Caitin laughed suddenly. "You know, as soon as they hear that, all the patrons will be trying to bed them."

  "Which will do their self-esteem a world of good, I'm sure," Kerrie said with a smile. "After the shit I and the others went through, suddenly being bedded and loved by a good, strong man did a world of good for me!"

  Mihalis felt his face warming as both girls looked at him, grinning.

  "We're going to need more guards, aren't we?" he asked.

  "Yup. I'd talk to Biggs and Trudge and see if you can hire some trolls. Say, two for this place, and maybe four for the restaurant."

  "Actually…" Mihalis looked thoughtful for a moment. "There's some Fomorians living down in the trailer park. They're pretty nasty, but their boss is nice enough. Maybe I should talk to him about guarding the restaurant."

  "Fomorians?" Caitin said, making a bit of a face.

  "What, don't like them?" Kerrie asked.

  "They can be kind of nasty."

  "Nasty is what we need. Also, when we bring any outside clients in, they'll see a couple goat-headed demons and know they're in the right place."

  Caitin snorted. "Oh, right, that old myth. But I do see your point."

  "Plus, it means we're not bringing in as many outsiders," Mihalis pointed out.

  "Great, it's settled then," Kerrie said, looking at her watch. "Now, let's go home and get cleaned up for dinner."

  "But I'm not dirty," Caitin said, looking over at her.

  "Oh, you will be when I'm done with you!" Kerrie said with a leer, and leaning over, she goosed Caitin.

  "Oh!" Caitin laughed. "That's right!"

  "What's right?" Mihalis asked, looking at the two of them.

  "We all promised Bree you'd take care of her tonight!"

  "When did this happen?"

  "When we got invited for dinner, when do you think?" Kerrie said with a smirk.

  Mihalis sighed. "Fine."

  "Oh, like you would've said no!"

  "That's not the point."

  "Oh? And what is? Loaning you out without asking first?"

  "No, not having to feel guilty for staying the night!" he said, and then laughed at their expressions.

  "Umm, maybe we outmaneuvered ourselves this time…" Caitin murmured.

  Any Color You Like

  Mihalis was on his back, twisting back and forth with his legs splayed in the air, when his father padded over and looked down at him.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Scratching an itch," Mihalis replied. "What's it look like?"

  "I'm pretty sure you can't itch here."

  "Yeah, but I sure can back on Earth!"

  "Then wake up and deal with it."

  "Can't."

  Sean plopped his ass down and looked at his son squirming around on his back. "Okay, this I gotta hear. Why can't you?"

  "Because Bree just fell asleep lying on top of me, and if I wake her up, she'll put me back to work."

  "Work?"

  "Making babies."

  Sean laughed. "I'm surprised you wanted the break!"

  "It's not me I'm worried about."

  "Ah! Okay. That I get. Try shifting forms. It probably won't wake her, and it'll move whatever's causing you issues to a different spot."

  "I'll keep that in mind."

  "So what's this I hear about you wanting to use the djinn girls Troy rescued as waitresses and kitchen staff?"

  "Kerrie thinks it'd be a good idea, and after the way a bunch of them jumped at Sawyer's offer," Mihalis shrugged, "she may be right. Think you could talk to them for me?"

  "What makes you think they'll be interested?"

  "Well, they can't be eaten, possessed, or given one of those mind leeches. So it's not like they have to worry about the djevels."

  "They'd still have to worry about being raped, robbed, murdered—you know, all the kinds of things that go on inside the DEZ?"

  "True, but this is going to be inside Bartertown, Dad. Also, let's be honest here, we know what it's like back where they call home. I think Bartertown is a fair bit safer, don't you?"

  Sean snorted. "You may have a point."

  "Mostly, they're going to be dealing with humans, or Earth demons who want to appear human. I'll have security at the coffee shop and restaurant, as well as where they'll be living. Besides, it'll give them their freedom back, and get them out of your hair, I'm sure."

  "That would definitely help; a lot of them are trying to figure out what they're supposed to do now that they're no longer a part of djinn society."

