"I never thought I'd set foot in here again," I said quietly as I looked around the front hallway of the house where I grew up. "It's kind of weird, to be honest."

Marianne slipped an arm around me and pulled me into a side-hug as she asked, "Are you going to be alright Lexi?"

I nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine, it's just... It brings back memories? There were some good ones, but a lot of bad ones too."

My arm found its way around her waist as I added, "Being here, and under these circumstances... It's just plain weird."

"It's for the best though, don't you think?" my girlfriend asked quietly. "I thought everything worked out well last night."

She was right about that. Weird or not, there probably couldn't have been any better solution to the whole situation.

According to all the official paperwork, Richard Harris passed away late last night in his hospital bed. It happened during the nurses' shift-change, so when the new nurses arrived he was already gone and they assumed the previous shift did all the paperwork. Meanwhile the nurses who'd been on that previous shift would assume it happened after they left and the next crew handled everything.

That wasn't all Eva's doing either, she called her daughter in to help out. Mira had been working at the hospital as a volunteer for a couple years, so she knew the routines and schedules, as well as how to sneak around them with a bit of magic.

The same sort of thing would happen all the way along. Whatever doctors were on duty would each think someone else signed off and released the body. No-one would be entirely sure which funeral home collected his remains, but the official paperwork would all be filed at the appropriate times. Dad's lawyer and the executor of his estate would be notified, and likely within the next few days someone would show up to take possession of the house and start disposing of dad's assets.

I wasn't on dad's will anymore since he thought I died four years ago, but that was fine. I didn't need anything and had no intention of staying here. That was part of the stuff he wanted to talk to me about last night, in fact. Marianne and I confirmed that we'd be returning to London with Eva, to continue our life together there.

So the house and anything of value inside it would be sold off, then that and whatever money dad had saved would all get distributed. Some would go to local charities and a few acquaintances would get something, but a chunk of it would follow us to London where it'd end up in my cousin's hands. Ian was the last relative any of us had left, after all. I just hoped he'd make the most of that windfall.

My thoughts continued to drift around, and so did the rest of me. I slowly gravitated over to the dining room, and stopped next to the wall where dad had a bunch of old family pictures up on display.

"Oh crap," I grimaced. I hadn't even thought about it, but of course there were images of the old me up there.

Marianne politely ignored them, instead she looked at the pictures of my parents.

"That was your mother?" she asked as she nodded towards one of the older photos. "She was a beautiful woman."

I sighed, "Yeah she was. That's from a vacation we took, back when I was little."

Some of the pictures were making me uncomfortable, but it was nice to see the photos of mom again. I ended up pulling some of her pictures down, along with a few of both my parents together. Then I tucked them into my purse as I led Marianne back to the front hall.

"Is that all you wanted Lexi?" she asked softly. "There's nothing upstairs you needed?"

That made me grimace again, "I'm not going to check my old bedroom. I didn't even ask if dad left my stuff or if he got rid of it after I died. Either way, I don't want to know."

She gave me a gentle squeeze then a kiss on the cheek, "Of course Lexi. I hope you're not feeling more awkward because I'm here? I could wait in the car if you like."

"Nah," I held her tighter. "I'm glad you're here. Though if this is going to take much longer I might end up waiting in the car."

Fortunately it was only a few more minutes before a young man came running down the stairs. He took them two at a time, and he was carrying a small brown leather suitcase in one hand.

His height was about average, perhaps even on the low side for his age. He was a couple centimetres shorter than Marianne's new stature, which put him about the same height as Eva. At least when she was in her human guise anyways. His figure was slim without being skinny, and he had some wiry muscle visible under his bare arms.

He was dressed casual in blue jeans, sneakers, and a plain t-shirt. His blond hair hung down to just above his shoulders, but instead of looking untidy it made him look kind of relaxed and carefree. His face was clean-shaved and attractive, his skin fair like mine and Eva's, and his eyes were a bright blue which also matched mine and my demon's.

At nineteen years old he looked right on the verge of leaving his teen years behind. And the suitcase in his hand gave the impression of a kid about to set off for college, which wasn't that far from the truth.

As he joined me and Marianne by the door I asked, "Hey dad, got everything you wanted?"

He gave me a wry smile, "You're gonna have to get used to calling me something else Lexi. People are going to give both of us funny looks if you call me 'dad' in public."

"We're not in public though," I protested. "And it feels strange calling you Lucas."

He laughed, "I got used to calling you Lexi, you can get used to calling me Lucas. Or you could always call me -"

"I'm not calling you 'bro'!" I stated. "Now c'mon, if you're all set then let's get out of here."

Dad smirked, "Ok sis."

Marianne smiled while I rolled my eyes. My girlfriend couldn't help teasing, "I think it's adorable how you two quarrel. Like many brothers and sisters I know."

I blushed as the three of us made our way out to the car, then grumbled "Maybe I'll start calling him 'little brother'. Or 'baby brother', how's that sound?"

"Whatever you say sis," Lucas grinned as he tucked his suitcase into the trunk of our rental car.

Then as he ducked into the back seat he complained, "Shouldn't you be the one back here Lexi? It's not like you need all the extra head-room up front."

