I wasn’t sure how long his stamina would last, but the asshole could drain me if he parried my attack forty-five more times, and I had no idea how much it’d hurt if he actually hit my shield or armor with the sword. At the same time, I was going to have to figure out another way to kill him.

  Bonnie said soberly, “Enough.”

  She raised her hands again, but this time it wasn’t fire that formed and shot away at high speed, it was a pure nimbus of white energy that formed, and it moved at the speed of light when it left her hands. There was no dodging light, it left her hand and arrived on target simultaneously, or close enough that even a demigod mind couldn’t discern or perceive a difference.

  Dane was blasted into two parts, the white nimbus of pure energy disintegrated half his torso, including his heart. Upper chest and head, and his lower abdomen and legs fell in two separate places.

  I knew my golden blonde demigoddess had been holding back on us, not impressed with violence or power, but holy shit.

  Bonnie also didn’t look exuberant anymore, with moisture gathering in her eyes, and I have to say that pissed me off more than anything else. She was an amazing woman, and I’d make sure that asshole Carmine got what was coming to him, for upsetting my Lady.

  I pulled her to me and held her. She stiffened for a moment, but only for a moment. Then she melted against me as the tears started to fall, and she cried against my neck. I wasn’t sure if it was her first kill or not, but clearly my very powerful and scary demigoddess of witchcraft wasn’t just exuberant of nature, she had a genuinely soft loving and empathetic heart. A heart that normally made her vibrant and exuberant, but as with all things in life, her lows were equally as intense in nature because of her natural open vulnerability. Basically, the same reason she could get obsessive and spiral. Gods knew I hoped she never changed. It’d be my honor to take care of her through the spirals and lows, and my joy as she lifted us all up through the highs.

  While I consoled my baby, Elena and Maggie got started on the cleanup.

  Bonnie eventually pulled herself together, and she was the one to collect all the small pieces of the shrapnel with an Earth spell. Something our landscaping company would be very grateful for if they’d known about it.

  All the bodies, weapons, and shrapnel were thrown into the back of the burned-out van. Then Bonnie’s spell made it all weightless, so it’d take much less power to lift. I wrapped it in a soul, then flew the four of us and van about ten miles and we buried it about twenty feet down in the middle of a field out in the middle of nowhere, before flying back to the estate.

  Maggie asked, “Plan?”

  I said, “Tomorrow after our workout we’ll head to L.A., when we get back, we’ll all become true mates? It’s a little late to go today, and we have the spell coming up and the coven coming home. Those are priorities as well, for you which means all of us. We can even have some lunch out there if you want, before we fly back and to get whatever we have to do out there out of our heads.

  “I have the soul watching Carmine, if he makes any moves to send more people before we get there tomorrow around ten thirty, then we can go tonight instead, but I’d prefer to wait.”

  “What about Jackie?”

  I nodded, “We can do that now, or after the spell? Now probably works better, so we don’t have to leave your coven alone and unprotected, and without you. All our enemies in town are dead, and I can leave the dead here patrolling as well, already have in fact. But I don’t want to take that on faith if we don’t have to.”

  Maggie melted against me, “Goddess, I love you, sir.”

  “What?”

  Adele smiled, “You are in charge of our family, the direction and our safety though we certainly help with both. You always think of us first, even the coven.”

  “Nah, I just don’t want to miss banging Angela.”

  Elena glared, “Lie.”

  I laughed, “Sorry, kitten. Those jokes hurt me too, I really need to stop that.”

  Maggie giggled, “I really don’t want to miss you banging Angela.”

  Elena giggled, “Truth.

  Bonnie laughed sweetly, and it was music to my ears.

  Chapter Eleven

  The middle class three-bedroom ranch looked well taken care of, with light brown vinyl siding, a large porch with a hanging white swing and park bench. The grass was well maintained, and the beds of bushes and plants also had decorations like a three-foot-tall windmill, and a realistic life size rabbit and hound statue along with an assortment of others. There were also a couple of bicycles leaning up against the side of the house, and a fenced in backyard.

  It was just Elena and I as we pulled up to the curb. Maggie had some things she could catch up on as long as we had something to do it made sense to do it all at once. Plus, the assignment had been given to me and Elena by our goddesses. I was a little leery about leaving them at home alone in this dangerous world, but nor could we be constantly attached at the hip for the rest of our lives. Realistically we had to weigh those risks, now that there were no local threats, that we knew about at least, we just couldn’t always be together.

  Still, Bonnie and Maggie were tough, and I had two dead souls patrolling out to a mile. In an emergency I could get home from anywhere in the city within minutes by flying. I really didn’t like it, but it was what it was, and while I was overprotective and possessive it wasn’t the smothering and overbearing kind. Plus, despite my worry, they were fully armored, and I could easily maintain that armor across the city. I’d seen to that before we left. I wouldn’t be using it to spy on my mates either, but I could also get a sense of what was going on and if they did want to spend quality physical time together the armor wouldn’t stop that.

  On the good side, I’d finally gotten to take out the Aston Martin DB11, and it moved pretty damned fast on the road.