  "What about the rest?"

  "A lot of them seem to have reverted to what they were trained to do before they were sold off to the djevels," Sean said with a shake of his head. "But they're happy, so I'm not going to worry about it right now. It's the ones who are exhibiting some of the more extreme behaviors I'm worried about."

  "How extreme?"

  "Some are trying to reject everything about being a djinn, and others are trying to live it to the extremes. I suspect the latter group will probably make up most of the volunteers when I tell them what you're looking for."

  Mihalis sighed. "Just as long as they're not suicidal. But I can understand the desire to redefine one's self and try to live life on your own terms."

  "Or something close to that," Sean agreed, thinking of some of the events in his own past. "I'll talk to them. How many are you looking for?"

  "Twenty?" Mihalis said, rolling onto his feet and giving himself a shake. "Maybe a bit more? Ten should easily cover the coffeehouse, then we'll staff out the restaurant. Still trying to find a decent chef for that."

  "Well, I don't know of any, so good luck with that!"

  "Aaannnd somebody just woke up. Later, Dad!"

  Sean chuckled as Mihalis winked out of existence on the mountain just as Sampson appeared.

  "Dad, what are you doing here?"

  "Have I mentioned that your son is loud ?" Sampson grumbled.

  "What, he's keeping you awake?"

  "No, your mother and your stepmother are keeping me awake. Didn't you teach that boy any silence spells?"

  "Maybe you need to remind him in the morning. Could be whatever wards he put up wore off."

  "Well, at least they finally fell asleep!"

  "Umm, hate to tell you this, Dad ..."

  "What?" Sampson asked with a long-suffering look on his face.

  "Mike was just here, and he only left because Bree woke him back up!" Sean told him as he laughed.

  "Great. Just great. And there go the wives..."

  "You're a fraud, you know that, right?" Sean accused, still laughing.

  "Just for that, I think you're getting a half-brother!" Sampson said, and then disappeared as well.

  "Was that supposed to be a threat?" Renee asked, turning to look at him.

  "You know, I've always wanted a little brother," Sean said, still laughing.

  §

  Untangling himself from Bree, Mihalis sat up in bed and smiled down at her as she opened those lovely green eyes of hers. While she had the same jet-black hair as her sister Raelyn, that was where most of the similarities ended. Bree was more willowy than Raelyn, and nowhere near as buxom, for all that she had a very appealing figure.

  She was also much less physical, as she wasn't into the games Raelyn was, but was also a lot less embarrassed about what she wanted than Erin had been. She hadn't been at all shy about that since their first night together!

  "Morning, lover," she said as she smiled, looking up at him. Then she stretched fetchingly on the bed. She laughed and put her arms up and around his neck as he bent over to kiss her. Bree was an incredibly good kisser; she always put so much into it every time their lips touched.

  "You know…" he started as their lips finally separated.

  "Yes, I do know," she said with a laugh, and unwrapping her arms, gave him a light push, "but I need to get to work, and after seeing the way Sampson keeps hovering around Shaylee, I know you're going to be around more than enough to keep me happy."

  Leaning back away from her, he nodded. "Just don't be afraid to ask if you need something, and if you can't ask me, ask your sister Talin, okay? Just because I didn't stick you in my pride doesn't mean I don't love you, okay?"

  Bree smiled at him. "And that's why I wanted this with you. I love you, too, Michael, but I know if we lived together, it wouldn't go well at all !" She laughed. "I may not be kinky like Raelyn, but trust me when I tell you I can be a whole lot more contentious!"

  Mihalis snorted at that, but he was still smiling as he got out of the bed and stood up. He'd seen enough spats between the girls by now to know that if he'd taken all six of them, his life wouldn't have been a happy one.

  "Come, let's hit the shower, then I can get to work, and you can go home."

  "Yes, ma'am!" he teased as he pulled her up out of the bed, then after a hug, followed her down to the showers. At least this early in the morning, no one was up to get in the way.