"You're not that tall little brother," I teased as I got into the passenger seat. Then as I sorted out my invisible tail I added, "Anyways even if my ears are invisible they're still there, and it tickles like crazy when the tufts rub against the top of the car."

Marianne giggled as she got behind the wheel, but she waited till I was all set before we pulled out.

"So where are we off to now?" Lucas asked. "I assume you two are staying at a hotel someplace?"

I nodded, "Yeah, we've got an executive suite not far from here. We'll head over there later and get you a room I guess? Right now we're going to visit the in-laws."

"In-laws?" he asked, confused.

Marianne smiled as she explained, "Eva's demonic family. We're going to see Mira and Mara and Lily again. And Eva too, she's waiting for us there."

"Right," he replied. He still sounded confused though as he asked, "Why are you calling them in-laws?"

"Me and Marianne talked about it last night after we left the hospital?" I explained. "Eva's like a big sister to me right? Now you're my little brother. And Lily is Eva's wife. So Lily's like a sister-in-law to both you and me. And Mara and Mira are nieces I guess? Except they look the same age as you, which makes them more like sisters-in-law as well."

Lucas pointed out, "Except we're not really siblings. So they're not really in-laws."

"Sure we are!" I laughed. "I'm Lexi Lund, you're Lucas Lund, she's Eva Lund. She's the oldest, I'm in the middle, and you're our baby brother."

He still didn't sound convinced as he said, "But they're demons, sis."

I shrugged, "And as of yesterday so are me and Marianne. You're the odd one out, Lucas. The only human and the only guy in the whole family."

That put a smile on his face, "So that would make me the man of the household then."

"Don't push your luck little brother," I laughed. "You're just lucky the rest of the family is the nice kind of demon. Otherwise being the only human might make you 'dinner'."

Marianne pretended to scold me, "Don't scare the boy Lexi. And you know Eva and Lily would probably be upset at the implication."

Her frown shifted back to a smile as she added, "On the other hand, Mira did say three of their girlfriends are succubi? So perhaps being the only boy and the only human will mean Lucas is on the menu after all."

The boy in question made a 'gulp' sound then admitted, "I uh, don't know whether to be scared or excited."

I laughed again, "Just don't sleep with any of them, ok? Promise me that? They're not going to kill you, but it'll probably mess you up for a day or two."

"Right," Lucas said, but he didn't sound very certain.

About a half hour later we pulled up in front of the little split-level suburban house that was home to a half dozen sex-demons and succubi, and my dad-turned-brother made some of the same observations I did the day before. He commented on how it looked way too normal to be home to a bunch of demons. The house didn't look like anything special on the outside, just a small friendly unassuming little place in the middle of a quiet neighbourhood.

Mira greeted the three of us at the door and motioned us in, "Hello Lexi and Marianne, and Lucas it's nice to meet you! Come on in, make yourselves comfortable. You're just in time, Mara's got lunch almost ready."

"Hi Mira," Lucas replied quietly. His expression and tone made it clear he was feeling a little awkward at meeting the cute young hospital volunteer, considering she knew him as Mr. Harris.

The ravenette teen just smiled as we all moved past her into the house, then closed the door behind us.

Me and Marianne sat on the love-seat again, while Lucas picked the far end of the sectional sofa, next to the fireplace. He was staring wide-eyed towards the kitchen, where Mira's identical twin was making sandwiches.

I'd already figured out that Mara kept her horns and tail visible as much as she possibly could, which meant my dad-turned-brother was getting his first look at a demon who actually looked the part. With the dark red pointed horns and the long spade-tipped tail, there was no mistaking what Mara really was.

Despite her example I kept my new attributes hidden. I needed more time to get used to them, and honestly I was still kind of embarrassed about them. Dad was right, I didn't look like a demon I looked like a catgirl. And I knew some people were really into that, but unfortunately I'd never been one of them.

Eva was in the kitchen too, she was helping get the drinks ready. And a minute or two later she and Mara both joined the rest of us in the living-room.

Lucas suddenly found himself sharing the sofa with three demons, as Mara took the seat next to him, then Mira and Eva joined them. A platter of sandwiches was left on the coffee table, along with a half dozen bottles of spring water and a little stack of napkins.

"Help yourself," Mara said as she gestured to the food.

It was a nice simple lunch, we had a selection of sandwiches to choose from and Mara had cut them up into little random triangle and rectangle shapes. Somehow that actually made them more fun, and they were tasty too. One contained a pâté with grilled veggies, there was an egg salad option, and the third was some kind of spiced ham with cream cheese.

"Thanks Mara," I commented after a few bites. "These are really tasty."

Her mouth was full as she munched on her food but she grinned, and her tail was swishing around happily. Lucas hadn't been able to stop staring at it yet, which was amusing.

As the six of us enjoyed our lunch, the conversation gradually turned to the near future, and the way our plans had all changed again.

I nodded towards Lucas and said, "So now that my little brother has decided he's coming back to London with me and Marianne and Eva, it means we have a bunch of work ahead of us. We need to find him someplace to stay, and we need to go through the same sorts of magic-powered bureaucracy-cheating we did for me four years ago to get him registered at college."

