Vengeance in Blood (Book 2): Tribulations (20 page)

“What the hell do you have mercury in here for?!” she shouted.

For several seconds, Kenneth just stared at her hovering over the floor, seemingly stuck to the wall. “Ah, that’s where I make my ammunition so I can kill vampires,” he finally said.

“Do you know how dangerous that stuff is to us?” Tiffany asked.

He nodded. “Yes, I’ve tested it, Tiffany, but that room is sealed, and I will wear a chemical suit when I’m in there so I don’t pollute the house.”

Feeling better, Tiffany slowly lowered to the floor. “It doesn’t take much,” she told him.

“He knows,” Besseta said, not worried.

“Yeah, now I just need something to hurt werewolves,” Kenneth said.

You have me,
he heard Besseta say, and he looked over at her.

“It’s the same thing for them: mercury,” Tiffany said, and Kenneth smiled.

“You did good, baby,” Besseta said, pulling him down and kissing him.

“You’re not a little mad?” Kenneth asked, shocked.

Waving her hand, she said, “Just that you didn’t get that ‘67 car.”

“Besseta,” he whined, “it’s a ‘67 Mustang, not car.”

She smiled. “It looked like a car to me. I’ll take my Jag.”

Kenneth threw his hands up in surrender. “But you’re not mad, even a little?” he asked, and she shook her head. “What if I said I used all that cash you and I took?”

“I would say, ‘Good,’” Besseta replied.

“Besseta, I spent way over two million dollars in three days, and that doesn’t make you just a little upset?” he asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“No, not even a little upset.” She smiled, and Kenneth dropped his shoulders.

“Is that a lot?” Tiffany asked.

Thinking for a second, Besseta told her, “Around a hundred pounds of gold.”

“And you got all that?” Tiffany asked, looking at Kenneth. “You did really well.”

Seeing his point wasn’t made, Kenneth just walked over with his head hanging low and led Besseta upstairs. Tiffany followed, wondering what else was coming. Kenneth stopped in front of the couch. “Tiffany, could you wait here?” Kenneth asked, pointing to the couch. When she sat down, he said, “We’ll be right back,” and led Besseta upstairs.

“I know what you were trying to do, and I still don’t care what you spend,” Besseta told him as he led her upstairs by her hand.

“I noticed,” Kenneth moaned.

Besseta stopped and almost pulled Kenneth down the stairs. “Do you like the stuff you bought?” she asked.

A grin jumped on Kenneth’s face. “Oh man yeah, tha—” he stopped as Besseta reached up, putting a finger over his lips.

“Then that was the best money spent ever, and if we never use that long boat again, I think we got our money’s worth,” she told him. “Seeing you smile like a kid with new toys makes me happier than you can imagine.”

Pulling Besseta off the stairs, Kenneth picked her up. “How did I get so lucky?”

“You?” Besseta huffed. “I got the best man in the universe, and I’ll do anything for him.” Kenneth kissed her and led her into the bedroom. “Already?” Besseta grinned, grabbing her shirt to pull it off, but Kenneth stopped her.

“Now before you say anything, I couldn’t get you some because Bonnie and Clyde wouldn’t understand,” Kenneth told her, and Besseta dropped her hands, totally lost. “They think you are theirs. The entire time you were gone, they slept in your spot.” He pointed at two indentions on her pillow.

“Aw,” Besseta sighed.

“They wouldn’t understand,” Kenneth told her.

Looking up at Kenneth. “Understand what?”

Kenneth walked into the bathroom and came out carrying two pug puppies. “I got them for Tiffany so we could give them to her,” Kenneth said.

Besseta ran over, and one of the dogs growled, stopping her. “Will they go to her?” she asked.

“Stop it!” Kenneth snapped at the puppy, and the puppy dropped his head. “Yes, but we will have to do it the same way, but you don’t mind, do you?”

Shaking her head, Besseta eased over. “You and this unnecessary worry,” she said, slowly reaching over to pet the puppies. They were hesitant at first but were soon chewing on her fingertips. “Your heart is kind, Kenneth. I think this is the best thing you could give her.”

“Uh,
we
are giving her,” Kenneth corrected. “We are one.”

