The Rhine Maiden by Erin Evans

Author:Erin Evans
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2010-07-20T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen:

There was the sound of a key in the front door. Everyone froze. “Honey?” It was Mark. “I forgot my laptop.”

I shoved the shotgun at Cecily and ran to the front hall. “Hi, babe!” I kissed him, “What do you need?”

“I forgot my laptop.” He was headed around me for the bedroom. His path would take him straight past the kitchen table and then there would be questions.

“Stop right here,” I commanded. “I’ll get your laptop for you. Don’t move.” I raced back to the bedroom and scooped up the case. I made a shushing motion in the general direction of the kitchen table as I hurried back to the front hall. “Here you go!” I was a little out of breath. “Anything else?”

“Nope,” Mark hugged me, “Thanks, babe, see you tonight!” He left, none the wiser. I breathed a sigh of relief and tried not to feel guilty. It wasn’t like I was cheating on him or anything. Oh no, I was just lying and manipulating. Totally different.

I stomped back to the kitchen in a less than cheerful mood. There was a crash and a cry from the girls’ room. “Hold on a second,” I groaned and went to check out the commotion. Megan and Cassidy appeared to be trying to climb the bookshelf and then jump off onto Megan’s bed. The second shelf had broken and spilled Megan on the ground. She was crying loudly and dramatically, which made me suspect the seriousness of her injuries.

“What do you think you are doing?” I asked the age old question.

“I hurt myself!” Megan wailed.

“Bad idea!” I pointed at the bookshelf. “You are not supposed to climb, or jump, on anything!”

“I’m hurt! I’m hurt!”

Cassidy started to feel left out. She dropped on the floor by Megan and started crying too, “I hurt! I hurt too!”

I made a face at them. “You are not hurt, but if you climb again I will make sure your bottom hurts! Now, pick up all these books and stop climbing on the furniture. I’ll be back in a second to check on you.”

I marched back to the kitchen and faced three pairs of concerned eyes. “Are your children all right?” Kethudrim asked.

“Yes,” I snapped, “they’re just fine.”

“But your daughter was crying!” Jonathan looked shocked that I hadn’t called 911.

“Look, I don’t tell you how to turn into an animal; you don’t tell me how to raise my children.”

“But—”

I held up a hand, “Hush. I do not need parenting advice from people who would steal my children. Obviously you know nothing about kids or being a parent.”

Kethudrim sat back like I had slapped him. There was such pain in his eyes that I desperately wanted to take back my last words. “I’m sorry,” I didn’t know what else to say.

“I would give up my life if it would enable my consort to have children,” he said sadly.

“And I for my mate,” Jonathan agreed.

“So ya’ll can’t . . .” I didn’t know how to delicately ask the question.

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