No Place Like Home

  Published by Jan Stryvant

  Copyright 2022 Jan Stryvant

  Copyright Jan Stryvant 2022

  Cover Credits: eBook Launch (http://ebooklaunch.com/)

  No part of this eBook may be reproduced in any form without expressed, written consent from the author. The material in this story may feature graphic depictions of a sexual or adult nature and is intended for a mature audience only. All characters in this story are fictional and of the legal age of consent for any activities they engage in. How many of you actually read this stuff. Can't knock the Hustle. Any resemblance between characters, places, or things in this story, and people living or dead, actual places, or events, is purely coincidental. It's fiction; I made it up.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be copied and given away, or copied and sold, to other people. Got that? No copying, please! If you would like to share this book with another person, it would be really nice if you purchased an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use, please consider purchasing your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  #82706

  Jan Stryvant Books:

  The Valens Legacy:

  Black Friday Book 1

  Perfect Strangers Book 2

  Over Our Heads Book 3

  Head Down Book 4

  When It Falls Book 5

  Stand On It Book 6

  Vegas Rules Book 7

  Desperate Measures Book 8

  Secret Treaties Book 9

  It Ain't Easy Book 10

  Red Skies Book 11

  Demon Days Book 12

  Simple Things Book 13

  Trying Times Book 14

  Firestarter Book 15

  Times Like These Book 16

  No Regrets Book 17

  Everyday, Including Holidays Book 18

  Wives Tales Books 1, 2, 3, & 4

  (Assorted Short Stories)

  The Valens Heritage:

  Mihalis Book 1

  Sean Book 2

  Be of Good Cheer Book 3

  Troy Book 4

  No Place Like Home Book 5

  Dan's Inferno:

  Cursed! Book 1

  BeDeviled Book 2

  Heritage Book 3

  Vengeance Book 4

  Shadow

  Table of Contents

  Auction House

  Sampson

  Morning Light

  HoJo's

  Auction House

  Tomorrow

  Wives & Concubines

  There's a New Sheriff in Town

  Heard It Through The Grape Vine

  Dinner at Dr. Ruxton's

  Well That Was Easy...

  The Morning After

  Campaign Trails

  Publicity

  On The Road

  The Best Laid Plans

  Parental Guidance

  Bartertown

  Paybacks

  Byzantine

  Afterword

  Appendix - Family Tree (Children)

  Appendix - Post War Djevels

  Auction House

  Mihalis awoke to the sounds of the Auction House in full swing; someone must have opened a door, because a moment later, the noise settled back down to a faint roar. Sitting up in bed yawning, he looked around before looking up at the clock. It was after eleven, and if he remembered correctly, it was Wednesday. They'd spent yesterday settling back in and going over the last of the changes Oluf and the others had made while they'd been visiting his parents.

  Seeing as the girls had kept him up rather late, and he'd 'retaliated' several times during the night, waking one or more of them up, he wasn't surprised they'd let him sleep in.

  He used to be more of a morning person than most lions, but since he'd gotten a pride, sleeping in had become more the rule than the exception. Yawning again as he stood up and stretched, he shifted into his dark elf form and out of his lion hybrid. Last night had been a little cool, and Talin, Caitin, and even Taeria had appreciated the warmth. Azure, Rika, Jade, and Kerrie had all eventually 'gone furry', as well, once the temperature had started to drop.

  He'd have to see about some sort of heater, he realized, as he stumbled into the bathroom. The shower at least had plenty of hot water.

  "Somebody looks tired!" his sister Alska said with a laugh as he stumbled into the kitchen and parked himself at the table.

  "Where is everybody?" he grumbled, then smiled as Beri put a large plate of food on the table in front of him.

  "Rika's studying her healing magic texts, Azure's taking lessons from Natalie, Talin and Caitin are off checking with their mother and introducing Sampson to her—by the way, Sampson? Really?"

  Mihalis snorted. "She wants an older, experienced lion."