"We also need to consider accommodations for you too Eva," Marianne added. "Naturally you are welcome to continue living with us as long as you like. You can take the guest room and make it yours, but I'm sure in the long run you would prefer your own place?"

Eva shrugged, "For now I'm happy using the guest room. Believe it or not, I'm not that picky. And now that I can come and go as I please, I can always head out and wander around when you two want some privacy. Or if I get a bit stir-crazy."

Mara grinned, "You can always teleport back here whenever you like! Lily's always happy to see you, mehter."

"And I'm very happy to see her too Mara," Eva replied with a smile. "Speaking of which, after everyone's done eating I'd like to see her again this afternoon?"

Mira volunteered, "I'm actually done eating, so I'll turn it over to Lily right now."

"Lucas don't freak out!" I warned my brother.

He frowned at me, "Why would I frea-- Oh holy hell!"

Just like that my dad-turned-brother went from thinking demons were petite dusky-skinned girls with horns and a tail, to staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the naked two-and-a-half meter tall winged blue monster-girl standing next to the sofa.

Lily smiled, "Hello Lucas, sorry I startled you."

Then she sat crosslegged on the floor next to the coffee table and helped herself to one of the little sandwiches. She popped it in her mouth then looked at her lover and asked, "What did you want to talk about, Eva?"

Our demon rolled her eyes but replied, "I was thinking love, you really should restore yourself the way you've done for me? There's no excuse for you to have to share with our two girls. You can still be connected to them like you are now, just bring a third body into the pact the three of you already share?"

"You know Lexi and I are still pacted," she added. "Two of us, two bodies, but we're still connected. Granted our connection is different from yours, but the bond remains."

Lily hesitated, "But I don't see why I need my own body? Neither Mara or Mira mind sharing with me now and then?"

Eva sighed, "Must I spell it out for you? I'd like to be able to spend time with you alone now and then Lily. Without worrying about one or the other of our daughters being present."

"Oh," the big blue demoness looked embarrassed, and her cheeks took on a darker shade of blue. "Um, I'll think about it. Maybe. No promises though."

Mara made a snerk sound like she was trying not to laugh. I figured there was an inside joke there somewhere, but didn't bother asking.

Eva ignored the ravenette teen, she gave her lover a pointed look and stated "No maybes love. Next time we visit I want you in your own body. No more being lazy and hiding inside our daughters' minds all day long."

Lily pouted quietly, so after a few seconds I spoke up with a change of subject.

"I know the last couple days all our plans have been dropped or changed," I commented as I looked at the others. "And now we're planning to head back to London on Monday. That's just four days away, can the rest of you figure out all your details by then?"

Marianne added, "From here we need to take Lucas to the hotel and get him his own room, then we'll have to take him shopping. Right now he only has the one outfit."

"Right," I nodded. "We also need to book the plane tickets for him and you Eva, and me and Marianne have to update ours for the new return date."

Eva grimaced, "Oh goodness I didn't think of that. Would it be wrong of me to let the three of you fly home on the plane, while I just teleport back to London directly?"

"My sentiments exactly," Mara stated. "Planes bad, wings good."

I grinned, "That's fine Eva. Being afraid of flying is nothing to be ashamed about, and we won't force you to get on a plane."

Meanwhile Lily sighed, "Four days. We were only just reunited a couple days ago, and already you're planning on leaving."

"It's not forever this time love," Eva responded. She moved off the sofa to sit next to her lover, and the two gave each other a hug. "Let's make plans right now, for the next time we'll get together? Maybe in August? We need to get Lucas established in London, but as soon as that's done we can visit again. And we'll make it a proper visit next time, instead of all the hectic running around we've done this time."

"Ok," Lily nodded. "I'll hold you to that."

"As long as you've restored your own body by then," Eva reminded her lover, before the two of them exchanged a tender kiss.

Meanwhile I helped Mara put away the left-over sandwiches and we all got more drinks, then the six of us spent the next hour or two making plans.

In the end we said our goodbyes, then Eva and Lucas climbed into the back seat of the rental car while me and Marianne sat up front. We waved as we pulled away from the little demon household and set out to start putting our plans in motion.

PurpleCatGirl

for folks who want to know exactly what Lucas wanted to talk to Lexi about at the end of the last chapter:

Spoiler

1. would Lexi be moving back to Canada, or was she going to return to her new life in London?
2. would Lexi accept her dad back into her life, after everything he said & did to push her away 4 years ago?
3. how hard was it for Lexi to start over with a new name, new identity, etc?
4. would Lexi accept him if he looked different, if he was younger, etc. basically if he took Eva up on her offer of a fresh start, would Lexi be comfortable with him being part of her new life?
and after those four questions, Eva, Lexi, Marianne, and Lucas together figured out the best solution that would let Lucas get a fresh new start while remaining part of Lexi's life. which meant going to London with the rest of them.

[collapse]

all that didn't feel like enough for me to make into its own chapter, plus I figured most of it would be obvious in retrospect from what transpired in this chapter, so I left all that behind the scenes. along with the hospital & legal shenanigans

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