Nine Shillings

A Comfy Place To Nap

London - 1842

Josef was lying on one of the couches in the library because Mary had decided to take a nap on his chest. He'd put a blanket over both of them and she was snuggled into her cosy burrow with the stuffed duck I'd made her under one arm and her fingers in her mouth, snoring softly and probably drooling on his shirt and waistcoat.

'Do you want me to lift her up so we can put her to bed?' I whispered, crouching beside them as if that would make me less conspicuous.

'She's comfy here,' he whispered. 'Aren't you, sweetie?' He kissed the top of her head.

Mary's only reply was to continue snoring, so I supposed she was. I stroked her hair, she yawned in her sleep, flexed her wet fingers, and grabbed a handful of Josef's waistcoat. So, There was no moving her.

He gave her his adoring daddy look; it was annoyingly beautiful and I was tempted stroke his hair too.

He shot me a teasing smile and tilted away from me slightly. 'She's fine here. One day she'll grow up and not want cuddles from daddy.'

'That's true.' I wasn't unaware that I was never going to age now I was a vampire but my children would. They'd grow up, maybe have children of their own, grow old, and eventually die. And I'd just stay the same.

I sighed.

'All we can do is enjoy people while we have them,' he murmured as if he'd read my mind. If anyone was likely to know anything about the problems of immortality, it was Josef.

'How's that working for you?' I asked.

His smile turned sad and he kissed the top of Mary's head again.

'Hmm... that well.' I thought of the... tension, that kept rising between him and Bran. We worked well as a trio but also... maybe Nora was right and we needed to sort ourselves out. I wasn't sure how. I still wasn't used to having emotional connections to people. To having a family.

Bran came in holding a letter before I had to think of anything else to say and immediately got distracted. 'Oh, did Mary wear herself out?' he whispered and crouched down beside the couch.

'Only so much fighting dragons and hunting sea monsters one little girl can do,' Josef replied, very quietly. 'Sometimes you've got to find a safe place for a rest.'

That was true, but sometimes Mary fell asleep in her dinner. I decided not to mention it and leave them to their aww-ing.

'When they fall asleep on you it's amazing,' Bran murmured, smiling his own adoring pappy smile, and stroked Mary's hair. 'That's love.'

'It is,' Josef agreed.

I put my hands on my hips but I knew I'd already lost it and given them both a soft, soppy look. 'Is there something important in that letter?'

'Hm?' Bran looked up at me standing over his crouching form, just about. 'Oh, it's for you but it's addressed to me.' He handed it up to me.

The wax seal was already broken, unsurprisingly, I folded it out and carefully read through the neat calligraphy as they cooed over their sleeping daughter like only adoring fathers could.

'It's from the Coven Master, someone called Tomas,' I said.

Josef went still.

'He says someone saw me take out those two vampires and is inviting me to tea to discuss the matter.' I offered the letter to Josef. 'Know anything about him?'

Josef took the letter and held it carefully so it wouldn't poke Mary in the face. 'He's an unknown factor. He only recently ascended to the mastership and is, currently, the youngest serving Master.'

That was either very good or... very bad.

'He's young but he must be powerful already,' Bran murmured, holding Mary's hand. Or, more accurately, she was holding two of his fingers in her sleep because her tiny hand would disappear in his massive fist. 'To become master, he had to defeat his predecessor.'

I nodded. I didn't know anything about the previous master of the city, I'd been human so I'd been more of an annoying bug than anyone of note.

As I understood it, every large city had a master and they came together in a council that, in theory, was similar to a parliament. Josef said in practice it was more like a bunch of rich ladies trying to arrange handing out clothes to the poor.

'Well, clearly he doesn't have witnesses or he'd know it was Bran,' I said quietly. 'What's his game?'

'A wise master would get a vampire like you on their side.' Josef offered the letter back to me. 'Even an unwise master would see the potential in your connections.'

I took the note. 'Me having connections, who'd have thought.'

Josef chuckled but stifled it before he woke Mary.

'This is my fault,' Bran muttered. 'I got you in trouble.'

'No, you didn't.' I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head. 'I get myself in trouble.'

'Mummy's troublemaker,' Mary mumbled without appearing to be properly awake.

'I am.' I bent over with my hands on my knees. 'Are you sleepy?'

'Daddy's comfy. You're noisy.' She rolled over like Josef's torso was bread she was kneading.

I wasn't sure where she got him with one of her limbs but it was enough to make even him go 'oof'.

She snuggled down and pulled Josef's arms back round her. 'Cosy.'

'I'm cosy, too.' Josef kissed the top of her head but she'd already fallen back to sleep.

'Well, that told us,' I whispered.

'Definitely told me,' Josef whispered back.

I chuckled. 'Oh dear.' And kissed his forehead without thinking.

I straighten to Bran's gaze flicking anxiously between us. That voice telling him we'd rather be without him must've been talking again.

I cupped his face and kissed his forehead. 'And one for you too.'

'Me too, Mummy,' Mary said, clearly not as asleep as she seemed.

I bent over, gave her a squeeze and a kiss with an exaggerated 'mwah'. She giggled and hugged me back, sticking a slightly damp ducky in my face. It was probably her sleep drool, I decided not to think about it.

'Is it time for a bit a snack?' I asked, hugging her back.

'Biscuits.'

'Biscuits, it is.' I lifted her up and perched her on my hip.

Bran straightened. 'I'll go see if Merry has finished her nap.'

Mary rubbed her eyes, sleepily.

'Sure you've had enough nap?' I asked.

She nodded, rested her head on my shoulder, and promptly fell asleep again.

Josef snorted and put his hand over his mouth to cover his laughter. I shook my head. Bless her, she really was trying to stay awake.

Josef sat up and plucked at his shirt and waistcoat. 'I think I'm going to change this.'

I eyed the rather large drool patch then nodded, suppressing a smile. He didn't even make it to the door before he was unbuttoning his waistcoat.

The Coven Master might want my attention but he'd have to wait until after my children's snack time.