”

“The human I have in mind, I would vouch for with my life.” For once, Jax’s face is deadly serious.

Otis raises an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? So which motley peripheral have you got in mind?”

“Not a peripheral. My sister.”

Otis smacks his forehead with a big palm. “Your sister! Gods help me.”

“Clem!” I squeal, clapping my hands. “Clem is amazing, Otis, honestly. She works in accounts at DeVines. She’s the most organized person I know.”

Jax grins at me. “What’d you reckon, Blondie? Could we persuade Clem to work for the sheriff?”

It suddenly makes so much sense. Clem is exactly who Otis needs.

And she needs to escape Sparkle, it’s not safe for her up there anymore.

They know she’s my friend, they’ll be putting pressure on her, maybe even interrogating her to find out if she knows where I am.

“I think it’s a brilliant idea.” I can’t help smiling at Otis’s dark expression.

I say teasingly, “If Clem can’t help you, Otis, honestly, no-one can. ”

Otis glares at me. “Are you implying I’m impossible to work for?”

I smirk. “Maybe a bit grumpy.”

Otis growls, but his red eyes twinkle. I can’t believe I ever found him remotely scary. He’s a big, soft-hearted teddy bear under all that green muscle.

Jax cocks an eyebrow. “So what d’you reckon?”

Otis shrugs. “I’ll consider it.”

We all roll our eyes. Arlo says, “I think the question is, will she consider working for you, mate.”

“You are rather messy, Otis,” I laugh.

“Pile on a few more insults, why don’t you?” Otis grumbles, good-naturedly enough.

I glance over at him and see that he’s trying to hide a smirk. And I think to myself, he likes the idea of Clem being his assistant more than he’ll admit.

As for Jax, of course he wants to get Clem away from DeVines and Marsha Winters. To keep his sister safe.

It’s a win-win solution.

When I look over at Jax, he winks at me. “And Blondie gets to have her best buddy here in the Labyrinth. That’s the most important thing of all, right, Blondie?”

I beam back at him. “Too damn right!”

To be continued…

Organizing the Orc is coming soon!

One grumpy disorganized genius orc, one sunny little human not afraid to kick his butt.

Some seriously sizzling slow-burn chemistry.

And a Labyrinth full of monsters that need protecting from evil magic and malefics.

It’s a recipe for smut and suspense…