Fashionably Fabulous: Book Eleven of The Hot Damned Series Read online

  Now I really, really wanted to hear it.

  “Okay,” Martha choked out as Jane pumped both her skinny arms in the air and did a small victory dance a la Rocky. “We went down to the desk and started yelling.”

  “And twerking,” The Shelia added.

  “That’s our signature move,” Jane pointed out and gave an example.

  “Keep going—not twerking—talking,” I instructed.

  “So I told the fuckers to clear the hotel pronto or we were out of here,” Martha choked out.

  “And?” I pressed, still laughing even though I had no clue what was coming.

  “They said that was impossible,” Jane explained with a lewd hip roll to make her point.

  “Yep, they sure did,” Martha said. “I was mad, but old Jane here was so mad that she…”

  Martha fell to the floor in hysterics. Everyone in the room was laughing and groaning.

  “What?” I shouted. “Tell me.”

  “Jane farted!” Martha screamed. “She laid out the loudest and deadliest vaporized poop particle in the history of all bottom burps.”

  “That right,” Jane bellowed, doing the moonwalk. “I produced a butt trumpet that sent those gay fuckers running for their lives. Fairies sprinting like the Devil himself was on their heels due to my rippin’ a juicy one.”

  “Wait,” I yelled over the groans. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or throw up. “You’re dead. You don’t have bodily functions.”

  “While this is true,” Jane said, nodding her head, “apparently I had one saved up in the poop shoot from when I was alive. That fucker had been cooking for years.”

  “Oh dear God,” I muttered and let my chin fall to my chest.

  “Suffice it to say, I almost died in the blast since I couldn’t flee the Plaza,” The Shelia said with a gag. “However, the method worked.”

  “Had to open all the windows on the first three floors for an hour, but no biggie,” Jane announced, wildly proud of herself. “Not sure I could ever do it again, but that trouser cough will go down in history.”

  “Okay,” I said, holding my hand up so they would stop. “I’m… umm… proud of you, and I thank God that I wasn’t here to witness it.”

  “Or smell it,” Jane added with a raised brow and a wide grin.

  “Correct,” I said scanning the Fairies in the suite.

  The Reggie was smiling at me and memories of our time spent together, both when The Jewel was alive and after, came roaring back to me. The man was so dear to me and these particular memories were very welcome.

  “You,” I said, pointing at the Fairy who’d been a huge part of my life so long ago. “I need to say something to you.”

  The Reggie looked confused and alarmed. The Shelia stood right next to him. I was delighted to see their friendship was back on track. They were both beautiful people inside and out.

  “Have I done something to displease you, my Queen?” The Reggie asked, concerned. “If I have, please accept my most sincere apologies.”

  Slowly crossing the room to him, I grinned. “Nope. Apology not accepted.” I said, standing in front of him. Placing my hands on either side of his handsome face, I bowed my head to him in respect.

  “Please don’t bow to me, Gemma. I am undeserving,” he whispered.

  “I love you, The Reggie. My mother loved you and you will forever be one of my greatest heroes.”

  “I failed you,” he choked out brokenly. “You died… you were murdered… and I wasn’t able to save you.”

  “No one could have saved me. The Corinne had planned long and carefully for my demise. You have to let that one go, dude. We start again right now. I love you and I always will.”

  The Reggie’s smile was angelic—just as I’d always remembered it. “I love you too, my Queen. Your mother loved you so very much,” he said with a sadness in his eyes. “You were her joy and her light.”

  “Pretty sure you were her light as well,” I told him.

  “That I was,” he agreed. “Someday I will be with her again. I eagerly await that time.”

  “Not yet,” I said, hugging him tight. “I need you here.”

  “And I shall be at your service until my last breath,” he promised. “We found the orphans.”

  “How many?” I asked, happy that everything thus far was going smoothly—even the evacuation of the staff, if you could call a fart going smoothly.

  “Twenty.”

  “That’s all of them?” I asked.

  “It is,” The Reggie replied.