  I got out and rounded the car to open the door for Elena, who rolled her eyes playfully with a smile, even as she obviously enjoyed that attention. The two of us walked up to the front door and knocked.

  The woman that answered the door looked to be in her early to mid-thirties. She looked fantastic, like a hot soccer mom. Her clothes were mature, but still very sexy on her body, with a pair of black tights and a rather conservative off-white blouse with flower patterns that went low enough to cover down to her upper thighs, so she wasn’t flashing her ass and camel toe. Not that there was anything wrong with that.

  She had light red hair that tickled her shoulders and warm brown eyes, with a cute face and slightly bowed lips.

  “Mrs. Jackie Marsden?”

  She nodded, “Two demigods at my door? What is this about?”

  I smiled, “Calliope says hi.”

  She looked shocked for a second, then smiled and pushed open her door.

  “Come on in, would you like coffee, or I have some tea?”

  “Coffee sounds good,” I said, as Elena said, “Coffee would be wonderful.”

  She laughed, “Good, I hate tea,” she said conspiratorially with a smile, and then headed toward the kitchen after waving at the living room, “But some of the PTA bitches love it. Stuck up…” her voice trailed off as the kitchen door closed behind her.

  I took a look around. She was married with two kids, a boy and a girl who looked eleven or twelve. There were a lot of pictures on the walls of her family, as well as on the fireplace mantel. The living room had cream colored carpeting and warm light brown couches, that went well with the darker brown of the walls, and the very dark brown fireplace. The dark brown end tables and coffee table matched the fireplace mantel wood-stain color as well.

  We both took a seat on the couch. It wasn’t long, she must’ve had a fresh pot ready and recently brewed. She came out with a small serving tray with three steaming coffee mugs, a sugar pourer and a small carton of cream. We were all silent as we doctored our coffees to taste, then she sat back in the lounger across from us.

  She smiled, “Calliope sent you to me, are you champions?”

  Elena took that one.

  “Yes, she loves your imagination, plots, characters, and prose, and she appreciates your dedication to the art. She did however send us to assist you in editing, book cover art, and/or publishing and advertisement, but it’s just an offer.”

  She said, “Dedication? I suppose I am dedicated to getting restarted on that life dream, I even have a few manuscripts mostly written. My life’s been rather hectic as you can imagine the last decade.”

  Elena asked curiously, “Restarted?”

  She nodded, “I was a young witch, just joined one of the covens and was taking writing courses in college. That’s when I met my human husband, and life kind of got turned upside down as he swept me off my feet. Love strikes us all, and when I got married and we started a family, I put those dreams aside to raise my kids even as I left the coven. Bobby’s twelve now, and Rachel’s eleven. They’re getting more independent and responsible, and I’ve been getting more and more time on my hands during the day. It was last year I broke out the old notebooks and book ideas, and I got started on my writing again. My husband makes enough, so I really didn’t feel the need to get a job out there, and he’s encouraged me to go back to it. I think I’ll even make a better author now than back then, after living life for a decade after school.”

  Elena said, “That makes a lot of sense, and love does take us unaware at time.”

  Jackie asked, “I assume this won’t be free?”

  We’d all talked about that before we left the house.

  I nodded, “We’re starting out a small concern, and we do have a top-notch editor which really is all Calliope asked us to help you with. But that’s not surprising, the publishing side is separate from the creative process. We won’t charge like a typical publisher would, we’ll be able to publish you for e-books in several outlets, as well as handle advertising to get the word out there, but we won’t be pushing brick and mortar stores and print copies will be available on the online retailers only. But don’t underestimate the sales a proper book cover, advertisement on social media, and a well edited book can bring.

  “If you want to work with us for the full route, we’d take ten percent of the royalty of all your sales, so it’d be worth it if all our efforts only made you sell one more book for every ten. You’d likely be making close to sixty percent of the sale at most retailers. If on the other hand you just want an independent editor, five hundred flat for every book edited, and add on another two hundred fifty flat fee if you want us to handle book covers, backs, and spines. That’s about half of what most editors and artists out there would charge you. In those two scenarios you’d need to self-publish and handle the advertising yourself.”

  Jackie shook her head, “That’s an insanely good deal, all or in part.”

  I nodded.

  Elena said, “Truth. But we’re doing this for the muses, and our own satisfaction, not for a sole source of income as we have other things going on for that. Our company will be supporting followers, so we’re not going to take on human clients unless they’re in the know and worship the muses. Ten percent will more than cover expenses and advertising.”

  Yeah, if it didn’t, then that’d be our fault. Whatever was left would go to Elena, myself, Bonnie, and Maggie in an equal split. The only real expense would be advertising, everything else would be done by us, and the retailers would pay us per sale, no overhead there either. Even that much would add up, if Bonnie could keep up with a large stable of authors including Elena and I. Assuming of course, Calliope didn’t hate my idea and sent more of her followers our way.

  Jackie said, “Alright, I’m in, for all of it. I’m… humbled that Calliope sent you to help me get launched, and very grateful. So, how does this work?”