“Always,” Besseta smiled.

Kenneth leaned down and kissed her. “Always.”

Besseta smiled. “I’ve always wanted to do something special for Tiffany.”

“Well, I need you to go downstairs and sit beside her so we can introduce them,” Kenneth told her.

Looking down at the puppies, she said, “There’s no way they attached my smell that fast.”

“No, baby,” Kenneth said. “I smell like you, and they’ve been with me since the day you left. Even though Clyde grabbed the boy by the tail and dragged him around when he growled at your pillow.”

“Oh, the babies were protecting Momma,” Besseta sighed.

“Besseta, he was being bad,” Kenneth told her.

“You leave my baby alone when he’s protecting Momma,” she snapped, and Kenneth smiled.

“That’s why I couldn’t get you some puppies; they would be devastated.”

She laughed and leaned down to kiss the puppies. “Oh, take your shirt off,” she said and took the puppies. “If they like your smell, I’ll make Tiffany put it on.”

Kenneth stood frozen. “Uh, baby, I don’t know about another woman wearing my clothes. It doesn’t seem right.”

Stunned, Besseta admitted, “My God, Kenneth, it’s a t-shirt. Now if it was a button up like I wear, I would have reservations.”

“You’re going too far there. Like I would even look at another woman like I do you,” Kenneth said.

Setting the puppies on the bed, she turned around. “I know, baby, but take the shirt off.”

“This feels weird,” Kenneth said, not budging. Besseta disappeared, and Kenneth felt something gently move his body around, and then Besseta was standing in front of him holding his shirt in her hand. “What the—” Kenneth gasped, looking down at his bare chest.

Following his gaze, Besseta licked her lips. “Let me tell you if I didn’t love Tiffany so much, she would be waiting till tomorrow for those puppies.”

Kenneth looked up at her. “How the hell did you do that?”

“Baby, quit talking, and bring the dogs before I throw your ass down right now,” Besseta said, and a breeze filled the room, and Kenneth was standing alone.

“I don’t know what the fuck happened, but she wasn’t that fast before she left,” Kenneth told the puppies, who didn’t seem interested. Picking them up, Kenneth carried them downstairs.

He found Besseta with the dogs in her lap, sitting next to a confused Tiffany, who was already wearing his shirt.
Don’t say anything about the shirt,
he heard Besseta say.

“I’m not,” Kenneth said, looking over at her.

“What?” Besseta asked.

“I’m not,” Kenneth repeated and looked at Tiffany. “Tiffany, we just wanted to tell you how much we love you, and even though I haven’t known you as long as Besseta has, I still count you as part of our family. We wanted to get you something.”

Taking his hands from behind his back, Kenneth held out the two pug puppies. The female sniffed and gave a growl. “That’s enough, or I’ll let Clyde drag you around the kitchen again,” Kenneth snapped.

That’s being a little harsh; they’re just puppies,
he heard from Besseta.

“Besseta, you have to be firm while they are puppies, or they won’t listen,” Kenneth said, looking up at her.

Shrugging, she said, “Okay, I guess.”

Kenneth looked over at Tiffany and found her catatonically staring at the puppies. Slowly, Kenneth walked over, holding out the puppies, and the male growled. Clyde jumped up in Besseta’s lap and moved over to Tiffany, growling at the puppy. “Clyde, I’m starting with you today. You’re not helping; go to Momma,” Kenneth said in a hard tone.

He’s just protecting Momma,
he heard Besseta say and looked over, seeing Besseta pick up Clyde and love on him. “Besseta, he was interfering, and he knows better. He’s just worried the puppies are going to you.”

Besseta buried her face in Clyde’s side. “Momma has her babies,” she said, loving on Clyde, and Bonnie jumped in Besseta’s face, letting her know she wanted some of that love. Besseta scooped Bonnie up and continued the loving.

Turning back, Tiffany still had a look of shock frozen on her face. “Ah, Tiffany, not to ruin the moment, but you need to say something to them,” Kenneth told her.

Besseta elbowed Tiffany, startling her. Tiffany rubbed her side, looking at the puppies. “Hey guys,” she said gently. The puppies sniffed the air, and Kenneth moved closer until he finally put the puppies in Tiffany’s lap.