  “And miracles of miracles,” The Bob said, joining us, “we were able to return almost all of them to very worried families. The Dark Court had purposely separated children from their parents.”

  “What kind of sick fucks would do something so inhumane?” I hissed as sparks shot from my fingers.

  “The Dark Court,” The Reggie said with disgust. “They have no souls.”

  “And tomorrow they will have no Court,” I snapped.

  “Wait,” I said, as The Bob’s words sunk in. “Almost all of the orphans were reunited with their parents?”

  “All but one,” The Bob confirmed.

  “Which child is alone and where is the child?” I asked as my stomach sank.

  “It’s Mina,” The Reggie said. “She’s in the far bedroom down the hall with Lady Gaga.”

  “Oh God,” I said, looking around wildly for The Kev.

  “I’m right here, lover,” he said from behind me. “Do you need me?”

  “I do.”

  Grabbing his hand I ran from the living area and down the hallway. My man was right with me. “I’m gonna do something…” I started.

  “I know,” he said with a smile and kissed me. “Do it.”

  “I love you.”

  “And I love you right back,” he replied with a chuckle. “Let’s go increase the size of our little family, lover.”

  * * *

  “Mina,” I said softly as she looked up at me with huge tears swimming in her blue eyes.

  “Hi,” she said, holding on to Lady Gaga like her life depended on it. “Who is that?”

  She pointed to The Kev and tilted her head.

  “That’s The Kev. He’s my mate,” I told her as she continued to stare at him.

  “Is he taking me back to the bridge?” Mina asked in a barely audible voice.

  My throat clogged with emotion. This was so wrong.

  “Nope,” The Kev said as he sat down on the ground next to Mina and Lady Gaga. He crossed his legs like a kindergartener and began to scratch my hartwog behind her colorful ears. “I was thinking.”

  “About what?” Mina asked.

  “Lots of stuff,” The Kev said, smiling at her.

  She smiled back tentatively and my heart melted. Even if I wasn’t a great mom, Billie Jean would have a fabulous dad.

  “Like what stuff?” Mina asked, more interested now.

  “Like I would really like to have a little girl named Mina,” he said. “I was wondering if you knew a little girl named Mina that would like to live happily ever after with Gemma and me?”

  Mina’s eyes grew large and she poked The Kev’s knee. “My name is Mina.”

  “It is?” The Kev asked, slapping his head in surprise. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, silly,” she said with a giggle as Lady Gaga purred with happiness. “I’m sure my name is Mina. Are you really looking for a Mina to keep and love?”

  “I am very sure,” he said and took her small hand in his. “You do not have to be alone in this world, Mina. We can never replace your real mommy and daddy, but we would be very honored to love and take care of you for the rest of time.”

  “Really?” she whispered.

  “Really,” I said as I crouched down next to the man I adored so much it was insane. “We would love to love you forever.”

  “Can I keep Lady Gaga?” she asked hesitantly. “She loves me too.”

  “Lady Gaga comes with the deal,” I promised
her. “And so does a little sister in about nine months.

  Mina’s eyes lit up and she threw her small body at us and sobbed. I joined her and The Kev shed tears as well.

  “I love you,” I mouthed over Mina’s head.

  “Right back at you, lover,” he mouthed back.

  “What should I call you,” Mina asked, peeking up at us.

  “What would you like to call us?” I asked. Anything she would have said would be fine with me.

  “Mommy and Daddy, please,” she said. “I can’t remember mine. They’ve been gone so long.”

  I was speechless. My heart grew so much I was sure it would pop out of my chest any second. Thankfully my better half could still make words.

  “Then Mommy and Daddy it is,” The Kev said, planting a kiss on the top of Mina’s head.

  “Mommy and Daddy?” Mina asked, trying out the words.

  “Yes?” The Kev answered.

  “Can Lady Gaga and I sleep with you tonight?”

  I looked at The Kev and we both laughed. “And so it begins,” I said with a grin.

