Page 63 of I Dated a Golden Vampire
“Aside from the Lorn Emperor?Nope.I think he gave up when his concubines started showing up dead.”She smiled.“Okay, Khy has to meet her auntie.”
Khytten asked, “Does she have any idea?”
“Nope.Salat, keep me posted if folks come looking for me.Torenne, I bet you look great in a small top and a sarong.”
Torenne smiled.“I will consider it.”
Salat winced.“Now I have to fight that mental image.”
Torenne flipped him a finger.
Vesta looked down at her daughter.“All right, wish me luck.”
Salat nodded.“Good luck, Crimson.”
She winked and said, “Thanks for the emergency childcare.I was not going to wear her into the casino.”
Khytten smiled.“She’s a doll.Anytime.The other kids took turns staring at her.”
Vesta chuckled and stepped away, turned, and walked through her portal, covering Khy’s face against the bright sun where they were going.
She landed on the beach as Pria and Riro came out of the sea, purging water from their gills.Cabree walked over with wide eyes.“Is that a baby?”
Vesta looked down and laughed.“Oh my god, is that what this is?”
Khy’s face was scrunched, so Vesta pulled her little blanket over her face.
Pria ran up and said, “Is that a baby?”
Vesta snorted.“I really hope so.Can we go into the shade so you can meet your niece?”
Pria nodded and covered the little face as they walked toward the shade near the buildings and swaying trees.
“Vesta.You made a person.”
“I really did.Her name is Khymera, but I call her Khy.”
Vesta slid the blanket back and said, “Khy, this is your Aunt Pria.She’s good underwater and a very protective person, but she needs watching because she has shifty eyes, so that is why she found your Uncle Riro.He keeps an eye on her.”
Riro looked at her and grinned.“Hello, little lady.”
“This is your Aunt Cabree and Uncle Denog.She has funny blood, and he drinks it, but Cabree is super excited to meet you.She can practice with you before her baby arrives.”
Cabree grinned.“It is good to meet you, Khy.”
Pria smiled and touched Khy’s cheek.“She’s so tiny.How old is she?”
“Six weeks.”
Riro looked at her and asked, “Can I hold her?”
Vesta handed her baby over to the damp man.He looked down and smiled.“Aren’t you just a pretty little thing?”
Khy looked at him and pursed her mouth, making a little squeak and snuffling sound.Vesta said, “Hold her against your chest.She doesn’t like to be suspended.”
He pulled her in, and the snuffling stopped.He beamed.
Vesta smiled, and Pria ran over, got a towel, and dried off.“Gimme.”