  "But granddad?"

  "Grandmother didn't seem to be raising any objections. What about Taeria, Jade, and Kerrie?"

  "Oh, they're out patrolling the Auction House and keeping an eye on things."

  Mihalis' eyes went wide, and he leaned forward to stare at his sister.

  "WHAT! By themselves?"

  "Cool your pits, Bro," Alska said with a snort. "Cinnamon and Celeste went with them to lend a hand, if necessary, but none of those three are slackers, especially not that Jade of yours. I put a false glamour on her and Kerrie, so folks will realize they're not human."

  Mihalis settled down and went back to eating his breakfast. He'd been on the edge of storming out there and checking on things, but if Cinnamon and Celeste were there, it would be safe.

  "You should have woken me," he said with a sigh as he picked his fork up again.

  "I honestly don't think any of us expected that kind of reaction," Alska teased.

  "When it comes to my wives, I'm not all that different from Dad or SJ. I am a lion, after all."

  "Speaking of being a lion, what's this I hear that you got kidnapped?"

  Mihalis stopped eating again and sighed. "Apparently things back in Rika's parent's kingdom aren't all 'happy-happy, joy-joy'."

  "Oh? How so?"

  "Well, this Itham Mialynn guy wants to kidnap her and use her to force her father, the king, to abandon his alliance with the humans and the other races helping to remove the djevels from Europe. At least that's what I was told. Apparently he doesn't like it that the king is 'slumming' with the humans."

  "So how'd he end up with you?"

  "Thankfully, he's a moron, and he talked an idiot into trying to kidnap Rika, and…" Mihalis looked up from his plate and smiled at her, all teeth, "he got me instead."

  "He can't be a moron if he came that close to grabbing her."

  Mihalis snorted and went back to cleaning his plate.

  "He didn't know I was a black lion," he said between bites. "He didn't even know she'd married a lion. He thought I was just some demon incubus. Hell, I got him to offer me two million dollars to kidnap her for him."

  "You what?" Alska said, laughing.

  "Got him to offer me money to kidnap her. I'm seriously debating going through with it to see how much money he shows up with, and then informing him of his mistake as I gleefully rip him to shreds with my claws."

  "What makes you think he'll show up with the money?"

  Mihalis sighed. "I know, right? He's not the brightest bulb. No doubt he figures he can just show up, kill both of us, and keep the money."

  "So show up without her, tell him you have her, maybe get Rika to pose for some kinky bondage pics, and show 'em to him? Then tell him where to send the money if he wants her."

  Mihalis frowned. "And what, just take the money?"

  "No! Be there waiting for him when he shows up so you can gut him like a fish!" Alska said, grinning.

  Mihalis thought about that a moment as he sat back in his seat, finished.

  "I need to talk to Sawyer about this."

  "Why's that?"

  "So we can drain him dry before Sawyer has him killed? I mean, we both had a good laugh over what I did to the idiot to get him to tell me where they were holding me, but I could see it in his eyes, Sawyer was already planning his comeuppance, and I suspect both he and Mom are planning something long and painful."

  Alska nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, knowing Mom, she definitely is."

  "Now, wanna hear something funny?" Mihalis teased, grinning.

  "Uh-oh, what'd you do, Mike?"

  "I set Troy up with Nadinc."

  "Wait, you set Troy up with a djinn?"

  "It was glorious!" Mihalis said, snickering.

  "How could you?" Alska replied, looking a cross between shocked and amused.

  "Oh, come on, it's Troy. But it gets even better."

  "What? Did she do something nasty to him?"

  "Nah, that was the moms; they all had a little fun of their own, pranking him."

  "Wait, what aren't you telling me?"

  "Troy claimed her!"

  "You're kidding!"

  "Nope. He took her out to a party, and when he came back, he told everyone she was his and moved her into his room in the house!"

  "And how do the moms figure into this?"

  "They took her out shopping and made Troy pay for everything."