  “I believe that can be arranged,” The Kev said as he scooped a giggling Mina into his strong arms and pulled me to my feet. “It’s time for bed, my little family. Tomorrow is coming quickly and we need rest.”

  Lady Gaga grunted her agreement and waddled down the hallway after us as we went to hit the sack. Life was perfect right now. I just needed to make sure tomorrow ensured that days like today would continue.

  And I would. There was no other option.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “You good?” The Kev asked as he gave both Mina and me a kiss before he had to leave for the concert venue at the Grand Fun Palace.

  He, The Reggie, and The Bob were going over to set up early and make sure there would be no surprises. Hopefully, The Kev’s disguise would fool everyone for one more day.

  “I’ll be better tomorrow,” I told him with a tight smile. I just prayed we would actually see tomorrow. “Tell me one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “How do I project my thoughts so people can see them?” I asked. “Is it difficult?”

  “Not at all,” The Kev said, as he snapped his fingers and threw the memory of our first kiss onto the bedroom wall.

  Mina squealed with delight and ran over to the enormous moving visual.

  “How did you do that?” I asked. It was mesmerizing watching his take on one of the best moments of my life. My brain started to whirl with possibilities—x-rated ones. The Kev’s sexy chuckle was proof positive that he knew exactly what I was thinking.

  “All you have to do is find the memory and will your mind to send it,” he said. “Shall I give you a suggestion considering where your thoughts are at the moment? It might be best.”

  His grin was positively lewd and I laughed. He was correct—as usual. We didn’t need to scar our new daughter with our sexual escapades on the first full day with us as her parents.

  “Yes. I do believe that is a wise suggestion.”

  “Show Mina how sweet she was sleeping last night,” The Kev said.

  The image was right at the front of my brain. She had fallen asleep the minute her small head hit the pillow and I’d watched her until I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore.

  Willing my mind to obey, the movie version of last night appeared immediately. It was beautiful. Mina held tight to both of our hands while she’d slept and Lady Gaga snored at her feet.

  “That’s me!” Mina shouted and hopped up and down with excitement.

  “That was so easy,” I said with surprise.

  “The good memories are quite simple to show. It’s the dark ones that take more concentration,” The Kev explained.

  Nodding thoughtfully, I kissed him again and pushed him out of the door. He needed to go and I had some thinking to do.

  The day had already been nuts and was going to get more insane quite soon. I’d transported and met with many of the Fairies surrounding the perimeter of the city. I’d made it clear what I was doing and every single person had pledged their support. Not a single Fairy had so much as blinked when I explained what had happened to The Kev and said they would have done the same.

  I even came across a group of Vampyre Fairies. They’d been hidden in seclusion longer than all the others. It broke my heart and pissed me off. Their loyalty to me was humbling and I was going to do my best to earn it.

  The plan was less half-assed than the others thus far, but there were so many unknown variables that I felt antsy and unsettled. Unable to get to the actual Light Court without revealing myself completely, I had no clue if they would support what was going to go down in a matter of hours.

  But I had to stop worrying about things I couldn’t control at this point. The truth would be revealed and then the Fairies would have the chance to choose their sides.

  Susu hadn’t returned from her mission, but I expected her shortly. I knew Astrid would have my back. I just hoped she would be able to find all I needed.

  “Come here, little lady,” I said to Mina. “Would you like me to fix your hair?”

  “Yes. I would… Mommy,” she said with a shy smile, still getting used to the wonderful word.

  “Ponytails or a braid?” I asked as I kissed the top of her head.

  “A braid, please.”

  A weak thread of late afternoon sunlight streamed through the window and made a watery looking line across the Persian rug. Biting my bottom lip, I stared at it. The long forgotten sun above Zanthia had peeked through the clouds today for the first time in centuries. This concerned me because I didn’t need to announce my presence to the Dark Court. Both The Kev and The Dave had allayed my fears. The members of the Dark Court rarely if ever ventured outside. Or at least the ones who weren’t Fairies at all wouldn’t.

