Page 78 of Plaidypus
“Then what good are they?” My father shot me a glare. “And we need to have a talk about calling home when you’re safe and sound. Your mother and I almost had a heart attack when you were kidnapped.”
“Ponies who eat venomous snakes don’t get to scold me about bad decisions.”
“Care to repeat that?” my father asked in a tone warning I skated on thin ice.
The platypus in me immediately fell in line with my father’s wishes.
The wolf in me refused to back down. I recognized the tug of an impending shift, and if my wolf wanted to get into a fight with my pony of a father, I wouldn’t stop her.
I’d just hope I could rein her in before we got a pair of hooves to the rump for our various transgressions.
Clothing hampered shapeshifting.My father, always the wiser of us, had opted to strip before shifting. Leonard chuckled and helped me escape my clothes before joining me as a wolf. Rather than snap and snarl at the spunky little pony waiting for a fight, I enjoyed having my muzzle licked and being nuzzled.
“The top way to settle down a cranky lycanthrope female is to have her male shower her with affection.” Darlene giggled, and she sipped from an iced coffee some devil had brought her at the Devil’s request. “I would say seduce her into a good mood because I’m a naughty little kitty, but with her pappy right there, I’d settle with muzzle licking and nuzzling.”
My father stomped off, and once a safe distance away, he indulged in the pony version of a temper tantrum, which involved rolling around on his back, kicking his hooves, and snorting.
“Ah, the frustrations of an overprotective father, thwarted because he understands he has been sidelined due to a handsome male wolf.” The succubus lifted her iced coffee up in salute. “All hail Lucy, provider of coffee.”
The invocation amused me, especially as it resulted in the appearance of the Devil. “I escaped your clutches for an entire hour with that coffee, too.” He examined her drink, which was all but gone. “I see I need to provide for my love, naughty kitten she is. Is there anything else you need?”
“The pony is mad because the wolves came out to play, and he won’t pick a fight with a first shifter. Wise of him, really. Leonard’s happy, though. She hasn’t refused his advances, and he’s been snuggling with her ever since she shifted.”
“That is not seduction snuggles,” Lucifer replied.
“No, but it’s almost as good. The wolves are happy, so nobody is getting bitten. The vampires are all asleep, and all little Matthieu needed was some reassurance we’d be on guard. How is the rest of the brood?”
“The main family has all endured unexpected naps, and the timing was fortuitous. There were no injuries, and my demons are handling the matter. I checked in with all of them to make sure their souls are properly secured to the appropriate bodies. There were no mishaps. It seems I was even wrong about distance, as it seems the redemption of the father became the redemption of all his children and the rest of his family as well.”
“Even the newly turned?” Darlene asked.
“Even the younger vampires of the Saven brood have had their souls freed and restored to their bodies. I suspect my father was behind that. Where my demons were not present, angels were—or the beloved of a triad. I will let them discover the truth of it on their own. It may take a while. My father was rather amused whenHepaid me a short visit to reassure me I wouldn’t have to check in on every single vampire Saven has made and is in good standing.Heis a being of love and mercy, or soHesays. And the vampires need love and mercy right now. Or at least these vampires. The rest of the vampires will have a longer journey ahead of them, but there will be two types of vampires now. The redeemed, like the Saven brood, will find favor in my father’s eyes. The unredeemed will remain as all vampires, until today, were. Sinners waiting for a visit with me. And so a new future begins.” Lucifer smiled, stepped over my brother, and kissed his wife. “I will bring cool drinks for everyone, and once Ernesto and his daughter awaken, I will send them home with Matthieu so they can feed. After, we’ll go home and begin the final leg of this journey.”
“The Geese of the Apocalypse?” I asked.
“Indeed. I have opted to meddle, as I do enjoy doing. Tomorrow, that lot would commit an unforgivable sin, one that would destroy a sweet soul. I’ve no use for the sweet soul, as she’s due for my father’s care, but those pieces of filth need no additional sins to join me. As such, I will indulge in great evil in the morning.”
“I’m confused,” I admitted. “How is it great evil?”
While Sam had transformed back to human to enjoy Icy’s cooling presence, Bailey remained a cindercorn, and she eyed Lucifer, both ears twisted back. “What you plan to do, wicked angel?”
“I’m not an angel, Bailey.”
“Angel,” she accused.
“I am the Devil, the Lord of Lies!”
“Angel.” She stomped a hoof. “Sprout those wings, Liar McBlabby Pants.”
Kanika, who’d spent most of her time using her kelpie as a pillow, rubbed her temple. “Satin Blabbermouth Liar McSmarty Pants, Bailey. Not Liar McBlabby Pants. If you want to come up with a name for him, get creative. I have faith you can come up with something so offensive he’ll show up wearing flames while trying to convince you not to do that again. It’ll be hilarious. For you, not for him.”
“Satin Sparkle Pants?” the cindercorn suggested.
“I’d pay to watch Darlene toss him into sparkling pants,” Kanika admitted, grinning at her adoptive father. “Iced coffee for me, please. You can curse over how Mom has successfully corrupted me. Malcolm will take his coffee as dark as he likes claiming his soul is.”
“So, extra cream with just enough sugar to catch your attention?” Lucifer replied with a raised bow.
“That sounds about right.” Kanika scratched behind her kelpie’s ears. “But bring him a black coffee on ice, too, so he can at least feel manly before drinking the one he enjoys. I’m betting the wolves are going to want Iced Capps. A taste of home and all. You know what the cindercorns always want.”
