CHAPTER 18

Once everything had settled down, Trent called for both his medical and security personnel.

By the time they arrived, Ivy and Quen had recovered, and Ceri was beginning to come around. Her first thought was, naturally, on Rea, but once she was sure her daughter was okay she turned on Rachel.

"What were you thinking? You're working with Newt? You know she can come across whenever she feels like and she's going to come looking for you, and you come here?" Ceri's face was beet red and her hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. "Do you have any idea what kind of danger you put my child in? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Rachel was too stunned by the outburst to say anything at first. She had seen the elf angry before, but never like this. Of course, given the circumstances Ceri had every right to be pissed, and while it sounded trite she didn't really know what else to say. "Ceri, I'm sorry, I…" She gasped as Ceri slapped her, the crack resonating around the room.

"You bitch! Don't you dare try and apologize! Don't you dare! There is no excuse for this, Rachel! Newt is the most powerful, uncontrollable monster in the ever after! If you want to risk your own life working with her, go right ahead." Ceri's voice grew low. "But you brought my child into this, you nearly got her killed. That is something I can never forgive you for." She looked the witch right in the eye, teeth gritted. "As of this moment, Rachel Mariana Morgan, we are done. Do you understand me?" Rachel nodded, tears in her eyes. "Trenton." She went to Quen and he put his arms around her. "Please get them out of here."

Trent smirked. "Of course."

He took great delight in instructing his security to do just that. They slapped an enchanted silver zip strip on the witch and manhandled her out to the car. After she broke the nose of the first one who tried, no one else dared touch Ivy, but half a dozen men with military grade stun guns told her they were not playing around. Jenks cursed colorfully as they hit him with sticky silk. When they pulled up in front of the church a short time later, he was still picking it out of his hair and wings.

"Tinks' titties! You sure know how to throw a party, Rache." He flew into the garden to check on his kids.

Ivy looked worriedly at Rachel as she got out of the car. "Are you okay?"

"Not really. Ceri is right. This is my fault, Ivy."

"The hell it is! Newt is a lunatic, Rachel. You can't be held responsible for her actions."

Rachel nodded. "Maybe, but I had no businesses going near an elf baby when I knew the lunatic demon could just show up. If I hadn't been there, Newt wouldn't have been there. At least I only had to deal with Al once a week." She pressed her cheek into the warm softness of Ivy's breasts as the vampire embraced her and sighed. "I wish I'd never gotten involved with any of them!"

"Maybe you should talk to that demon judge you told me about? See if he'll let you out of your contract all together?"

Rachel opened her eyes. "Dali?" She shrugged. "Maybe." She had her doubts though. Not surprisingly the demon courts tended to vote in favor of the demons, and while she might be distantly related to them, and could in fact spindle ley lines and twist curses better than some of them, she was not actually one. "I want to forget about demons, at least for a while." She leaned in and kissed Ivy's neck, smiling when she felt her vampire shudder and moan softly. "I'll wear the caps if you help me forget."

Ivy scooped Rachel up into her arms and raced into the church.