I shake my head at him. “You are too confident. Give me your hand.”

“You aren’t going to say goodbye to the family?” he asks, pointing over my shoulder at the gathering mass of ‘family.’ They will be most disappointed,” he adds.

“Fine.” I stalk over to them and focus on Xanthe and Xerxes. “Thank you again for your hospitality. I do hope that my mother’s visit didn’t cause too much consternation. Rest assured Her ire was directed at me and not any of you.”

“Is She upset because you won’t marry Uncle Xane?” a boy, of about the same age as Xaria, asks.

Oh, for fuck’s sake! What is it with these kids?

I smile genially at him. “No, She isn’t upset. She had some things to tell me that I needed to know. I don’t get to see Her much,” I say, kneeling down in front of the boy. “It is easier for Her to come here than to Earth.” I have no idea if that is true, although I wouldn’t rule it out.

“Oh,” he says. “Do you like living in the Earth Realm? I think it is better here,” he says with confidence.

“I do. My family is there.”

“But you are a Vampire. They don’t have families,” he says with a frown.

I hear Xane snicker behind me, as I reply, “I do. I have seven people there that I love and who need me.” Okay, so I want to choke on the ‘love’ part. Jess may be a part of my family now and I pretty much hate her, but even so, she needs me now and Sebastian? Well, maybe we can sort out our issues. Clearly, he means a lot to CK so by proxy he means a lot to me.

“What is your name?” I ask him.

“Xanthus,” he replies shyly. Of course, it is. I cast a quick glance up at Xane with a knowing smile, who just shrugs.

“Well, Xanthus. I am Xerxei. I am pleased to meet you,” I say to his absolute delight. I have to say there is nothing quite like an excited child. I find myself in awe of him.

“You are one of us! I knew it!” he yells. “Did you hear that, Grandpa? She is one of us!” He whacks Xerxes in his enthusiasm.

He takes it with good grace as he glows at me. “Yes, I heard,” he says quietly. “You know your Demon self?” he asks me.

“Yes,” I say, standing to face him.

“Welcome, child,” he says as he embraces me, and I flounder slightly before I hug him back.

“You are here. I have waited so long, and you are here,” he says in wonder. I have no idea what he is talking about.

I look at Xane at a loss and he twirls his finger, pulling his face at me. Oh, I remember what he said about a daughter named after him. Oh, crap. What have I gotten myself into this time?

Xanthe pulls me to her and whispers to me, “I knew you would come. I waited, all this time. I knew you would come but wouldn’t be mine. Not mine by blood, but mine by family.”

Aww, crap.

I couldn’t be further up shit creek without a paddle if I tried.

I pull away and Xane just grins at me. “Come.”

I say to him, “I need to get home.” He nods and with a hesitant wave to the crowds, I manage to Astral us back to Xane’s office.

“Nicely done,” he says. “You will make a great Demon yet.”

“Huh. Not if my mother has anything to say about it,” I grouse. "I have one more question.”

“Okay? Shoot.”

“How come you are Demon Overlord? Your father is clearly in his prime still, so why you?”

He looks annoyed, embarrassed, and insulted at that question, all at the same time. “You don’t think I deserve it?” he asks.

“No, I never said that. I just wondered how it came to pass that you are, and he isn’t. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Tags: Eve Newton Fantasy
Source: readsnovelonline.net