The Cambion's Hoard
Chapter 39-Thatcher

The copper and resin ring shined brightly in the sun as I moved it around my fingers. Kelley had taught me how to make jewelry from resin and stone. I owned three high-end jewelry stores and two "knockoff" shops. It's how I earned money, well, my own money. I could only live off the family horde for so long.

"So, how will your brother take me with you?" Kelley straightened in his seat.

"He's going to try and kill us. Wish I was joking, but he's tried." Biggs was going to rip him to pieces.

Kelley swallowed hard. I couldn't blame him for the wrath of Biggs. We had been raised to hate him. Mom could have done a better job hiding stuff, though she had only tried to keep Biggs from Kelley. When I was small, I'd heard her fight with my grandmother about Kelley a few times. Then, when I hit fourteen, I looked for him, and when we met, he cried. Ever since then, I'd been spending time with Kelley since.

"Mom didn't give me a chance to talk to him much about it. Each time I brought you up, she got pissed. He has every reason to hate you but no facts to explain why. Give him time." I could only hope we had time.

Our cab rolled to a stop, and I slid the driver his fare. I watched Kelley ready himself. He squared his shoulders and took a steadying breath. Humans were weird.

We got out, and I grabbed our bags from the trunk. I threw mine over my shoulder and headed for the door. Turning back, I looked at Kelley, "Come on, I think Rose is cooking."

When I got to the stairs, the front door slammed open. Rose was wearing one of Henson's teeshirts. Her breasts filled the top, so they rode up in the front. The yellow panties peaked from between her thighs. I groaned.

"Thatcher!" Rose's voice was breathy as she hurried across the porch.

I dropped my bag when she wrapped her arms around me. Then, taking her face in my hands, I tipped her head back and leaned down for a kiss.

"Have you been good?" I groaned but not from need. I wasn't getting a kiss or even having sex for a while.

"No, miss. I've been awful." Finally, I moved enough she could see Kelley standing behind me.

She looked up at me and then back at Kelley. "Thatch."

I winced at her tone. It screamed what did you do? "That's Kelley."

Her eyes widened as she looked back up at me. "As in your father, Kelley?"

"The one and only."

Rose pulled away from me and hurried back inside. "I'm going to go sit on your brother. Give me 5 minutes."

I was dead. Motioning for Kelley to follow me, I headed inside. He closed the door behind us. I'd have left it open. Rose and Biggs's arguing echoed from the kitchen.

"Rose, if you don't get off of me, I will not be responsible for what I do to you. But, then again, the kitchen table is the perfect height to bend..."

"I'd prefer not to hear what you'd do to our mate." I was using the table first with her. Already had it planned out. She was a whole meal, and I intended to have my fill.

Henson and Biggs looked from Rose to where I was standing. Henson's face slackened, and Biggs billowed. Smoke quickly poured from his nose.

Rose grabbed his face in her hands. "Biggs, he has to have a perfect explanation." Then, she turned and looked at me, "you better have a perfect explanation."

"I can actually explain." Kelley stood beside me. I could feel his nervousness.

I grabbed his shoulder. "You stand before a dragon, ogre, and succubus. You might want to nut up Kelley."

He let out a nervous chuckle. "Right. Well, Thatcher finally convinced me to go against your mother and come see you."

"Our mother has a good reason for us not to be around him." Biggs pushed against the table and tried to stand. Rose held onto him, so he had trouble moving. Not that he couldn't move her easily.

"Mom has been lying to us, Biggs. Kelley accepted her. She rejected him."

Biggs stood, and Rose dropped to the floor. Henson and I both stepped forward, but he was closer. He lifted her from the floor and did a quick once over.

"Biggs, calm down." Henson touched his elbow.

"Calm down! Fuck that shit. That man abandoned us. He rejected our mother." He made himself tower above Hen.

My brow furrowed. I looked at Rose, and her expression mirrored mine.

"You don't believe that?" Our words stilled him.

"You don't believe your mom was rejected. You think she's lying to you." Rose took his hand.

"Biggs, you know I'm not lying. You may have her mate bond, but we're twins. You know I'm not." I held my hands out before me.

He finally turned to look at me. "One, you look stupid with a beard."

"I like it." Rose snorted.

He glared at her, but I could see his eyes twinkling. After a moment, he looked at Kelley. "Two, why did she reject you?"

Kelley let out a sigh. I hadn't really had the balls to ask. I had wanted a relationship regardless of what caused the fallout. If he wanted me to know, he would have told me. Building trust and all.

I moved so I could see him. He deflated a little more. "Your mother blames me for her only chance at a daughter."

"What?" Our voices synced. The others hadn't been expecting that. Then again, neither had I.