Page 50 of The Monster's Mate

“You did knock her up,” I remind him. “And she’s coming home. She was just trying to decide whether to do it tonight or in the morning. Why not go give her an excuse to do it tonight? An escort? Some begging wouldn’t hurt, either.”

For the first time, some of the tension eases from his face. “She’s really coming back to me?”

I snort, then reach out to smooth the frumpy look on his brow. She’s not coming back to him with that scowl etched there. “Of course, you idiot. She loves you.”

He jumps up, rudely heading toward the door, so I sprawl out on the sofa, then call out after him, “but it might be wise to keep her pregnant at all times just in case.”

The door slams as he mutters something, which makes me laugh.

But then there’s a little Tiiblet at my feet, wringing his hands. “Th-thank you for perking the master up.”

“He’s not your master,” I growl.

“He’s everyone’s master,” Wrombley says, stars in his eyes.

I lean down to peer at the little dude. “Look. Everyone screws up. I know you love him to pieces, but remember he walks on the same ground we do, eh? And you might want to make yourself scarce because he’s going to bring Bel back and they’re going to be going at it for hours.”

Wrombley nods. “Shall I help them, you think? I can probably—”

“No. Go bug Morky and Villi. I have a job for you, though you’ll need to discuss it with Bronan at some point. My plan is to get Isabel and River to make another visit to Earth and while they’re gone, maybe the Adroki Tiiblets can come out to help you decorate the nursery.”

“I can plan this!” he says, his eyes wide.

“I know you can. It’s a huge project, but no one can do it better than you. So keep it quiet, but as soon as Mikhail mentions he’d like Isabel and River to go to Earth, I’ll message Juris of the Adroki and make arrangement for the rest of the little monsters to come here.” I tweak his nose. “And when Mikhail brings Isabel and her daughter back, he can take the Tiiblets home to the other clan.”

“Yes, yes,” he mutters excitedly, waving his little hands in the air. “I’ll go grab Morky and Villi and tell them of the plan! We might have to head down to the Tiiblet quarters to start plans with the others without everyone overhearing us.”

“Perfect timing, since Bel and Bronan will be bedded a while,” I assure him.

Then, the second person in that household rudely scuttles out the door, leaving me alone in the apartment.

Mannerless oafs. Their whole family.

I rise, not wanting to be present when Bronan walks in with a boner and a giggly mate in his arms, and head downstairs to the main cavern. Maybe Tiran will be there.

Chapter Fourteen

Skiden:

“Everything went smoothly with Isabel?” Tiran asks, pouring me asleinke. We always drink the expensive stuff when it’s Bronan’s. Especially when he’s not home.

“Yes. She was already set on coming home. She said River and Maman will pick her up in the morning and she’ll be here for breakfast. So when I told Bronan, he went right out to beg her to come home tonight.”

“He missed you.”

“So did you.”

Tiran scowls at me. “How can you tell,know-it-all?”

I grin. “Your feelers have been slithering up me like I’m River.”

His appendages jerk from my skin like I gave him an electrical shock.

“I should tell you about the night I left,” I say, leaning forward. “I was so angry with Patron for revealing it that way that I chased him. Tied his appendages together and tossed him over the Towering Falls. Since I haven’t heard of his tragic death, I’m assuming he made it out.”

Tiran nods. “He never mentioned that, but he did sport two black eyes. I assumed the strike he received that night spread to the other side.”

“Nope. The second one I gave him later.”

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