Page 132 of Blue Moon Mistress

“But you want kids, right?”

The way Chase asks sounds more like he’s checking his own assumption than anything close to accusing.

“When the time is right.” I land in free parking and sit back to see I’m the only one who wasn’t looking at the board.

“Would your mom or the coven come after you if you should, say, have one of our kids…?”

“No.” I manage not to wince. “The coven’s approved of you. If you were something else, they’d probably kill you and make me terminate any pregnancy.”

“Like vampires?”

I nod. “The coven has too much of a past with vampires to tolerate that. It’s asinine if you as me. But werewolves… even with the spell we did, you guys can still hear super sharp and smell and see things a normal person can’t. Those traits are passed on to any children you have. Witches prize that sort of thing.

“And if you have children with a witch—”

“With you.” Chase corrects.

“—the downsides that child would face disappear.”

“What downsides?” Joshua suddenly looks concerned.

“A half were child would immediately draw the attention of other were. Every full moon for that child’s life would be spent fighting off wolves that wanted to change them, to make them join their pack. A witch’s blood cancels that out.”

“So… heightened senses and magical powers. Sounds like a pretty good deal.”

“It’s why the coven is okay with that particular crossbreeding.”

“Ew.” Thomas pulls a face. “Don’t call it that.”

“Never again.” I hold up my hand, swearing it.

“You just let us know when the time is right.” Johnny pulls me onto his lap and I kiss the tip of his nose.

“That’s not how the ‘right time’ works for me, but I’ll see what I can do.” I turn back to the board. “Now, who is going to lose all their money to me?”

Twenty-Two

Thomas drivesme home in the morning, asking me questions about my car that make it clear he doesn’t approve of the tiny thing.

He even mutters “death trap” under his breath.

I smile and let him fume instead of telling him I’ve already started looking into something that will fit five more comfortably.

It’s a quiet holiday morning, a light drizzle makes the windshield wipers necessary at any speed, but stopped at lights, the water from the perfectly gray day isn’t too much to worry about.

I drop my head to Thomas’ shoulder and squeeze his arm tight.

“If we wore you out last night, you’re welcome to nap for the trip back to your place.”

“You did, but I don’t need sleep.” They never kept me from getting enough of that either.

We cross over the border that delineated the town proper, and I glance in the back seat. Wolfish eyes meet mine and I have a feeling…

“Why do they show up when they do?”

“After the visit to the coven, they’re a little more protective of you. And since I spend a lot of time with one or all of you… they’ve taken to following the one they’re attached to. You’ll only see them when you’re looking for them or something’s wrong.”

The lights flash in the rearview mirror and I groan, dropping my head back against the headrest.

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