Bad Choices (Hypernaturals 8)

Do You All Ever Serve Rotgut?

On the way downstairs, Angel looked back up. "That went well. In fact, really well. I wonder if she has wanted that for a while. What the hell is wrong with me?"

I assumed Angel is talking about her blind spot. She had not seen Andrea for what he is, and now she thinks she did not see Nakoma the way she can all the rest of us. "It's like love is blind, except for you love messes with your ability to read other people. You were in love with Andrea, so you did not see what he is. That is the subject for another day, as I let him live because I think he is a victim in this tragedy. That does not excuse what he did. You love your daughter err... Our daughter, more than anyone on planet Earth. That means you are like any other parent and have to wait to see what truths unfold. I can tell you this: Love does not mess with scent or my ability to read it. Nakoma is very happy up there, with her sisters."

Morgan agreed. "I got that too. That is a happy kid."

In the living room, Angel paused to take a deep breath. "My life changed so much this last week, it is hard to get my head around. I still can't understand how Pierre .. Well. You know. It's hard to have your life touched by evil."

Morgan went to the bar, pulled out some Scotch and Tequila. "Well. Look at it this way. Your life changed, and it also stayed the same. You still work at 'Olsen and Sagan'. We still have cases to deal with. Adrian and I still want you to get your PI license and join us there as a PI. Are you ready to consider that yet, or should I ask you in a week after this situation settles? And every week after that until you say 'yes'?"

"You know, we are married and partners and stuff. I could take odd weeks to ask her and you could take even. Lighten the load." I pointed out to Morgan.

Morgan handed me a Scotch with a small smile. "You are such a giver." A Tequila went to Angel. We sat down in the living room.

Angel took a sip. "I can see living here is going to also mean upgrading my taste in alcohol. Do you all ever serve rotgut?"

"No Angel Astral, whatever the entire hell that means, we, and that now includes YOU, only serve the good stuff." Morgan sipped. "Oh. Summer vacation we can take Nakoma to France, show her the Estate. She'll love that. The horses especially. Maybe not everything that went on in the pool though."

"We'll save that for after she is in bed. We are going to have to let Nakoma in on all things Vampire, sooner or later." I pointed out. "She is HERE now. Her sisters know. We have never hidden it from them, and they are under strict orders to never speak of it, but they will think it's OK to tell their sister. Maybe not Laura, since she never says anything, but Diana will."

Angel looked at me over her glass. "I was going to anyway. By the way, you have not even hinted at the idea that I should or should not be your wife here."

"Angel, I have never hinted at that because having sex with you is not what I was trying to achieve by adopting her. I want Nakoma protected. I am not trying to seduce you. It's like you said: This relationship would need more men in it. It's already unbalanced."

Angel looked up at her own room. "Yes. Well. One way of looking at it is that it is balanced in Helen's favor, not yours. Another is that my feelings for Vera that you tease me about constantly would indicate that I am not deeply caring as to the gender of who I love. Perhaps the issue is that after Andrea, would I even enjoy being with a man?"

I can see her point. I also heard something of a confession as to how long it has been for her since Angel had a lover. I steered away from that for now. "Helen has her lover of hundreds of years, her true love, and her baby daddy all available to her sexually, plus her Morgan. Group marriage is complicated. Ours has room for many levels and types of relationships in it."