  "Morning, Shay," Mihalis said with a yawn as he walked out into the main room. "Where's Sampson and Lou?"

  "Looks like you're about to get another uncle," Shaylee said with a wink.

  "Really? What led to that?"

  "The silence wards on your room failing, perhaps?"

  Mihalis gave her an embarrassed look. "Oops."

  "That, or someone just needed an excuse. I know I couldn't hear anything…"

  "Or maybe somebodies wouldn't let Sampson get any sleep until they got something," Erin piped up. "At least Mike has silence wards, Mom !"

  Mihalis was surprised that Shaylee didn't look the slightest bit guilty.

  "I just didn't want Louise to feel left out," she said with a wink.

  "Should I send Talin and Caitin over to help out when I get home?"

  "Oh, they got started quite a while ago; I'm sure Sampson will be out here soon enough."

  "Uh-huh." Mihalis sighed and headed out the front door Raelyn was now unbarring as they prepared for the day's business.

  As he stepped outside, the sun was just barely coming up. Another month, and it'd still be dark in the mornings. Most of the vendors weren't in the square yet, and the few who were, were setting up their booths for the day's sales. He'd just left the square in front of HoJo's and was about to duck down one of the alley shortcuts back to the Auction House when he felt the sudden surge of emotions, and they attacked.

  He barely had time to get his defense framework up as he ducked and rolled under the sudden barrage of magical arrows that flew overhead. Once again, he threw out a missile deflection spell, beefed up his shields, and springing to his feet, he whipped out his sword and cut down the two closest bowmen. Or should he say 'bow-women'?

  Looking around in surprise, he saw that all the attackers were female dark elves. He suddenly wondered if allowing that last woman to survive had led them to believe he wouldn't kill them? Just then he noticed one of them pointing a wand at him, and he cast a firebolt at her, lighting her up like a Christmas tree, but not before she got him with a disintegration spell.

  Once again, he had to struggle with the spell, though it was almost becoming routine for him now, as he dumped a lot of the power into his shields, which were being constantly peppered with magic arrows. When the spell finally ran its course, all he was left with was his magical items. But his pistol, his clothing, and his phone were gone.

  "Fuck!" he swore loudly. I just got my phone replaced! Pushing as much power as he could into his incubus abilities, he used his Persuasion and Intimidation abilities as he yelled.

  "On your knees, or you will die !"

  Several of the attackers immediately dropped to their knees, as well as every vendor in the square. He would've laughed if he hadn't been busy attacking the remaining four dark elves, who suddenly realized that being female wasn't going to save them. He cleaved the first one in two as she tried to block his sword with her bow. He impaled another on an ice bolt, then jumping forward using his wings for added thrust, he took the head off another. Throwing his sword, he speared the last one through the back as she turned and tried to run, killing her as well.

  Stopping, he gave a quick look around to make sure there weren't any other threats. The three kneeling on the ground were staring at him, eyes wide with fear. The merchants in the square were just staring at him.

  "You three stay there," he growled. "Everyone else, you can go back to work. Sorry about that."

  Walking over to the woman with his sword sticking out of her back, he wiped it off on her clothing, and then swore again as he realized he no longer had a sheath to stick it in. He'd killed seven of them in almost less time than it'd taken him to think about it. Obviously they weren't that powerful or experienced. Probably why they'd sent ten of them.

  Grabbing the body by a leg, he dragged it back towards the other bodies.

  "Each of you grab two bodies and drag them over there," he said and pointed towards HoJo's.

  They looked at each other, then looked at him.

  "You belong to House Valens now, so do as you're told, and I won't kill you," he said, leaning on his Persuasion skill again.

  They quickly got up, and grabbing two bodies each by an ankle, they slowly dragged them off. He could see they were struggling with it. He made sure to gather up the dropped weapons before dragging his own dead elf after them.

  "What's this?" Raelyn asked, looking out the front door.

  "Early food delivery," he quipped, and then turned to the three dark elf girls. "Strip! Down to your panties. Now!" This time he leaned on the Intimidation skill, and it was like an explosion in a clothing factory.

