But then, Vane had never thought to coexist with his Arcadian kin. They had thrown him out and written him off centuries ago.
Vane smiled evilly at Dare. "Unlike you, little brother, I don't need no stinking moon to time-jump."
And in one blink, Vane, Bride, and Fury were back in New Orleans, safely inside Kyrian's house.
"I think I need a Tylenol… jug," Bride said as she staggered away from Vane and sat down on the nearest couch. "And a lot of vodka to wash it down."
Kyrian, Amanda, and Tabitha came running into the room.
"That was quick," Tabitha said. "Damn, Vane, you don't mess around, do you?"
Vane ignored Tabitha's question as he knelt in front of Bride. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know," she answered honestly as she stared at him in numbed hysteria. "My boyfriend is a dog, his mother's psychotic, and I just nearly missed being the main attraction in some low-budget porn flick, complete with bad costuming and food. I mean, what is this? 'Welcome to the family, you now get to sleep with all my brothers, and I do mean all my brothers, cousins, friends, hell, everyone'? You know, most in-laws just bring over a casserole, not a four-hundred-year-old vendetta."
It was so good to be able to rant, but a part of her was still terrified. Nothing felt secure to her now. Nothing.
"Am I safe, Vane? Or is someone else going to poof into the living room and grab me and take me who knows where? I don't want to see Barney the real dinosaur with the naked cavemen chasing him! I don't want to see anything except my normal life here in New Orleans."
Vane cupped her face in his hands. On some level, his touch comforted her. "You're safe, Bride. I'm not going to let anyone else grab you. I swear it."
"And I can believe that, why?"
"Because I give you my word."
"Well, that just settles it all, huh?" Bride shook her head. "After this, I can't wait to meet your father. I'll bet he's just a barrel full of laughs." She stared at Vane as the horror of the last few hours washed through her. "Any other freaky family traditions I need to know about? Bones hidden in the backyard? Crazy aunts? Fleas?"
She looked over at Fury. "I don't have to sleep with him now, do I?"
Tabitha arched both her brows at that. "What kind of place did she go to? Sounds like it could be fun."
"Wanna go?" Fury asked. "I can take you there."
"Fury," Vane snapped. "You have enough to answer for already. Don't mess with the humans."
"Or Tabitha, either," Kyrian said.
Amanda elbowed him in the stomach.
"What?" Kyrian asked innocently.
Vane sat back on his heels and looked at Kyrian and Amanda over his shoulder. "I've got a shield on the house that should keep them out. Notice I said should. I have no idea what else the demon is capable of, especially if Amanda invites him into the house again."
"Nothing."
Bride looked up at the sound of a new deeply masculine voice. Now this was without a doubt the last person she expected to see here.
Though why she was surprised, she couldn't imagine. At the rate things were happening, for all she knew the woman who rang up her groceries at the supermarket might very well be a were-snake or zombie.
Why not?
"Ash?" Bride asked, recognizing the extremely tall, and incredibly sexy, addition to the room.
At six feet eight, decked out in black leather and possessing an aura that could only be defined as pure sexual attraction, Ash Parthenopaeus was a hard man to miss.
"You know Acheron?" Vane asked her.
"Yeah, he comes into the shop every few months with a cute, albeit odd girlfriend who practically buys the whole place out." Bride looked back at Ash. "You're one of these weirdos, too, huh?"
"Guilty," Ash said, offering her a charming smile.
"Great," Bride breathed. "Anyone else I need to know about?"
The room's occupants looked around sheepishly.
Vane stood up and faced Ash. "What do you know about Alastor?"
"That he's leashed. Your mother bargained with him to kidnap the mates of you, Fury, and Fang. It's a oneway ticket. He took Bride to your mother and there's nothing she can do to negotiate with him anymore."
"Are you sure about that?"
Ash folded his arms over his chest. "I can put my personal guarantee on it."
"Then he'll be back whenever Fang mates?" Fury asked.
"Yes," Ash said. "And to answer your next question, yes again. He'll come for your mate, too."
Fury cursed.
"Sorry," Ash said. "But look on the bright side; your mother puts the 'fun' in dysfunctional."
"You're not amusing, Ash," Vane said. "I thought you were going to protect Bride for me."