Page 2 of Some Swans Don't Swim
The devil scoffed. “Ogle. I only do that when she’s naked.”
“Uh-huh.” I crossed my arms over my chest, cursing myself for not wearing a bra underneath my very thin Sylvester T-shirt. “You wish.”
His smile dripped sex and sin. “Only every day, sweetheart.”
My vampires’ bodies coiled tight, ready to spring, all of them growling low.
“It’s been real,sweetheart.” Each word out of Jacek was as sharp as the god bone stuck through my bun. He started to close the door. “Go play with your pitchfork somewhere else.”
“I’d rather play with Belle,” Luc said, stopping the door with his motorcycle boot, “but I’d settle for her help.”
“It’s almost Christmas Eve,” Eddie reminded him, glaring through his glasses and mop of blond hair. “Surely even you are aware of that.”
He nodded. “It’s why I need Belle’s help.”
“Sorry,” I said, shrugging. “I’m the slayer in name only, remember? My days of dealing with big bads are long gone.”
It was true. I’d given my slayer power to a plant. Ask me how normal my life is someday, and I will explain all the ways it definitely isn’t.
The devil’s sapphires penetrated deep, as serious as I’d ever seen them. “Children are in danger, Belle.”
Well, shit. He knew the magic words to put me right in that danger’s path, whatever it happened to be.
“Let him in.” I backed away from the door as they did so and crossed the living room to sit on the couch.
“Since when do you care about children?” Jacek asked Luc, closing the door behind him and Cleo.
Luc stopped and stared him down, a sneer curling his mouth. “Since always.” He sliced his gaze to Eddie and pointed. “And before you come at me with another seraph knife, you know that’s true. I was trying to save your sister, just like I’m trying to save these kids tonight.”
Yes, the topic of kids was a touchy one. The devil had put himself in charge of choosing the slayer, and he chose them as young as possible so they’d have a fighting chance to actually survive. He’d chosen Eddie’s sister, who hadn’t survived. He’d chosen me, and I had, for the most part. Which made me want to help these kids even more.
“Let’s try not to lose focus.” I reached over the coffee table and threaded my fingers through Eddie’s who was staring down the devil with a look that could kill. “The sooner you tell us what’s happening, the sooner I can help.”
“And the sooner he canleave,” Eddie rumbled as he sat to the right of me and squeezed my hand.
Sawyer took the spot on my left and settled his hand on my thigh while Jacek sat next to Eddie on the arm of the couch, leaning back so he could touch my shoulder. My three vamps loved to stake a claim over me by touching me, physically owning me, especially around Luc. Not that I minded.
The devil had obviously had a reason to want to marry me—other than trying to help me—but hadn’t been thrilled by my firm, hell-to-the-no answer. A deal breaker for me that he didn’t like that answer—which was one my favorites—but even now as he looked upon the four of us, the tiniest glimpse of hurt broke through his tight-lipped smirk.
He glanced away when he caught me looking. “I’d like nothing more than to leave.” He crossed to the chair in the corner opposite us, his long, muscular legs eating up the distance. Cleo flopped happily along after him. “Because it smells like vampire sex in here.”
Jacek chuckled. “You’re sitting in one of our favorite spots.”
The devil grimaced as he took his hands from the armrests and placed them on his thighs. “I’ll get right to the point. Have you ever heard of Krampus?”
My three vampires stiffened.
I’d only vaguely heard of it before but with no real context. I shook my head.
“You mean the half goat, half demon who punishes children at Christmas?” Eddie asked.
Cleo rested her chin on Luc’s knee and was making lovey eyes at him, and Luc booped her gently on the nose. “That’s the one.”
“This sounds like a you problem, given that Krampus is a demon,” Sawyer said.
“Which is why I’m trying to catch him,” Luc said and sighed. “He was captured once, long before I was forced to hell, so I don’t really know the particulars. But he escaped again they day before yesterday.”
Sawyer frowned. “This is definitely a you problem, then.”
