Fangs and Fennel (The Venom Trilogy #2)(52)

I shook my head. “I’ll take it to him after.” I grabbed the bowl of frosting, doing my best to block out the smell of cinnamon and honey that was Remo. I spooned the thick frosting into a fresh, clean piping bag and got to work finishing the cupcakes, still tasting his mouth on mine. Still trying to get my hormones and thoughts back under control.

Remo stood to one side, watching me. “Did you really use wooden spoons on the twins?”

I jerked in the middle of piping and blinked up at him. “Yes.”

He didn’t smile, didn’t laugh. “Good. Don’t hesitate when it comes to Santos and his crew, Alena. Never hesitate. He will hurt you.”

“Even though he’s your brother?” The words slipped out of me, and I forced myself to hold his gaze.

His jaw twitched. “Most especially for that reason.”

I swallowed hard and went back to the cupcakes. In a matter of minutes I’d finished and dusted them with the caramelized pecans.

“Can I have one now?” Ernie begged.

“No.” I slapped his hand away. “These are for after dinner.” I glanced at Remo. “Dahlia will be there . . . would you like to come with me?”

“For dinner?”

“At my parents’, to be clear.”

His eyebrows shot up. “You want me to meet your parents?”

A thought hit me. “Actually, I’d like you to smell them.” I didn’t think his eyebrows could rise higher. I was wrong.

“Excuse me?”

“Come on, I’ll explain on the way.”





CHAPTER 14


“You don’t know what kind of supernatural your dad is?” Remo asked again as he took the off-ramp nearest my parents’ house. I’d let him drive so I could make sure my cupcakes didn’t get bumped around; okay, to make sure Ernie didn’t eat any. “How is that possible? You have a sense of smell at least as keen as a vampire’s.”

I shrugged. “He just smells like my dad to me.”

“Does it matter, I mean, really? He is what he is, and that is what made you susceptible to the virus. None of that can be changed,” Remo pointed out.

I didn’t know how to explain that it did matter, at least to me. That there was something our parents weren’t telling us, and I had a feeling that once we knew what kind of Super Duper Dad was, we’d understand why things were the way they were. That we’d be able to make sense of our family.

We pulled into my parents’ driveway, and my stomach clenched. I clung to the edges of the container that held nearly two dozen cupcakes. I glanced into the back, where Ernie sat, two cupcakes in a container beside him. “Ernie, are you coming in?”

“Nope.” He yawned. “I’m going to stay right here and guard the magic cupcakes. You have fun facing down your Firstamentalist mom with your vampire boyfriend, while you are still technically married. I’d rather stay out of the family feud.” He winked and my mouth dropped.

“Ernie!”

Remo stepped out of the car and held a hand out to me. “He’s just teasing you.”

“No, he’s right.” I let Remo help me out, telling myself it was because of my short skirt. Really I just wanted to hold his hand for a moment. “This could get ugly fast. My mom . . . she’s not very open minded.”

Remo smiled. “I’m known for my charm.”

“It’s not your charm I’m worried about; it’s your fangs.”

He winked at me as he took the cupcake platter from the seat. “Ladies first, and I promise not to bite anyone.”

I took a breath and strode toward the front door as if I were headed into battle. I hadn’t been home since shortly after I’d been turned, and that had been a scene and a half. Achilles had attacked me, and we’d blasted Mom’s favorite coffee table into tiny pieces, but that wasn’t the worst of things. No, the worst was confirming my mom wouldn’t acknowledge me, even though I stood right in front of her.

I rapped my knuckles on the door and took a half step back. Who knocked on her parents’ door? This was ridiculous. I took the knob and twisted it to the left. “Dad?” I called out as I stepped in. I glanced back at Remo and nodded. Maybe he didn’t need an invite, but better to be on the safe side.

I forced my feet to move, walking over the threshold of the door with more than a little trepidation. I could hear two hearts beating in the direction of the kitchen, one at the back of the house, and . . . five in the direction of the family room. Eight people. There shouldn’t be that many. Even if Dahlia had a heartbeat to pick up on, there wouldn’t be eight. I drew in a breath at the same time Remo did.

He put his mouth next to my ear. “They aren’t all human.”

I put the cupcakes down on a side table next to the door. “What if Theseus has my family?”

“Then we will stop him.” Remo stepped in front of me and pointed toward the kitchen. “Fewer people.”

I nodded, and we moved quietly toward the sounds of two heartbeats and . . . an electric mixer burst into the silence along with a voice that made my head drop.

“Beatrice, what is wrong with you?”

I put a hand on Remo’s arm and shook my head. “It’s family. Aunt Janice is married to my dad’s brother.” Half brother, to be correct, but I wasn’t going to get that detailed. I counted heartbeats again and slumped. “Which means the other heartbeats are her husband and two kids.”