  "And that's funny how?"

  "Last I heard, he still hasn't taken her to bed to 'make it official'," Mihalis said, making air quotes with his fingers.

  "Wait, are we talking about the sa
me womanizing and perpetually irresponsible brother?"

  Mihalis nodded, still grinning. "Lisa told me Nadinc has it bad for Troy, and according to Mom, Troy's got it bad for her, too."

  "Damn, and here I thought you getting married was a sign of the end times! What does Dad say? Hell, what are the moms saying?"

  "I think they're all still reeling from the shock of it!" Mihalis said and laughed.

  Alska sat there a few minutes, just shaking her head.

  "Oh, and I made Azure and Rika lions."

  "Wait, you can do that?"

  Mihalis nodded. "Actually, Mom did the honors, but I had a long conversation with the First once I realized I could do it myself. Turns out both Mom and I have the ability to infect elves, because of whatever it was that happened to Mom that let her become a succubus."

  Alska sat there, looking stunned for several minutes.

  "Um, you okay there, sis?"

  "Bite me."

  "Huh?"

  "Bite me! Make me a fucking lioness! Hell, get Celeste in here! Bite her ass, too!"

  "Wait, what? You want to be a lioness?"

  "Of course I do! We all do! Well, Noje and Harmony do, and I suspect Cinnamon does as well."

  "Umm…"

  "Umm, what?" she growled at him.

  "I need to talk to the First about this…"

  "Why?"

  "Because he's gonna have to line up a bunch of lionesses to be there when you get infected?" he said, looking at her like she was mental.

  "Oh! Right. I forgot about that. Warn him if he says no, I'll personally kick his ass the next time I see him."

  "Just understand, I can't bite you here."

  "Why not?"

  "I don't think this is the kind of place to have a lioness running around, do you?"

  "Oh…right." Alska sighed, looking a little embarrassed.

  "Well, let me go see how things are going out there, and see if the girls found anything I need to deal with."

  "Aren't you going to get dressed?"

  "I've got a pair of pants on, and a sword; what else do I need?"

  "Oh, I don't know, wings perhaps?"

  "Oh! Right!"

  Getting up from the table, Mihalis invoked his incubus aspect, spread his wings a bit, and shook them out before refolding them. He couldn't help but notice the look Beri was giving him or feel the spike in emotions. That reminded him; he needed to find out Beri's story, as well as Tamerin's.

  Heading out of the private area, he could see the auction was almost ready to start. It was getting close to noon, and while he should feel guilty about sleeping in, he really couldn't bring himself to.

  At that point he noticed Taeria, Jade, and Kerrie leading in a group of a dozen young women—two of whom looked like djinn—with Cinnamon and Celeste bringing up the rear. Shaking his head and giving a heavy sigh, he walked over and intercepted them.

  "What happened?"

  "Eh, we had to exercise your right of first sale," Taeria said with a shrug.

  "They didn't give you any trouble, did they?" he asked with a frown.

  "Well, as Jade asked them really, really nicely, why no! None at all!"

  Mihalis noticed the big grin on Taeria's face and the others snickering, except Jade, who was doing her best to look innocent—and failing miserably.

  "What happened?"

  "Oh, she grabbed the guy selling them, threw him up against a wall, put a pistol in his mouth, and told him we were 'buying these women per the house agreements,' which surely he'd read, and he didn't have any problems with it, did he?"

  "And who was 'the guy'? Or should I ask, what?"

  "A dark elf from one of the minor houses allied with Uunregarten. I asked him why he was here while the others gathered up the women. He told me he was supposed to deliver them to the local Uunregarten, but when he found them missing, he came here to sell them instead."

  "Okay." Mihalis thought about that for a moment. "Any idea how he got here?"

  "Huh?"

  He noticed all of them looking at him, along with Alska.

  "There are three helipads in town. We own one, the doc owns another, and the third one is on top of the building the doc's guards live in."