  "What's that for?"

  "Making sure they're not armed. Now help me gather up their weapons."

  Several minutes later, he led the three almost nude women into the building. Honestly, they were all good looking, but then so were the dead bodies outside. Or at least they had been.

  "What's this?" Shaylee asked.

  "I thought you could use these," Mihalis said as he and Raelyn dumped all the weapons in one of the corners.

  "No, I meant them," she said, motioning towards the three nervous women.

  "Oh, they surrendered, so I can't kill 'em. Guess they'll be adopted into the house. When Sampson finally comes up for air, tell him I'd appreciate it if he'd talk to the gate guards, and from now on, let me know whenever a bunch of dark elves show up? This is like something out of a bad action movie! I keep getting ambushed every time I spend a night here!"

  "And your clothes?"

  "Disintegration spell."

  Looking down at himself, he sighed. His blood was definitely up, and he was already naked. "Do me a favor, call Talin and let her know my phone got fried, and I'll be back later tonight."

  With that, he walked into the kitchen, grabbed Brianna, and pulled her into a kiss.

  "What!" she said, looking at him and noticing he wasn't wearing any pants.

  "What do you think?" he asked, smiling down at her.

  "Michael! I'm working!"

  "One of your sisters can fill in for you," he said, and with that he swept her up into a bridal carry and headed back towards the main room.

  "I seem to recall you doing this to me before." She sighed, laying her head against him.

  "Yes, well, this time you're getting pregnant. By the way, boy or girl?"

  "Boy. Definitely a boy."

  "Michael! What do you think you're doing?" Shaylee called out as he carried Brianna across the room.

  "Her, obviously," he replied, grinning and nodding down at Brianna, who just giggled.

  "But she's got work to do!"

  "Yup! In bed! Look, put those three to work, and ask Talin and Caitin for help!"

  "But they're only wearing panties!"

  "I'm sure your customers will appreciate the view! You three, listen to Shaylee and her daughters, and don't go anywhere until I say you can."

  With that, he left a frowning Shaylee behind as he headed back to his room.

  "So why are you naked?"

  "Got ambushed on the way home, and they destroyed my clothes."

  "That explains why you're excited as well, then!"

  Going inside his old room, he kicked the door closed with his heel and kissed her. "Actually, what's got me excited is what I'm about to do with you."

  "Well, recharge those wards, you and Bree did get a bit loud last night."

  "And you don't think we won't today?"

  "Oh, I'm planning on being much, much louder," Brianna said, snickering. "However, I'd rather not distract the customers from their food."

  It was dinnertime when he stumbled out of the showers with an arm around Brianna and a powerful appetite. He was down to his last pair of shorts in his room here. If these ambushes kept up, he'd have to do something about that.

  "I found a new sheath for your sword," Talin said as he came into the dining area and parked his butt at one of the tables. Brianna gave him a last kiss, hugged her sister Talin, and then disappeared into the back.

  "And if you make any jokes about the fit, I'll smack you in the head with it," Talin added with a smirk.

  "Uh-huh. So after you get me a lot of food, do you think I'll be ambushed again on the way home?"

  "Why would you be?"

  "Because I was after Erin, Raelyn, and Bree. Might not be fair to Brianna if I'm not after my time with her," he said, grinning.

  Talin rolled her eyes. "Caitin is here, as is Jade, so no, I don't think you will be. Also, Sampson went and talked with the gate guards, who had no idea all the dark elves that showed up lately were here to kill you."

  "Oh, and now that they know?"

  "They had a good laugh about it, as Sampson told them what you'd been up to prior to each ambush."

  "He would." Mihalis sighed.

  "Actually, I think he's kinda proud of you. However, they did say they'll let you know the next time it happens. Though, honestly? Those girls are pretty bottom of the barrel. I don't think they realized none of them were expected to survive. They got the shock of their lives when that greater disintegration spell didn't kill you."

  "And for seven of them, that shock was fatal," he said with a sigh. "They should've all surrendered after that."