“Don’t worry. They’re like Emilia—business before pleasure and all that. Plus, you’re Grann is absolutely capable of taking care of herself, and with Corriwyn around, nothing can happen.”
“That’s what you say.”
“It’s not as if you could stop them,” Barion pointed out.
“Ahem, I have to ask this.” Papa Legba had flustered his feathers until he looked twice as big, staring at Corriwyn with his beady eyes. “What are your intentions with my priestess?”
“My intention is to woo this gracious example of perfect female beauty until she agrees to let me give her whatever her heart desires.” Corriwyn winked and Papa Legba lifted one of his legs, showing off his spores in silent warning.
Grann was holding onto Corriwyn’s arm with one hand while stroking his biceps with the other. It was obvious what plans she had with the demon, and Jon wished his imagination weren’t as lively as it was or he would die a quick death. Such was his luck that neither happened and he had the great pleasure of watching a silent stare off between Corriwyn and Papa Legba until Grann got impatient, told her god goodbye and ordered Corriwyn to get going, which the demon immediately did. When they were gone, Papa Legba made a clucking sound before he gave a long and loud cock’s crow. He jumped down from the oak to land between the bodies of the two mind slaves. For a moment, Jon’s vision blurred. When it cleared again, Papa Legba and the corpses were gone.
“What an interesting visit,” Barion commented dryly.
“Was Corriwyn serious? About giving Grann whatever she wants?”
“Iubit, I think it’s best not to think about what these two are going to do. Let’s just assume they’re going to have fun and leave it at that.” Barion sounded almost desperate.
“Your wisdom matches your years, mate of mine.” Jon winked.
Barion huffed in mock irritation and grabbed Jon around the waist. “Years, my ass. I’ll show you years.”
He lifted his hand to open a rift. “Wait! Before we go home, we need to get back to Grann’s house and tell the others everything is fine.” Jon didn’t look forward to dealing with a bunch of agitated humans and even more spirits, but what choice did he have? Somebody had to smooth everything over.
Barion sighed. “Fine. Just let me stress that it was your idea, not mine.”
“Yeah, yeah, I take full responsibility. Now let’s get it done.”
Chapter Seventeen
Telling Jon’s family that Grann was hopping around the world with a demonic suitor went down about as well as Barion had feared. The ancestors hadn’t been able to track her because they had still been gathered at the house with the rest of the family waiting for her return when Grann had decided it was time for her to enjoy a third or fourth spring with Corriwyn.
“I’m sure she’ll be back soon.” Jon tried to raise his voice over the hubbub of murmuring in the dining room. “You can all go back home, get some sleep, lose those headaches you surely have after all the alcohol and excitement, and before you know it, everything will be back to normal.”
“Sleep sounds good.” Calixte pressed her fingers against her temples. “I think I’ll take some aspirin and try to forget the image of Grann flirting with a nine-foot demon. Yes, yes, that’s what I’m going to do.”
She turned toward the main door, the rest of the family following her.
“He’s only eight feet. In fact, he’s a little smaller than me.” Barion felt it was necessary to make that clear. Jon took his hand and kissed the back of it.
“I know you’re bigger than him, my sweet demon.”
Barion decided to ignore the hint of laughter in Jon’s voice. His mate was under a lot of stress what with introducing Barion to the family, the magical duel and now Grann hooking up with Corriwyn. There, he’d said it. Grann was hooking up with his great-uncle. She had every right to do so. She was a woman in her…prime—yes, in her prime—and Corriwyn was a suitable…fitting…tolerable…barely worthy candidate. It was all good, and they needed to get home so he could watch some Iron Bull and pray to forget what he had seen.
Barion prided himself on being the epitome of tolerance when it came to the different shapes relationships could take, but Grann was Jon’s grandmother, a respected and respectable voodoo priestess of a certain age, and the image of her and Corriwyn doing…things was too strange for Barion’s mind to comprehend. Then a picture of Mavis and Maribel appeared in his mind’s eye, along with some of the naughtier things they used to say, and all of a sudden he could be happy for Grann…mostly.
“Think of Mavis and Maribel,” Barion whispered into Jon’s ear. His gorgeous mate sighed.
“You’re right, but this is my Grann.” He shrugged. “Well, I guess, I’ll survive. Let’s go home?”
“Let’s go home. We have a video call tomorrow with Endless Horizon and need to be prepared.”
Jon snuggled under Barion’s arm, his favorite place to hop through space, as Barion knew by now. They arrived back at Jon’s place and had exactly five minutes to themselves before the bell rang. Jon groaned.
“I’m coming.” He opened the door for Dre, Sammy and the rest of the book club, who all filed into the apartment without hesitation. Amber and Emilia hugged Jon while Declan and Troy went straight for Barion, to give him appreciative pats on the shoulder.
“Congratulations, man. We’re so happy for you two!” Declan grinned broadly.
“Yeah, who would have thought Jon and you are mates?” Troy looked at Jon, who was at that moment getting a close-up view of Maribel’s bosom. Mavis was saying something that had Sammy, who was standing next to them, blushing fiercely.
