“Huh?” I blinked and pressed my lips together to make sure I wasn't drooling.
“I said there could be more children that are meant to be born. After all, in the future you visited, I left you. You fixed that. So . . .”
“Yes, yes.” Re rolled his metallic gold eyes. “We all know you want more kids too.”
“Too?” I leaned away to look at Re. “You just said you didn't want any.”
“Right now,” Re amended. “I agree with letting this bunch get older first. We've talked about this, La-La.”
“Yes, and I've talked to Odin about it too.” I swung my head toward Odin. “But babies have a way of popping up in our conversations. No more! Not yet. My womb is exhausted.”
“Your womb is immortal,” Re said.
“What about her womb?” Viper, with his hot fireman body, climbed up the ladder (prompting the fireman comparison) and onto the deck soaking wet. He flung back his dark hair, slicked back the short length, and grinned at me. “Hey, hot mama. I love the bikini.” He strode over to me and sat down on the foot of the lounger even though Re was already there. “Why don't you come for a swim?”
“Nah,” I said.
“I don't think I've ever seen you swim in the lake.”
“No, you haven't because she doesn't like swimming in lakes,” Re said as he pushed at Viper with a foot. “Now, get off. You're dripping on us.”
“What? Why don't you like swimming in lakes?” Viper asked.
“There are things in lakes. Things that I can't see because lakes are murky. And then there was that time a Kelpie drowned me in one.”
“A Kelpie drowned you in a lake?” Viper asked.
“Yeah. In Hawaii.” I grimaced. “I hate Kelpies. I know it's unfair, but I do.”
“Vervain, you made this lake,” Azrael said with an affectionate smile.
“I know. I made it to be just as it was before it got messed with. And that was natural. Which means there arethingsin the lake.”
“Fishes.” Viper shrugged. “That's about it. No Kelpies.”
“Oh, I know there's nothing terrible. I wouldn't let you guys swim in it if there were crocodiles or the like. And it's not as if we couldn't handle crocodiles anyway. I just don't like things swimming beneath my toes when I can't even see them.”
“Duh-nuh,” Azrael started the Jaws theme song.
“Don't,” I said.
“Duh-nuh, duh-nuh.”
“Stop it, Az!” I pointed at him. “You know that movie terrified me as a child.”
“Duh-nuh, duh-nuh, duh-nuh!” Azrael jumped on me, which meant he also jumped on Re, who acted fast and saved my drink before it went everywhere.
Re moved to stand beside Odin as I was attacked by my Angel and then Viper joined in as well.
“Ugh!” Azrael pulled back. “You're wet.”
“Yes, we established that,” Viper said. “The lake, remember?”
“That doesn't mean I want you dripping lake water all over me.”
“Get him!” Sebastian shouted.
Sebastian and Dominic suddenly dive-bombed Viper, smacking him in the back of his head before flying off.