  The Dark Fairies were having conniption fits trying to figure out what had happened in the Magic Mystery Castle. The Dave had been informed that there was “an issue” but the Dark Court had refused to say more. Of course, I was able to fill in the blanks, plus The Dave pointed out that the magic I’d encased the dungeon in would keep the Dark Fairies busy all day.

  This was a big Win-Win as far as I was concerned.

  Focusing on the here and now was my priority. I smiled as I realized both of my little girls were with me—Mina in the chair and Billie Jean inside my body. Life was good.

  “Oh. My. God. The Dave is here,” The Shelia hissed in a tizzy as she barged into my bedroom while I finished braiding Mina’s hair.

  “Yep,” I replied casually, enjoying her mini freak out. Anything to take my mind off of the evening ahead was terrific—even if it was only momentary. “Mina, go find Lady Gaga and play with her. Mommy has some work to do.”

  With a sweet kiss to my cheek, Mina tore out of the room in search of her beloved pet.

  “Mommy?” The Shelia asked, forgetting her own drama for a moment.

  “Yep,” I told her with a grin. “The Kev and I are keeping her… forever.”

  “She’s a very blessed child,” The Shelia said, hugging me.

  “I’d have to say it’s the other way around, but thank you, dude.”

  The Shelia stood still for a moment and looked perplexed. “Why in the Hell did I come in here?”

  My eye roll was tiny and thankfully she missed it. “Because the Fairy of your dreams is on the premises?”

  “Shit. Yesssss,” she said, throwing her body dramatically onto my bed. “He is so damned hot, I have trouble making full sentences around him. It’s horrible. I can barely breathe when I look at him. What is wrong with me?”

  “I believe you’re in luuuurve,” I told her.

  With a grunt of despair, The Shelia pulled the covers over her head and basically disappeared in a pile of goosedown to bemoan her life. I was going to enjoy the heck out of this one. A knock at the door kept me from giving her crap.

  “May I come in?” The Dave asked, poking his head in and not waiting for a rep
ly. “Gemma, I know we’ve only just reunited, but I need some advice… desperately.”

  “Umm… now might not be the best time,” I told him honestly.

  “I will only take a brief moment of your time,” he said, clearly unaware that there was a Fairy who had it bad for him under the mountain of blankets on the bed.

  “Well…” I hedged.

  Completely oblivious to my hesitation The Dave barreled right in. “My true mate is here.”

  “What?” I asked, quickly sitting on the mound of The Shelia so she didn’t move. “Here?”

  “Yes,” The Dave said, flustered. “I’m not sure what to do about it. I’m terribly out of practice as I was imprisoned for five hundred years and never really was much of a ladies’ man to begin with.”

  “You’re pretty dang hot,” I replied. “I mean, I don’t think you are because you’re my dad and that would be way weird. But from what I’ve heard though, the Fairy ladies are all pretty nuts over you.”

  I felt The Shelia pinch me and I bounced on top of the pile to punish her.

  “They are?” The Dave asked, shocked to the core.

  My father might be a truly enlightened being but he was clueless where women were concerned. “Absolutely,” I assured him.

  “While that’s quite flattering, there is only one opinion I care about. She’s a friend of yours. I was wondering… No—I can’t ask you this,” my father said, blushing furiously. “This is mortifying. I’m a five-thousand-year-old Fairy. I shouldn’t be bothering you with my issues.”

  As he turned to go, I let the cat out of the bag. “The Shelia has it bad for you.”

  The Dave froze mid-step and glimmering gold magic burst out in clouds around his body. Slowly he turned back to me with a smile on his face that could stop traffic all over the world at rush hour.

  “The Shelia finds me attractive?” he asked, sounding like a nerdy high school boy who just found out the Prom Queen was into him.

  “Yep. Very, very, very attractive.”

  “Is she taken? A true beauty like The Shelia surely has many admirers,” he said, not quite sure how to handle the fabulous news.