eyes. “I don’t want to be in that position again. I don’t want you to put your mother through that. The power you might gain isn’t worth your life.”
“Well, I may need them, because someone’s found a way to use me.”
He told his father and Mia, who’d stayed in the background the entire time, what had happened the past two days.
It sounded crazy. Hell, he had a god for a father, had met a creature who was half man, half goat and had had sex with an actual fairy with pink wings.
Two days ago, he’d been unaware that entire races of magical creatures also shared the world.
His dad rubbed a hand down his lean face. Justin couldn’t remember how many times he’d heard someone say he looked like his father. He’d never seen it himself but now…now he saw the resemblance in their bone structure. They had the same long features, straight nose and high cheekbones. But where his father’s hair was dark, his was fair. Michael’s eyes were that pure purple and his were blue.
“Sounds like the Mal are up to their old tricks again.” Mia spoke her first words since his father had entered the room. “I’ll do a little recon, see if I can figure out what they’re up to.”
89
Stephanie Julian
Michael sighed. “They’re persistent bastards, I’ll give them that. All right, Mia. Just don’t let them know what you’re doing.”
Nodding, she left the room.
And finally they were alone.
Michael’s lips quirked in a lopsided grin. “So you want to take a swing at me?”
Justin felt an answering grin on his own lips. “I should but I’m too damn happy to see you.”
“Me too, son. I have kept tabs on you and your sister. I just never saw this mess coming. Especially this company you work for. I did a little digging into Bonnini’s background when you took the job. Just to keep an eye out for you, keep up with what you were doing. But nothing popped right away. The guy looked squeaky clean. Of course that in itself should have been a red flag.”
“Hell, I work for them and I never had a clue. I don’t like being used.”
“Then let’s see what Mia comes up with,” Michael said. “In the meantime, let’s talk to Salvatorus—”
Justin shook his head. “Not a good idea. Didn’t you hear? The reason I’m here is because Nortia showed up.”
Michael huffed. “Don’t worry about her. I can handle her.”
* * * * *
Turned out his dad handled females about as well as a one-armed cow roper handled a roundup.
“Now, babe, I know I’ve been—”
“A shit, a creep, a dung beetle?” Nortia gave him a tight smile. “All of the above?
Why is it that I got stuck with you anyway, you unfaithful jackass? I never did understand that.”
90
Seduced by Magic
His father’s expression turned chagrined. “Norty, come on. You know neither of us had a choice in that. That’s the hand we were dealt. And it’s not like you’ve been a saint.”
Standing in the corner, Justin watched the Goddess Nortia wrinkle her pretty little nose. Blonde and blue-eyed, she looked like a twenty-something Barbie doll.
He’d expected her to be a bitch but so far she’d been nothing but kind. Well, to him anyway. His dad was getting hammered.
“Only after I realized you would never be faithful, you bastard.”
“So sue me, babe.” Now his father’s expression turned hard. “But later. We’ve got a bigger problem now.”
Nortia huffed. “I know that. Salvatorus and Scarlata have filled me in. I assume your son has done the same for you. So what do you have in mind?”
“Mia is out gathering information right now but…we think the Mal are targeting our people specifically. Can you think of any reason why they would?”
As his father and Nortia talked about things he should probably be listening to, all Justin really wanted was to talk to Scarlata.
She stood against the opposite wall, her eyes never leaving him. She had her wings unfurled and curled around her shoulders. He wanted to put his
“Well, I may need them, because someone’s found a way to use me.”
He told his father and Mia, who’d stayed in the background the entire time, what had happened the past two days.
It sounded crazy. Hell, he had a god for a father, had met a creature who was half man, half goat and had had sex with an actual fairy with pink wings.
Two days ago, he’d been unaware that entire races of magical creatures also shared the world.
His dad rubbed a hand down his lean face. Justin couldn’t remember how many times he’d heard someone say he looked like his father. He’d never seen it himself but now…now he saw the resemblance in their bone structure. They had the same long features, straight nose and high cheekbones. But where his father’s hair was dark, his was fair. Michael’s eyes were that pure purple and his were blue.
“Sounds like the Mal are up to their old tricks again.” Mia spoke her first words since his father had entered the room. “I’ll do a little recon, see if I can figure out what they’re up to.”
89
Stephanie Julian
Michael sighed. “They’re persistent bastards, I’ll give them that. All right, Mia. Just don’t let them know what you’re doing.”
Nodding, she left the room.
And finally they were alone.
Michael’s lips quirked in a lopsided grin. “So you want to take a swing at me?”
Justin felt an answering grin on his own lips. “I should but I’m too damn happy to see you.”
“Me too, son. I have kept tabs on you and your sister. I just never saw this mess coming. Especially this company you work for. I did a little digging into Bonnini’s background when you took the job. Just to keep an eye out for you, keep up with what you were doing. But nothing popped right away. The guy looked squeaky clean. Of course that in itself should have been a red flag.”
“Hell, I work for them and I never had a clue. I don’t like being used.”
“Then let’s see what Mia comes up with,” Michael said. “In the meantime, let’s talk to Salvatorus—”
Justin shook his head. “Not a good idea. Didn’t you hear? The reason I’m here is because Nortia showed up.”
Michael huffed. “Don’t worry about her. I can handle her.”
* * * * *
Turned out his dad handled females about as well as a one-armed cow roper handled a roundup.
“Now, babe, I know I’ve been—”
“A shit, a creep, a dung beetle?” Nortia gave him a tight smile. “All of the above?
Why is it that I got stuck with you anyway, you unfaithful jackass? I never did understand that.”
90
Seduced by Magic
His father’s expression turned chagrined. “Norty, come on. You know neither of us had a choice in that. That’s the hand we were dealt. And it’s not like you’ve been a saint.”
Standing in the corner, Justin watched the Goddess Nortia wrinkle her pretty little nose. Blonde and blue-eyed, she looked like a twenty-something Barbie doll.
He’d expected her to be a bitch but so far she’d been nothing but kind. Well, to him anyway. His dad was getting hammered.
“Only after I realized you would never be faithful, you bastard.”
“So sue me, babe.” Now his father’s expression turned hard. “But later. We’ve got a bigger problem now.”
Nortia huffed. “I know that. Salvatorus and Scarlata have filled me in. I assume your son has done the same for you. So what do you have in mind?”
“Mia is out gathering information right now but…we think the Mal are targeting our people specifically. Can you think of any reason why they would?”
As his father and Nortia talked about things he should probably be listening to, all Justin really wanted was to talk to Scarlata.
She stood against the opposite wall, her eyes never leaving him. She had her wings unfurled and curled around her shoulders. He wanted to put his
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