Page 33 of Oh No! There’s an Incubus in my Hot Spring (Getting Cozy with Demons #1)

T hree Years Later…

“Can you say Nephew Marky?” Mark says in an exaggerated baby voice to Esmira, who has his index fingers in her vice-like grip.

“Stop trying to confuse her. You’re her uncle,” my mother says as she bounces Esmira on her knee.

“I mean, technically…” I trail off and blow my nose. Dang spring allergies.

“Uncle Mark,” my mom whispers to Esmira. “Un-cle.”

Mark sits back on the ottoman in front of the couch and laughs. “Goddamn, Apollo, why’d you have to give all your good looks to her? Where’s my share of the dark skin and light hair?”

Apollo wraps his arm around my shoulder. “My deepest condolences for your horrid appearance.”

“Ay, Apollo! Mark es muy guapo,” my mother chastises him in Spanish.

“Wa, wa, wa, po,” Esmira mimics and we all simper over her.

“Nice work though, really. Sylvia, I think you may have contributed some, too.” Mark leers. “There’s a bit of snot running down her nose.”

I flip him the bird with one hand and throw my used tissue at him with the other.

Mark dodges the tissue with an aggrieved look at Esmira. “That was the most disgusting thing your mother has ever done.”

“Next time I’ll use your shirt instead,” I say, grabbing another tissue.

He makes an exaggerated pukey face and Esmira giggles. He’s almost like the brother I never had, and I kinda love it.

I’m so glad Apollo messed around with Elizabeth.

The door swings open, bringing another burst of spring pollen with it. I use my magic to force out the air, but some of it got in, for sure.

“Hey! Sorry I’m late,” Irene says her typical catchphrase. She comes striding in with her father in tow and Charlie squeaking between their feet.

“Hey, buddy.” I smile at my duck. “Have a good time at the river?”

Charlie flaps his rubbery wings. “You bet! I met so many new friends. I scare them though, but it’ll just take some time to win them over.”

Apollo gives me a squeeze and a kiss, then stands to greet Pete, Irene’s father. “Ready for another session?”

“You bet!” Pete says with a broad grin.

They’ve been doing healing baths for the past two years, and Pete’s body has slowly been recovering from diabetes and renal failure.

Irene’s face spreads in a wide grin as she approaches Esmira. “Look who got her first horn stubbies in finally!”

She inspects the little bits of bone piercing Esmira’s skin and hair with a squeal, then sits next to me in Apollo’s vacated spot.

“She is just too freaking cute.”

“I know,” I say, my cheeks aching from smiling so much.

“Good thing she didn’t have those on the way out,” Mark says.

“Oh Dios, ayúdalo,” my mother whispers, and I laugh.

“When are you having another?” my mother demands.

“Uh, I think one is probably good,” I say.

She tsks. “She needs a younger sibling to play with.”

I blow a raspberry. “Why don’t you tell Mark to squeeze one out?”

“He should,” she declares.

Mark scoffs. “Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”

Esmira babbles and we all forget what we were talking about.

“I need to go to the bathroom,” my mom says as she passes Esmira off to me.

She yawns, showing off two little white teeth and her pink, forked tongue. I brush some of the light, wavy hair off her forehead and then curl her into my arms.

“So, you gonna make another one, or what?” Mark asks.

I smile. “Yeah. Maybe.”