  "Guess I need to go have a talk with someone," Alska said with a thoughtful look. "Celeste, you can point him out before he leaves; come on."

  "Thanks, Al," Mihalis said and turned back to Taeria and the others. "Do you need any help getting them settled in?"

  "Nope, we can handle it. Oluf built us a guest section before he left."

  "What's going to happen to us?" one of the women asked.

  "You'll be sent someplace safe when our next cargo delivery arrives," Mihalis said. "After that, I guess you'll be sent home, except for you two djinn," he added when he saw their heads quickly come up. "We don't want you ending up back here again, so we're trying to figure something out that'll keep you happy and out of trouble."

  "Why are you doing this? You're one of them!" the woman asked again.

  "Because I'm not one of them, obviously. Now, be quiet, and do as you're told," he said, leaning on his powers of persuasion and intimidation to quiet her down. Someone else could explain it to her later.

  "Come on, let's get you all settled," Jade said, and they ushered the women into the back. He stood there a minute by himself, looking around the main room of the auction house, as Tal got things organized for the bidding. Mihalis would have to go over the books with Biggs later and find out just how much they were making.

  He was standing there, pondering his next move, when Talin and Caitin showed up with a couple of men in tow, who were obviously Fey. Upon spying him, Talin immediately headed over.

  "So what do we have here?" he asked, hugging her, and then Caitin.

  "These are the men in charge of the group we hired to replace the gate guards."

  "I don't remember hiring anybody," Mihalis said with a frown.

  "Okay, Shaylee hired them, and I approved it," she replied, smiling at him.

  He couldn't help it, he smiled back at her. "Ah, okay. Care to introduce me?"

  "Mihalis, this is Cathal, who's the man in charge of our new guards, and this is his second, Cerball. Cathal, Cerball, this is my husband Mihalis, who, as I've told you, is much more than he appears."

  Both men nodded and shook hands with him.

  "Aye, I can tell you are part Faerie as well," Cathal said after they'd shook.

  Mihalis nodded. "My grandmother was a lake faerie."

  "You know, I believe I heard of her."

  "Really?" Mihalis said, looking surprised.

  "Yah, really put old Maitland in quite the puzzler, tryin' to figure out how his dear sister ended up married to a human," Cathal said with a chuckle.

  "You know my great uncle, then?"

  "Only in passing. We've been at odds as well as on the same side more 'en a few times over the ages. So what's it exactly you want us to be doin' for ya?"

  Mihalis motioned for them to follow him a bit farther away from the crowd that was forming in the hall as the bidding got ready to start.

  "Simply put," Mihalis said in a soft voice, pitched so only they would hear him, "I'm taking over the town. The first step is to get rid of the djevels on the two gates. I need guards who know exactly who and what they're dealing with, so they know just how rude and obnoxious they need to be to set the tone for any djevels or other demons that show up. I want them to know that we're serious here."

  "How much fightin' will ya be expectin' us to do?" Cerball asked.

  "As little as possible, though once I've got my city guard set up, if you need any help, you can always call for it."

  "What about the guards that are out there now?" Cathal asked.

  "I'm going to kill them."

  "All of 'em?"

  "They're all djevels, so yes. Lions and 'cubi can eat djevel life energy, so I don't see any need to let it go to waste. Plus, this is going to be my town, so it's only fair that I do the heavy lifting."

  "What about yon Doc guy who runs the lab? Ya gonna muscle in on him, too?"

  Mihalis shook his head. "He's something of a friend. Everything inside his compound will stay his, and the only way we'll be sending anybody in there is if he asks for help."

  "Friend, is he?" Cathal asked giving him the eye.

  Mihalis nodded. "Yeah, I know, but I've dealt with worse. In my own family, even!" he said with a chuckle. "But when you get down to it, he's done a lot of good, even if it was in the name of money and power. So he gets a pass from the lions—as long as he doesn't do certain things ever again."