Page 58 of Daddy Frost

Kalen let out an ear-piercing whistle. His sons and Casimir immediately backed down but kept their eyes on their enemies.

“What barter?” Kalen repeated his demand.

“Leo wanted us to snatch his nephew so he could hand Delta over to Whichello as some kind of… I don’t know. Spy?” he said, but his words were spoken with a heavy lisp because of his missing teeth. “His nephew was supposed to gain Whichello’s trust then lower the demon’s guard with sex. That was when Leo was supposed to strike and kill the guy.”

“You really thought a human could sneak up on a vampire and kill him?” he asked dumbfoundedly.

The man glanced away as he shrugged.

Kalen had released a lot of his rage during the fight, but it returned tenfold. He would never understand how family members could betray one another. How Leo could willingly sacrifice his nephew, who had never done anything to deserve that kind of treachery.

“Look,” the vampire said, a light amount of blood spritzing from his mouth as he spoke. “Like I said, I don’t want to lose any more family. Can we call David’s death compensation for our foolish decision to attack your family and you let the rest of us go?”

Not only had Kalen’s family taught him how to fight but they’d also taught him how to employ strategy.

“On one condition.” Kalen’s head snapped around when Damon stormed out of the house, pure panic in his eyes.

“Elvine’s in labor! I don’t know what to do with lady parts!”

Jax shot toward the house and raced inside. Damon glared at the vampires as his five-foot wings shot out from behind him and his fangs elongated. “Need some help?”

“What in the hell is he?” the vampire in Kalen’s grip asked in awe and fear.

“Come on, Dad,” Damon whined. “I need the exercise. This leftover baby fat is making me self-conscious. It was worth it to bring my daughter into the world, but Casimir doesn’t find me sexy anymore.”

His son was full of shit if he thought his mate no longer desired him. Every time the warrior looked Damon’s way, there was nothing short of enchantment in the man’s eyes. The fae was a love-struck fool, and Damon knew it.

“What is he?” the vampire repeated with genuine confusion.

“When have I ever said you weren’t sexy, nékah?” Casimir looked distraught. “You are the most ceutyâ nétya I know.”

Kalen had heard the phrase often enough to know it meant beautiful wolf. “Stop using your mate as an excuse so I’ll let you fight. You’re going to make him pass out again.”

The warrior huffed.

“Maybe he shouldn’t attend the birth of Elvine’s baby,” Jaytee added with a shit-eating grin. “I think he cracked the foundation of the house the last time. It might collapse this go-round if he hits the floor again.”

With a growl, Casimir stormed over to his mate and pulled Damon into his arms, kissing him thoroughly as Damon threw back a leg. Kalen was happy and relieved his son had overcome what he’d gone through, returning to his normal, goofball self.

“Leo is a piece of garbage,” the vampire muttered.

“How do I know you won’t return?” Kalen asked him.

“Because I hold family just as sacred as you do, and you seem to have a beautiful one,” he replied. “I only wanted revenge against Whichello for killing my father and brother, but now I see Leo used me just like he was trying to use his nephew.”

“Since I have a birthing to attend, I’ll make my offer quick,” Kalen replied before he explained his condition for their release.

“I would enjoy nothing more,” the vampire replied with a bloody grin.

* * * *

Leo jumped at every noise as he paced manically behind Deep Dish Diner at three in the morning. Where in the hell was that dimwitted vampire?

Since Paul had called over an hour ago with the location of where he’d wanted to meet, Leo assumed the guy had been successful in snatching Delta. He’d tried to ask, but Paul hadn’t stayed on the phone long enough for Leo to get anything other than the whereabouts of this creepy-ass alley.

And he was still pissed off it had taken the vampire a week to get the job done.

This was what happened when you let a guy give you head—the best head Leo had ever received. They started acting indifferent. All Leo needed was for the vampire to hand over Delta. Jesus. How hard could that be? Even someone as moronic as Paul should be able to handle the simple task.

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