“This is your momma,” Kenneth said, petting the puppies. Timidly, Tiffany reached over and gently caressed the puppies.

“What’re their names?” Tiffany asked.

“Ah, I don’t know,” Kenneth said, and Tiffany looked up. “You haven’t told us.”

“I get to name them too?” Tiffany gasped, and the waterworks started when Kenneth nodded.

Watching the puppies crawl up her lap to Tiffany’s belly, Kenneth smiled and moved over, sitting down beside Besseta as Clyde looked over at him. “You are terrible,” Kenneth smiled, scratching Clyde’s head.

Besseta pushed the dogs down to her lap and looked over at Tiffany caressing each dog like it was made of crystal. Kenneth leaned over, kissed Besseta’s cheek, and sat back, watching Tiffany as tears rained down on the dogs. As Besseta watched the interaction, Kenneth stared at his beloved’s face and smiled.

I have the best man ever,
he heard Besseta say, but the problem was, Kenneth was staring at Besseta, who was looking in Tiffany’s lap, and he saw that Besseta’s mouth never moved.

Catapulting off the couch, he shouted in fear, “What the fuck?”

Tiffany put the puppies beside her quickly and jumped up. “Who’s here? I’ll kill everyone on this continent,” she growled, looking around and then at the monitors in the kitchen when she didn’t see anything.

Besseta looked down at the couch where Kenneth was sitting to see if one of the babies had peed on him. Not seeing anything, she looked up at Kenneth the same time Tiffany turned to him. They both saw him staring at Besseta in horror.

“What?” she asked.

Not knowing what was going on, he asked, “How did you do that?” Besseta looked back down at the couch for pee. “No, they didn’t pee on me,” Kenneth said.

“Kenneth, you’re not making any sense,” Besseta said as Tiffany sat back down, playing with her puppies.

“I heard you, Besseta,” Kenneth exclaimed.

“Heard me what?” Besseta asked.

“You talked while looking at the puppies.”

Scoffing, she replied, “Kenneth, you usually hear me when I talk.”

He leaned over. “You mouth never moved; I was watching.”

Startled, Besseta quickly regained her composure. “That’s impossible.”

Kenneth spun around as Tiffany looked over at Besseta. “Oh, so I’m making this up?” he said. “I’m not crazy, so quit saying that. You aren’t driving me insane,” he said, walking into the kitchen. “I don’t care if you’re a vampire; I never have,” he cried out. “Damn it, how are you talking in more than one voice at the same time?” he shouted, walking back in the living room.

Tiffany watched Besseta’s face pale through the one-sided conversation and jump at the last one as Kenneth walked back in. “Is he answering you?” she asked, and Besseta nodded.

“How did you talk with more than one voice?” Kenneth asked again, and Besseta just stared at him. “Fine, I don’t want to know; I’m just your husband.”

Besseta jumped up. “Baby, I didn’t. I swear.”

In a panic, Kenneth spun around. “Fine,” he huffed and walked back to the kitchen, and they heard cabinets open and close. “Besseta, don’t yell at me; I’m just worried about you!” Kenneth shouted as they heard glass clinking. “You think I’m stupid? I know you’re tough and can take care of yourself, but I’m your husband. I have a right to worry about you. If I didn’t love you more than everything on this Earth, I would just let you run off kicking ass, but I want to protect you,” Kenneth shouted.

Tiffany started getting worried. “Is he still answering you?”

“Yes,” Besseta said.

“How are you using more than one voice and talking to both of us at the exact same time?” Kenneth asked. “Besseta, don’t yell at me,” Kenneth said. “Yes, you are yelling. Shit, it’s hurting my ears.”

Besseta collapsed back on the couch. “What the hell?”

“Yeah, that’s what I want to know,” Kenneth said, walking back in carrying a bottle of vodka and a tall glass.

“Well, I heard that part,” Tiffany said, looking back to Kenneth. “Yes, vodka does seem to help.”

Kenneth looked over at her. “Tiffany, not now,” he said and looked at Besseta. “What is going on?” he asked and grabbed his glass. “I love you too, baby,” he said and looked up, taking a drink. “Always,” he smiled.