  Elena opened her leather portfolio, and she pulled out a contract for her to look over and sign. Once that was done, we’d get her contact information, and she could work with Elena on her book cover, and also get with Bonnie on the book editing process. I wasn’t sure exactly how that last would work, probably a shared workspace or folder, and a whole lot of emailing back and forth.

  The rest was just details, and it was a little over thirty minutes later when we had our first client for Nine Muses Publications. The Aston Martin purred as I started it up, and we took off for home.

  Elena said, “That was well done, I liked her.”

  I nodded, “Me too, she seemed nice, and getting back to her old passion instead of wrestling with the first measures of empty nest syndrome and watching daytime soaps.”

  Elena replied, “Anything on Carmine?”

  I shook my head, “He’s pissed there’s been no news, and a little nervous, but he hasn’t written off the rest of his teams yet. I think we’ll be fine hitting him mid-morning tomorrow.”

  Elena said, “You sound… angry.”

  I snorted, “I am, Bonnie’s a sweetheart and that asshole has it coming. That said, I won’t draw it out, or torture him, that would just harm me and make me an asshole too, no matter how tempting it is right now or how much he’s earned some payback. Clean, fast, and move on, it’s just something that has to be done.”

  Elena nodded, “Good to hear. I agree too, Bonnie is… amazing, and you keep the more unfortunate parts of her excitable personality grounded.”

  I grinned, “What do I do for you?”

  Elena cackled, “Turned me from a respectable woman into a breathless cum addict and slave for your cock.”

  I laughed, truth.

  Elena winked, “On the good side, or more on the good side I should say,” the exotically petite beauty winked at me saucily, “you and Maggie bring out the best in me, and you both reminded me how to laugh and Bonnie now as well. I used to lose my temper a lot more in Vegas, but then in Vegas I was surrounded by liars and scoundrels who couldn’t find the truth with a map and compass, the only joy I had there was my act and the muses.”

  I smiled, “I love you too.”

  She tilted her head, “How about you?”

  “I assume you mean besides enthralled, besotted, and spoiled with pleasure.”

  She cackled, “Truth.”

  I said, “It’s going to sound corny, but you make me want to be a better man, to be worthy of you, the others do too. Your love and joy in me makes me feel humble and beyond blessed in this life. You make me need to protect, cherish, and possess, all of you do for all I just said. You personally… you awe me with your strength of purpose and tenacious independent nature outside of our intimate connection.”

  She said, “You mean in bed where I’m your slutty submissive.”

  I shook my head, “Well, yes, that too, but also our love and affection, intimacies both emotional and physical.”

  She bit her lip, “So we have a lot in common?”

  “There are a lot of commonalities in what you all engender in me, but for wildly different reasons. Bonnie really inflames my protective side, she’s strong of principle but emotionally she needs support, you don’t. Maggie needs physical reminders outside of bed that she’s loved and cherished, but just as tenacious as you are when it comes to her coven and business life. Very different, but it all adds up to the same responses in me, outside of letting Bonnie serve me and telling Maggie how to serve.”

  She smiled, “Truth. Thank you for sharing that.”

  I said firmly, “Anything, there is nothing you can’t ask me.”

  She bit her lip, “Can I drive?”

  “Fuck no.”

  She cackled, and then winked at me playfully.

  “Heh, I never promised to say yes, just promised to answer any question.”

  She giggled.

  “You realize you’ve only been that adamant twice, me driving, and your mates seeing another man fuck another woman.”

  I chuckled, “That second one is far higher on the fuck-no scale. At least in relation to our own bedroom and them also watching you fuck me and each other.”

  Elena grinned, “I get it, and I also agree, I don’t want another man to see more than I’m willing to show in my dresses.”

  “But other women are okay, including me fucking them? I’m not trying to talk my way out of sex with Angela, but I want to understand.”

  Elena smirked playfully, “But they’re extended family for one. A strange woman won’t be invited in to watch me or play with me or fuck you. I suppose you could make the same argument for a male once they join the coven, but it doesn’t hold the same water. You just need to accept it, I’m not sure I can explain it well enough for a man to understand, and you already know the difference from your point of view.”

  Yeah, which felt a little hypocritical and selfish, but they’d told me that it wasn’t. Not that I’d ever change my mind about it regardless. There was no room for another man in my core mating group nor the extended family coven for tantric spells.

  Elena giggled, “I’m looking forward to it too. Maggie is right, the idea of watching you drill Angela is hot. Just, try not to worry about it, it’s your old social programming before our world where this kind of thing is common. If you search your instincts, I’m sure you’ll be fine with it.”

  I nodded.

  Elena said, “Try it this way. For us it’s about feeling safe and protected, cherished by a man we feel secure with and that’s dependable in the long haul. A man that will be around to raise our children and won’t abandon us. A man that we can respect and follow as far as our family life and safety goes. That man is you. I need that intimacy and trust, which means I have no interest in other men outside of eye-candy. While Bonnie and Maggie hadn’t and played the field hard as followers of Aphrodite, that wasn’t about family, it was just about pleasure. Now that they have you those instincts have kicked in, or at least will for Bonnie, it’s only been three days.