Courts and Cabals by G.S. D'Moore (best e reader for academics txt) 📕

“Aden Venitas,” he gave two good pumps before breaking contact.

“Venitas,” I recognized the last name as the one the lawyer used for Lilith, but the brother and sister couldn’t have looked more different. He was easily six-four, black, with a willowy build. She was . . . well, a living sex goddess. “If they’re related, he must be a . . .”

“Aden is an incubus,” Lilith finished my thought, “and we are incredibly honored to have him here with us,” she ignored me, and gave Dani a look.

I glanced over at the dwarf and saw her cheeks were bright red. That certainly had nothing to do with her medical condition. I felt a spike of jealousy, but pushed it down, and focused my attention on the other two arrivals.

Both had removed their sunglasses and were watching the room with the attention I’d seen on security guards at high profile events. Judging by the facial features, they were related; likely twins. The guy on the left was shorter than Aden, but not by much. His skin was a few shades lighter, and like the incubus, his head was shaved. Since he didn’t look much older than me, I guessed that was a personal, style choice.

I turned my attention to the person on the left, and my heart did a little flutter. She was shorter than I was, but not by much. Her skin was a rich mocha that spoke to mixed-race parentage. Her eyes were a brilliant hazel that trapped mine for a second. It took some effort to pull them free. Lastly, her hair was styled in a pixie cut, and was a platinum color that glinted with silver streaks in certain lights. Her men-in-black suit was relatively form fitting, and teased one hell of a body.

I felt my mouth go dry, and I struggled to work some saliva around to introduce myself. Lilith must have felt my evaluation of the other woman, because she turned away from Aden and arched an eye at me. All I could do was shrug.

“How rude of me,” Aden continued. “Allow me to introduce my children: Xander and Xamira,” he gestured at the twins.

“Hello, ma’am,” Xamira gave Lilith a small bow.

“Hello, auntie,” Xander gave a haughty grin, and I saw his father had passed down the charm gene to one of them.

“Xander and Xamira received the security assignment for young, master Dupree. I decided to tag along,” Aden looked around the infirmary. “Apparently, I missed all the fun.”

“Not all of it,” Lilith’s voice was troubled. “We have Fae problems, and I require your council.”

“You shall have it,” he flourished a small bow, and I heard Dani’s intake of breath. “Maybe we should adjourn outside,” he’d definitely heard the dwarf swooning.

Lilith nodded, and the two powerful supernaturals led the way through the double doors. Xander followed them and took up a guard position directly outside. Xamira stayed by my side.

“What I wouldn’t give for a drink of that tall glass of water,” Dani looked wistfully after the incubus.

“Really,” Xamira shot her a glare. “That’s my dad.”

“And it looks like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree,” I regretted the line immediately after I said it. “Sorry,” I added quickly as she turned on me. “They’ve got me on a lot of drugs.” I didn’t know if that was true, but that was my story and I was sticking to it.

“I’ve heard worse.” Surprisingly, she didn’t look mad. “Xamira,” she extended her hand.

“Cam,” I took it, and while it wasn’t like gripping hard steel, she was still solid. “Forgive me. I’m new to all this supernatural stuff, but is it rude to ask what exactly you are?”

She smiled at the question, and I felt a twinge of need surge through me. Apparently, Xander wasn’t the only one who got a little something from their dad. “Not from someone in the same cabal,” she replied. “If it’s some rando you come across on the street; yes, so be careful.” That was good information to have. “To answer your question, I’m an imp.”

My brain conjured images of little red creatures with goat hooves and horns. My face must have shown my confusion.

“We’re like Fae changelings,” she explained. “Aden is my father, but my mother was human, so I’m a half-breed. Thankfully,” she continued when she saw the look of pity on my face, “cabals don’t treat their half-blooded children the same as those Fae fuckers.” She clearly didn’t like Fae, and under the circumstances, that was a prejudice I could get behind.

“I inherited powers from my father’s bloodline, just not as powerful as a full supernatural,” she detailed for me.

My lack of knowledge on the supernatural was really showing now. I didn’t even know there were other half-bloods besides changelings. That was a weakness I needed to remedy if I was to survive in this world.

“I’m stronger, faster, tougher, and have a little of the charm my father’s species is known for,” she explained. “I can work very limited magic, but I mainly use it to charge the wards and runes produced by our mages. Trust me, if I’m trying to run a ritual something has gone terribly wrong,” she gave me a self-deprecating grin, and I felt the twinge again. I definitely hadn’t broken my dick in that fall.

“Imps make up the backbone of the cabal,” Dani informed. Her cheeks had returned to their normal coloring. “They work security, guard VIPs, and make up the majority of our tactical forces.”

“Tactical forces,” I snorted. That was a politically correct way of saying private army.

“They’re taught from an early age how to fight and serve the cabal,” Dani finished.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. It was a very Spartan approach. Training your kids from childhood to be warriors might be good strategy, but