Remnant froze and I could hear her slight intake of breath. I pulled her into me, ignoring the hissing Henry in her hand. I could sense that a part of her heart craved that title without realizing she wished it to be so…because mine did too.
Perhaps someday…
Jar gave our daughter a wide smile, blue eyes twinkling. “It means mother in ancient fae, little cub.”
“Oh.” Riella’s head tilted in thought.
I broke the terse silence with a playful growl down at Henry. “Mother or not, Remnant is still mine you glitter addicted bastard.” I raised my soulmate’s other hand up to my lips to kiss it softly, loving the soft laugh escaping her. Smiling, I dropped it and leaned towards the glaring gnome she held, “But I can make a promise to you to always take care of her, forever." I handed him back his tiny dagger, the most painful splinter I had ever had. "Those better not have been poisonous, Henry."
The gnome yanked his weapon from me and scowled. I stared back, meeting his challenge, unblinking. There was a long moment of silence before Henry grunted and nodded.
It wasn't until I heard a small steady splashing on my boots that I looked down to see another gnome bastard pissing on them. I snarled harshly, shaking its glittered urine off my boot with irritation.
It grinned back, shaking its tiny pindick before stuffing it back into its pants.
"Donald!" Remnant admonished, but she could not keep the snorting laughter from escaping her as the gnomes cackled with glee. Jar and Riella were not much further behind in joining them.
Henry jumped from my soulmate's hand and with one final hiss at me and a tip of his hat to Remnant, he scampered off with his companion.
I pointed an accusing finger at my soulmate. "My vow will be paid now. Surely, those flower pissing rodents have been avenged as well as their own personal vengeance upon my person."
Remnant arched into me, placing her hand on my chest, plucking at the pink sweater I knew she hated…I fucking did too but it was necessary. Standing up on her tiptoes, she planted a soft kiss on my lips. Happiness glittered in her emerald depths and I knew then that all the pee pollinating gnomes in Faerie could piss on my boots if it put that look in her eyes. "They are shifter pissing rodents now, my love."
Jar chuckled deeply behind us.
I huffed but I could not stop the smile from spreading across my face, tucking her hair back. "As long as I don't start sprouting flowers and urinating glitter, I am okay with that term if only to have that smile on your face permanently."
With good added measure, I pecked a kiss on her cheek where the little bastard Henry had touched her, erasing its scent with mine.
Pulling back, I winked, seeing Jar stoop low to our beckoning daughter at his side. Her mouth and voice were obstructed by her small hand as if she imparted an unknowing secret to him. When Jar’s eyes widened, he glanced towards me with a large smile before turning back to my daughter nodding.
Remnant quirked a brow at me, shaking her head, drawing my attention back to her. "Is the big bad shifter king really worried about a few little gnomes claiming me?"
"I don't underestimate anything when it comes to you, little umbra…it's always the least suspected entity that has the most power."
Feeling Riella suddenly tugging on my arm, I looked down at her. "What is it, my cub?"
"Father, what about him?"
I pulled her to me, resenting the panic in me as I searched for more gnomes. Remnant and Jar exchanged amused looks at my frantic movement.
Riella tugged harder, yanking me forward. "See father, it's the pookah again!"
She pointed to the sudden appearance of a black morphing mass, the familiar shape of a black rabbit taking hold, the same creature that stole Riella's crown.
It's red beady eyes staring at my cub with a deep yearning.
I bared my fangs at it, not liking that look one damned bit, but happy it wasn't the last two remaining gnomes, Anthony and Raymond. "What of it, my cub?" I hissed through my teeth.
Red beady eyes fell in my direction to glare at me and the reminded me far too much of Cronin's kraken. "He says his name is Zaki and he is coming with us," she giggled. "He says he is mine and I am his."
My claws lengthened and I stepped in front of my daughter with a vicious snarl. "Like fucking Sheol he is."
First gnomes and now this goddess damn shit.
The rabbit's ears drooped but its red eyes flared, still staring up at me.
Jar hummed a warning. "It is considered a bad omen to deny the assistance of the pookah Daemon. If this one is claiming to be Riella's then that means he is her spirit guide. They are meant to be, just as—"
